Songs In Stereo - 1985 Trivia Quiz

Bryan Adams had two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 final countdown for 1985. The rock song, "Summer Of 69" ended up at number 74 and the power ballad "Heaven" placed 50 rungs higher on the countdown. Both songs by the Canadian rocker came from his fourth album, "Reckless".

The former lead singer of The Police scored big with his solo single "Fortress Around Your Heart". The UK rocker saw the single reach number 95 on the 1985 countdown. You can find the song on his debut solo album "The Dream Of The Blue Turtles".

Morris Day and Prince grew up together in Minneapolis. When Prince released his first movie, "Purple Rain", Morris' band, The Time, was featured and performed the songs "Jungle Love" and "The Bird". The songs were not released on the movie soundtrack but were the lead singles for The Time's "Ice Cream Castle" LP.

Lionel Richie's biggest hit in 1985 was the co-authored anthem "We Are The World" written with Michael Jackson. But from Lionel's solo work, the single "Penny Lover" cracked the 1985 year-end countdown of the Billboard Hot 100. Lionel was previously the lead singer of the funk band, The Commodores.

Following the massive success of "Purple Rain", Prince went more psychedelic and experimental with the release of his album "Paisley Park". The lead single, "Raspberry Beret", was also a massive heavy rotation music video on MTV. The song ended up the year ranked number 51.

Aretha Franklin's thirtieth album "Who's Zooming Who" featured the mega-pop and R&B smash, "Freeway Of Love". The song was written by Jeffrey Cohen and Narada Michael Walden and featured Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band on saxophone. The "Queen of Soul" had Top 40 singles for four consecutive decades from the 1960s to 1990s.

You don't see a lot of instrumentals in the Billboard Hot 100. You don't see a lot of TV theme songs on the list either. But Jan Hammer accomplished both when his key-tar driven hit "Miami Vice Theme" reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985. The NBC crime drama was set in Miami, Florida and the song finished at number twenty seven for the year.

Madonna was clearly the artist of the year on the Billboard Hot 100 for 1985. Madonna placed five songs on the Top 100 for the year. The hits included "Angel", "Material Girl", "Dress You Up", "Crazy For You", and "Like A Virgin". The ballad, "Crazy For You" reached number nine on the year-end countdown and "Like A Virgin" finished number two behind George Michael's "Careless Whisper".

"Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits placed number eight on the year-end countdown for 1985. Dire Straits was not known as a singles band. The UK rockers were led by their brilliant guitarist and lead singer Mark Knopfler. The band's single "Money For Nothing" featured an iconic music video and Sting's vocal on the hook.

The biggest hit for 1985 was George Michael's "Careless Whisper". One of the first songs that George ever wrote was released on Wham's album "Make It Big". Despite being a duo, the song was only credited to George as he wrote and produced it all. Wham also made the year-end countdown with "Everything She Wants", "Freedom", and the year-end's number three hit "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go".