The Ultimate Pop Music Quiz

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The pop music genre is a strange one in that it’s never had a heyday. Jazz used to rule at the turn of the century until the likes of Little Richard and Chuck Berry evolved it into rock ‘n’ roll and then around the 1980s, after rock ‘n’ roll had gone through the stages of hard rock, metal, and eventually glam rock, it evolved into what we know today as “pop.” But pop has never really gone away. The 1990s saw a rise in grunge, and since 2000, electronic dance music has been more and more popular, even if it is a lazier form of the art. But pop never went away. Pop songs are still being made today, and the pop songs that were made in the ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s are still popular, frequently listened to, and always featured on even the most mainstream radio stations. But how well do you know the genre? How closely have you been listening to those radio stations? Test your pop song knowledge with these 35 questions!

Question 1

Who sings SexyBack?

SexyBack is a song performed by a dreamboat – that same dreamboat also helped Nate Hills and Tim Mosley to write and produce it. It’s his song, through and through. It made him a star and continues to be his most famous song to this day. Well, it might be. The singer described SexyBack as being like a cover of James Brown’s 1970 song Sex Machine by David Bowie and David Byrne. The description is, at the same time, both apt and bizarre. Who was the singer?

Question 2

Which mathematical symbol is not the name of an Ed Sheeran album?

It’s safe to say that Ed Sheeran is on fire, routinely topping the charts with his hit songs, more so than any other artist working right now, and still finding time to pop his head up in Game of Thrones to turn it into The Ed Sheeran Show. He recently broke the record for most records by one artist in the Top 20 charts with a whopping 16. He also has a habit of naming his albums after mathematical functions. Which of these mathematical symbols is not the title of one of his albums?

Question 3

Complete the Mark Ronson song title: Uptown...

This song by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars in a less than limited capacity is inspired by 1980s funk and the sounds of Prince. It won two Grammys including Song of the Year, which is like the Best Picture Oscar but for the Grammys, and its music video has over 2.6 billion views on YouTube, which is a mega amount. The "Uptown" in the title is sometimes styled as "UpTown" for album covers and promotional purposes. What is the second word in the title?

Question 4

What is the song that launched Justin Bieber to superstardom?

It’s hard to imagine a world where Justin Bieber isn’t famous. He’s certainly forgotten his humble beginnings and settled into the celebrity lifestyle as he thinks he can get away with murder, punching large bouncers and driving recklessly under the influence (which kills, by the way). But back when the world was slightly more civilized and peaceful, a smarmy teenage boy from Canada emerged as a huge star with the since-surpassed most viewed music video on YouTube. But which Bieber song was it that started it all?

Question 5

Which Taylor Swift album is Shake It Off on?

Taylor Swift is a huge star right now, with a new studio album out every couple of years or so. She's racked up quite a shelf of impressive albums and singles at this point, all selling successfully in the millions. One of her most popular songs is Shake It Off, which inspires listeners to ignore the haters and simply do what they want to do. But which one of her studio albums is the song Shake It Off featured on?

Question 6

Which Beatle performed a James Bond theme song?

The James Bond movies always have chart topping theme songs, because they always get the biggest pop stars of the time to perform them. In the four Daniel Craig movies, we’ve had theme songs by Chris Cornell, Jack White feat. Alicia Keys (or maybe it’s the other way around), Adele, and Sam Smith, so these are big names. For Live and Let Die, they got a former Beatle who had since joined his wife’s pop band to do the theme song. Which Beatle was it?

Question 7

Who sings Call Me Maybe?

Remember when this song was everywhere for a while? You couldn’t escape it. It’s basically about a girl who meets a guy that she likes and then gives him her phone number so that he can potentially call her if he wants to. But at the end of the day, that’s kind of a universally relatable concept. It’s so simple, but everyone’s been on either end of that scenario, and that’s why it was so popular. Plus it’s as catchy as the day is long, which always helps a pop song to gain traction. But who sings it?

Question 8

Complete the Rihanna lyric: “We found love in a...”

Like Gal Gadot, Rihanna came from a far off land (in Gadot’s case, Israel; in Rihanna’s case, Barbados) and conquered America. In 2011, Scottish DJ Calvin Harris wrote a song for her called We Found Love. With over 10 million copies sold, it’s one of the best selling singles of all time. But where did she find love? What kind of place was it where she found love? Complete the lyric from Rihanna’s hit song We Found Love: “We found love in a...”

Question 9

What are you gonna hear Katy Perry do?

Katy Perry has been out of the game for a while, but she's been quietly working on putting together a new album that has her fans excited. She started out in gospel music, but found much more success in the arena of pop. She's had many hits, from California Gurls to Teenage Dream to Firework to Last Friday Night. She had another hit as well, with a chorus that goes: "And you're gonna hear me..." What are you going to hear her do?

Question 10

In which video does Michael Jackson play a zombie?

There's one Michael Jackson video that easily has one of the best remembered and most beloved music videos of all time, and that’s because it’s shot like an actual Hollywood horror movie starring a zombified Michael Jackson. Does it get more awesome than that? And the reason it looks like Hollywood is because it was directed by Hollywood's John Landis, who has since been disgraced from the industry after two children were beheaded by a helicopter in a stunt gone wrong on the set of one of his movies, but his earlier movies are great. But which Michael Jackson video did he do with the zombies?

Question 11

Which movie is Can't Stop the Feeling from?

Last year, Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling dominated the charts and the radio stations for a couple of months because it was very upbeat and very catchy. A lot of people were at first confused by the video, starring Anna Kendrick, James Corden, Gwen Stefani, and Raj from The Big Bang Theory, but that was because it was in a movie that they all starred in. The movie got the song nominated from an Oscar. Which movie was it?

Question 12

Which Dolly Parton song did Miley Cyrus cover?

Miley Cyrus has come a long way since playing Hannah Montana and only singing songs that were Disney Channel approved. Now, she’s twerking and lighting up a joint on stage and inspiring the next generation of young girls to follow in her footsteps. Her godmother Dolly Parton must be so proud of her. In all seriousness, there’s a few things she can be proud of, particularly the excellent cover Miley did of one of Parton’s best-known and best-loved songs. But which song was it?

Question 13

Which pop star contributed a verse to Problem?

It’s sad that Ariana Grande’s name is now associated with a terrible terrorist attack at one of her concerts, and that she had to experience the trauma of being the artist whose concert it happened at. She is a huge star and a big inspiration to a lot of girls across the world. She inspires them to be who they want to be, and unfortunately ISIS doesn’t like that message being told to girls. Problem is one of Grande’s biggest and most popular songs. Some consider it to be her best. But which of her contemporaries contributed a verse to the song?

Question 14

What does Nicki Minaj’s kind of man never do, according to Super Bass?

Along with Starships, Super Bass is one of Nicki Minaj’s biggest hits. Minaj has been one of the biggest singers around for a few years, and she doesn’t look like she’s showing any signs of slowing down. In the lyrics of Super Bass, Minaj describes her kind of man. She sings, “He pops bottles and he’s got the right kind of build” (i.e. goes to the gym a lot), and “He’s always in the air / But he never...” What does he never do?

Question 15

Which country is Gangnam Style from?

Gangnam Style, performed by Psy, pretty much owned the year of 2012. As everyone attempted to recreate the iconic dance (even the likes of Barack Obama and David Cameron), Gangnam Style became the most viewed video on YouTube, as well as being the most liked video on the site, and topped the music charts in more than 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. But which country does the song itself originate from?

Question 16

Which of these is NOT a Whitney Houston song?

During her life, which was sadly cut short, Whitney Houston enjoyed one of the most popular careers in music, as her songs are still played in clubs and beloved to this day. It was a tragedy a few years back when she died, as we truly lost one of the greats. Houston had a long string of chart topping hits throughout her career that make it certain that she’ll never be forgotten. But which of these popular songs ISN’T one of them?

Question 17

What comes before “...Baby One More Time?”

It’s impossible to remember a world when Britney Spears wasn’t famous, but it was once the case. It wasn’t even that long ago. Her smash hit debut single ...Baby One More Time was released in 1998 and it propelled her to superstardom and international fame. Fame ultimately became her undoing, but long before that, she was just a young, teen sensation with ...Baby One More Time – but in that song’s lyrics, which two words come before the phrase in its title?

Question 18

Which actor is We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together rumored to be about?

When Taylor Swift was trying to write a new song, one of her ex’s friends walked into the recording studio and asked if she was getting back together with her boyfriend. Swift denied it and the guy left. She told her collaborators that the relationship was “break up, get back together, break up, get back together, just, ugh, the worst.” Then they started writing a song about it. Swift began playing the guitar and singing, “We are never ever...” and the rest is history. One of Swift’s famous ex-flames, an actor, is rumored to be the subject of the song. Who is it?

Question 19

Complete the Cyndi Lauper song title: “Girls Just Want to...”

The title of this song and its overall message are so simplistic and yet so true. Cyndi Lauper is the singer who made it famous in 1983, however, it was originally written and recorded in 1979 as a demo by Robert Hazard. But who remembers that guy? It’s all about Lauper. This song is for and about girls and what they want, so it really needs to be sung by a girl. Okay, a man wrote it, and we can’t change that, but anyway, complete the title.

Question 20

At the end of what month do Green Day want you to wake them up?

It must’ve been a while since you heard anything about Green Day. They’re kind of a noughties band. But they still have fans today. That's right, some people actually still listen to Green Day. They might even go to Green Day concerts. It's like a time matrix crossing the timelines. Anyway, they have a song called Wake Me When (blank) Ends. It has themes of loss and the music video portrays the effects of the Iraq War. What month is in the title?

Question 21

What is Every Breath You Take about?

Every Breath You Take by The Police was a huge hit. It won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals back when it was released in 1983. Every Breath You Take is a well known and popular song, but it’s best known as a love song. Movies and TV shows use it in their soundtracks as such, and that’s how it’s presented on the radio by DJs who play it, but it’s not actually a love song. What is it really about?

Question 22

Which of these is NOT a song by Queen?

Before the tragic passing of its lead singer Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDS in the relatively early days of the awful deadly disease, Queen enjoyed a rich and successful career on top of the music world. They have a long stream of hit songs that are still played in nightclubs and on radio stations to this day, and they always get people dancing and singing along. They have a timeless value. But which of these four songs ISN'T one of Queen's hits?

Question 23

Who are the “you” and the “she” in Halsey’s SOS?

Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, better known by her stage name Halsey, once wrote and performed a song called SOS. It remains unreleased, as it was once put out as a single in 2012 and then later took it down. In the song, Halsey says, “She’ll never love you like I could,” and other things to that effect, about a famous male singer who she was in love with and a famous female singer who he was dating at the time. She was jealous of the relationship and wrote the song about them – but who are they?

Question 24

What will Lorde never be?

Lorde has had quite the career for a teenage from New Zealand. Her different sounding pop songs have dominated the US charts, because they're unique in a very cool way. She's also secretly a middle aged geologist from Colorado called Randy Marsh, at least according to South Park that is. One of Lorde's most popular and breakout hit songs has a lyric that keeps coming back to tell the audience, "And we'll never be..." what? What will they never be?

Question 25

Complete the Taylor Swift lyric: “But I’ve got a blank space, baby...”

Taylor Swift is on top of the world. She’s one of the most popular singers on the planet right now, selling out venues and topping the charts with her singles and albums. She was shortlisted for the Time Person of the Year in 2014 and she has an estimated net worth of $280 million. She wrote the song Blank Space to satirize how the media perceives her. It’s one of her biggest songs – it reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100. But can you complete the lyric?

Question 26

“Party like it’s...” what year?

Prince’s 1982 hit song that this lyric is from was the title track on one of his best selling albums. It describes a party so awesome that it’s as if it’s happening in the future. But it’s not really about the fact that it’s the future, because it’s not the future anymore. It’s more that the year was an important year. Something terrible was supposed to happen. It didn’t in the end, but everyone was sure worried about it. Anyway, tonight, what year are we gonna party like it is?

Question 27

What is the name of Beyonce’s aggressive onstage alter ego?

Beyonce, the queen of the world, named her third studio album in 2008 after her onstage persona of an angry single woman who hates men. She released two of the tracks from the album – “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” both songs about how much men suck and aren’t willing to commit to women or put effort into their relationships – as singles to showcase her new alter ego. But what is the name of this stage persona?

Question 28

“Billie Jean is not my” what?

Michael Jackson is the undisputed King of Pop. It’s not even a mildly debated thing. No one would disagree with the claim. Across the board, around the world, Jackson is accepted as being the unequivocal, unparalleled, unbeatable King of Pop, and it’ll always be that way. He’s the Elvis Presley of the pop genre. He had countless hits that are still beloved today – Beat It, Thriller, Bad...and Billie Jean. So, complete the lyric: “Billie Jean is not my” what?

Question 29

Which of these is NOT a Black Eyed Peas song?

Say what you will about them, but the Black Eyed Peas have enjoyed immense success. With a total of 76 million records sold worldwide (35 million albums and 41 million singles), the Black Eyed Peas – made up of Taboo, will.i.am, apl.de.ap (yes, that’s how someone actually refers to themselves), and Fergie – are one of the best selling music groups of all time. They’ve had a long line of hit songs over the years, but which of these four ISN’T one of them?

Question 30

Who sings Hello?

This is not the Lionel Richie version of Hello. That's a powerful ballad. This version was a ludicrously successful gloom-fest released in 2015 that got to number one on every single chart in the world, was viewed over 27 million times in 24 hours, breaking the Vevo record, and it's basically just a singer recounting a dull, boring phone conversation. It goes, "Hello, it's me, how are you?" etc. But which pop singer is behind this simple soul piano ballad?

Question 31

Which of these is NOT a Selena Gomez song?

Ignore the fact that Selena Gomez somehow found it in herself to actually love Justin Bieber. And ignore the fact that she got her start on the Disney Channel on a show called Wizards of Waverly Place. And maybe you're on the side that doesn't like her music, which is fine, you're entitled to your own opinion. But objectively, you can't deny her success. Millions of fans buy millions of her records and attend her concerts every year. She's a superstar. But which of these songs ISN'T one of hers?

Question 32

What part of Shakira’s body doesn’t lie?

Shakira is probably the most famous person ever to come from Colombia. She’s a singer-songwriter with a great gift for Latin pop. One of her most famous songs is a collaboration with Wyclef Jean about a part of her body that doesn’t lie. In the song, which borrows heavily from Wyclef Jean’s earlier works, Shakira repeatedly says that this part of her body doesn’t lie and it always gets people dancing in a club and singing along. But what part of her body is it?

Question 33

What movie is Stayin’ Alive featured in?

Stayin’ Alive by The Bee Gees is one of the catchiest songs ever written. It’s so catchy and memorable that CPR trainers use it to teach the right length of time between chest compressions. That’s because it’s such a famous and universally loved song that anyone in the world can conjure the beat in their mind at a moment’s notice. It’s featured very heavily on the soundtrack of a particular movie from the ‘70s starring John Travolta. What is that movie?

Question 34

Which of these is NOT a Madonna song?

Madonna is a gigantic star. She was named the second best musical act of all time (second to The Beatles, of course) by Billboard in their list of the Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time. Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. It’s a ridiculous number of records. The Black Eyed Peas are considered one of the highest selling musical acts of all time and they have a quarter of that. And Madonna’s just one person! But which of these is NOT a song by Madonna?

Question 35

“Ain’t no party like a...” what?

“Ain’t no party like a (blank) party, ‘cause a (blank) party don’t stop” has become a pretty popular phrase after being popularized by a certain pop song. It’s been copied by everyone from S Club 7, who don’t specify that it doesn’t stop, to Craig Robinson in the movie This is the End. But where exactly it originates from is often lost on people. What is the original lyric that coined this ubiquitous phrase: “Ain’t no party like a...” what?

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