The 1980s were a vibrant decade filled with iconic music, groundbreaking movies, influential fashion trends, and significant historical events. Test your knowledge with these 100 trivia questions spanning various categories. Each question is followed by the answer to quench your curiosity.
Music
- Which artist released the album “Thriller” in 1982?
- Michael Jackson
- What was the first video played on MTV in 1981?
- “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles
- Which song by Survivor became the anthem for the movie “Rocky III”?
- “Eye of the Tiger”
- Which female artist had a hit with “Like a Virgin” in 1984?
- Madonna
- Which British band had a hit with “Don’t You Want Me” in 1981?
- The Human League
- Which band released the song “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” in 1988?
- Poison
- Which artist performed “Purple Rain” in 1984?
- Prince
- Which band had a hit with “Sweet Child o’ Mine” in 1987?
- Guns N’ Roses
- Which song by Bon Jovi became an anthem in 1986?
- “Livin’ on a Prayer”
- Which 1985 charity single was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure?
- “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid
- Which band’s 1985 hit song was “Take on Me”?
- A-ha
- Which female artist sang “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”?
- Cyndi Lauper
- Which rock band had a hit with “Every Breath You Take” in 1983?
- The Police
- Which song by Queen became an anthem for sports events in the 1980s?
- “We Will Rock You”
- Which 1987 song by Rick Astley became a viral hit decades later?
- “Never Gonna Give You Up”
Movies
- Who played the title character in the 1981 film “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark”?
- Harrison Ford
- What is the name of the spaceship in the 1986 movie “Aliens”?
- The Sulaco
- Which 1984 movie featured the line “Who you gonna call?”
- Ghostbusters
- In which 1985 film does Michael J. Fox’s character travel back to 1955?
- Back to the Future
- What was the highest-grossing film of the 1980s?
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Who directed the 1984 film “The Terminator”?
- James Cameron
- What is the name of the character played by Sigourney Weaver in the “Alien” series?
- Ellen Ripley
- Which 1987 film featured Patrick Swayze as a dance instructor?
- Dirty Dancing
- Which 1986 movie is about fighter pilots and features Tom Cruise?
- Top Gun
- In the 1984 movie “Gremlins,” what should you never do to a Mogwai?
- Feed it after midnight
- Who directed the 1985 film “The Breakfast Club”?
- John Hughes
- Which 1989 film featured the characters Bill S. Preston, Esq., and Ted “Theodore” Logan?
- Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
- In which movie does a character say, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner”?
- Dirty Dancing
- Which 1982 film features a young boy befriending an alien?
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- What is the name of the 1984 film where a young teenager becomes the Karate Kid?
- The Karate Kid
Television
- What was the name of the bar in the TV show “Cheers”?
- Cheers
- Which 1980s TV show featured a talking car named KITT?
- Knight Rider
- Who shot J.R. on the TV show “Dallas”?
- Kristin Shepard
- Which animated series featured characters named He-Man and Skeletor?
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
- What is the name of the family in “The Cosby Show”?
- The Huxtables
- Which sitcom starred three women working at a Milwaukee brewery?
- Laverne & Shirley
- Who played the titular role in the 1980s TV show “MacGyver”?
- Richard Dean Anderson
- Which animated TV show featured characters like Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael?
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- What was the main profession of the characters in the TV show “Miami Vice”?
- Police officers
- Which show featured the catchphrase “Whatchu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”
- Diff’rent Strokes
- Which 1980s TV show featured the characters Sam, Diane, and Norm?
- Cheers
- Who starred as Angela Bower in the TV show “Who’s the Boss?”?
- Judith Light
- Which 1980s TV series was about four older women living together in Miami?
- The Golden Girls
- What was the name of the show where a humanoid alien lives with the Tanner family?
- ALF
- Which TV show followed the lives of the Huxtable family?
- The Cosby Show
Sports
- Which team won the Super Bowl in 1985?
- Chicago Bears
- Who won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon in 1980?
- Björn Borg
- Which country hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics?
- United States (Los Angeles)
- Which basketball player was nicknamed “Magic”?
- Earvin “Magic” Johnson
- Which Canadian sprinter won the 100 meters at the 1988 Olympics only to be disqualified for doping?
- Ben Johnson
- Who was the famous gymnast who scored a perfect 10 in the 1984 Olympics?
- Mary Lou Retton
- Which NBA player was known as “His Airness”?
- Michael Jordan
- Which baseball team won the World Series in 1986?
- New York Mets
- Which tennis player won Wimbledon three times in the 1980s?
- Boris Becker
- Who was the first pick in the 1984 NBA Draft?
- Hakeem Olajuwon
Fashion
- Which hairstyle, popular in the 1980s, involved hair being cut short on the sides and left long on top?
- The mullet
- What brand became synonymous with athletic wear in the 1980s due to its iconic tracksuits?
- Adidas
- Which fashion trend involved large, colorful blazers often with shoulder pads?
- Power dressing
- Which sneaker brand introduced the Air Jordan line in the 1980s?
- Nike
- What was the popular jewelry accessory that featured colorful plastic beads and charms?
- Charm bracelets
- Which brand popularized acid-washed jeans in the 1980s?
- Guess
- What type of jackets, often adorned with band patches, were popular in the 1980s?
- Denim jackets
- Which brand became famous for its “Just Do It” slogan introduced in 1988?
- Nike
- What was the name of the popular high-top sneakers worn by basketball players and rappers alike?
- Air Jordans
- Which accessory, often worn with preppy outfits, featured a small embroidered alligator logo?
- Lacoste polo shirts
Technology
- Which company introduced the first commercially successful personal computer, the IBM PC, in 1981?
- IBM
- What was the name of the first video game to feature Mario?
- Donkey Kong
- Which gaming console was released by Nintendo in 1985?
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- What type of media storage became popular for personal computers in the 1980s, featuring a 5.25-inch size?
- Floppy disks
- Which portable music player was introduced by Sony in 1979 and became a cultural icon in the 1980s?
- Walkman
- Which computer was introduced by Apple in 1984 and featured a graphical user interface?
- Macintosh
- What was the name of the first commercially successful video game console released by Atari?
- Atari 2600
- Which digital synthesizer, released in 1983, became widely used in 1980s music?
- Yamaha DX7
- Which handheld gaming device was released by Nintendo in 1989?
- Game Boy
- What popular word processing software was introduced in 1983?
- Microsoft Word
Politics
- Who was the President of the United States for most of the 1980s?
- Ronald Reagan
- What was the name of the nuclear disaster that occurred in 1986 in Ukraine?
- Chernobyl
- Which British Prime Minister served throughout the 1980s?
- Margaret Thatcher
- What was the name of the scandal that involved the Reagan administration selling arms to Iran to fund Nicaraguan rebels?
- Iran-Contra Affair
- Which wall fell in 1989, symbolizing the end of the Cold War?
- The Berlin Wall
- Who became the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 1981?
- Sandra Day O’Connor
- Which country was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1979, with conflict continuing into the 1980s?
- Afghanistan
- Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during most of the 1980s?
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- Which U.S. President signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986?
- Ronald Reagan
- Which Philippine dictator was overthrown in 1986?
- Ferdinand Marcos
- Who became the President of the United States in 1989?
- George H.W. Bush
- What major political event took place in China in 1989, leading to a government crackdown?
- Tiananmen Square Massacre
- Who was the British Prime Minister before Margaret Thatcher?
- James Callaghan
- Which South African leader was imprisoned throughout most of the 1980s?
- Nelson Mandela
- What major environmental disaster occurred in Alaska in 1989?
- Exxon Valdez oil spill
Pop Culture
- Which doll, launched in 1983, became a major toy craze?
- Cabbage Patch Kids
- What was the name of the popular 1980s TV commercial mascot for Kool-Aid?
- Kool-Aid Man
- Which video game character, created by Namco in 1980, became an arcade icon?
- Pac-Man
- Which actress played the title role in the 1980s TV series “Wonder Woman”?
- Lynda Carter
- What popular science fiction TV series debuted in 1987 featuring the starship USS Enterprise-D?
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Which toy line, launched in 1984, featured robots that could transform into vehicles and other objects?
- Transformers
- What was the name of the 1980s fitness craze that involved high-energy dance workouts?
- Aerobics
- Which fast-food chain introduced Chicken McNuggets in 1983?
- McDonald’s
- What was the name of the popular 1980s board game where players guess the identity of a mystery person based on clues?
- Guess Who?
- Which space shuttle tragically exploded shortly after launch in 1986? – Challenger
- What popular puzzle toy, invented in 1974, became a worldwide craze in the 1980s? – Rubik’s Cube
- Which 1980s arcade game involves players shooting at descending aliens? – Space Invaders
- What was the name of the popular 1980s board game where players answer questions to earn wedges? – Trivial Pursuit
- Which character did Mr. T play in “The A-Team”? – B.A. Baracus
- Which 1980s toy line featured colorful plastic ponies with brushable hair? – My Little Pony
- Which candy, introduced in 1981, features a sour coating and a chewy center? – Skittles
- What was the popular hairstyle for men that involved short sides and a long top, often styled into a pompadour? – The mullet
- Which fast-food chain introduced the “Happy Meal” in 1979, making it popular throughout the 1980s? – McDonald’s
- What popular children’s toy, introduced in 1983, features unique, huggable characters with heart-shaped emblems on their stomachs? – Care Bears
Literature
- Which Stephen King novel, published in 1986, features a group of children fighting a shape-shifting entity? – It
- Who wrote the 1988 best-selling novel “The Satanic Verses”? – Salman Rushdie
- Which author created the character Jason Bourne in a series of novels starting in 1980? – Robert Ludlum
- What novel by Tom Clancy, published in 1984, introduced the character Jack Ryan? – The Hunt for Red October
- Which 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood depicts a dystopian future where women are subjugated? – The Handmaid’s Tale
- Which 1984 novel by William Gibson is considered the seminal work in the cyberpunk genre? – Neuromancer
- Who wrote “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” a satirical novel published in 1987? – Tom Wolfe
- Which Dr. Seuss book was published in 1986 and features a mischievous feline character? – The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
- What is the title of the 1983 Stephen King novel featuring a haunted car? – Christine
- Which 1987 novel by Toni Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction? – Beloved
- Which 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card features a young boy trained to fight aliens? – Ender’s Game
- Who wrote the 1980 horror novel “Firestarter”? – Stephen King
- What is the title of the 1984 George Orwell novel depicting a dystopian future? – Nineteen Eighty-Four
- Which 1987 novel by Tom Clancy features Jack Ryan as a CIA analyst? – Patriot Games
- Who wrote “The Color Purple,” a novel published in 1982? – Alice Walker
Miscellaneous
- Which toy line, launched in 1982, featured a cartoon series and action figures? – G.I. Joe
- What popular toy line introduced in 1982 featured a cartoon series and action figures? – G.I. Joe
- What popular 1980s TV show featured the characters Sam, Diane, and Norm? – Cheers
- Who starred as Angela Bower in the TV show “Who’s the Boss?”? – Judith Light
- Which 1980s TV series was about four older women living together in Miami? – The Golden Girls
- What was the name of the show where a humanoid alien lives with the Tanner family? – ALF
- Which TV show followed the lives of the Huxtable family? – The Cosby Show
- What was the name of the first space shuttle launched by NASA in 1981? – Columbia
- Which brand of sneakers became famous in the 1980s for their pump technology? – Reebok
- What was the name of the first personal computer virus discovered in 1986? – Brain
- Which soft drink, introduced in the 1980s, was marketed as “the choice of a new generation”? – Pepsi
- Which 1980s fast-food craze involved small, bite-sized burgers? – White Castle sliders
- What was the name of the first American woman in space, who flew on the Challenger in 1983? – Sally Ride
Conclusion
The 1980s continue to be a fascinating decade, rich with cultural milestones and memorable moments. From music and movies to technology and fashion, the era left an indelible mark on history. How many of these trivia questions did you get right? Whether you’re an ’80s aficionado or just discovering this vibrant decade, these questions provide a fun way to look back at a truly unique time. Share these questions with friends and family to see who can claim the title of ’80s trivia master!
