Music Trivia Questions
- According to Guinness World Records, what Bing Crosby song is the best-selling physical single of all time?
- Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart formed which synth-pop duo, famous for the 1983 chart-topping hit "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"?
- Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 was inspired by his time in the United States and is better known by what title?
- Bassist Sid Vicious became a tragic icon of the 1970s punk movement as a member of which provocative British band?
- Before Phil Collins took over as lead vocalist, which progressive rock band was fronted by Peter Gabriel?
- Composed by John Adams, which 1987 minimalist opera dramatizes the 1972 diplomatic meeting between a U.S. President and Mao Zedong?
- Composed for choreographer Martha Graham, what 1944 Aaron Copland ballet features a celebrated set of variations on the Shaker melody "Simple Gifts"?
- Despite its misleading name, what double-reed woodwind instrument is actually a larger, lower-pitched relative of the oboe?
- Don and Phil were the members of what 1950s duo known for the close-harmony singing heard on hits like "Bye Bye Love" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream"?
- Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway rose to national fame performing at what famous Harlem nightclub during the Prohibition era?
- FAME Studios, where legendary artists like Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett recorded soul classics, is located in which Alabama town?
- Featuring the single "Welcome to the Jungle," which 1987 Guns N' Roses release is the best-selling debut album in U.S. history?
- Following his tenure as the drummer for Nirvana, what musician founded the Foo Fighters in 1994, serving as the band's lead singer and guitarist?
- Founded in 1925, what weekly Nashville stage concert and radio broadcast is the longest-running program in United States radio history?
- Franz Liszt composed a celebrated set of 19 piano works based on the folk themes of his native country under what collective title?
- Fronted by Gwen Stefani, which Anaheim-based band brought ska-punk to mainstream prominence with their 1995 album Tragic Kingdom?
- Fronted by lead singer Darius Rucker, which band released the 1994 debut album Cracked Rear View, featuring hits like "Hold My Hand" and "Let Her Cry"?
- Fronted by lead singer Dolores O'Riordan, which Irish rock band released the 1994 protest song "Zombie"?
- Fronted by Marc Bolan, which band helped pioneer the British glam rock movement of the early 1970s with the hit single "Get It On"?
- Fronted by Ozzy Osbourne, which English band is widely considered the pioneer of heavy metal following the 1970 release of their self-titled debut album?
- Fronted by Ronnie Spector, what 1960s girl group is best known for the Phil Spector-produced "Wall of Sound" hit "Be My Baby"?
- Fronted by singer Grace Slick, which San Francisco psychedelic band became icons of the 1967 "Summer of Love" with the hits "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit"?
- Fronted by the powerful falsetto of Frankie Valli, what American vocal group achieved 1960s stardom with hits like "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "Walk Like a Man"?
- Giuseppe Verdi's 1871 opera Aida, which features a famous Triumphal March, is set in which ancient civilization?
- Historically made of ivory, what is the primary material used for the white keys on most modern pianos?
- How many keys are on a standard grand piano?
- How many strings are on a standard acoustic guitar?
- How many strings does a standard cello have?
- How many valves does a standard trumpet have?
- In Georges Bizet's opera Carmen, what is the name of the bullfighter who sings the famous "Toreador Song"?
- In Greek mythology, which legendary musician was so skilled with the lyre that his playing could charm wild animals and move the gods of the Underworld?
- In music theory, what is the specific term for a chord consisting of three notes stacked in thirds?
- In music theory, what is the term for the distance between two notes?
- In music theory, what term refers to the relationship between independent melodic lines that are played simultaneously to create harmony?
- In music, what does the term "a cappella" mean?
- In musical notation, which Italian term, meaning 'at ease,' indicates a slow tempo typically between 66 and 76 BPM?
- In the context of a band, what does the acronym 'MC' usually stand for?
- In what city did the Beatles originate?
- In what city was the influential soul and R&B record label Motown founded?
- In what decade did the 'Grunge' movement begin in Seattle?
- In what year did the British Invasion, led by The Beatles, begin in the US?
- In what year did the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, pass away?
- In which borough of New York City is hip-hop widely considered to have originated?
- In which city was the legendary music club CBGB located?
- In which European city is the famous Puccini opera 'La Bohème' set?
- In which New York town was the legendary Woodstock music festival actually held in 1969?
- Indicated in notation by a small dot above or below a note, what Italian term instructs a musician to play a note in a short, detached manner?
- Invented by Adolphe Sax, which single-reed woodwind instrument is a staple of jazz music?
- Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 94 is better known by what nickname, referring to a sudden, loud orchestral chord in the second movement?
- Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, and Beyoncé Knowles were the members of which chart-topping R&B girl group?