General Awareness

Popular Music Trivia

3,059 Questions

Popular music trivia tests knowledge of global chart-topping songs, iconic music videos, and award-winning soundtracks. Questions cover various genres, famous artists, and cultural themes prevalent in modern music. This section is ideal for improving general knowledge for state level exams and trivia competitions.

Chart-topping hit songsMusic video conceptsFilm and television soundtracksAward-winning compositionsMusical genres and styles

Popular Music Trivia Questions

Multiple choice

What is the name of the musical that features the song "One Day More"?

  1. Les Misérables

  2. Miss Saigon

  3. The Phantom of the Opera

  4. Cats
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

"One Day More" is a song from the musical Les Misérables.

Multiple choice

Which musical's original Broadway cast recording was released on a single LP?

  1. Cabaret

  2. Hello, Dolly!

  3. Fiddler on the Roof

  4. Funny Girl
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Cabaret's original Broadway cast recording was released on a single LP in 1966.

Multiple choice

Which musical's original Broadway cast recording was the first to be released on a digital download?

  1. In the Heights

  2. Next to Normal

  3. Spring Awakening

  4. Passing Strange
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In the Heights' original Broadway cast recording was the first to be released on a digital download in 2008.

Multiple choice

What was the name of the first music video to air on MTV?

  1. Video Killed the Radio Star

  2. Thriller

  3. Like a Prayer

  4. Smells Like Teen Spirit
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first music video to air on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, which aired on August 1, 1981.

Multiple choice

Which musical, inspired by the music of ABBA, became a global phenomenon in the 2010s?

  1. Mamma Mia!

  2. The Sound of Music

  3. Les Misérables

  4. Chicago
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Mamma Mia!, with its infectious ABBA hits and feel-good story, became a worldwide sensation and spawned two film adaptations.

Multiple choice

In the Tony Award-winning musical (Once), what is the name of the Irish musician who falls in love with a Czech immigrant?

  1. Guy

  2. Girl

  3. Billy

  4. Andrej
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Guy, a Dublin street musician, meets Girl, a Czech immigrant, and together they embark on a musical journey that changes their lives.

Multiple choice

Which musical, based on the life of the legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, made its Broadway debut in 2019?

  1. Girl from the North Country

  2. Jagged Little Pill

  3. Moulin Rouge! The Musical

  4. Hadestown
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Girl from the North Country features the music of Bob Dylan and tells the story of a group of people living in a rundown motel in Duluth, Minnesota.

Multiple choice

In which song does David Bowie reference the character of Major Tom from the novel '2001: A Space Odyssey' by Arthur C. Clarke?

  1. 'Space Oddity'

  2. 'Starman'

  3. 'Ziggy Stardust'

  4. 'Suffragette City'
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

David Bowie's song 'Space Oddity' features the character of Major Tom, who is an astronaut on a mission to space. The song was released in 1969, shortly before the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

Multiple choice

In which song does Elton John reference the character of Ophelia from Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet'?

  1. 'Your Song'

  2. 'Rocket Man'

  3. 'Tiny Dancer'

  4. 'Candle in the Wind'
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the song 'Candle in the Wind', Elton John sings, 'Goodbye, Norma Jean / Though I never knew you at all.' This is a reference to Marilyn Monroe, who was often compared to Ophelia due to her tragic life and death.

Multiple choice

In which song does David Bowie reference the novel '1984' by George Orwell?

  1. 'Space Oddity'

  2. 'Starman'

  3. 'Ziggy Stardust'

  4. 'Rebel Rebel'
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
Correct answer
Explanation

David Bowie's song '1984' is a direct reference to George Orwell's novel of the same name. The song was released in 1973, just two years before the novel's setting.

Multiple choice

In the parody of "Let It Go" from the movie "Frozen", what does Elsa sing instead of "Let it go, let it go"?

  1. Let it snow, let it snow

  2. Let it glow, let it glow

  3. Let it flow, let it flow

  4. Let it go, let it go
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In the parody, Elsa sings "Let it glow, let it glow" instead of "Let it go, let it go" to emphasize her newfound power and confidence.

Multiple choice

Which song did "Weird Al" Yankovic parody with his song "Eat It"?

  1. Beat It

  2. Thriller

  3. Billie Jean

  4. Smooth Criminal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

"Weird Al" Yankovic's "Eat It" is a parody of Michael Jackson's hit song "Beat It".

Multiple choice

In the parody of "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, what phrase is repeated instead of "Despacito"?

  1. Doritos

  2. Mosquito

  3. Burrito

  4. Nacho
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the parody, the phrase "Nacho, nacho, nacho" is repeated instead of "Despacito".

Multiple choice

Which song did Flight of the Conchords parody with their song "Ladies of the World"?

  1. Lady Marmalade

  2. Girls Just Want to Have Fun

  3. I Will Survive

  4. Dancing Queen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Flight of the Conchords' "Ladies of the World" is a parody of Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, and Pink's "Lady Marmalade".

Multiple choice

Which song did Adam Sandler parody with his song "Grow Old with You"?

  1. Grow Old with Me

  2. I Will Always Love You

  3. Unchained Melody

  4. My Heart Will Go On
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Adam Sandler's "Grow Old with You" is a parody of John Lennon's "Grow Old with Me".