The 80s brought us music from some of the greatest artists of all time. Test your knowledge with these 80s music trivia questions and answers.
Our 80s music trivia questions will cover great performers like Madonna and Michael Jackson. This decade brought us fun hair rock and the early beginnings of hip hop.
This decade definitely brought a diverse array of sounds to enjoy. If you’re ready to test yourself, then enjoy our 80s music trivia questions and answers. After you finish this quiz, check out our:
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80s Music Trivia 1. What was the last single released from Michael Jackson’s Thriller album? Reveal Answer Thriller 2. Who was the singer that reminded people to don’t worry, be happy? Reveal Answer Bobby McFerrin 3. What song is considered to be Madonna’s first mainstream hit? Reveal Answer Holiday 4. What movie was Eye of the Tiger the theme song for? Reveal Answer Rocky III 5. Who is the band that reminded listeners to don’t stop believing? Reveal Answer Journey 6. Along with She Bop, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and Time After Time, what was Cyndi Lauper’s fourth top-five single on her debut album? Reveal Answer All Through The Night 7. Which rap album came first, “Yo! Bum Rush the Show” or “Straight Outta Compton?” Reveal Answer Straight Outta Compton 8. Who was the hype man in the rap group Public Enemy? Reveal Answer Flavor Flav 9. Who is the 80’s rock band known for the hits “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name?” Reveal Answer Bon Jovi 10. In 1984, what song was Tina Turner’s first and only Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit? Reveal Answer What’s Love Got to Do with It 11. What song did Stevie Wonder write in honor of the new national holiday for Martin Luther King Jr? Reveal Answer Happy Birthday 12. What 80s Canadian singer had hits such as Run to You and Summer of 69? Reveal Answer Bryan Adams 13. What rock band and hip hop group collaborated on the hit 80’s song “Walk This Way?” Reveal Answer Run-DMC and Aerosmith 14. What two singers collaborated on the songs “Say Say Say” and “The Girl Is Mine?” Reveal Answer Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson 15. What was the name of Whitney Houston’s debut album? Reveal Answer Whitney Houston 16. James Todd Smith debuted as an artist in 1984 under what rap name? Reveal Answer LL Cool J 17. Which 80s rap artist released a solo album first, Ice Cube or Ice-T? Reveal Answer Ice-T 18. What English singer had a hit in 1981 with the song “In the Air Tonight?” Reveal Answer Phil Collins 19. Who wrote and produced the song Batdance for the 19898 Batman film? Reveal Answer Prince 20. What 80s R&B group had hits such as “Candy Girl” and “Cool It Now?” Reveal Answer New Edition 21. Which artist had a 1980 hit with “Call Me”? Reveal Answer Blondie
22. Who were the original members of Duran Duran? Reveal Answer Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, and Andy Taylor
23. Who had a 1984 hit with “Like a Virgin”? Reveal Answer Madonna
24. What was U2’s first #1 single in the United States? Reveal Answer “With or Without You”
25. Who performed the title track for the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters”? Reveal Answer Ray Parker Jr.
26. Which band recorded the album “Back in Black” in 1980? Reveal Answer AC/DC
27. Which rock band was formed in 1983 by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, Alec John Such, and Tico Torres? Reveal Answer Bon Jovi
28. Who is the lead singer of the band The Cure? Reveal Answer Robert Smith
29. What is the name of the Prince album that features “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain”? Reveal Answer “Purple Rain”
30. What was Cyndi Lauper’s debut single? Reveal Answer “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
31. Which song from the album “Born in the U.S.A.” was Bruce Springsteen’s first #1 single? Reveal Answer “Dancing in the Dark”
32. Who sang the 1983 hit “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”? Reveal Answer Eurythmics
33. What was the name of Guns N’ Roses’ debut album? Reveal Answer “Appetite for Destruction”
34. Which famous 80’s song begins with the lyrics “You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar”? Reveal Answer “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League
35. Who performed the 1981 hit “Don’t Stop Believin'”? Reveal Answer Journey
36. What is Def Leppard’s best-selling album? Reveal Answer “Hysteria”
37. Who is the lead vocalist for the band The Police? Reveal Answer Sting
38. Which 1980’s band was known for their hit “Every Breath You Take”? Reveal Answer The Police
39. What was the name of the charity supergroup that sang “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in 1984? Reveal Answer Band Aid
40. Which song did Peter Gabriel release in 1986 that used the groundbreaking stop-motion technology in its music video? Reveal Answer “Sledgehammer”
41. Who sang the 1980 hit “Funkytown”? Reveal Answer Lipps Inc.
42. Which band released the hit “I Ran (So Far Away)” in 1982? Reveal Answer A Flock of Seagulls
43. What song did George Harrison release in 1987 that became his third number one single in America? Reveal Answer “Got My Mind Set on You”
Reveal Answer Kenny Loggins
45. Who was the lead singer of the band The Smiths? Reveal Answer Morrissey
46. Who sang the 1981 hit “Endless Love”? Reveal Answer Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
47. Which band had a hit with “Jump” in 1984? Reveal Answer Van Halen
48. What song did Phil Collins release in 1981 about a man who could not swim but was too afraid to save himself? Reveal Answer “In the Air Tonight”
49. Who performed the song “Material Girl”? Reveal Answer Madonna
50. Which English rock band released the album “The Wall” in 1980? Reveal Answer Pink Floyd
51. What song did Bryan Adams release in 1985 that became a number one hit in the U.S.? Reveal Answer “Heaven”
52. Who sang the 1982 hit “I Love Rock ‘n Roll”? Reveal Answer Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
53. What was the first video played on MTV when it launched in 1981? Reveal Answer “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles
54. Who had a hit with “Walk This Way” alongside Aerosmith in 1986? Reveal Answer Run-D.M.C.
55. Who sang the 1987 hit “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”? Reveal Answer Whitney Houston
56. Which 80’s band was known for their hit “Just Can’t Get Enough”? Reveal Answer Depeche Mode
57. Who performed the 1987 hit “Faith”? Reveal Answer George Michael
58. Who were the original members of the band R.E.M.? Reveal Answer Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry
59. What 1986 song did Bon Jovi release that became their first number one hit in the U.S.? Reveal Answer “You Give Love a Bad Name”
60. What song did Salt-N-Pepa release in 1986 that became one of the first rap songs to cross over to the pop charts? Reveal Answer “Push It”
61. Who sang the 1985 hit “We Are the World”? Reveal Answer USA for Africa
62. Which band had a hit with “Don’t Dream It’s Over” in 1986? Reveal Answer Crowded House
63. What song did Queen release in 1980 that became a top ten hit in the U.S.? Reveal Answer “Another One Bites the Dust”
64. Who had a hit with “She Blinded Me with Science” in 1982? Reveal Answer Thomas Dolby
65. Who performed the hit “Eye of the Tiger” for the movie “Rocky III”? Reveal Answer Survivor
66. What is the name of the band that Boy George was a part of? Reveal Answer Culture Club
67. Who sang the 1984 hit “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”? Reveal Answer Wham!
68. Who performed the 1982 hit “Tainted Love”? Reveal Answer Soft Cell
69. What was the name of Metallica’s debut album? Reveal Answer “Kill ‘Em All”
70. Which musician had a hit with the song “Sledgehammer” in 1986? Reveal Answer Peter Gabriel
71. Who was the lead singer of the band The Pretenders? Reveal Answer Chrissie Hynde
72. Who performed the hit “I Wanna Know What Love Is” in 1984? Reveal Answer Foreigner
73. Who sang the 1988 hit “Sweet Child o’ Mine”? Reveal Answer Guns N’ Roses
74. Who performed the 1982 hit “Down Under”? Reveal Answer Men At Work
75. Who performed the hit “Take My Breath Away” for the 1986 movie “Top Gun”? Reveal Answer Berlin
76. What song did The Bangles release in 1986 that became a number one hit in the U.S.? Reveal Answer “Walk Like an Egyptian”
77. Which artist had a hit with the song “Fast Car” in 1988? Reveal Answer Tracy Chapman
78. Who is the lead vocalist for the band The Go-Go’s? Reveal Answer Belinda Carlisle
79. What 1984 song by Kenny Loggins became associated with a popular dance film? Reveal Answer “Footloose”
80. Who was the original lead singer of Van Halen? Reveal Answer David Lee Roth
81. Who had a 1986 hit with “Addicted To Love”? Reveal Answer Robert Palmer
82. Who performed the 1981 hit “Celebration”? Reveal Answer Kool & the Gang
83. What band had a hit with “Pour Some Sugar On Me” in 1987? Reveal Answer Def Leppard
84. Who had a 1988 hit with “Never Gonna Give You Up”? Reveal Answer Rick Astley
85. What band was Phil Collins the drummer for before his solo career? Reveal Answer Genesis
86. Who is the lead vocalist for the band Talking Heads? Reveal Answer David Byrne
87. What was the name of the first Beastie Boys album that included the hit “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)”? Reveal Answer “Licensed to Ill”
88. Who performed the hit song “Like a Prayer” in 1989? Reveal Answer Madonna
89. Which musician had a hit with the song “What’s Love Got to Do with It” in 1984? Reveal Answer Tina Turner
90. What band was Sting a member of before his solo career? Reveal Answer The Police
91. What band had a hit with “Love Shack” in 1989? Reveal Answer The B-52’s
92. Who sang the 1987 hit “Here I Go Again”? Reveal Answer Whitesnake
93. Which Australian band released the album “Kick” in 1987, which included hits like “Need You Tonight” and “Never Tear Us Apart”? Reveal Answer INXS
94. Which rap group released the seminal album “Straight Outta Compton” in 1988? Reveal Answer N.W.A.
95. Who performed the hit “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” in 1983? Reveal Answer Eurythmics
96. What band, fronted by Michael Hutchence, had a hit with “New Sensation” in 1987? Reveal Answer INXS
97. Who had a hit with “Manic Monday” in 1986? Reveal Answer The Bangles
Reveal Answer Kenny Loggins
99. What band had a hit with the song “Hold the Line” in 1988? Reveal Answer Toto
100. Who had a hit with “I Think We’re Alone Now” in 1987? Reveal Answer Tiffany
101. Who is the lead vocalist for the band Tears for Fears? Reveal Answer Roland Orzabal
102. Who sang the 1989 hit “Straight Up”? Reveal Answer Paula Abdul
103. Which band released the critically acclaimed album “The Joshua Tree” in 1987? Reveal Answer U2
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