Music is the universal language of life. Aside from being a great source of entertainment, it touches the soul and helps in developing connections with people. It has the power to unite people as it can break all divisions of race, gender, age, religion, color, and nationality. If you are one of those people who enjoys listening to music, then this trivia quiz is for you!
Mentioned below are 80 rhythmic music trivia questions that will surely make you appreciate music more. The answers to these trivia questions will help expand your knowledge about music and its abundant history. Have fun!
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Easy Music Trivia Questions
What is the oldest surviving musical instrument?
Answer: Flute.
Considered the world’s oldest musical instrument, the Neanderthal flute is a 60,000-year-old instrument discovered in Divje Babe near Cerkno in Slovenia.
Which musical term means to play a piece of music lively and fast?
Answer: Allegro.
Meaning “lively” or “cheerful”, allegro is a term used on musical scores to indicate that the piece should be performed at a relatively fast pace and quickly and energetically.
Which artist is referred to as the “Queen of Latin Music”?
Answer: Shakira.
Commonly hailed as the Queen of Latin Music, Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira made her recording debut at the age of 13.
What legendary pop group got their name from “Brothers Gibb”?
Answer: The Bee Gees.
Formed in 1958, the Bee Gees were a musical group consisting of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb.
Who was the very first American Idol winner?
Answer: Kelly Clarkson.
The 20-year-old cocktail waitress from Texas Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol in a live television broadcast from Hollywood’s Kodak Theater on the 4th day of September 2002.
Which classical composer was deaf?
Answer: Ludwig van Beethoven.
The German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven was almost completely deaf by 1814, causing him to give up performing and appearing in public.
Which astronomer is name-dropped in “Bohemian Rhapsody?”
Answer: Galileo.
In 1975, the British rock band Queen released a six-minute suite “Bohemian Rhapsody” as the lead single from their fourth album, A Night at the Opera.
Eminem’s 8 Mile is named after a road in which city?
Answer: Detroit.
Marking Eminem’s film debut, the 2002 American biographical hip-hop drama film 8 Mile got its title from the highway between the city of Detroit and the white suburban communities that the American rapper lived in.
Who holds the record for the shortest song ever recorded?
Answer: Napalm Death.
Making its way to the Guinness World Book of Records, the British grindcore band Napalm Death released the shortest song ever recorded called “You Suffer” in 1989, clocking in 1.316 seconds and has four words.
Who founded Motown Records?
Answer: Berry Gordy Jr..
Founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, the Motown record label was regarded as the highest-earning African-American business for decades.
Broadway Music Trivia Questions
Which musical is based on the songs of ABBA?
Answer: Mamma Mia! The Musical.
Grossing $4 billion worldwide, the jukebox musical Mamma Mia! was seen by over 65 million people since its 1999 debut.
What was Disney’s first Broadway musical?
Answer: Beauty and the Beast.
Based on the 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film of the same name, Beauty and the Beast was known for being the first Broadway adaptation by Disney.
What was the first Broadway musical with an all-female creative team?
Answer: Waitress.
Consisting of a rare all-women production team, the musical Waitress was directed by Diane Paulus, with Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson, and Lorin Latarro as the composer and lyricist, book adaptor, and choreographer, respectively.
Which Broadway musical featured a helicopter onstage?
Answer: Miss Saigon.
Miss Saigon, a stage musical that narrates the tragic story of an ill-fated romance involving an Asian woman forsaken by her American lover, prevails as Broadway’s fourteenth longest-running show.
What is the longest-running musical in Broadway history?
Answer: The Phantom of the Opera.
Introduced officially on January 26, 1988, Broadway’s longest-running show The Phantom of the Opera created an estimated 6,500 jobs (including 400 actors) during its run.
What was one of the first Broadway musicals to center on a homosexual relationship?
Answer: La Cage Aux Folles.
Literally, La Cage Aux Folles stands for “the cage of crazy women”.
Which musical with an all-black cast broke the record for most Broadway performances?
Answer: Shuffle Along.
Marking the first full-fledged Broadway musical with an all-black cast and team, Shuffle Along ran for about 484 nights on Broadway – which by the way, was a record during that time.
Which pandemic plays an important role in the musical Rent?
Answer: HIV/AIDS.
Four of the seven main characters in Jonathan Larson’s musical Rent are HIV-positive – each having a different life perspective regarding his or her condition.
Which Broadway musical is based on the 1924 trials of accused murderers Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner?
Answer: CHICAGO the Musical.
The 1996 Broadway production of the American musical Chicago holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history.
Which musical tells the story of two friends named Elphaba and Galinda?
Answer: Wicked.
In 2017, Wicked beat The Phantom of the Opera as the second-highest-grossing musical on Broadway, falling behind The Lion King.
Classical Music Trivia Questions
Which composer is known as the father of modern classical music?
Answer: Claude Debussy.
Often referred to as the father of modern classical music, the French composer Claude Debussy developed new and complex harmonies and musical structures that give rise to the comparisons between contemporary Impressionists and Symbolists.
What is the title of Beethoven’s only opera?
Answer: Fidelio.
Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio was initially titled “Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe”, or “Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love” in English.
What musical technique is most closely associated with Richard Wagner’s operas?
Answer: Leitmotif.
Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen uses hundreds of leitmotifs – derived from the German word leitmotiv which refers to the constant melodies associated with characters, objects, themes, or emotions
Which term is mostly used to refer to a group of three composers in Western art music during the Classical period in the late 18th century?
Answer: The First Viennese School.
The First Viennese School is a name used to indicate Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven as the three composers of the Classical period in late-18th century Vienna.
Ludwig van Beethoven originally planned to dedicate the Eroica, his Third Symphony, to which prominent figure?
Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte.
Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 55 “Eroica” was originally dedicated to the French military commander and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte but was later disenchanted when Napoleon abandoned the ideals of the French revolution and became Emperor.
What was Ludwig van Beethoven’s final complete symphony?
Answer: The Symphony No. 9 in D minor.
Composed between 1822 and 1824, the Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 was regarded as Ludwig van Beethoven’s last complete symphony.
How big was the world’s largest orchestra?
Answer: 8,573 musicians.
Founded in 1975 in Venezuela, the music-education program El Sistema was recognized by the Guinness World Book of Records for having 8,573 musicians in the orchestra – breaking the previous record of 8,097 musicians held by St. Petersburg, Russia.
Which of Bach’s organ pieces is often associated with Halloween?
Answer: Toccata and Fugue in D minor.
John Sebastian Bach was a German composer of the late Baroque period who wrote Toccata and Fugue in D minor – a scary piece of music used by some horror movies and pop culture moments and associated with Halloween.
Who composed the music for The Nutcracker?
Answer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Considered the last of his three ballets, The Nutcracker was written by the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and was first performed at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the 18th day of December 1892.
Who completed Mozart’s Requiem, which remained unfinished at the time of his death?
Answer: Franz Xaver Süssmayr.
Wolfgang Mozart left his composition Requiem in D Minor, K 626 incomplete at his death on December 5, 1791, and is said to have been completed by his student, Franz Xaver Süssmayr.
Country Music Trivia Questions
Which country singer was known as “The Singing Brakeman”?
Answer: Jimmie Rodgers.
Aside from being referred to as “The Singing Brakeman,” the American singer-songwriter Jimmie Rodgers was also known as “The Father of Country Music” and “America’s Blue Yodeler”.
Which city is considered the Country Music Capital of the World?
Answer: Nashville.
Considered the Music City, Nashville, Tennessee is regarded as the Country Music Capital of the World.
Who is considered the “Father of Bluegrass”?
Answer: Bill Monroe.
Bluegrass is a music genre with the high-energy, fast-tempo, hard-edged style of country music – getting its name from the creator Bill Monroe’s band, The Blue Grass Boys.
What was Dolly Parton’s first No. 1 single?
Answer: “Joshua”.
Written and recorded by American country music artist Dolly Parton, the song “Joshua” was released as the first single and title track from the album Joshua, on the 9th day of November 1970.
Which singer recorded the first country song to sell one million copies?
Answer: Vernon Dalhart.
Vernon Dalhart’s “Wreck of the Old 97” was known for being the first country song reputed to have sold one million copies.
How long did Willie Nelson’s 1978 album Stardust stay on Billboard Top Country Albums Chart?
Answer: 10 years.
Willie Nelson’s “Stardust” album became the first record to spend 10 years on the Billboard Country Albums chart – from its release on April 1978 until 1988.
Who recorded two of his best-selling albums in prison?
Answer: Johnny Cash.
John R. Cash was an American country singer-songwriter notable for recording two of his most popular and best-selling albums in prisons – Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison (1968) and Johnny Cash at San Quentin (1969).
How many of Loretta Lynn’s songs have been banned by radio stations?
Answer: 14.
In 1975, the American country music singer and songwriter Loretta Lynn released “The Pill”, a country song known for being one of Lynn’s most controversial records of her career.
Which country singer inspired legends of a bizarre yodeling monster in Kenya?
Answer: Jimmie Rodgers.
Jimmie Rodgers’ music was loved by the Kipsigi tribe in Kenya. They referred to Rodgers as “Chemirocha” – a legendary folklore that is a part-man, part deity, and part antelope.
Which country duo won the Country Music Association Award for top vocal duo every single year from 1972 to 1975?
Answer: Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn.
Including five number-one hits, Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn charted 12 duet singles in the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Hip-Hop Music Trivia Questions
What rapper holds the world record for most words in a hit single?
Answer: Eminem.
Considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, the American rapper Eminem released “Rap God” – setting the record for the most words in a hit single with 1,560 words in six minutes.
What album did Tupac Shakur release from prison?
Answer: Me Against the World.
Released on the 14th day of March 1995, Me Against the World became the third studio album by the American best-selling rapper, 2pac.
What is widely regarded as the first hip-hop record?
Answer: “Rapper’s Delight”.
Regarded as the first-ever hip-hop track, “Rapper’s Delight” was a song released by the American hip-hop trio The Sugar Hill Gang, in 1979.
What name did Lil Wayne go by originally?
Answer: Shrimp Daddy.
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, or simply Lil Wayne was originally called Shrimp Daddy – inspired by former Cash Money artist, Pimp Daddy.
What did Snoop Dogg change his name to in 2012?
Answer: Snoop Lion.
On the 31st day of July 2012, Snoop unveil a new stage name, Snoop Lion – claiming that he was rechristened Snoop Lion by a Rastafari priest in Jamaica.
What is the name of Eminem’s alter ego?
Answer: Slim Shady.
Slim Shady is a sadistic, violent alter ego used by the American rapper Eminem to express his anger with lyrics about rape, drugs, and murder.
Which rapper is known for her alter-egos, which include “Cookie”, “Harajuku Barbie”, and “Roman Zolanski”?
Answer: Nicki Minaj.
With more than 100 million records sold worldwide, the Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj is regarded as the “Queen of Rap”.
Who did Jay-Z diss in his song “Takeover”?
Answer: Nas.
The song “Takeover” incited a beef between the American rappers Jay-Z and Nas, with the latter responding with a diss song entitled “Ether”.
What does the “B” in Cardi B stand for?
Answer: Bacardi.
According to the American rapper Cardi B, the “B” in her name is derived from “Bacardi” – a rum brand that formerly served as her nickname.
What was the name of Snoop Dogg’s debut album?
Answer: Doggystyle.
In November 1993, Snoop Dogg’s debut album Doggystyle was produced by Dr. Dre and was released by Death Row Records – debuting at number one on the popular albums chart, the Billboard 200, and on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Jazz Music Trivia Questions
What city is considered the birthplace of jazz?
Answer: New Orleans.
Jazz, a music genre characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms, and improvisation, originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Who is sometimes referred to as the Queen of Jazz?
Answer: Ella Fitzgerald.
Aside from being known as the “Queen of Jazz,” the legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald was also regarded as the “First Lady of Song” and “Lady Ella”.
When was the Jazz Age?
Answer: 1920s.
Primarily felt in the United States, the Jazz Age was a period in the 1920s and 1930s in which jazz music and dance styles rose to popularity.
What was the first jazz record that was commercially released?
Answer: Livery Stable Blues.
With the jazz song “Livery Stable Blues” recorded on February 24, 1917, Original Dixieland Jass Band became the first band to record jazz commercially and to have hit recordings in the genre.
When is International Jazz Day celebrated?
Answer: April 30.
In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization declared International Jazz Day to celebrate jazz music’s influence in uniting people, every 30th day of April annually.
What was the first jazz composition to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music?
Answer: “Blood on the Fields”.
Released on June 17, 1997, “Blood on the Fields” is an epic vocal-orchestral suite by Wynton Marsalis that narrates the story of two slaves, Jesse and Leona, as they pass through the difficult journey to freedom.
What dance craze was inspired by jazz pianist Spencer Williams?
Answer: Shimmy.
Spencer Williams is a jazz pianist notable for writing the song “Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble” in 1917, which inspired the creation of a beautiful jazz dance called the shimmy.
What jazz soloist was known as “Yardbird”?
Answer: Charles Parker Jr..
Legend says that the jazz soloist Charlie Parker acquired the nickname “Yardbird” because it was given by his fellow musicians after running over a chicken in the middle of the road while on a tour bus. Parker stopped the bus and picked up the dead bird.
What was jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong’s nickname?
Answer: Satchmo.
Considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, Louis Armstrong was a jazz trumpeter with the byname Satchmo (a short term for “Satchel Mouth”).
Which jazz musician was known for playing a bent trumpet?
Answer: Dizzy Gillespie.
Together with Charlie Parker, the American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie played a vital role in the development of bebop and modern jazz in the 1940s.
Pop Music Trivia Questions
Who is considered the “King of Pop”?
Answer: Michael Jackson.
As of 2009, Michael Jackson was the most awarded person, artist, and entertainer with 372 recognized awards – excluding Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Certifications.
What dance craze did Michael Jackson popularize in 1983?
Answer: The moonwalk.
During the performance of “Billie Jean” on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, Michael Jackson did a popping move called the moonwalk, which he also included in tours and live performances.
What artist, with nicknames including “His Royal Badness” and “The High Priest of Pop,” passed away in 2016?
Answer: Prince.
Regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation, the American singer-songwriter Prince was found dead at his Paisley Park estate on April 21, 2016, due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
What musical act is the best-selling girl group of all time?
Answer: Spice Girls.
The Spice Girls is a 1994 English girl group consisting of Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, and Victoria Beckham.
What pop singer is known as “The Material Girl”?
Answer: Madonna.
Released on January 23, 1984, “Material Girl” is a song recorded by the American singer Madonna for her second studio album, Like a Virgin.
How big is Mariah Carey’s vocal range?
Answer: 5 octaves.
The American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey can reach a low F2 and hit an unbelievable G7.
What was the title of Taylor Swift’s first album?
Answer: Taylor Swift.
American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her self-titled album on October 24, 2006.
Where did Justin Bieber’s talent manager discover him?
Answer: YouTube.
Justin Bieber was discovered by American talent manager Scooter Braun in 2008 after watching his YouTube cover songs.
Who was rocketed to super-stardom in 1998 by the hit single “Baby One More Time”?
Answer: Britney Spears.
Released on January 12, 1999, …Baby One More Time is the debut studio album by the American singer, Britney Spears.
Which musical act is considered the most popular boy group of all time?
Answer: Backstreet Boys.
Formed in Orlando, Florida, Backstreet Boys is a 1993 American boy group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson.
Rock Music Trivia Questions
Who was the first woman ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Answer: Aretha Franklin.
On the 3rd day of January 1987, the American singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Which band got its name by taking the first letter of each band member’s name?
Answer: Abba.
Formed in Stockholm, ABBA is a 1972 Swedish group consisting of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
Which Pink Floyd recording became the first rock album to be played in space?
Answer: Delicate Sound of Thunder.
“Delicate Sound of Thunder” by the English rock band Pink Floyd became the first album played in space after it was taken aboard Soyuz TM-7 by the Soviet cosmonauts.
How many studio albums did Nirvana release?
Answer: Three.
The American rock band Nirvana released three studio albums, twenty-one singles, five live albums, two extended plays, four compilation albums, and two box sets.
What band’s lead singer is credited with popularizing stage diving?
Answer: Iggy Pop.
Iggy Pop was a singer and a part of the American rock band The Stooges, who is often credited with popularising stage diving in popular rock music.
Which Aerosmith song was nominated for both Best Original Song and Worst Original Song?
Answer: “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”.
Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” has been nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Razzie Award for Worst Original Song.
What English rock band produced three legendary guitarists: Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton?
Answer: The Yardbirds.
Formed in London in 1963, The Yardbirds is an English rock band that produced three renowned guitarists namely Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton.
Which goddess inspired the Rolling Stones’ logo?
Answer: Kali.
Often portrayed with her tongue sticking out, Kali is a Hindu goddess who served as an inspiration in creating the Rolling Stones logo.
How many times was Linkin Park rejected by record labels?
Answer: 44 times.
Before getting a record deal, Linkin Park had been rejected over forty times by various record labels for various reasons – one of these is because Linkin Park’s lyrics were too introverted compared to other popular bands.
What was the first rock-n-roll song to hit #1 on the charts?
Answer: “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock”.
Haley & His Comets’ “Rock Around The Clock” was the first Rock song to hit #1 on the Billboard Pop chart – spending eight weeks atop the list.
