You might think you know more than a few things about music because you are a music lover and can sing along to every hit song that plays on the radio. Well, here is your chance to really put yourself to the test with this well-curated list of music trivia questions. From pop music to country and rock, as well as music from the 70s to the 90s, this quiz will not just be fun to take but will also go a long way to enlarge your knowledge base.
Music Trivia Questions and Answers
Pop Music Trivia Questions
1. Who rose to fame in 2008 with the single “I Kissed a Girl”?
Answer: Katy Perry
Katy Perry made her chart-topping debut with the “I Kissed a Girl,” the lead single off her second studio album titled One of the Boys (2008). The catchy song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven consecutive weeks, becoming the 1,000th number-one song of the rock music era. It further sold 4.8 million digital copies in the US alone, solidifying the pop singer as a real breakthrough artist of 2008.
2. Which pop singer is a godmother to Elton John’s two sons?
Answer: Lady Gaga
When Elton John and David Furnish’s first child, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, was born via surrogacy on 25 December 2010 in California, the couple named multi-award winning pop star Lady Gaga his godmother. Elton and Furnish were said to have been so impressed with her guidance of Zachary that they called her godmother, again to their younger son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, who was born on 11 January 2013 via the same surrogate.
3. What famous Nashville venue was Taylor Swift discovered?
Answer: The Bluebird Cafe
Taylor Swift was performing at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe in 2005 when she caught the attention of DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta. Borchetta later formed the independent record label, Big Machine Records, and she became the label’s first signing.
4. “I Will Never Let You Down” became which singer’s fourth UK number one in 2014?
Answer: Rita Ora
On 31 March 2014, British singer Rita Ora released the song “I Will Never Let You Down” which debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart to become her fourth overall UK number-one single (third as a solo artist).
5. What is the better-known stage name of Robyn Fenty?
Answer: Rihanna
The Nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. The “Umbrella” singer, who was discovered in 2003 by American record producer Evan Rogers, has since become a household name after selling over 250 million records worldwide to become one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
While the world can easily identify her with her middle name, Rihanna’s last name has also become quite notable. She has used it for her cosmetics brand (Fenty Beauty) and fashion house under Louis Vuitton.
6. Which Destiny’s Child member’s father served as the manager of the group?
Answer: Beyonce
Beyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles, became the full-time manager of Destiny’s Child in 1992. His work as the group manager led to him resigning from his job as a medical-equipment salesman in 1995. He eventually helped in negotiating a record deal with Columbia Records, which signed the group in 1996. He would work as either a producer or an executive producer on many of Destiny Child’s projects.
7. Which Spanish singer achieved international fame in the 2000s with English songs after close to a decade of writing Spanish songs?
Answer: Shakira
The versatile Colombian singer and songwriter, who has been referred to as the Queen of Latin Music, first rose to prominence in Hispanic countries in the 90s following the release of projects like Magia (1991), Peligro (1993), Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). In 2001, she entered the English market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide and spawned tracks like “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes.”
8. Justin Timberlake started his career as a member of which band?
Answer: NSYNC
Justin Timberlake is known worldwide as a singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He, however, rose to prominence as the youngest member and one of the two lead vocalists of the American boy band NSYNC, which formed in 1995 and has become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
9. Which mask-wearing American DJ produced the multi-platinum single “Happier”?
Answer: Marshmello
Christopher Comstock, who is known professionally as Marshmello, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. In 2018, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native teamed up with British band Bastille for “Happier,” which reached number two on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100. Other popular songs by Marshmello, which have all featured on the Billboard Hot 100 and have been certified multi-platinum in several countries include “Silence,” “Wolves,” “Friends,” and “Alone.”
10. Who won the 2006 edition of The X Factor and has become one of the show’s best-selling acts?
Answer: Leona Lewis
British singer Leona Lewis attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology before achieving national recognition when she won the third edition of The X Factor in 2006. She has since sold more than 30 million records worldwide to become one of the best-selling acts from the British reality TV music competition show.
Rock Music Trivia Questions
1. Colin Blunstone fronted which 1960s rock group?
Answer: The Zombies
The Zombies, who are better known for songs like 1964’s “She’s Not There,” 1965’s “Tell Her No,” and 1968’s “Time of the Season,” was led by vocalist Colin Blunstone before he began his solo career in 1969, releasing songs under his real name and a pseudonym of Neil MacArthur.
2. What record label did the English rock band Beatles establish?
Answer: Apple Records
Apple Records was founded in 1968 by the Beatles as a division of the multi-armed multimedia corporation, Apple Corps Ltd. In addition to serving as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, the record label also signed several other acts, including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston.
3. American rock musician Michael Lee Aday is better known by what stage name?
Answer: Meat Loaf
Noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice, Meat Loaf is a Dallas, Texas-born singer who has sold more than 80 million records to become one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The singer, who won a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for the song “I’d Do Anything for Love,” is better known for his Bat Out of Hell trilogy – Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose.
4. Which group 60s rock group comprises John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, and Michelle Phillips?
Answer: The Mamas and the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were an American folk-rock group that recorded and performed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During that time, they released five studio albums and 17 singles and have sold close to 40 million records worldwide. In 1998, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
5. What rock band started as the Polka Tulk Blues Band?
Answer: Black Sabbath
The English rock band that comprised of guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, was first called the Polka Tulk Blues Band, a name believed to have been taken from either a brand of talcum powder or an Indian/Pakistani clothing shop. The band later changed their name to Earth before settling on Black Sabbath in 1969.
6. Which rock band’s drummer made a cameo appearance in an episode of Game Of Thrones?
Answer: Will Champion of Coldplay
Coldplay drummer and backing vocalist Will Champion made a cameo appearance in Game Of Thrones, where he portrayed a musician during the infamous Red Wedding scene.
7. The 5.6.7.8’s are a rock trio from which city and country?
Answer: Tokyo, Japan
The 5.6.7.8’s are a Japanese garage rock trio from Tokyo. The group was originally founded with four members; sisters Sachiko and Yoshiko “Ronnie” Fujiyama, and Yoshie and Rico. They became known in the west after filmmaker Quentin Tarantino included them in Kill Bill Vol. 1.
8. Stewart Copeland was the drummer of which rock band?
Answer: The Police
Formed in London in 1977, The Police were an English rock band that was for most of their history made up of three people; Sting, who contributed with lead vocals and bass guitar, Andy Summers on the guitar, and Stewart Copeland, who played drums and percussion.
9. Which famous rock band was formerly known as the New Yardbirds?
Answer: Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin was originally named the New Yardbirds when they formed in London in 1968. The English rock band, which many critics consider to be one of the most successful, innovative, and influential rock groups in history, consists of vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham.
10. Who is the frontman and leader of Guns ‘N Roses?
Answer: Axl Rose
Axl Rose, who has been described as a celebrated but controversial figure in the rock world, is the frontman and lead vocalist of the hard rock band. He has also been the band’s sole constant member since its inception in 1985.
Country Music Trivia Questions
1. Is Miley Cyrus is the daughter of Country Music legend Billy Ray Cyrus?
Answer: Yes
Miley Cyrus was born to actress Leticia “Tish” Jean Finley and multi-platinum selling recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee.
2. Who was the first woman to win the Country Music Association award for Country Music Entertainer of Year?
Answer: Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn, the most awarded female country recording artist and the only female Academy of Country Music Artist of the Decade (the 1970s), became the first female artist to be honored with the CMA Entertainer of the Year award in 1972.
3. Which multiple Grammy and CMA award winner released the single “Space Cowboy” in 2018?
Answer: Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves, who finished seventh in the 2007 edition of Nashville Star, released “Space Cowboy” as a single from her fourth studio album titled Golden Hour in February 2018. The song peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
4. What Dixie Chicks album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2007?
Answer: Taking The Long Way
Taking The Long Way, which was produced by Rick Rubin, was released on May 22, 2006. It debuted at number one on both the U.S. pop albums chart and the U.S. country albums chart and earned five nominations at the 49th Grammy Awards in 2007. The group went on to win all five categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year.
5. Who is the best-selling country music artist of all time?
Answer: Garth Brooks
Having sold more than 170 million records, Garth Brooks is the best-selling country music artist of all time. He is the only artist in history to have released seven albums that achieved diamond status in the United States (surpassing the Beatles’ record of six). His achievements have earned him inductions into not just the Country Music Hall of Fame but also the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
6. Where is the Country Jam USA music festival held?
Answer: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Country Jam USA is a 3-day country music festival held annually in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Having been first held in 1990, it is currently one of the longest-running festivals in the country.
7. Which country music legend recorded two of his best-selling albums in prison?
Answer: Johnny Cash
While Johnny Cash never served a prison sentence, he recorded two of his best-selling albums in prison; Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison (1968) and Johnny Cash at San Quentin (1969). Both live albums reached number one on the Billboard country album music chart.
8. Which country music star sang the theme song for the comedy-adventure television series, The Dukes of Hazzard?
Answer: Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings wrote and recorded the number 1 Billboard Hot Country Singles chart hit, “Good Ol’ Boys,” which served as the theme song for The Dukes of Hazzard, in August 1980. It was the second single from the album Music Man. Jennings further served as a narrator for the show and even played himself in one episode.
9. What other name did Hank Williams use to record songs?
Answer: Luke the Drifter
Hank Williams, who influenced people like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and The Rolling Stones to be regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, began recording gospel songs as Luke the Drifter in 1950 in order not to hurt the marketability of his name.
10. Where is the Country Music Hall of Fame located?
Answer: Nashville, Tennessee
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the heart of downtown Nashville’s arts and entertainment district. It is a 350,000 square-foot facility made up of galleries, archival storage, education classrooms, retail stores, and special event space.
70’s Music Trivia Questions
1. Who were the famous backing singers on most of Elvis Presley’s early hits?
Answer: The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet widely known for providing background vocals for Elvis Presley. They worked with the King of Rock and Roll during his live appearances, recordings, and feature films from 1956 to 1972.
2. What duo sang the 1976 hit song “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”?
Answer: Elton John and Kiki Dee
Elton John teamed up with fellow Brit Kiki Dee for “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” which was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms “Ann Orson” and “Carte Blanche.” The song topped the chart for six weeks in mid-1976 and was the first No. 1 single in the UK for both John and Kiki Dee.
3. Which 70s band’s hits included “Emma,” “You Sexy Thing,” “So You Win Again,” and “Brother Louie”?
Answer: Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate is a British soul band that was popular from the disco era of the mid-1970s to the 1980s. The group had at least one hit every year between 1970 and 1984.
4. In which European city was the Swedish pop group ABBA formed in 1972?
Answer: Stockholm
ABBA, who became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, was formed in Stockholm, the capital and most populous urban area of Sweden.
5. Which 1975 song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 after being used in the 1992 comedy film Wayne’s World?
Answer: Bohemian Rhapsody
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is the British rock band Queen’s most popular song. It was featured in their 1975 album, A Night at the Opera. While the song topped the charts in many countries around the world, it only managed a number nine spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. More than a decade later, in 1992, it reached a new peak of number two thanks to its inclusion in the comedy film.
6. On which 1970s Stevie Wonder album would you find his hit song “I Wish”?
Answer: Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
Songs in the Key of Life is the eighteenth studio album of Stevie Wonder. The album’s lead single, “I Wish,” which talked about his childhood from the 1950s into the early 1960s and his desire to relive it, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and soul singles chart.
7. What is the name of Bruce Springsteen’s 1973 debut album?
Answer: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Bruce Springsteen’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., ranked at No. 379 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, was released on January 5, 1973, by Columbia Records. The album featured singles such as “Blinded by the Light” and “Spirit in the Night.”
8. What is the name of the band Sir Rod Stewart formed in 1970?
Answer: Faces
While maintaining a solo career, Rod Stewart formed a rock band called Faces with members of The Small Faces band. The group released their debut album First Step in early 1970 and quickly earned a strong live following. They released three more albums; Long Player (1971), A Nod Is As Good As a Wink… to a Blind Horse (1971), and Ooh La La (1973), before disbanding in 1975.
9. In what year did “Blinded By The Light,” “Dancing Queen,” “Hotel California,” and “You Light Up My Life” all make it to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart?
Answer: 1977
“Blinded By The Light” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, “Hotel California” by the Eagles, and “You Light Up My Life” by Debbie Boone all made it to the number one spot on the chart in 1977.
10. What Jackson 5 song released in 1970 gave them their fourth number-one hit in a row?
Answer: I’ll Be There
“I’ll Be There” is the first single from The Jackson 5’s Third Album. The group achieved their fourth number-one hit in a row with the song after having done so with “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “The Love You Save.”
80’s Music Trivia Questions
1. What was Madonna’s first top ten single in the United Kingdom?
Answer: Holiday
The first song by Madonna to make an appearance on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart was “Holiday” from her eponymous debut album in 1983. The song, which peaked at number 16 but went on to become her first top-ten single in several countries like Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, was produced by her then-boyfriend, John “Jellybean” Benitez.
2. Which 80s song did Michael Jackson debut his trademark moonwalk?
Answer: Billie Jean
While performing “Billie Jean” during a television special, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, the world got to see Michael Jackson perform the moonwalk for the very first time. The dance subsequently became very popular and was Jackson’s signature move for the song.
3. What song won Tina Turner the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1985?
Answer: “What’s Love Got To Do With It”
“What’s Love Got To Do With It” was a single off Tina Turner’s fifth solo album, Private Dancer. The song became her most successful single, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving the Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award at the 1985 Grammy Awards.
4. What 1986 cult film did singer David Bowie appear in?
Answer: Labyrinth
English singer David Bowie, who is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, appeared in several feature films where he played leading roles. Before his role in the musical fantasy Labyrinth in 1986, he featured in films such as The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), where his performance earned him a Saturn Award for Best Actor, Just a Gigolo (1978), and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), among others
5. Which female singer won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1985?
Answer: Cyndi Lauper
American singer Cyndi Lauper, who has enjoyed a career that has spanned over 40 years, gained prominence following her debut album She’s So Unusual (1983), which had four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100. All her efforts that year earned her the Best New Artist award at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985. She has since released eleven studio albums and participated in many other projects.
6. Which boy band featured twins Matt and Luke Goss?
Answer: Bros
Bros, an English band formed in Camberley, Surrey in 1986, originally consisted of twin brothers Matt and Luke Goss and their friend Craig Logan. The trio, who all attended Collingwood School in Camberley, achieved chart success and a large teenage following in the late 1980s with songs such as “When Will I Be Famous” and “I Owe You Nothing.
7. Which British reggae band is best remembered for their successful 1982 single “Pass the Dutchie”?
Answer: Musical Youth
Musical Youth was formed in 1979 in Birmingham, England. The British Jamaican reggae band recorded two studio albums in the 1980s and released several successful singles; however, they are best remembered for their successful 1982 single “Pass the Dutchie,” which peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart and was a top ten song on the charts in the United States, selling over 5 million copies worldwide.
8. Which Scandinavian country produced the 80s chart-topping group A-ha?
Answer: Norway
A-ha is a synth-pop band formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1982 and rose to fame during the mid-1980s. It is composed of founder Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Magne Furuholmen, and Morten Harket.
9. What is the name of the anti-war song released by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in 1980?
Answer: Enola Gay
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark gained popularity outside England in 1980 with their anti-war song “Enola Gay,” named after the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
10. Which American musician was killed by his father in 1984?
Answer: Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye was shot and killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr, at their home in Los Angeles, California, on April 1, 1984. The singer was shot twice after he intervened in an argument between his parents and beat his father.
90’s Music Trivia Questions
1. What year did Mariah Carey write her holiday/Christmas hit single “All I Want for Christmas is You”?
Answer: 1994
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” was co-produced and co-written by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff in 1994 for her fourth studio album, Merry Christmas. The song, which reportedly took Carey and Afanasieff a total of fifteen minutes to write and compose, has enjoyed universal critical acclaim and is the best-selling Christmas single by a female artist and one of the best-selling singles of all time. It continues to surge in popularity each holiday/Christmas season.
2. Which 90s Hip Hop star was born Lesane Parish Crooks?
Answer: 2Pac
2Pac, one of the most influential rappers of all time, was born Lesane Parish Crooks on June 16, 1971, in the East Harlem section of Manhattan, New York City. By the time he turned one, his name was changed Tupac Amaru Shakur in honor of Túpac Amaru II, a mythical figure in the Peruvian struggle for independence.
3. Which reggae musician won a Grammy in 1995 with Boombastic?
Answer: Shaggy
Boombastic is the third studio album released by Jamaican artist Shaggy. The album, which won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1995 and was certified platinum in the United States and gold in the United Kingdom, spawned songs like “In the Summertime” and “Boombastic,” which peaked at number 1 on the U.S. R&B chart, number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the UK Singles Chart.
4. What year did Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain die?
Answer: 1994
Kurt Cobain, the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Nirvana, died on April 5, 1994. He died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head.
5. What is the name of the Spice Girls’ debut album released in 1996?
Answer: Spice
Spice was released on 19 September 1996 by Virgin Records. The album was a commercial success, selling a total of 23 million copies worldwide to become the best-selling album in music history by a girl group and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
6. Which multiple Grammy Award-winning singer released a single in 1999 called “Genie In A Bottle”?
Answer: Christina Aguilera
“Genie In A Bottle” is a song from Christina Aguilera’s self-titled debut album. The single, which is widely credited with establishing her name in the music industry, achieved commercial success, peaking at the top of the record charts in 21 different countries to become the biggest summer song of 1999.
7. What song gave Aerosmith their first number one hit in 1998?
Answer: “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.”
After 25 years together, hard rock band Aerosmith eventually got a number one hit song with the powerful ballad, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” which served as a soundtrack to the natural disaster 1998 film, Armageddon. The song debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and held the spot for four weeks, from September 5 to September 26, 1998.
8. What is the name of the band that has Gwen Stefani as the lead vocalist and produced hits like “Just a Girl” and “Don’t Speak”?
Answer: No Doubt
While No Doubt formed in 1986, the American rock band from Anaheim, California, achieved fame in the 90s with songs like “Just a Girl,” “Spiderwebs,” and “Don’t Speak” from their diamond-certified album Tragic Kingdom (1995).
9. “The Boy is Mine” is a duet by which two American singers?
Answer: Brandy and Monica
Inspired by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney’s 1982 duet titled “The Girl Is Mine,” singers Brandy and Monica joined forces for “The Boy Is Mine,” which was the first number-one pop hit for both artists in the US and internationally.
10. Which American rapper and producer founded Bad Boy Records after serving as an A&R?
Answer: Sean “Diddy” Combs
After rising from a non-paid internship position to becoming an A&R executive at Uptown Records, P Diddy founded his own label, Bad Boy Records, in late 1993. Some of the label’s most successful artists at the time include The Notorious B.I.G., Craig Mack, Faith Evans, 112, Mase, and Mario Winans, among others.
