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101 80’s Music Trivia Questions That Will Have You Dancing All Night Long

The 80’s was a great decade for music. With artists like Bon Jovi, Queen, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and more the music of that decade was a hit. 

Even today, people born way after the 80s are familiar with 80’s music and all it had to offer. Whether your parents played 80’s music constantly when you were growing up, or you’re just an old soul who found the genre on your own, this 80s music quiz is for you. 

These 80’s music trivia questions and answers showcase all there is about the decade and what music back then had to offer. There was a wide variety of artists from that decade who went on to be legends in the music industry. 

This trivia quiz will test your knowledge of all there is to know about 80’s music. Take it with your parents, friends, or by yourself and see how far your knowledge goes! 

If you’re looking for more trivia about music, check out our 90’s music quiz, 60’s music, 70’s music trivia, and our 80’s pop culture quiz!

Who sang ‘Like a Prayer’?

Heart

Los Lobos

Paula Abdul

Madonna

What artist’s collection of songs spent the most time at number one on the Billboard charts in the 1980s?

Lionel Richie

George Michael

Michael Jackson

Paul McCartney

Just like that river twisting through a dusty land’ is from which Duran Duran song?

Girls on Film

Rio

Save a Prayer

Is There Something I Should Know

Happened so naturally, I did not know it was love’ is from which Chaka Khan song?

Through the Fire

Missing You

I Feel For You

Ain’t Nobody

What Bonnie Tyler song spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard chart?

All Night Long

Lady

Eye Of The Tiger

Total Eclipse Of The Heart

He came into her apartment, He left the bloodstains on the carpet’ is from which Michael Jackson song?

Billie Jean

Thriller

Heal the World

Smooth Criminal

Who scored a number one hit on the charts with the song ‘Toy Soldiers’?

Bad English

Tiffany

Martika

Milli Vanilli

Who scored a spot on the charts with ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’?

Phil Collins

Judas Priest

Guns N’ Roses

KISS

Alone in the night as the daylight brings, A cool, empty silence’ is from which song?

Raspberry Beret

Time After Time

I Want to Break Free

Vienna

I was a PFC on a search patrol huntin’ Charlie down’ is from which military-themed song?

In the Army Now

19

In the Navy

Camouflage

What band did Joan Jett sing with on her albums?

The Pacemakers

The Blackhearts

The Banshees

The Backups

Girl you are to me, all that a woman should be’ is from which song by Atlantic Starr?

Sometimes

Forever

Always

Immediately

Which of these is an ’80s Phil Collins song?

Born in the U.S.A.

London Calling

Bust a Move

In the Air Tonight

I guess I should of known, By the way you parked your car sideways’ is from which Prince song?

Little Red Corvette

Raspberry Beret

1999

Purple Rain

Who spent three weeks at number in 1987 with the song ‘Alone’?

Falco

Heart

Nelson

Van Halen

I don’t want half hearted love affairs’ is the start of which song?

Papa Don’t Preach

Straight Up

Cherish

Perfect

Give me time to realize my crime’ is the start of which Culture Club song?

Karma Chameleon

Do You Really Want to Hurt Me

Church of the Poisoned Mind

Miss Me Blind

Who sang the number one hit ‘Who Can It Be Now’?

Air Supply

Stars On 45

Christopher Cross

Men At Work

Hey little sister what have you done’ is the first line of which song?

Jump

Heal the World

White Wedding

Nasty

Which UK band released the hit ‘Tainted Love’ in the ’80s?

The Police

Tight Fit

Black Box

Soft Cell

Who sang ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’ with George Michael in 1987?

Aretha Franklin

Whitney Houston

Paula Abdul

Diana Ross

And you can dance, For inspiration’ is the start of which Madonna song?

Into the Groove

Crazy For You

Gambler

Material Girl

Into the sea, You and me, All these years and no one heard’ is from a song by which group?

Van Halen

Iron Maiden

The Cure

Big Country

And the night goes by so very slow, Oh I hope that it won’t end though’ is from a song by which group?

Mr Mister

Heart

Wham

Erasure

Who sang ‘On My Own’ with Patti LaBelle?

Stevie Wonder

Phil Collins

Michael McDonald

Bon Jovi

Who sang ‘Like A Virgin’?

Debbie Gibson

Madonna

Lionel Richie

The Police

It’s strong and it’s sudden and it’s cruel sometimes’ is from which song?

The Power of Love

How Will I Know

Purple Rain

Stand and Deliver

What group hung tough for a week on the charts at number one with ‘Hangin’ Tough’?

Fine Young Cannibals

Mike + The Mechanics

New Kids On The Block

The Bangles

1989 the number another summer’ is from a song by which group?

Run DMC

NWA

Aerosmith

Public Enemy

Every generation, Blames the one before’ is the first line of which hit?

You Got It

The Living Years

Love Train

Loco In Acapulco

I can’t get any rest, People say I’m obsessed’ is from which song by the Fine Young Cannibals?

Johnny Come Home

Suspicious Minds

She Drives Me Crazy

Good Thing

Who sang the songs ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Atmosphere’?

The Smiths

Talking Heads

The Specials

Joy Division

What song by Cutting Crew spent two weeks at number one in the 1980s?

(I Just) Died In Your Arms

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now

Amanda

At This Moment

I pictured a rainbow, You held it in your hand’ is from which song?

Whole of the Moon

Dignity

Fisherman’s Blues

Real Gone Kid

Who sang ‘Say, Say, Say’ with Paul McCartney?

Luther Vandross

Stevie Wonder

Lionel Richie

Michael Jackson

What group scored a hit with the song ‘The Flame’?

Atlantic Starr

Simply Red

Cheap Trick

INXS

Give me so much love, That I forget myself’ is from a song by which group?

Pet Shop Boys

Tears for Fears

Eurythmics

Duran Duran

What singer earned a song on the charts with ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’?

Debbie Gibson

Tiffany

Rick Astley

Billy Ocean

And now we’re flyin’ through the stars, I hope this night will last forever’ is from a song by which artist?

Whitney Houston

Dionne Warwick

Aretha Franklin

Chaka Khan

Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song’ is from which song by Poison?

Unskinny Bop

Stand

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Fallen Angel

All the Japanese with their yen, The party boys call the Kremlin’ is from which song?

When Doves Cry

Walk Like an Egyptian

Sweet Dreams

Love is a Battlefield

Who sang the one hit wonder ‘She Blinded Me With Science’?

Eddy Grant

Gary Numan

Robbie Dupree

Thomas Dolby

Who sang the song ‘Say You, Say Me’?

Michael Jackson

Dionne Warwick

Prince

Lionel Richie

Who spent two weeks at the top of the charts in the 80s with ‘One More Night’?

Foreigner

Phil Collins

John Parr

Bryan Adams

Which of these was a hit album for Poison in 1988?

Every Tree Has Leaves

Everybody Loves Chris

Every Song Is a Love Song

Every Rose Has It’s Thorn

Who had a hit in the 1980s with ‘Venus’?

Bruce Hornsby & The Range

Berlin

Bananarama

Gregory Abbott

I was beat, Incomplete, I’d been had, I was sad and blue’ is from which Madonna song?

Crazy For You

Material Girl

Like a Virgin

Dress You Up

He says that he’s going to marry me, We can raise a little family’ is from which song?

Into the Groove

Papa Don’t Preach

Material Girl

Like A VIrgin

What group had a hit in the ’80s with ‘Take On Me’?

INXS

Wham!

Eurythmics

A-ha

I had a dream when I was young, A dream of sweet illusion’ is from which Queen song?

Radio Ga-Ga

Under Pressure

One Vision

I Want to Break Free

And if I stare too long, I’d probably break down and cry’ is from which song?

How Will I Know

Dancing on the Ceiling

Sweet Child O Mine

Rumours

Diana Ross sang the hit song ‘Endless Love’ with whom?

Michael Jackson

Lionel Richie

Stevie Wonder

Paul McCartney

I’ve seen the signs and the looks and pictures, That give your game away, yeah’ is from which Duran Duran song?

Is there something I should know?

All She Wants Is

Wild Boys

Rio

But I’m quite sure that you’ll tell me, Just how I should feel today’ is from which song by New Order?

Blue Monday

Temptation

Dream Attack

True Faith

Which ’80s band wanted to: ‘make music like a factory would build a car, with a designer’s attention to detail’?

Tubeway Army

ABC

Depeche Mode

Spandau Ballet

What group had a number one hit in the 1980s with ‘Invisible Touch’?

Genesis

Human League

Simply Red

Pet Shop Boys

Fun and sunshine, there’s enough for everyone’ is from which Wham song?

Last Christmas

Wild Boys

Club Tropicana

Wake Me Up Before you Go-Go

I’ve never been closer, I’ve tried to understand’ is the first line of which song?

Words

Beat It

Africa

Temptation

Good morning miss, Can I help you son’ is the first line of which Madness song?

Michael Caine

Baggy Trousers

House of Fun

Embarrassment

Who spent a week at number one with ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’?

INXS

Michael McDonald

George Harrison

Michael Jackson

What U2 song spent the most time at number one of the Billboard charts in the 80s?

Tomorrow

With Or Without You

Beautiful Day

Two Hearts Beat As One

It doesn’t matter what they say, In the jealous games people play’ is from which song?

Our Lips are Sealed

Every Breath You Take

Living on a Prayer

Don’t Want To Miss a Thing

Bobby McFerrin scored a number one hit in the 80s with what song?

Love Bites

Another Brick in the Wall

A Groovy Kind of Love

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

How, how can it be, That a love carved out of caring’ is from which song by Level 42?

Something About You

Lessons in Love

Running in the Family

Children Say

A few stolen moments is all that we share’ is the start of which Whitney Houston song?

How Will I Know

I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Live Forever

Saving All My Love For You

I met a strange lady, she made me nervous, She took me in and gave me’ what, according to Men at Work?

Cookies

Breakfast

Coffee

Kisses

Cause teacher, There are things that I don’t want to learn’ is from which George Michael song?

Careless Whisper

One More Try

Father Figure

Faith

Caroline laughs, and it’s raining all day, Loves to be one of the girls’ is from a song by which group?

Iron Maiden

Psychedelic Furs

Proclaimers

Van Halen

How many number one hits did Michael Jackson have in the 1980s?

8

11

10

9

What group had a hit in the 80s with ‘Take On Me’?

A-ha

Wham!

Eurythmics

INXS

Who sang the song ‘Cold Hearted’?

Bon Jovi

Rick James

Paula Abdul

Richard Marx

Who sang the song ‘Up Where We Belong’ with Joe Cocker?

Amy Grant

Kim Carnes

Jennifer Warnes

Ann Wilson

What band sang the hit song ‘Centerfold’?

Genesis

Van Halen

The J. Geils Band

Aerosmith

What was the only number one hit in the 1980s for Billy Idol?

Sweet Sixteen

Rebel Yell

White Wedding

Mony Mony

Who sang the pop song ‘Open Your Heart’?

Tiffany

Whitney Houston

Debbie Gibson

Madonna

The band Toto had only one number one song in the 80s. What was it?

Let’s Dance

Africa

Come On Eileen

Missing You

How can you see looking through those tears?’ asked which group?

Men at Work

Abba

Erasure

Mental as Anything

Who scored three number one hits including ‘Baby Don’t Forget My Number,’ ‘Girl I’m Gonna Miss You’ and ‘Blame It On The Rain’?

Culture Club

Milli Vanilli

New Kids On The Block

Mr. Mister

Who was the best-selling female artist of the decade?

Whitney Houston

Madonna

Tina Turner

Janet Jackson

Who scored a number one hit by singing with Kenny Rogers for the song ‘Islands in the Stream’?

Patti Austin

Loretta Lynn

Deniece Williams

Dolly Parton

Who had a hit in the 1980s with ‘The Greatest Love of All’?

Dionne Warwick

Whitney Houston

Debbie Gibson

Madonna

Who sang the song ‘Billie Jean’?

Michael Jackson

Stevie Wonder

Diana Ross

Lionel Richie

What hugely successful (to this day) song did Journey release in 1981?

Open Arms

Don’t Stop Believin

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Wheel in the Sky

Which song spent the most weeks at number one and became the most successful song on the Billboard in the 1980s?

Like a Virgin

Every Breath You Take

Physical

I Love Rock ‘n Roll

It’s such a shame our friendship had to end’ is from which Prince song?

Purple Rain

1999

When Doves Cry

Raspberry Beret

Walk This Way’ was released by Run-D.M.C. in which year?

1988

1989

1986

1983

Can you hear me calling, Out your name’ is from which song by Fleetwood Mac?

Rumours

Everywhere

Big Love

Little Lies

What band sang the hit song ‘Jump’?

Mötley Crüe

Aerosmith

Van Halen

The J. Geils Band

Bobby McFerrin scored a number one hit in the ’80s with what song?

A Groovy Kind of Love

Love Bites

Another Brick in the Wall

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

What group sang the hit song ‘Every Breath You Take’/

Genesis

Survivor

The Police

The J. Geils Band

I’ve fallen in love, I’ve fallen in love for the first time’ is from which Queen song?

We Will Rock You

I Want to Break Free

Killer Queen

Radio Ga-Ga

Movie and TV star Bruce Willis became a one-hit wonder with what hit song?

Obsession

Two Of Hearts

Respect Yourself

At This Moment

Who had two number one hits in the 80s with ‘The Look’ and ‘Listen To Your Heart’?

Simple Minds

Roxette

Simply Red

Robert Palmer

Who released an album named Swordfishtrombones in 1983?

Tom Waits

David Bowie

They Might Be Giants

Talking Heads

What group got a spot on the charts with a cover of the song ‘La Bamba’?

Ollin

The Premiers

Santana

Los Lobos

What band scored hits on the charts with ‘Careless Whisper’ and ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’?

Falco

Tears For Fears

REO Speedwagon

Wham!

What group sang the song ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’?

The Bangles

The J. Geils Band

Bananarama

The Blackhearts

Weird Al Yankovic found himself on the Billboard charts with ‘Eat It,’ a parody of what musician’s hit single ‘Beat It’?

Madonna

Michael Jackson

Prince

The Police

I’ve got the brains you’ve got the looks, Let’s make lots of money’ suggested which group?

Metallica

Erasure

Duran Duran

Pet Shop Boys

Who scored a number one hit with the song ‘Morning Train (Nine to Five)’?

Debbie Gibson

Dolly Parton

Madonna

Sheena Easton

Who sang the hit song ‘The Next Time I Fall’ with Amy Grant in 1986?

Gregory Abbott

Eddie Rabbitt

Bruce Hornsby

Peter Cetera

You can do better

Not bad

Great!

Playing trivia is not only a fantastic way for our family to bond but also a tremendous opportunity for personal growth. Trivia challenges help us learn countless fascinating facts!

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