From chart-topping hits to hidden gems, challenge your friends and family with the ultimate collection of pop music trivia spanning five decades of unforgettable songs.
From Madonna's reign in the 80s to Taylor Swift's domination of the 2020s, we've covered five decades of pop excellence with questions that range from "everyone should know this" to "only true superfans will get this right." Get ready to dive into the world of catchy hooks, iconic music videos, and the artists who shaped the soundtrack of our lives.
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🎵 Quick Start: Easy Pop Questions (Perfect Warm-Up)
Start your quiz night with these crowd-pleasers that'll get everyone singing along:
🏆 Which artist holds the record for most Grammy wins by any artist? Answer: Beyoncé (32 Grammys)
🎤 What does "P!nk" spell when you say it out loud? Answer: Pink
🌟 Which pop star is known as the "Queen of Pop"? Answer: Madonna
💃 "Shake It Off" was a massive hit for which blonde pop superstar? Answer: Taylor Swift
🎯 Justin Timberlake was a member of which famous boy band? Answer: *NSYNC
🏅 Which artist sang "Rolling in the Deep"? Answer: Adele
🎊 "Uptown Funk" was a collaboration between Bruno Mars and which producer? Answer: Mark Ronson
🎸 Ed Sheeran is from which country? Answer: England (United Kingdom)
👑 Which pop star's real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta? Answer: Lady Gaga
🌈 "Firework" was a hit single from which Katy Perry album? Answer: Teenage Dream
Getting warmed up? Great! These next questions will separate the pop music fans from the true superfans...
80s Pop Music Quiz Questions and Answers
- Which 80s star is recognised by Guinness World Records as the best-selling female recording artist of all time? Madonna
- Who encouraged the world to 'Get Down on It' in 1981? Kool and the Gang
- Depeche Mode had their first major U.S hit in 1981 with which song? Just Can't Get Enough
- Who claimed that 'I'm Still Standing' in 1983? Elton John
- David Bowie appeared in what cult film in 1986? Labyrinth
- 'Walk Like an Egyptian' was a hit song for which group in 1986? The Bangles
- Huey, from Huey Lewis and the News, played which instrument? Harmonica
- Which country do the iconic pop trio A-ha come from? Norway
- In what 80s year did Queen inform everyone that another one had bitten the dust? 1980
- Michael Jackson debuted his trademark moonwalk during which song in 1983? Billie Jean
- Annie Lennox is the most famous of the Eurythmics duo. Who was the other member? Dave Stewart
- Human League had a Christmas number one in 1981 with what song? Don't You Love Me
- Which The Cure album features the song 'Fascination Street'? Disintegration
- In what year of the 80s did Madness split, eventually reforming as The Madness? 1988
- Which female singer won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1985? Cyndi Lauper
- Which of U2's members started the band in Dublin when he was just 14? Larry Mullen Jr.
- Who broke out of a duo to go solo in 1987 and found immediate success with his song 'Faith'? George Michael
- Starting in 1981, Duran Duran have released how many albums to date? 14
- The most awarded female act of all time goes to... which 80s sensation? Whitney Houston
- Welcome to the Pleasuredome was the debut studio album of which band? Frankie goes to Hollywood
- What number do you get if you subtract the amount of Nena's luftballons from the name of Prince's 5th studio album? 1900
- Which fruit-themed band scored a Billboard no.1 in 1986 with 'Venus'? Bananarama
- From 1982 to 1984, Robert Smith was the guitarist of two bands: The Cure and who else? Siouxsie and the Banshees
- What are the first names of the Kemp brothers from the '80s new wave band Spandau Ballet? Gary and Martin
- Alison Moyet and Depeche Mode's Vince Clark were in what electropop band together in 1981? Yazoo
90s Pop Music Quiz Questions and Answers
- How old was Britney Spears when her hit song 'Baby One More Time' came out in 1998? 17
- R Kelly "don't see nothing wrong with a little..." what? Bump 'n' Grind
- What is the other language that Celine Dion regularly sang in throughout the 90s? French
- Which tool-themed MC won best rap video and best dance video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards? MC Hammer
- Who disrupted Michael Jackson's performance of Earth Song at the 1996 Brit Awards by mooning on stage? Jarvis Cocker
- Which 90s girl group is the second-best-selling in history after the Spice Girls? TLC
- Which member of Destiny's Child was the group's manager? Beyoncé
- Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and others contributed to which musical movement in the late 90s? The Latin Explosion
- Everyone knows 'Kiss from a Rose', but what was Seal's second biggest hit of the 90s? Killer
- Which 90s boy band's name was the amalgamation of the last letters of each of the 5 members' surnames? NSYNC
- Starting in 1997, who had an unprecedented 71-week run on the Billboard R&B chart with 'U Make me Wanna'? Usher
- Who was the only member of the Spice Girls with a name that was actually a spice? Ginger Spice/Geri Halliwell
- Jamiroquai's 1998 hit 'Deeper Underground' featured in which poorly-rated Hollywood movie? Godzilla
- The 1992 comedy hit Wayne's World was a revival for which 1975 song? Bohemian Rhapsody
- Who won a Grammy for best reggae album in 1995 with Boombastic? Shaggy
- What was the name of Lighthouse Family's 6-times platinum album released in 1995? Ocean Drive
- Sean John Clothing was the fashion venture of which 90s icon, launched in 1998? P Diddy/Puff Daddy
- Robbie Williams began a famous solo career after leaving which band in 1995? Take That
- Which is the only country to have won 3 Eurovision Song Contests in a row (1992, 1993 and 1994)? Ireland
- Zac Hanson, the youngest brother of Hanson, was how old when the trio's classic Mmmbop was released in 1997? 11
- It took Mariah Carey 15 minutes to write which holiday hit in 1994? All I Want for Christmas is You
- What was the name of the genre invented by indie bands in Britain in the mid 90s? Britpop
- What was, by a considerable margin, the best-selling single of the 90s? Candle in the Wind (Elton John)
- The 1997 race to Christmas number 1 was between the Spice Girls and who? The Teletubbies
- Often known as 'That Thing', what was the actual title of Lauryn Hill's 1998 hit? Doo-Wop
The 2000s: Pop Goes Digital
- We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. was which artist's highest selling album because of the 2008 song 'I'm Yours'? Jason Mraz
- 'Man Eater' and 'Promiscuous' were 2006 hits for which artist? Nelly Furtado
- After a decade of writing Spanish songs, which artist reached international fame from 2001 onwards with English ones? Shakira
- Which artist released 3 prison-themed albums called Trouble, Konvicted and Freedom throughout the 00s? Akon
- In what year did Fergie, of Black Eyed Peas fame, make her first solo album The Dutchess? 2006
- Eminem released his eponymous album (named after himself) in 2000, what was it called? The Marshall Mathers LP
- Paramount Pictures bought the rights to which 2003 Avril Lavigne song in order to make a movie, one which never materialised? Sk8r Boi
- James Blunt owns the best-selling album of the 00s. What is it called? Back to Bedlam
- 3 of the top 15 best-selling albums of the 00s belong to which 4-piece band? Coldplay
- Which artist won The X Factor in 2006 and remains the best-selling act from the show? Leona Lewis
- Which band refused a 2001 Mercury Prize nomination, saying the award is "like carrying a dead albatross around your neck for eternity"? Gorillaz
- After being named Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Diddy and P Diddy (again), the artist who cannot be named settled on which name in 2008? Sean John
- Maroon 5 released their solo album in 2002 titled Songs About...who? Jane
- British garage legends So Solid Crew had how many members when they released their first album in 2001? 19
- Who released their first debut album Love. Angel. Music. Baby in 2004? Gwen Stefani
- Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong is the real name of which 00s icon? Dido
- Which album from Snow Patrol won an Ivor Novello award in 2007? Final Straw
- Which duo released the 2003 album Speakerboxxxx/The Love Below? OutKast
- Vanessa Carlton became a one-hit wonder for which 2001 song? A Thousand Miles
- Katy Perry's first big hit 'I Kissed a Girl' came out in what year? 2008
- The 2001 debut album of Alicia Keys was called Songs In...what? A Minor
- Which artist got his name from his producer claiming that he "sees music like it's the Matrix"? Ne-Yo
- After a decade of successful 90s hits, Mary J Blige started her reign in the 00s with which 2001 album? No More Drama
- Justin Timberlake wrote what 2002 hit after breaking up with Britney Spears? Cry me a River
- Rolling Stone Magazine's number 1 hit of the 2000s was 'Crazy', by who? Gnarls Barkley
- What is the name of the fictional high school in the TV show "Glee"? William McKinley High School
- Who played the character of Katniss Everdeen in the film adaptation of "The Hunger Games"? Answer: Jennifer Lawrence
- What is the name of the iconic dance move popularized by Beyoncé in her hit single "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"? Answer: The "Single Ladies" dance or "The Beyoncé Dance"
- Which artist had the most-streamed song on Spotify in the 2010s? Answer: Ed Sheeran ("Shape of You")
- Which app became synonymous with 15-second music clips and viral dances? Answer: TikTok (Musical.ly originally)
- "Someone Like You" spent five weeks at #1 in the UK for which powerhouse vocalist? Answer: Adele
- Which former Disney star released "Wrecking Ball" in 2013? Answer: Miley Cyrus
- "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd spent how many weeks at #1? Answer: 4 weeks (but 88 weeks on the chart!)
- Which artist released folklore and evermore as surprise albums? Answer: Taylor Swift
- "Good 4 U" by Olivia Rodrigo samples which classic rock band? Answer: Paramore (specifically "Misery Business")
Name That Song Quiz Questions
- "Is this the real life, is this just fantasy..." Answer: "Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality" (Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody")
- "I get by with a little help from..." Answer: "my friends" (The Beatles)
- "Don't stop believin', hold on to..." Answer: "that feelin'" (Journey)
- "Just a small town girl, livin' in a..." Answer: "lonely world" (Journey - "Don't Stop Believin'")
- "Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play..." Answer: "And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate" (Taylor Swift - "Shake It Off")
- "I got my peaches out in Georgia, I get my..." Answer: "weed from California" (Justin Bieber - "Peaches")
- "Baby, you're a firework, come on..." Answer: "let your colors burst" (Katy Perry - "Firework")
20 K-Pop Quiz Questions
- Who is known as the "Queen of K-pop"? Answer: Lee Hyori
- What is the name of the Korean boy band known as the "Kings of K-pop"? Answer: BIGBANG
- What is the name of the Korean girl group that performed the hit song "Gee"? Answer: Girls' Generation
- What is the name of the popular K-pop group that includes members J-Hope, Suga, and Jungkook? Answer: BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan)
- What is the name of the K-pop group that debuted with the song "Firetruck"? Answer: NCT 127
- Which K-pop group features the members T.O.P, Taeyang, G-Dragon, Daesung, and Seungri? Answer: BIGBANG
- Which K-pop group debuted with the song "La Vie En Rose" in 2018? Answer: IZ*ONE
- Who is the youngest member of the K-pop group Blackpink? Answer: Lisa
- What is the name of the K-pop group that includes members Hongjoong, Mingi, and Wooyoung? Answer: ATEEZ
- What is the name of the K-pop group that debuted with the song "Adore U" in 2015? Answer: Seventeen
- What is the name of the K-pop group that debuted in 2020 with the song "Black Mamba"? Answer: aespa
- Which K-pop group debuted in 2018 with the song "I Am"? Answer: (G)I-DLE
- Which K-pop group debuted in 2019 with the song "Bon Bon Chocolat"? Answer: EVERGLOW
- Which K-pop group includes members Hwasa, Solar, Moonbyul, and Wheein? Answer: Mamamoo
- Which K-pop group debuted in 2019 with the song "Crown"? Answer: TXT (Tomorrow X Together)
- Which K-pop group debuted in 2020 with the song "Pantomime"? Answer: PURPLE KISS
- What is the name of the K-pop group that includes members Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai? Answer: TXT (Tomorrow X Together)
- Which K-pop group debuted in 2020 with the song "DUMDi DUMDi"? Answer: (G)I-DLE
- Which K-pop group debuted in 2020 with the song "WANNABE"? Answer: ITZY
- Which K-pop group includes members Lee Know, Hyunjin, Felix, and Changbin? Answer: Stray Kids
How to Make an Interactive Pop Music Quiz for Free
We all know that variety is the spice of life, so why do most quizzes stick to the same multiple choice or open-ended format throughout?
There is so much you can do with a pop music quiz. Mix up the questions with a spicy variety of multiple choice text, image, sound and some open-ended questions as well.
Or you could branch out of the standard pop music quiz format entirely and indulge in some outside-the-box kinds of rounds.
Check out below how to use AhaSlides' free software to make a creative, engaging pop music quiz, either team or solo, that's 100% online!
Quiz Type 1 - Multiple Choice
The standard format for any pop music quiz is the multiple choice question.
Simply write your question, the correct answer, a few wrong answers and let your players put forward their best guesses.
Quiz Type 2 - Multiple Choice with Audio
At its heart, of course, music isn't about text and image, but audio. Luckily, you can embed audio very simply into any slide on AhaSlides.
Give your players a song intro and a time limit in which to name the song. You can award points for fastest answers, too!
Quiz Type 3 - Open-Ended
With any text, image or sound pop music quiz, you can choose to make the question open-ended instead of multiple choice.
Taking away the multiple choice can make a question much more difficult, so it's a great idea to do it with questions that you feel are too easy.
Simply ask the question and list out what answers you will accept on the slide. Any answer that exactly matches any of these will get the points.
Quiz Type 4 - Word Cloud
A word cloud is one of those out-the-box quiz types we talked about earlier. It works on the same principle as the British game show Pointless.
Simply give your quiz players a category and ask them for the most obscure answer from that category. Answers that are mentioned the least get the points and answers that are mentioned the most get nothing.
For example, you could create a word cloud slide and ask your players for any of Billboard's top 10 female artists of all time. The answers that appear largest are the ones that were put forward the most by your players. The smallest correct answer that appears is the one that takes home the points!
Note that word clouds are not categorised as quiz slides, so you'll have to make note of the scores yourself.
Quiz Type 5 - Correct Order
Have you ever had someone say they are a diehard pop music fan, so you want to test if they are actually one? Correct order quizzes are made to detect precisely that. For example, you can ask, "Can you arrange these songs from earliest to most recent release date?"
These are excellent, not just for pop music knowledge testing, but also all kinds of musical content—song structures, chord progressions, the historical development of genres, or even the stages of music production.
Quiz Type 6 - Categorise
Have you ever entered a record store and watched someone go through the vinyl, knowing right away which section each album belongs in? Music categorisation quizzes are all about that innate sorting instinct.
You want to know if Beyoncé is a classic pop icon or a modern pop star? What about Katy Perry, Madonna, etc? The categorisation quiz can help you sort those singers into the correct categories, and let you know if your audience actually knows their stuff.
Quiz Type 7 - Match Pairs
Who sang "Shape of You"? Was it Lady Gaga? No, she sang "Bad Romance". It was Ed Sheeran! That's how a match pair quiz works. You can use it to match the song with the correct artist.
That's not all, you can also use images to spice things up and see if people remember the artists' faces.
