Ready to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, where big hair, neon spandex, and synthesizer beats defined an era? Yeah, you guessed it, it’s the unforgettable 1980s.
If you’re ready to test your knowledge and reminisce about the golden age of pop culture, you’re in for a treat! In this article, we’ve curated a fun grabbag set of trivia questions spanning categories like music, TV, movies, fashion, video games, historical events, and much more.
During our 80s trivia, you’ll get to relive Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, Madonna’s rebellious fashion, and the unforgettable anthems that became the soundtrack of the ’80s.
Then, we’ll dive into the world of glamorous soap operas like “Dallas” and “Dynasty” that kept audiences hooked. From there, we’ll remember the thrill of mastering the classics like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. And the fun goes on and on…
Now that you’ve had a glimpse of the trivia topics awaiting you, why not take the challenge? Test your knowledge, share a laugh, and perhaps learn a thing or two about the ’80s that you never knew!
Before we get started — we invite you to bookmark or save some of these other pop culture-related trivia quizzes for later!
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80s Trivia: Music
Q: What distinct production aesthetic characterized 1980s music due to technological advancements?
A: Synthesizer sounds, drum machines, and drum reverb.
Q: What was a popular music format in the 1980s used for listening, and what device became iconic for playing music on the go?
A: Cassette tapes were popular, and the Sony Walkman was iconic for playing music on the go.
Q: Which British band, often compared to The Beatles’ frenzy, stood out as the biggest band of the 1980s?
A: Duran Duran.
Q: What was the title of Duran Duran’s 1982 album that ignited a global craze and included the Grammy-winning song “Hungry Like the Wolf”?
A: Rio.
Q: What is the significance of Duran Duran’s “A View to a Kill” theme song in 1985?
A: It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, remaining the only Bond theme to achieve this chart placing.
Q: What accolade does Michael Jackson’s 1982 album “Thriller” hold in the music industry?
A: It remains the best-selling album of all time.
Q: What record did Michael Jackson set regarding number-one singles in the 1980s?
A: He had the most number-one singles throughout the decade (9).
Q: Who earned the title of “Artist of the Decade” by U.S. President George H.W. Bush in the 1980s?
A: Michael Jackson.
Q: What iconic album marked Prince’s breakthrough in 1982, and how many top-ten hits did it produce?
A: “1999”. It produced three top-ten hits.
Q: Which album propelled Prince to superstardom in 1984, selling over 25 million copies worldwide?
A: “Purple Rain”
Q: What were the US number-one singles from Prince’s “Purple Rain” album?
A: “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy”
80s Trivia: Movies and TV
Q: Who directed the high-grossing film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”?
A: Steven Spielberg
Q: Which British director ushered in a new era of blockbusters in the mid-1980s?
A: Ridley Scott
Q: Arnold Schwarzenegger rose to international fame with which 1984 film?
A: The Terminator
Q: What genre experienced a golden age in the 1980s with films like “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles”?
A: Teen flicks
Q: Who directed the Brat Pack film “The Breakfast Club”?
A: John Hughes
Q: Which 1984 film marked the directorial debut of Sam Raimi and gained a cult status in the horror genre?
A: The Evil Dead
Q: Who starred in the 1985 film “Back to the Future”?
A: Michael J. Fox
Q: Who directed the high-grossing film “Batman” in the 1980s?
A: Tim Burton
Q: Which film launched the careers of Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, and Keanu Reeves?
A: Ghost
Q: Who directed “The Shining,” a popular horror film from 1980?
A: Stanley Kubrick
Q: What Oscar-winning film of the 1980s starred Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise?
A: Rain Man
Q: What sci-fi film from the 1980s starred Sigourney Weaver and became a notable action hit?
A: Aliens
Q: Who directed the iconic 1980s film “Top Gun”?
A: Tony Scott
Q: Which 1985 film featured a time-traveling DeLorean and became a classic?
A: Back to the Future
Q: What 1987 film starred Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in a psychological thriller?
A: Fatal Attraction
Q: Which action star became an international sensation in the 1980s with films like “Die Hard” and “Lethal Weapon”?
A: Bruce Willis
Q: What music video channel was launched in the United States in 1981, profoundly impacting the music industry and popular culture?
A: MTV
Q: Which prime-time soap opera debuted in the 1980s and featured the wealthy Ewing family?
A: Dallas
Q: In 1985, two sitcoms premiered on the same day: “The Golden Girls” and which other sitcom, originally starring Marla Gibbs?
A: 227
Q: What sketch comedy and variety show experienced turbulence in the 1980s but propelled the successful careers of Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus?
A: Saturday Night Live (SNL)
Q: Who starred in the legal drama “Matlock,” which debuted in 1986 and served as a comeback vehicle for the actor?
A: Andy Griffith
Q: What TV show, featuring Johnny Carson, remained popular into its third decade?
A: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Q: What animated show, popular in the 1980s, featured small blue creatures living in a fantasy world?
A: The Smurfs
Q: In 1981, what globally watched event involved the wedding of two members of British royalty?
A: The Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
Q: Which sitcom, premiering in 1985, starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, and was the first to feature four older women in title TV roles?
A: The Golden Girls
Q: In 1987, what TV evangelist was defrocked and later sent to prison for fraud after an affair with church secretary Jessica Hahn was revealed?
A: Jim Bakker
Q: Which true crime TV show hosted by Robert Stack was popular in the 1980s?
A: Unsolved Mysteries
Q: What animated show, featuring a group of humanoid cats fighting against evil, was popular in the 1980s?
A: ThunderCats
Q: What popular teen comedy, directed by John Hughes, was released in 1985 and featured a group of high school students serving detention?
A: The Breakfast Club
Q: What sitcom, debuting in 1982, starred Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari as two men who dress as women to live in an affordable all-female apartment?
A: Bosom Buddies
Q: What TV show, starring a group of animated anthropomorphic turtles, debuted in the 1980s?
A: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Q: In 1985, what sitcom featuring an ensemble cast and set in a bar became a critical and commercial success, lasting for 11 seasons?
A: Cheers
80s Trivia: Fashion, Games, and Pop Culture
Q: During the 1980s, what type of cameras, known for instant photography, were at the height of their popularity?
A: Polaroid-branded cameras.
Q: Name the significant clothing trend in the 1980s that featured brightly colored and ripped denim.
A: Acid-washed jeans
Q: What hairstyle trend of the 1980s is known for its short front and sides with long flowing hair at the back?
A: Mullet — business in the front, party in the back!
Q: In the 1980s, what style of sunglasses became popular after being featured in the film “Top Gun”?
A: Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses
Q: What film popularized the fashion trend of wearing Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses in the 1980s?
A: Risky Business and The Blues Brothers
Q: What iconic puzzle toy became a popular fad in the 1980s, challenging people with its colorful cube design?
A: Rubik’s Cube
Q: In the 1980s, what hairstyle involved tightly curled or waved hair often achieved through chemical treatments?
A: Perm
Q: What film and TV series popularized the fashion trend of wearing Swatch watches in the 1980s?
A: Miami Vice
Q: What style of jacket became a fashion staple in the 1980s, known for its simple design and a small rectangular label with the brand name written on it?
A: Members Only jackets
Q: What Madonna music video inspired the fashion trends of wearing jelly shoes, large crucifix necklaces, and bras as outerwear?
A: “Like a Virgin”
Q: What type of hairstyle became a trend in the 1980s, characterized by short sides and a flat top?
A: Hi-top fade
Q: What iconic video game character was the first to achieve widespread popularity in mainstream culture?
A: Pac-Man
Q: In what year was Pac-Man released, becoming the first game character to be popular in his own right?
A: 1980
Q: Which classic arcade game features a mustached carpenter named Jumpman attempting to rescue a damsel from a giant ape?
A: Donkey Kong
Q: The NES was bundled with which iconic game that contributed to its sudden success?
A: Super Mario Bros.
Q: What handheld console, dominating the market in the late 1980s, was released by Nintendo in 1989?
A: Game Boy
Q: In what year did Nintendo release the Famicom in Japan, later known as the NES in the United States?
A: 1983
Q: Sega introduced its 16-bit console, Mega Drive/Genesis, in 1988 in which country?
A: Japan
Q: The primary gaming computers of the 1980s, the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum, emerged in which year?
A: 1982
Q: What popular action-adventure game series follows the vampire hunter Simon Belmont in his quest to defeat Count Dracula?
A: Castlevania
80s Trivia: Historical Events
Q: Who was the President of the United States for a majority of the 1980s, and who succeeded him in 1989?
A: Ronald Reagan was the President (1981-1989), and George H.W. Bush succeeded him in 1989.
Q: In 1989, which event marked the symbolic end of the Cold War by physically dismantling the Berlin Wall?
A: Fall of the Berlin Wall
Q: What disease epidemic prompted widespread awareness campaigns and fundraising efforts in the 1980s, particularly with the red ribbon symbol?
A: HIV/AIDS
Q: In 1986, a catastrophic nuclear accident occurred at a power plant in what city, leading to widespread radioactive contamination?
A: Chernobyl (Pripyat, Ukraine)
Q: What political leader initiated economic reforms known as “Perestroika” and “Glasnost” in the Soviet Union during the 1980s?
A: Mikhail Gorbachev
Q: In 1981, which space shuttle became the first to orbit the Earth and then safely land, paving the way for future space missions?
A: Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1)
Q: Which famous comet, visible from Earth, made its closest approach in 1986, providing a rare celestial spectacle?
A: Halley’s Comet
Q: Who became the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981?
A: Sandra Day O’Connor
Q: The Iran-Iraq War took place throughout the 1980s. What year did the conflict officially begin?
A: 1980
Q: In 1983, what U.S. President proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a missile defense system intended to protect against nuclear attacks?
A: Ronald Reagan
Q: The 1980s saw the end of a long-standing Cold War conflict in Afghanistan. Which global superpower intervened in the Afghan War?
A: Soviet Union
Q: In 1987, an international treaty aiming to protect the ozone layer was signed. What is the name of this agreement?
A: Montreal Protocol
Q: What medical breakthrough was achieved in 1985, when British scientists successfully discovered a treatment for a genetic disorder known as cystic fibrosis?
A: Gene Therapy
Q: The space shuttle Challenger disaster occurred in 1986, leading to the tragic loss of astronauts. Who was the first teacher selected to fly in space on that mission?
A: Christa McAuliffe
Q: What historical summit took place in 1986 between the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union, resulting in an agreement to reduce nuclear weapons?
A: Reykjavik Summit (Reykjavik, Iceland)
Q: What significant event in 1983 nearly led to a nuclear confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union due to a false alarm?
A: Stanislav Petrov incident (Soviet nuclear false alarm)
Q: The 1982 Falklands War occurred between the United Kingdom and which other country over territorial disputes in the South Atlantic?
A: Argentina
Q: What multinational military operation was launched in 1983 to restore order in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada?
A: Operation Urgent Fury
Q: In 1985, which volcanic eruption resulted in widespread devastation and loss of life, particularly in Colombia?
A: Nevado del Ruiz eruption
Q: What significant political event in 1989 marked the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia?
A: Velvet Revolution
Q: In 1984, what global famine relief campaign, led by musicians and artists, aimed to raise funds for famine-stricken Ethiopia?
A: Band Aid / Live Aid
Q: The 1987 stock market crash, known as “Black Monday,” saw a significant drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. What date did it occur?
A: October 19, 1987
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