Music through the decades quiz

Fifteen questions covering six decades of music. Works well as a round in a bigger quiz, or on its own with the radio off.

Free to use with your own team, courtesy of WorkplaceHero - workplacehero.co.uk

Question sheet

  1. 1. Which band released the album 'Abbey Road'?
    • A. The Rolling Stones
    • B. The Beatles
    • C. The Kinks
    • D. The Who
  2. 2. Who is known as the 'Queen of Soul'?
    • A. Diana Ross
    • B. Tina Turner
    • C. Aretha Franklin
    • D. Nina Simone
  3. 3. Which Queen song famously has no chorus?
    • A. We Will Rock You
    • B. Bohemian Rhapsody
    • C. Somebody To Love
    • D. Radio Ga Ga
  4. 4. Nirvana's breakthrough album was called what?
    • A. Bleach
    • B. In Utero
    • C. Nevermind
    • D. Incesticide
  5. 5. Which two bands were pitched against each other in the 1995 'Battle of Britpop'?
    • A. Blur and Oasis
    • B. Pulp and Suede
    • C. Supergrass and Ash
    • D. Verve and Travis
  6. 6. Who wrote and originally recorded 'I Will Always Love You'?
    • A. Whitney Houston
    • B. Dolly Parton
    • C. Carole King
    • D. Loretta Lynn
  7. 7. Which instrument does a timpanist play?
    • A. Kettle drums
    • B. Cymbals
    • C. Triangle
    • D. Xylophone
  8. 8. Which artist released the album '21'?
    • A. Amy Winehouse
    • B. Adele
    • C. Duffy
    • D. Florence Welch
  9. 9. What was Michael Jackson's best-selling album?
    • A. Bad
    • B. Off The Wall
    • C. Thriller
    • D. Dangerous
  10. 10. Which country does ABBA come from?
    • A. Norway
    • B. Denmark
    • C. Sweden
    • D. Finland
  11. 11. Which rapper's real name is Marshall Mathers?
    • A. Jay-Z
    • B. Eminem
    • C. Nas
    • D. Dr Dre
  12. 12. How many strings does a standard bass guitar have?
    • A. Four
    • B. Five
    • C. Six
    • D. Seven
  13. 13. Which festival takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset?
    • A. Reading
    • B. Glastonbury
    • C. Latitude
    • D. Download
  14. 14. Which band's members are named Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr?
    • A. Coldplay
    • B. R.E.M.
    • C. U2
    • D. Simple Minds
  15. 15. Which of these is a tempo marking meaning 'slow'?
    • A. Allegro
    • B. Presto
    • C. Largo
    • D. Vivace

Answer sheet (for the quizmaster)

  1. 1. B - The Beatles
  2. 2. C - Aretha Franklin
  3. 3. B - Bohemian Rhapsody
  4. 4. C - Nevermind
  5. 5. A - Blur and Oasis
  6. 6. B - Dolly Parton
    Dolly Parton released it in 1974; Whitney Houston's version came in 1992.
  7. 7. A - Kettle drums
  8. 8. B - Adele
  9. 9. C - Thriller
  10. 10. C - Sweden
  11. 11. B - Eminem
  12. 12. A - Four
  13. 13. B - Glastonbury
  14. 14. C - U2
  15. 15. C - Largo
    Allegro, presto and vivace all mean varying degrees of fast.