40 80s music quiz questions and answers

Forty questions on the decade of big hair and bigger choruses — four rounds of ten from easy to hard. Tap Show answer to check each one.

Want the whole night done for you? Pub Quiz Generator makes a full quiz from Music: The 80s and 89 other categories, prints a QR code, and lets teams answer on their own phones — with answer sheets and team sheets to print.

Make an 80s music quiz Play a 80s music quiz game

Or print a single round from its heading.

Round 1: Round one

Which singer released the 1984 solo single 'Careless Whisper'?
Show answer
George Michael
Which band released the 1988 single 'Sweet Child o' Mine'?
Show answer
Guns N' Roses
Which duo had a 1986 UK number one with 'West End Girls'?
Show answer
Pet Shop Boys
Which Motown star duetted with Paul McCartney on the 1982 single 'Ebony and Ivory'?
Show answer
Stevie Wonder
Which American girl group released the 1986 single 'Walk Like an Egyptian'?
Show answer
The Bangles
Which Manchester band released a self-titled debut album in 1989 that includes 'I Am the Resurrection'?
Show answer
The Stone Roses
Which Scottish singer sang the theme to the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only?
Show answer
Sheena Easton
Which band had a 1983 UK number one with 'Too Shy'?
Show answer
Kajagoogoo
Which Australian band, fronted by Peter Garrett, released the 1987 single 'Beds Are Burning'?
Show answer
Midnight Oil
Which Hull band had a 1986 UK number one with an a cappella cover of 'Caravan of Love'?
Show answer
The Housemartins

Round 2: Round two

Which American singer had a 1983 UK number one with 'Uptown Girl'?
Show answer
Billy Joel
Which British girl group had a 1986 US number one with a cover of 'Venus'?
Show answer
Bananarama
Which Scottish duo released the 1988 single 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)'?
Show answer
The Proclaimers
What was the title of Michael Jackson's 1987 follow-up album to 'Thriller'?
Show answer
Bad
Which charity supergroup released the 1985 single 'We Are the World'?
Show answer
USA for Africa
Who was the lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood?
Show answer
Holly Johnson
Which band, featuring Jimmy Somerville and Richard Coles, had a 1986 UK number one with 'Don't Leave Me This Way'?
Show answer
The Communards
Which British heavy metal band released the 1982 album 'The Number of the Beast'?
Show answer
Iron Maiden
Which soul singer first recorded 'If You Asked Me To' for the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill?
Show answer
Patti LaBelle
Which band from Athens, Georgia, released the 1987 album 'Document'?
Show answer
R.E.M.

Round 3: Round three

Who released the 1983 single 'I'm Still Standing'?
Show answer
Elton John
Which band released the 1980 party anthem 'Celebration'?
Show answer
Kool & the Gang
Which singer had a 1988 hit with the a cappella song 'Don't Worry, Be Happy'?
Show answer
Bobby McFerrin
Which singer performed the title song of the 1984 film Footloose?
Show answer
Kenny Loggins
Which band had a 1986 UK number one with 'Take My Breath Away', the love theme from Top Gun?
Show answer
Berlin
Which Sheffield band released the 1987 album 'Hysteria'?
Show answer
Def Leppard
Which band, fronted by Pete Burns, had a 1985 UK number one with 'You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)'?
Show answer
Dead or Alive
Which Sheffield-born singer duetted with Jennifer Warnes on 'Up Where We Belong', from the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman?
Show answer
Joe Cocker
Which London collective, led by Jazzie B, released the 1989 single 'Back to Life'?
Show answer
Soul II Soul
Which band, fronted by Roland Gift, released the 1988 single 'She Drives Me Crazy'?
Show answer
Fine Young Cannibals

Round 4: Round four

Which band had a 1980 UK number one with 'Going Underground'?
Show answer
The Jam
Which Camden band released the 1982 single 'Our House'?
Show answer
Madness
Which Welsh singer recorded 'Holding Out for a Hero' for the 1984 film Footloose?
Show answer
Bonnie Tyler
Which Austrian singer had a 1986 UK number one with 'Rock Me Amadeus'?
Show answer
Falco
Which American duo released the 1982 single 'Maneater'?
Show answer
Hall & Oates
Which singer co-wrote the 1985 charity single 'We Are the World' with Michael Jackson?
Show answer
Lionel Richie
Which band, fronted by Fish, had a 1985 hit with 'Kayleigh'?
Show answer
Marillion
Which American heavy metal band released the 1986 album 'Master of Puppets'?
Show answer
Metallica
Which singer had a 1983 UK number one with 'Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)'?
Show answer
Paul Young
Which German composer had a 1985 hit with 'Axel F', the theme from Beverly Hills Cop?
Show answer
Harold Faltermeyer

Run these rounds on phones

Teams scan a QR code and answer on their phones; you see the scores and reveal the winners. No app to download. Read how to run a pub quiz for tips on rounds, scoring and tie-breakers.

Create your quiz