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Quiz about One Hit Wonders of the 80s
Quiz about One Hit Wonders of the 80s

One Hit Wonders of the 80s Trivia Quiz


Remember all that quirky music during the 1980's. Here are 10 questions about one-hit wonders in the U.S. during the 80s. They may have had other borderline hits, but they are generally known for one huge hit.

A multiple-choice quiz by wahoowa94. Estimated time: 3 mins.
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  9. One Hit Wonders - 1980s

Author
wahoowa94
Time
3 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
285,724
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Easy
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
5061
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 79 (10/10), Guest 174 (6/10), Guest 90 (9/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. This is a common trivia question, but which group sang "Video Killed the Radio Star," the video for which was the first video ever played on MTV? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Her real name is Antonia Christina Basilotta and she was a singer and choreographer whose only major hit was this cheery song that hit #1 in 1982? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Despite its childlike title, "99 Red Balloons" was the English version of which war protest song sung by this German artist in 1984? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This Canadian synth-pop's only top ten hit in the U.S. was the eccentric song "The Safety Dance," which was accompanied by an even more eccentric video with a medieval theme. Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Norwegian pop group a-ha used the process of rotoscoping in their video for what song released in 1985, their only #1 hit in the United States? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "Come on Eileen," which charted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, was the only successful US hit for this British group with an odd name? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Despite having an earlier #5 hit in the U.S., which Austrian pop singer, who sang "Rock Me Amadeus" in 1985, is still looked upon as a one-hit wonder in the U.S.? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. This New Wave band from England made some waves with its 1980 hit "Turning Japanese," which some believed contained lyrics with various sexual euphemisms? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. "If You Leave," which was recorded in 1986 for the soundtrack to the John Hughes film "Pretty in Pink," was the only top 5 hit in the U.S. for this English synth-pop group? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The synthesizer-heavy instrumental "Axel F" was the theme song for the movie "Beverly Hills Cop" and reached #3 on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1984. It was composed and produced by which German artist? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 27 2024 : Guest 79: 10/10
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 174: 6/10
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 90: 9/10
Mar 25 2024 : Guest 216: 8/10
Mar 24 2024 : Guest 110: 8/10
Mar 24 2024 : Guest 120: 7/10
Mar 21 2024 : Guest 174: 10/10
Mar 20 2024 : Guest 107: 10/10
Mar 19 2024 : Guest 76: 10/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This is a common trivia question, but which group sang "Video Killed the Radio Star," the video for which was the first video ever played on MTV?

Answer: Buggles

The Buggles success as a one-hit wonder likely would not have happened were it not for the newly created MTV. The song itself did not chart all that well (barely making the Top 40 in the US), but the video's place in music history has transformed the song (and group) into a well-known piece of music trivia lore.

The video first aired on MTV just after midnight on August 1st, 1981, nearly two years after the single was released. As sort of commemoration, MTV aired the video once again as its one millionth video on February 27, 2000.
2. Her real name is Antonia Christina Basilotta and she was a singer and choreographer whose only major hit was this cheery song that hit #1 in 1982?

Answer: Mickey

Of course we all know her as Toni Basil. Her cheerleading video was a hit on MTV and she parlayed that one hit into a long career as a choreographer of both music videos and films. This song seems to be resurrected every few years by one form of media or another, including the 2000 Kirsten Dunst movie "Bring It On."
3. Despite its childlike title, "99 Red Balloons" was the English version of which war protest song sung by this German artist in 1984?

Answer: Nena

Interestingly enough, the German version "99 Luftballons" actually reached #2 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, charting higher than the subsequently recorded English version.
4. This Canadian synth-pop's only top ten hit in the U.S. was the eccentric song "The Safety Dance," which was accompanied by an even more eccentric video with a medieval theme.

Answer: Men Without Hats

"The Safety Dance" reached #3 in the US in 1982. MWH did follow up that success with a top 20 hit "Pop Goes the World," which was featured in the 1987 Phoebe Cates movie "Date with an Angel," but I can't remember the movie or the song.
5. Norwegian pop group a-ha used the process of rotoscoping in their video for what song released in 1985, their only #1 hit in the United States?

Answer: Take on Me

The process of rotoscoping involves animators tracing over live action film. The avant-garde video to "Take on Me" combined rotoscope animation in black and white with live action in color and was truly one of the best videos of the 80s. In fact, it won 6 awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.

Despite selling over 83 million records worldwide, a-ha is generally known as a one-hit wonder in America due to the failure of any of their other songs to chart any higher than #20 on the Billboard singles chart.
6. "Come on Eileen," which charted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, was the only successful US hit for this British group with an odd name?

Answer: Dexys Midnight Runners

If you recall, the video consisted of all the band members walking around shirtless with just overalls on. Apparently, they were instructed by lead singer Kevin Rowland not to bathe or shave to achieve a more ruffian look. Reportedly, one bandmate (drummer Seb Shelton) did not follow such orders and was kicked out of the band during the making of the video.
7. Despite having an earlier #5 hit in the U.S., which Austrian pop singer, who sang "Rock Me Amadeus" in 1985, is still looked upon as a one-hit wonder in the U.S.?

Answer: Falco

As stated in the question, Falco actually hit #5 on the US charts with "Der Kommissar" in 1981, four years prior to his #1 "Rock Me Amadeus." Perhaps, most Americans remember the British rock band After the Fire's cover version of "Der Kommissar" in 1982 instead of Falco's earlier version, thus causing Falco to languish in one-hit wonder land.
8. This New Wave band from England made some waves with its 1980 hit "Turning Japanese," which some believed contained lyrics with various sexual euphemisms?

Answer: The Vapors

The song was only a modest hit in the US reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100, but The Vapors could not even duplicate that success with any other song and thus, remain a one-hit wonder.
9. "If You Leave," which was recorded in 1986 for the soundtrack to the John Hughes film "Pretty in Pink," was the only top 5 hit in the U.S. for this English synth-pop group?

Answer: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Good Charlotte covered the song for the soundtrack of "Not Another Teen Movie," the 2001 comedy which parodied many teen movies, including "Pretty in Pink." In fact, Molly Ringwald, star of many a John Hughes film, has a rather humorous cameo near the end of the film.
10. The synthesizer-heavy instrumental "Axel F" was the theme song for the movie "Beverly Hills Cop" and reached #3 on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1984. It was composed and produced by which German artist?

Answer: Harold Faltermeyer

For those of us in the US, we remember hearing this song ad nauseum in the 1980s. However, "Axel F" was resurrected for those in the UK, when Crazy Frog remixed the song in 2005. The song went straight to #1 in the UK and was even remastered as a ringtone.
Source: Author wahoowa94

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