Can You Guess The Song From The Video?

289 Shares

MTV music videos catapulted stars to fame and changed how we experienced our favorite hit songs. The first ever music video to play on this channel was ironically "Video Killed the Radio Star" in 1981. The Buggles's song featured cheesy video editing and photoshop. The video followed each verse of the song to act out the line being sung. With Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video a more of a narrative approach was explored; this changed music videos forever. Jackson's video far surpassed any amateurish audio-to-video production and instead set a scene and played out an entire store. Beyoncé's  2013 visual album is the logical extension of the new music video framework. Each song from "Pretty Hurts" to "Partition" has a theme and she explores these different facets of her personality and invites the audience to watch.

OK Go rose to fame through their inventive and quirky music videos while Justin Bieber skyrocketed to success thanks to YouTube, an amazing voice, and a face to match. Most people have at least a couple music videos they loved watching regardless of whether they actually liked the song it went with. Then of course, there are videos that have confused infamy and fame.

But how well do you know your music videos?

Question 1

Late night when you need my love

Drake hails from Toronto and has put the city on the hip-hop map in a big way these past few years, and even received the keys to "the six" a few years ago. The rapper first appeared on Degrassi: The Next Generation a teen show. Since then he has come out with four studio albums and two mix tapes, all of which have been successful hits. He used to be dubbed the King of the "sad boy" aesthetic but he has recently changed his image by growing a beard and beefing up.

Question 2

It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark

Michael Jackson revolutionized music. He was born into fame with the Jackson 5, a talented family of singers pushed by their overly ambitious father. Since then he came out with several hit albums all with a versatile and creative twist. He explored different genres and is known for creating several different dances moves that he is remembered for to this day. The King of Pop was multifaceted; he sung, he danced, he acted, but he was terribly shy. Unfortunately too many people remember him for his infamous scandals involving children.

Question 3

With the taste of a poison paradise

This American babe began her career early at the young age of eighteen with her "...Baby One More Time" hit. She has managed to stay a giant in the public eye. Everyone remembers the iconic moment in 2007 when she had a breakdown and shaved off her hair; this was taken as a cultural reminder, even hit musicians and icons break down. She has continued to produce music since then and her albums tend to promote a fun theme, making them perfect for touring.

Question 4

I feel stupid and contagious

Nirvana is seen as the height of alternative rock in the late 80's and early 90's. Their 1991 album "Nevermind" gained them national acclaim, Rolling Stone even ranked one song off this album as it in the top ten of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Following this they were petitioned by major advertising agencies and the like who wanted to use their countercultural song. When invited on MTV they refused to perform lip-syncing. When iconic star Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994 the world went in mourning.

Question 5

I made it through the wilderness, somehow I made it though

Madonna was born to be a performer, though she came from a small city in Michigan she mad her way to New York and reached stardom young. She has produced thirteen albums ranging from 1983-2015, the last ones almost more dramatic than the first. She also starred as the leading lady in a Hollywood remake of the musical Evita. Since 2016 she is the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard singles chart. She leveraged controversy, her sexuality, and her beauty to make her one of the first mega-stars.

Question 6

My baby don't mess around because she loves me so

Comprised of André 3000 and Antwan "Big Boi" this hip hop duo hails from Atlanta and contribute an almost theatrical mix to the genre. They experiment from funk to gospel and have curated a playful but real sound. Their debut album Southerplayalisticadillacmuzik was released in 1994 and it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart because of their distinctive style. They have since come out with several more albums, all which feature fantastic and original singles. They have received six Grammys.

Question 7

Ahem, can I have the attention of the class for one second?

Eminem's rap career is a direct relfection of the hardships of his family life. A very good film, 8 Mile documents his rise to fame. Eminem's father was absent, his mother mentally unstable and he grew up in a trailer park. When pursing his rap career he would have to support his small daughter, Hailie, who he saw as his ray of hope. With his Slim Shady EP he could rap out his frustrations about low minimum wage and social inequality. Unfortunately since the early hit albums he came out with his style has stagnated.

Question 8

Something don't feel right cause it ain't right

Beyonce rose to fame as the lead singer in the group Destiny's Child. She came out with her debut solo album in 2013 Dangerously in Love which won five Grammys and crowned her an artist to be reckoned with. Her second solo album B'Day was also critically and commercially acclaimed, just like every following Beyonce album. Her last two albums Beyoncé and Lemonade were visual and began to show her darker more human side. She is queen and we all bow down.

Question 9

I told y'all mother-ooh Y'all can't stop me now

Missy "Misdemeanour" Elliott is a bad*ss R&B artist and beat maker. She started out in the 1990's all female group Sista and later went on to co-produce many of Aaliyah's early albums along with her childhood friend Timbaland. She was influenced by Mary J. Blige and focuses on old school sound in her mixing. Missy Elliott came out with her first album Supa Dupa Fly in 1997. Her 2002 album Under Construction was designated as the year's best hip hop album by the New York Times. She was an honouree of the 2007 VH1 Hip Hop Honours.

Question 10

Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind's elation

Red Hot Chili Peppers are a rock band coming out of Los Angeles who formed in 1983. They have a massive following who began in the late eighties and continue to produce songs and frequent shows. However the RHCP have a band history of drug abuse beginning in the late eighties with members Levene, Kiedis and Slovak. After the Uplift tour Slovak passed away from a drug overdose but band members Kiedis and Flea decided to stick it out and continue building what Slovak was a part of.

Question 11

love-love-love I want your love

Lady Gaga went to art school in New York before dropping out and devoting all of her time to labels and songwriting. Her pop album The Fame shot her to stardom with singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". Her following EP Fame Monster produced three more singles and her next album Born this Way solidified her image. Lady Gaga brought representation to all of her fans who felt like misfits or losers. Her following called "little monsters" are extremely loyal to her.

Question 12

Let me take you under candle light

Katy Perry was raised singing in church, soon thereafter began to dabble in gospel music but later ditched the religious scene to join Hollywood. She moved out West and began producing pop rock music, gaining national acclaim with her singles "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold". She has since had many singles rated on Billboards Hot 100 and many a teen sing along to her songs. She is the first female artist to produce five number-one songs on the US and in 2017 was the top person followed on Twitter.

Question 13

She's up all night till the sun

Daft Punk are a French duo who rose to popularity in the late 1990's as house music became mainstream. The electronic pair are known for visual style and disguises that go with their sound. They found that sound in 1997 with the studio album Homework, this gained them critical success while commercial hits like "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" would be sampled by big stars like Kanye. Since they have collaborated with The Weeknd and Pharrell. They hardly ever give interviews.

Question 14

As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor

Panic! At the Disco fashioned themselves as a type of pop rock and released their first album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out in 2005 shortly after high school. Since then, they have changed their sound and implemented influences like the Beatles, the Zombies, and the Beach Boys in their second studio album Pretty.Odd. in 2008. Since then only two of the original bandmates have remained and they have recruited a new guitarist and bassist to venture into new sounds in the upcoming 2010's.

Question 15

Show me somethin' natural like ass with some stretchmarks

Kendrick Lamar comes from Compton and gained local attention which led to him being signed with Top Dawg Entertainment. He gained more and more popularity over the internet with his first studio album and had the talent to combine with artists like The Game and Busta Rhymes early without being overshadowed. The 2012 release of his major album good kid, m.A.A.d city was certified platinum. He won a Grammy for a song in his third album To Pimp a Butterfly and has made huge waves with his fourth, Damn.

Question 16

It's a thief in the night to come and grab you

Rihanna rose to fame in 2005 with her album Music of the Sun, signing a record with Def Jam Recordings. She began to have a more independent say in her studio recordings with the 2007 Good Girl Gone Bad and was rewarded with a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Following this she recieved four consecutive platinum studio albums and is a universally recognized pop icon. More than five of her songs rank amongst the world's best selling singles of all time.

Question 17

Look at you kids with your vintage music

Lana Del Rey had been chasing her musical dreams in New York City for a while before the internet brought her to fame in 2011. Her single "Video Games" became an online sensation. The following year her first major label album Born to Die peaked at number two on US charts and she became the nation's dream girl. Her music comes from the heart as when she was chasing her musical dream in New York she found time to volunteer with the homeless.

Question 18

Turn the music up in the headphones

Jay-Z has sold more than 100 million records and has received 21 Grammys for his music. He has also had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100. This American rapper hails from Brooklyn and let his early gangster life as Shawn Carter influence his rap and rhyme themes. Jay-Z first sold CDs out of his car until creating an independent record label, Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995. Married to Beyonce in 2008, the two are a hip hop tour de force and between them have a net worth of over a billion.

Question 19

Am I a freak for dancing around? Am I a freak for getting down?

Janelle Monáe released her first studio album The ArchAndroid in 2010. She has received six Grammy nominations and her genre can best be described as psychedelic soul-- though that leaves out a lot. Her second album, The Electric Lady, gained commercial acclaim. She was found by her MySpace page and was later signed to a major label. Monáe is known as a singer, actress, and model; she became a spokeswoman for CoverGirl in 2012 and recently starred in two Hollywood films, Hidden Figures and Moonlight.

Question 20

I do my makeup in somebody else's car

Lorde is a New Zealand singer and record producer who gained critical and commercial success in her home country when she was only sixteen with the release of The Love Club EP. In 2013 her single Royals gained her an international presence and her follow-up album Pure Heroine continued this streak. For promoters she embodied suburban adolescence and came out with her second album Team which reached number three on US Billboard 200. She curated The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Soundtrack and provided the single "Yellow Flicker Beat".

Question 21

Live fast, die young

This British rapper of Sri Lankan origin mixes eclectic elements of alternative, world music, and electronic to create a truly unique sound. M.I.A. is an activist and will always have the most colourful and outlandish music videos. She rose to international recognition in 2002 after singles "Sunshowers" and "Galang". Following this her albums Arular and Kala gained critical acclaim. Her singles "Boyz" and "Paper Planes" cemented her fame and name recognition worldwide, the latter was three times platinum in Canada and the US.

Question 22

Take the chapstick, put it on your lips

Vampire Weekend is an American Rock Band that is hip enough to give you the impression of always being in New England when you hear them. The first album named after their band was released in 2008 and came out with many of their hit singles. It was critically acclaimed as it mixed generous amounts of world music. Later albums Contral and Modern Vampires of the City gained similar commercial success with the latter winning the group a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.

Question 23

My father was a young man, my mother off the boat

Dev Hynes takes his inspiration from his parent's diasporic experience as young immigrants. The British singer is multifaceted as he is also a producer, composer, songwriter, and author-- as is pretty evident by his lyrics. He has written songs for well acclaimed artists like Solange, Tinashae, and FKA Twigs. Hynes was a member of a dance punk band named Test Icicles but they only released on full length album in 2005. Hynes also goes by names Blood Orange and Lightspeed Champion.

Question 24

Spend my days and nights before Searching the world for whats right here

The XX are an indie dream pop band from London. They released their first album xx in 2009 and gained both critical and commercial acclaim. In 2012 they released Coexist, another album which climbed Billboard's top 200 charts to 5th place. Both of these albums introduced a synthy shoe-gazey sound. Their last album I See You was just as popular as their first two but explores a more pop type of sound. They tour regularly and play at music festivals.

Question 25

Walk without rhythm, it won't attract the worm

Fatboy Slim is an English Dj, multi-instrumentalist, and musician who came to prominence in the 80's. As a single electronic musician he won several MTV awards and two Brit ones. He helped electric popularize beat genre so ubiquitous in the 1990's. Prior to mixing he was in a band called the Housemartins but only had one hit single named "Happy Hour". His solo hits continued through the 1990's and even today he continues to produce albums or sample new tracks.

Question 26

When I look into your eyes I can see a love restrained

Guns N' Roses is an American rock band formed in the 1980's. They hail from Los Angeles and have produced six studio albums, with a cumulative sale of over 100 million records. Their debut album Appetite for Destruction which came out in 1987 was the only one to reach the top of Billboard 200 peaking at number one. The band contains seven members and has undergone serious lineup changes since the 1980's. In 2008 they released Chinese Democracy which took an estimated 14 million in production costs.

Question 27

I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most

Kanye is a producer, rapper, and fashion designer raised in Chicago. Before producing his debut solo albums he had worked as a producer for Jay-Z's label Roc-A-Fella Records, making music for the entrepreneurial rapper and Alicia Keys. His 2004 album The College Dropout was widely recognized and critically successful. Since then he has gone on to produce a wealth of masterful albums from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to The Life of Pablo. He has won a total of 21 Grammy awards and his personal life provides feed for gossipers.

Question 28

I can't stand it, I know you planned it

This American Hip-Hop group came out of New York in the 1980's. They are actually a transformed punk rock band and made their first experimental rap single in 1983, "Cooky Puss". Since then the Beastie Boys have made a handful of successful Hip-Hop singles and had seven platinum or better albums from 1986 to 2004. The trio have remained one of the longest-lived Hip-Hop acts worldwide. Their sound is unmistakably playful but they, surprisingly, have beats and rhymes to back it up.

Question 29

Run and tell all the angels this could take all night

Foo Fighters are an alternative rock band formed in the 1990's. The founder Dave Grohl became the creative centerpiece after leaving the group Nirvana when Cobain committed suicide. The Nirvana old drummer did most of the songwriting and became the lead singer. His band has won Grammys for four albums and they have sold over twelve million copies in the US. Grohl tried to keep the sound minimalist and guitar based. The name "Foo Fighter" is a term referring to UFO's in World War II.

Question 30

With all the drama in the LBG, its hard being Snoop D-O double G

Snoop Dogg is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He hails from Long Beach, CA was discovered by Dr.Dre and is featured on his solo album The Chronic. Snoop's debut album was released in 1993 and topped both Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B Albums. Doggstyle was also four times platinum and certainly earned Snoop a name for himself. Snoop has a characteristic demeanour that comes off in his smooth voice, he is unbothered and the very definition of chill.

Question 31

Boom babies, strange but not a stranger

This Americn rock band began in 1975 and continued producing albums and making music until the early 1990's. Their first album was called Taking Heads:77 and received critical acclaim. Byrne, Frantz, and Weymouth all went to school together and began producing a genre now called art pop. They were interested in mixing melodies and rhythms, never landing on a cohesive distinct sound. They influenced many artists in the later alternative rock scene. Three of their singles were included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Question 32

Cadillac grills, Cadillac Mill's

Ludacris grew up in Atlanta and is a recognized rapper and actor. He co-founded Disturbing tha Peace with and was one of the more influential "Dirty South" rappers to catapult to commercial success along with OutKast. He began as a DJ but began to find his own curated style with his 1998 album Incognegro. This piece is similar to the theatrical and comedic OutKast albums. In 2000 he released his first major label album called Back for the First Time which reached number four on Billboard's top 200.

Question 33

I used to be the main express, all steam and whistles heading West

This English singer, pianist, and composer can be remembered for the Lion King and Billy Elliot soundtracks. He rose to fame as a songwriter and debuted as a single artist himself with Empty Sky in 1969. He has received five Grammys and five Brit Awards. He is known for his dramatic flair and has commented that his costumes and theatrics are a way of acting out after a repressed childhood. He was heavily involved in campaigning against AIDS and campaigning for LGBT social movements.

Question 34

But once your heart is there you can never leave

CeeLo Green is an American singer, actor, producer, and businessman. He found fame as a member of the Hip-Hop group Goodie mob and as a record producer for Danger Mouse. He then found solo success, ushered into fame by his Youtube site's popularity. He is known for his work on Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy". In 2010 he came out with his explicit solo "Forget You" which gained him great commercial success. Since then he has become a reality TV star judge for the Voice. He is an eccentric personality.

Question 35

Zing boom, the sky up above

Björk is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, and producer who is known for her avant-garde styles and mix of genres. She initially rose to fame as the lead singer of alternative rock band The Sugarcubes but later was attracted to a solo career in the early 1990's. She came out with a commercially successful first album as a solo artist, Debut. Björk has continued to produce solo albums and top singles but also dabbles in tangible art. She won best actress at 2000 Cannes for her performance in Dancer in the Dark.

See Your Result
Questions Left
Current Score