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No. 1 Hits of the 80s, Part II! Quiz

Here is another chance to test your knowledge about music from the era of Rubik's Cube, big hair, and junk bonds! NOTE: These are No. 1 songs in the United States, according to Billboard Magazine. Good Luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by robmeister. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
robmeister

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
71,680

Updated
Feb 22 22

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Very Difficult

Avg Score
8 / 20

Plays
5992

Last 3 plays: toddruby96 (14/20), Guest 24 (8/20), Guest 166 (8/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. How many No. 1 songs were on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album? Hint

three

two

four

five

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Question 2 of 20

2. What was the title of Poison's only No. 1 hit? Hint

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Nothin' But a Good Time

Something to Believe In

Unskinny Bop

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Question 3 of 20

3. Which of the following 1970s music superstars did not have at least one No. 1 in the 1980s? Hint

Stevie Wonder

Diana Ross

Heart

Bee Gees

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Question 4 of 20

4. Which artist had the most consecutive No. 1 songs in the 1980s? Hint

Michael Jackson

Madonna

George Michael

Whitney Houston

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Question 5 of 20

5. Bruce Sprinsteen hit No. 1 in the 1980s.

True

False

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Question 6 of 20

6. Which of the following movie songs failed to reach No. 1? Hint

John Parr - "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)"

Bob Seger - "Shakedown"

Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F"

Simple Minds - "Don't You (Forget About Me)"

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Question 7 of 20

7. What is the name of the disgraced duet that had three consecutive No. 1 songs in 1989 before surrendering their Grammy Award?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 8 of 20

8. How many No. 1 songs did Paula Abdul have in the 1980s? Hint

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Question 9 of 20

9. What was the title of Bryan Adams' only No. 1 song of the 1980s? Hint

Heaven

Heat of the Night

Summer of '69

Run to You

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Question 10 of 20

10. Which of the following bands had a No. 1 song? Hint

Black Sabbath

Skid Row

Cinderella

Guns N' Roses

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Question 11 of 20

11. Which of these New Wave acts scored two chart-topping hits? Hint

Gary Numan

Eurythmics

The Human League

A Flock of Seagulls

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Question 12 of 20

12. Which of the following Richard Marx songs was NOT a No. 1 hit? Hint

Hold On To the Nights

Endless Summer Nights

Satisfied

Right Here Waiting

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Question 13 of 20

13. Name the Academy Award-winning artist who scored a No. 1 hit, officially entitled "Chariots of Fire - Titles".

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 14 of 20

14. What is the title of Janet Jackson's first No. 1 song? Hint

Nasty

When I Think of You

Control

What Have You Done for Me Lately?

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Question 15 of 20

15. The Bangles had two No. 1 songs.

True

False

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Question 16 of 20

16. Who was the first country star to top the Top-40 charts in the 1980s? Hint

Eddie Rabbitt

The Oak Ridge Boys

Dolly Parton

Kenny Rogers

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Question 17 of 20

17. What 1981 song hit No. 1 in 1987, thanks to help from a popular TV show? Hint

Darryl Hall and John Oates - "You Make My Dreams"

Leo Sayer - "Living In a Fantasy"

John Denver - "Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stones)"

Billy Vera and The Beaters - "At This Moment"

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Question 18 of 20

18. Which of the following actors hit No. 1 in the 1980s? Hint

Barbra Streisand

Eddie Murphy

Bruce Willis

Patrick Swayze

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Question 19 of 20

19. 1960s hitmaker Tommy James enjoyed renewed success in the 1980s, when several of his songs were covered by other artists. How many of his songs hit No. 1 in the 1980s?

Answer: (One Word or Number (between one and five))

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Question 20 of 20

20. Who was the teacher who saw success with "Shake You Down", a No. 1 ballad in 1987?

Answer: (Two Words - Full name or last name)

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 16 2024 : toddruby96: 14/20
Apr 15 2024 : Guest 24: 8/20
Apr 07 2024 : Guest 166: 8/20
Apr 02 2024 : Guest 135: 7/20
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 79: 7/20
Mar 25 2024 : Guest 73: 5/20
Mar 25 2024 : Reamar42: 7/20
Mar 17 2024 : Hayes1953: 3/20
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Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How many No. 1 songs were on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album?

Answer: two

In all, seven of the nine tracks on "Thriller" charted, but only two made it to the top: "Billie Jean" and "Beat It". And while "Say, Say, Say" (with Paul McCartney) was a No. 1 song, it did not appear on "Thriller" ("The Girl Is Mine", however, did).

2. What was the title of Poison's only No. 1 hit?

Answer: Every Rose Has Its Thorn

"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" was No. 1 for three weeks, beginning December 24, 1988.

3. Which of the following 1970s music superstars did not have at least one No. 1 in the 1980s?

Answer: Bee Gees

The Bee Gees, after their success in the 1970s, became stigmatized as a "disco act" in the 1980s. Because of that, they only managed to crack the Top-40 three times in the 1980s. Their highest-ranked song in that decade was "One", which peaked at No. 7 in 1989.

4. Which artist had the most consecutive No. 1 songs in the 1980s?

Answer: Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston had a record seven consecutive No. 1 songs between 1985 and 1988: "Saving All My Love for You", "How Will I Know", "Greatest Love of All", "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go". Michael Jackson had five in a row (all from the album "Bad") and George Michael got four in a row (all from the album "Faith"). Madonna never had more than two consecutive No. 1 songs in the 1980s.

By the way, in the 1990s, Mariah Carey had six in a row at the beginning of her career.

Therefore, Whitney Houston's record still stands.

5. Bruce Sprinsteen hit No. 1 in the 1980s.

Answer: False

The best The Boss ever managed in the 1980s was No. 2, with "Dancing in the Dark", in 1984. In 1993, he hit No. 1 with the Oscar-winning "Streets of Philadeplhia" (from the motion picture "Philadelphia").

6. Which of the following movie songs failed to reach No. 1?

Answer: Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F"

"Axel F" (from the movie "Beverly Hills Cop") peaked at No. 3 in 1985.

7. What is the name of the disgraced duet that had three consecutive No. 1 songs in 1989 before surrendering their Grammy Award?

Answer: Milli Vanilli

Milli Vanilli were Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus, but the singing on their album was actually performed by Charles Shaw, John Davis and Brad Howe.

8. How many No. 1 songs did Paula Abdul have in the 1980s?

Answer: 3

Though Paula Abdul did have a total of six No. 1 songs, only three of them came in the 1980s: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", and "Cold Hearted" (all in 1989).

9. What was the title of Bryan Adams' only No. 1 song of the 1980s?

Answer: Heaven

"Heaven" hit No. 1 on June 22, 1985. He did make it to the top three more times in the 1990s, with songs from the movies "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", "Don Juan DeMarco", and "The Three Musketeers" (with Sting and Rod Stewart).

10. Which of the following bands had a No. 1 song?

Answer: Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses stormed to the top of the charts with "Sweet Child o' Mine", in 1988.

11. Which of these New Wave acts scored two chart-topping hits?

Answer: The Human League

The Human League's two No. 1 songs were "Don't You Want Me" (1982) and "Human" (1986). Eurythmics had only one No. 1 song: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" in 1983.

12. Which of the following Richard Marx songs was NOT a No. 1 hit?

Answer: Endless Summer Nights

"Endless Summer Nights" peaked at No. 2 in the spring of 1988.

13. Name the Academy Award-winning artist who scored a No. 1 hit, officially entitled "Chariots of Fire - Titles".

Answer: Vangelis

Vangelis was born Evangelos Papathanassiou in Greece, in 1943.

14. What is the title of Janet Jackson's first No. 1 song?

Answer: When I Think of You

"When I Think of You" was No. 1 for two weeks, beginning October 11, 1986.

15. The Bangles had two No. 1 songs.

Answer: True

"Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986) and "Eternal Flame" (1989).

16. Who was the first country star to top the Top-40 charts in the 1980s?

Answer: Kenny Rogers

"Lady", by Kenny Rogers was the first, hitting No. 1 for 6 weeks, beginning November 15, 1980.

17. What 1981 song hit No. 1 in 1987, thanks to help from a popular TV show?

Answer: Billy Vera and The Beaters - "At This Moment"

Thanks to "Family Ties", Billy Vera and The Beaters found success with their 1981 song (which then charted at No. 79). The scene on the show took place at a dance, when Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) and a young lady named Ellen (Tracey Pollan) shared a slow dance to "At This Moment". Alex was sad because Ellen was going to marry someone else.
FAST FACT -- Michael J. Fox and Tracey Pollan were married in 1988.

18. Which of the following actors hit No. 1 in the 1980s?

Answer: Barbra Streisand

According to "Billboard", Barbra Streisand is the only actor to hit No. 1 in the 1980s, with "Woman In Love" in 1980. "Respect Yourself" (Willis) was No. 5 in 1987, "She's Like the Wind" (Swayze) made it to No. 3 in 1988, and "Party All the Time" (Murphy) climbed all the way to No. 2 in 1985.

19. 1960s hitmaker Tommy James enjoyed renewed success in the 1980s, when several of his songs were covered by other artists. How many of his songs hit No. 1 in the 1980s?

Answer: 2

Both Billy Idol ("Mony Mony") and Tiffany ("I Think We're Alone Now") found the top the charts in 1987. Another Tommy James song, "Crimson and Clover", was a No. 7 hit for Joan Jett and The Blackhearts in 1982.

20. Who was the teacher who saw success with "Shake You Down", a No. 1 ballad in 1987?

Answer: Gregory Abbott

Gregory Abbott had taught English at Berkeley before topping the charts.

Source: Author robmeister

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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