The ’80s is an era that’s filled with iconic moments in movies, music, and television. These 80s trivia questions and answers will be a fun way to relive your favorite memories of an amazing decade.
It was a time filled with moonwalking and purple rain. Technology was advancing quickly with new computers and video game consoles. Our 80s trivia questions and answers will cover topics such as history, tech, pop culture and much more.
You can discover facts about this time period that you never knew. This 80s trivia would be excellent for an 80s themed party. Have fun with these spectacular “no duh” 80s trivia questions and answers.
3. What is Nike’s famous slogan that was coined in 1988?
4. Who is the actor who stars in the Indiana Jones films?
5. Doc Brown and Marty McFly are the main characters in what well-known 80s film?
6. In 1989, Nintendo released a handheld video game player called what?
7. In what year did Prince Charles and Lady Diana get married?
8. What is the name of the 1985 comedy-drama about a group of high schoolers in detention?
9. What is the name of the popular maze-themed arcade game released in 1980?
10. How many of the “Star Wars” films were released in the 1980s?
11. What is the name of Michael Jackson’s most popular album which was released in 1982?
12. Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister in the UK during the 1980s. What was her nickname?
13. What popular doll experienced its peak in popularity between 1983 and 1986?
14. In 1983, the first camcorder was released by what company?
15. What famous Disney film, released in 1989, starred a princess with red hair?
16. What is the name of the 1988 cult classic film starring Michael Keaton and Alec Baldwin?
17. Who is the villain in the 1985 video game “Super Mario Bros”?
18. In 1986, the first fatal accident involving an American spacecraft in flight occurred. What was the name of the space shuttle?
19. “A Light in the Attic,” published in 1981, is a collection of poetry written by who?
20. Which 80s horror film featured a child actor who didn’t know he was acting in a horror movie?
21. Sony released the first commercial compact disc player in what year?
22. Which American actress is well-known for her workout videos in the 80s?
23. What is the name of the volcano in Washington State that erupted in 1980 and caused what is considered the deadliest eruption in U.S. history?
24. Which video game, released in 1981, was the first game to tell a story during gameplay?
25. Which cult classic horror film was directed by Sam Raimi and released in 1981?
26. Who is the protagonist in the 1984 film “The Terminator”?
27. What year did the fall of the Berlin Wall occur?
28. Which NFL team won the most Super Bowl championships in the 80s?
29. “Get to the chopper!” is a famous line from what 1987 sci-fi film?
30. What candy does Elliot give to E.T.?
31. What taffy-like fruit candy featuring a balloon on the wrapper came out in 1985?
32. What song performed by a Norwegian synth-pop band made it to No. 1 in the U.S.?
33. What tiny, tangy, and crunchy candy was first introduced in the 1971 film “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” but wasn’t available in stores until 1983?
34. In 1983, French scientist Dr. Luc Montagnier discovered which virus?
35. What 1985 film features characters named Chunk, Mouth, Data, and Sloth?
36. Who was the U.S. President who served two consecutive terms from 1981 to 1989?
37. “Love is a Battlefield” was recorded and released in 1983 by which American singer?
38. Arnold Schwarzenegger became one of the most recognizable stars in the 80s. What is the 1982 film that gave him his big break?
39. What is the name of the 8-year war that occurred in western Asia from 1980 to 1988?
40. What is the name of the 1984 sci-fi comedy that stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis?
41. Who was the President of the United States from 1981-1989?
42. Who was the lead singer of the 1980’s band The Police?
43. Which major world event happened on November 9, 1989?
44. Which popular 80s TV show featured a talking car named KITT?
45. Who was Madonna’s first husband?
46. Which band released the hit “Every Breath You Take” in 1983?
47. Who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1980 for his role in “Raging Bull”?
48. What is the name of the main character in the 1982 film “Blade Runner”?
49. Which artist painted the iconic 80s pop art piece, “Campbell’s Soup Cans”?
50. Which popular 80s song has the lyrics “Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world”?
51. Who wrote the 1985 dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale”?
52. Which British band had a 1981 hit with the song “Don’t You Want Me”?
53. Who hosted the first episode of “Late Night with David Letterman” in 1982?
54. Which musical artist is known as the “Queen of Pop” and rose to prominence in the 1980s?
55. Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for most of the 1980s?
56. Which toy company launched the Transformers toy line in 1984?
57. Who directed the 1980 horror film “The Shining”?
58. Which television show featured characters named Crockett and Tubbs as Miami detectives?
59. Which band released the “Back in Black” album in 1980?
60. Which fashion trend of the 80s involved wearing leg warmers?
61. What were the names of the two brothers in the TV show “Dukes of Hazzard”?
62. Which band released the song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” in 1987?
63. Which 80s fashion trend involved wearing bright, neon colors?
64. Which 1981 MTV music video was the first to be aired on the channel?
65. What was the name of Michael J. Fox’s character in “Family Ties”?
66. Which 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner is known for the quote “If you build it, he will come”?
67. Who played the Joker in the 1989 Batman movie?
68. What was the name of the “lost” space traveler in the TV show “Quantum Leap”?
69. Which artist released the song “Like a Virgin” in 1984?
70. What was the name of the character played by Michael J. Fox in “Back to the Future”?
71. Who wrote the 1987 horror novel “Misery”?
72. What does the 1980’s acronym VHS stand for?
73. What was the name of Indiana Jones’ love interest in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”?
74. Who played the lead role in the 1983 film “Scarface”?
75. Which band had a 1987 hit with the song “With or Without You”?
76. What is the name of the kid’s TV show that features a big purple dinosaur?
77. What ’80s rock band was known for the hits “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me”?
78. Which comedian and actor starred in the 1988 film “Coming to America”?
79. Which 1980s television show features a character named Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer and amateur detective?
80. What toy, first produced in the ’80s, features small dolls with colorful hair that stands straight up?
81. What was the top-selling car in the United States in 1980?
82. Who starred in the 1987 film “Predator” as the character Dutch?
83. Which popular 1980s cartoon featured characters named Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael?
84. Who played the character Sarah Connor in the 1984 movie “The Terminator”?
85. What was the best-selling book of 1980?
86. Which artist released the 1981 hit “Physical”?
87. What was the highest-grossing concert tour of the 1980s?
88. Who won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Literature?
89. What was the first music video aired on MTV2 in 1981?
90. Which 1982 sci-fi film starred a young Drew Barrymore?
91. What famous late night comedy sketch show fired its entire cast and writers in 1980?
92. Which team won the 1980 World Series?
93. Which television show starring Angela Lansbury started in 1984?
94. Who won the best actress Oscar in 1982 for her performance in “Sophie’s Choice”?
95. Who was Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 1982?
96. Who wrote the bestselling fantasy novel “The Name of the Rose” in 1980?
97. Which car was named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 1980?
98. What TV show debuted in 1989, featuring a group of four older women living together in Miami?
99. Which character was introduced in 1980 as the antagonist in the “Friday the 13th” horror movie franchise?
100. What’s the name of the character played by Sylvester Stallone in the 1982 film “First Blood”?
101. Which artist had a 1980 hit with the song “Call Me”?
102. What major international event did the United States boycott in 1980?
103. Who won the Heisman Trophy in 1980?
104. What 1983 miniseries, based on a novel by Alex Haley, depicted the lives of an African American family from the 18th to the 20th century?
105. What 1980’s fashion item was also known as jelly shoes?
106. What was the best-selling video game of the 1980s?
107. Which 1980s song begins with the lyrics “I made it through the wilderness”?
108. Who was known for his motivational slogan “Just Say No” to drugs in the 1980s?
109. What company introduced the Macintosh computer in 1984?
110. Who directed the 1986 movie “Aliens”?
111. What is the name of the toy that was a robotic owl and a popular Christmas gift in 1985?
112. Who played Ferris Bueller in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”?
113. Which band was formed in 1986 by members Axl Rose and Slash?
114. What popular 1980s video game features a frog trying to cross a busy road?
115. What cartoon series featured the catchphrase “I have the power”?
116. Who was the lead actress in the 1982 film “Annie”?
117. What is the name of the cereal introduced in 1984 that was “kid-tested, mother-approved”?
118. Who hosted the first episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1986?
119. Which band sang “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” in 1988?
Question 9- maze themes game from 1980 adventure was also a maze themed game released same year
Question 17-Mario Kart was released in 1992 not 1985 I believe you are thinking super Mario bros.
Question 24 first video game to tell a story is also wrong as Zoe’s was released in 1980 and was 1 of the first rpg games so had more of a story then donkey Kong
For # 33, didn’t Charlie & the Chocolate Factory come out in 2005? 1971 was called Willy Wonka.
Thanks for pointing that out, Anna. The question has been corrected now.
Question 9- maze themes game from 1980 adventure was also a maze themed game released same year
Question 17-Mario Kart was released in 1992 not 1985 I believe you are thinking super Mario bros.
Question 24 first video game to tell a story is also wrong as Zoe’s was released in 1980 and was 1 of the first rpg games so had more of a story then donkey Kong
Thanks for the heads up! I have edited the Mario one as I did make a mistake. I believe the other 2 are up for debate though?
Meant zork typo