Songs In Stereo - 1980 Quiz | 1980s Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Pink Floyd

Not necessarily known as a singles band, Pink Floyd took "Another Brick In The Wall, Part II" to the top of the charts in 1980. It appeared on their classic album "The Wall". The song was the second biggest hit of the year only surpassed by Blondie's "Call Me".

2. Christopher Cross

"Sailing" by Christopher Cross was not only the 32nd biggest hit of 1980, the song won Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards. Christopher Cross' debut album dominated the charts with "Sailing" and "Ride Like The Wind". Christopher also took home the Grammy for Best New Artist. The song is now considered a mainstay of any Yacht Rock collection.

3. Fleetwood Mac

Not many hit songs can say it took over forty performers. But Fleetwood Mac's single "Tusk" included the English band plus the addition of the University of Southern California's marching band. The lead single on Fleetwood Mac's album, "Tusk", it was the 94th biggest hit of 1980 but that was partly because the song was released as a single in 1979.

4. Donna Summer

The Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, released the hit "On The Radio" in November 1979. The song was produced by Giorgio Moroder and was the title track to Summer's "On The Radio: Greatest Hits 1 and 2" album. The radio single clocked in at four minutes but a longer more dramatic version, often preferred by fans, ran just under six minutes.

5. Rupert Holmes

"Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" was the last number one single of the 1970s. Rupert Holmes' signature song continued its success into 1980. The lyrics describe a husband and wife each growing tired of their marriage and writing to a personals dating site. The couple end up accidentally matching up on their first date.

6. Bette Midler

Bette Midler's portrayal of a rock star very similar to Janis Joplin earned her an Oscar nomination for "The Rose". The title song was the love theme to the movie. It was Midler's first foray into acting and she got a Best Actress nomination! "The Rose" went to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and finished as 1980's tenth biggest hit.

7. The Spinners

"Cupid / I've Loved You for a Long Time" reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1980. The Spinners are a classic Philadelphia soul group that saw their biggest success in the 1970s. But in 1980, the group gave us not only "Cupid" but also "Working My Way Back To You". The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.

8. Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

"Fire Lake" was the first single from Bob Seger's album "Against The Wind". The 67th biggest hit of 1980 featured three members of the Eagles singing back up vocals: Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Timothy B. Schmidt. "Fire Lake" was originally scheduled to appear on the 1975 album "Beautiful Loser" but wasn't released until five years later.

9. Michael Jackson

Putting up a rock only might not give away the song so I added a sparkly tuxedo to hint it's Michael Jackson's dance floor hit, "Rock With You". The song was released on "Off The Wall" and produced by Quincy Jones. "Rock With You" was the fourth biggest hit of 1980 just behind Olivia Newton-John's "Magic".

10. Neil Diamond

"September Morn" was Neil Diamond's album released in 1979. The title track is a timeless ballad that became the 90th best selling single of 1980. The album included "I'm A Believer", a Monkees hit that Neil Diamond wrote in the 1960s. "September Morn" was Neil's thirtieth song to make the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Source: Author GBfan

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Songs In Stereo - 1980 Trivia Quiz

The "Miracle On Ice", the election of Ronald Reagan, and Mount St. Helens' eruption set the stage for 1980. But what happened on the Billboard Hot 100 in '80? Given ten pictures that show a word in a year-end top 100 hit, match the picture to the artist.