Would You Rather: Music Edition! We'll Guess Your Favorite Music

There are so many great genres in music – so many that it can be difficult to pick a favorite. You’ve got rock ‘n’ roll, which was pioneered by trailblazing legends like Chuck Berry and Little Richard as a more hardcore progression of jazz. Then Pink Floyd et al progressed rock ‘n’ roll into the more scattershot and experimental and opera-esque prog rock. Black Sabbath were angrier than the confines of rock ‘n’ roll allowed, so they turned it into the more aggressive heavy metal. Kiss and their ilk made rock more flashy and gave us makeup-covered glam rock. All of a sudden, through the drug-hazed madness of the ‘60s and ‘70s, you had a whole bunch of different facets all from that one genre. You’ve also got pop, which covers pretty much everything that’s been mainstream and popular since the 1980s, like Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Katy Perry, more recent Taylor Swift, Tina Turner, Beyonce, and, well, pretty much everyone else. And then there’s rap, which some consider to be the poetry of the modern day, and blues and country and reggae and EDM. Of course, music genres contain such a wide range of styles and interpretations, so your favorite genre is determined by your favorite songs. The parameters of each genre can be a little hazy, so instead, we’ll let you choose which of these songs you’d rather listen to and then we’ll tell you what your favorite genre is!

Question 1

Would you rather...?

The Rolling Stones and Michael Jackson are easily two of the greatest musical artists of all time. Jackson was hailed as the “King of Pop” throughout his life and was one of the best selling artists in the history of music. Meanwhile, the Stones are still going strong today and are arguably the greatest rock band ever. Which of these songs would you rather listen to?

Question 2

Would you rather...?

Rage Against the Machine are a favorite of the Wachowski siblings, as they used Rage’s song “Wake Up” to close their breakout feature The Matrix. “Bombtrack” is one of Rage’s most classic songs, too. But would you rather listen to that or Tupac’s laidback hit “California Love?”

Question 3

Would you rather...?

Coolio wrote “Gangsta’s Paradise” for the Michelle Pfeiffer movie Dangerous Minds and ended up getting nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and also an MTV Movie Award. Would you rather listen to that or Iggy Azalea’s hit 2014 song “Fancy?”

Question 4

Would you rather...?

Bon Jovi are one of the most popular bands of the ‘80s. “Livin’ on a Prayer” is easily their most popular song, even to this day. But “Enter Sandman” is great, too. That’s Metallica’s most popular and well-known song. So, which would you rather listen to?

Question 5

Would you rather...?

“Stairway to Heaven” is a truly classic song. It’s the musical equivalent of an epic poem. Separated into three parts, it starts off pretty slow and then gets gradually faster and louder. It’s awesome. But so is “Paranoid,” the song that begin its life as filler and evolved into an endearing classic. So, which would you rather listen to?

Question 6

Would you rather...?

“Gold Digger” is a collaboration between Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, who is now better known as Ray Charles and Django, but has actually enjoyed a long career that includes standup, movies, TV, and yes, music. “Gold Digger” is a critique of a certain type of women, while “Single Ladies” does the same thing to a certain type of man. Which would you rather listen to?

Question 7

Would you rather...?

Back to the Future has a great soundtrack. Some songs were written specifically for it, while some were simply licensed because they were perfect for the scene. You get the conflicting styles of music from the 1950s and the 1980s, and everything in between. So, which would you rather listen to: Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” or “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News?

Question 8

Would you rather...?

Def Leppard were a huge band in the ‘80s. Not so much now, but their song “Pour Some Sugar on Me” is still a classic that gets repeated all the time on VH1 and MTV. Meanwhile, the power ballad “I Want to Know What Love Is” was in Rock of Ages. Which do you prefer?

Question 9

Would you rather...?

Remember the scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the parade when Ferris lip syncs “Twist and Shout?” Matthew Broderick channels John Lennon really well! As for “Hungry Like the Wolf,” it is arguably Duran Duran’s biggest ever hit. Which would you rather listen to?

Question 10

Would you rather...?

“Ace of Spades” and “Natural Born Killaz” are two of the heaviest songs ever produced. “Ace of Spades” is heart-thumping from start to finish without a second of downtime, whereas “Natural Born Killaz” deals with very strong themes of murder, being from the soundtrack of Dr. Dre’s short film Murder Was the Case and all. Which would you rather listen to?

Question 11

Would you rather...?

Would you rather listen to Bruce Springsteen's beautiful and inspired and patriotic love letter to his country, "Land of Hope and Dreams," or Miley Cyrus' equally patriotic, less powerful "Party in the USA?" We know what Barack Obama would pick, as he walked out set to Springsteen's song after his farewell address. Which do you pick?

Question 12

Would you rather...?

Would you rather listen to Cee Lo Green's one hit song "Forget You," also known by its radio edit title "Forget You," or Kanye West's breakout hit "Stronger," which accuses people of "fake s**t" and was heavily taken from an earlier track by Daft Punk?

Question 13

Would you rather...?

Lenny Kravitz is one of the greatest and most versatile musicians of all time. In the vein of other greats like Bob Dylan and Prince, Kravitz does it all himself. All the instruments, the vocals, the backing: it's all Lenny. Which of these Lenny Kravitz hits would you rather listen to?

Question 14

Would you rather...?

When he left Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne continued to revolutionize the genre that he helped to create, heavy metal, with his new band, who operated under the apt name Ozzy Osbourne, with whom his best achievement is perhaps "Crazy Train." Meanwhile, "When Doves Cry" is a beautiful and powerful and emotional song by the incomparable Prince. So, which would you rather listen to?

Question 15

Would you rather...?

Martin Scorsese has used The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” in more of his movies than Robert De Niro or Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s easily his favorite song – he’s also made a documentary about the band. And “Wonderwall” by Oasis, though complete gibberish, is an anthem of Britpop and Manchester. Which would you rather listen to?

Question 16

Would you rather...?

“F**k the Police” by NWA is an anthem of African-Americans’ rage against police brutality and racial prejudice by American cops. It’s about fighting back against the system. “I Fought the Law” by The Clash is the exact opposite – it’s about how the system works and it’ll always reach justice. So, which do you prefer?

Question 17

Would you rather...?

Christians hate rock music, because it glorifies the Devil and talks about going to Hell like it's a good thing, like in AC/DC's legendary "Highway to Hell." Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" isn't free of controversial viewpoints either, as West compares himself to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its lyrics. So, which would you rather listen to?

Question 18

Would you rather...?

Both “Angel of Death” by Slayer and “Love the Way You Lie” by a pairing of Rihanna and Eminem are very angry songs, but they’re angry about different things. “Love the Way You Lie” is angry about domestic abuse and the struggles of loving someone in a violent relationship. “Angel of Death” is anger for anger’s sake. Which do you prefer?

Question 19

Would you rather...?

Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” is arguably their most aggressive song. It’s a critique of institutional racism and police brutality and it’s recognized as the band’s signature song. Meanwhile “Lost at Birth” by Public Enemy is one of their most famous tracks. Which do you prefer?

Question 20

Would you rather...?

Pop princesses are ruling the airwaves these days thanks to not only their feuds, but also their amazing voices. Taylor Swift is definitely at the top of the pack lately because of her public persona. But then, more lowkey singers like Ariana Grande can hold their own too.

Question 21

Would you rather...?

Guns ‘n’ Roses are one of the greatest and most iconic rock bands of all time. Their debut album Appetite for Destruction still stands today as one of the best albums ever made. But which of these tracks from the album would you rather listen to?

Question 22

Would you rather...?

Cypress Hill were most famous for their love of marijuana and their songs about just that. There was a great rendition of Insane in the Brain on the Simpsons. But would you rather listen to that or 50 Cent’s breakout hit “In Da Club?”

Question 23

Would you rather...?

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is definitely Nirvana’s most popular song. It was a huge seller back then, and it is still enjoyed to this day. Kurt Cobain himself didn’t like it all that much, though. That’s usually the way it goes. So, would you rather listen to that or “Song 2” by Blur?

Question 24

Would you rather...?

“Immigrant Song” was used recently in Thor: Ragnarok, and it was also used in School of Rock. It’s a departure from Led Zeppelin’s usual style, but it’s still great. But would you rather listen to that or “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss?

Question 25

Would you rather...?

The pairing of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg has given us many great hits over the years, including “Nuthin’ But a G Thang.” Guys like them, but if you prefer female artists, you might prefer “...Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears. So, which will it be?

Question 26

Would you rather...?

Taylor Swift started off as a country music artist, but that was a long time ago. She has since become more of a mainstream pop singer, with her pop hits including “Blank Space.” But would you rather listen to “Blank Space” or Nicki Minaj’s suggestive and very unsubtle “Anaconda?”

Question 27

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The whole thing between The Rolling Stones and The Verve where the Stones sued over “Bittersweet Symphony” and one single riff and ruined the band’s chances of success have caused some people to totally disregard the Stones. But which do you prefer?

Question 28

Would you rather...?

“Thunderstruck” is one of the most awesome songs of all time. If you’re looking for something to bang your head to, look no further. “Comfortably Numb” is also great, in a different way. But which of them do you prefer?

Question 29

Would you rather...?

As Mark and Jez say on Peep Show, the Beastie Boys fought, and quite possibly died, for our right to party. The most awesome Beastie Boys song is “Sabotage,” while “Bring the Noise” is a really famous Public Enemy song. They’re both great. Which do you prefer?

Question 30

Would you rather...?

“It’s Like That” is a cool hip hop song where the artist is billed as Run DMC vs Jason Nevins, although it is unclear who won. “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks is a simple song, but a very enjoyable and classic one. Which would you rather listen to?

Question 31

Would you rather...?

“Breaking the Law” is one of the better known songs by Judas Priest, the band who were sued for supposedly inspiring two teenagers to commit suicide through subliminal messages in their music. The song can be recognized by its opening guitar riff. But do you prefer that or Eminem’s “‘Till I Collapse?”

Question 32

Would you rather...?

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” had sort of been forgotten about when Wayne’s World came out and made it a success again, and it has since continued that success to this day. But similar success was shared by The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” Which do you prefer?

Question 33

Would you rather...?

The Quiet Riot version of “Cum On Feel the Noize” did really well, but it’s the original Slade version that’s stuck in everyone’s minds since it first came out in 1973. But maybe that’s not your cup of tea and perhaps you’d prefer “The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy. Which is it?

Question 34

Would you rather...?

“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey is a staple of popular culture. It’s been featured in everything from The Sopranos to Glee to Family Guy. “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice has enjoyed similar success, where both songs are used as a kind of self-parody. So, which do you prefer?

Question 35

Would you rather...?

The death of Tom Petty recently has left a huge hole in the world of music, with so many fans left mourning. His most famous song is arguably “Free Fallin’.” Would you rather listen to that or The Who’s famous “Who Are You?”

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