Pick a round of 1980s trivia for a pub quiz, an office event or a game with friends. These questions cover music, film, television, toys, technology and history, with answers alongside each prompt.

Choose questions that suit your group, keep the answer key out of view, and use the extra question bank below to vary a repeat session.

How to Use These 80s Trivia Questions and Answers

Reading questions off a phone works fine for four people on a couch. For a bar, a team offsite, or anything over a dozen players, you want the questions on a big screen and the answers coming in from everyone's phone. That's how Quizado runs: the host drives the game on the screen, players answer from their own devices, and scoring takes care of itself.

Start with the bar trivia game mode for the written rounds, then switch to Name That Tune when you reach music — playing eight seconds of "Take On Me" and watching a room of adults lose all composure beats any written question.

A few host notes that make an 80s night land:

Five rounds of ten beats two rounds of twenty-five. Short rounds keep the scoreboard moving.
Put music third, once people have loosened up but before anyone's tired.
Save the hard round for last and make it double points, so nobody checks out at question 60.
Let teams pick era-appropriate names — our list of funny bar trivia team names has plenty to steal.
Give a bonus point for the best 80s outfit. It costs you nothing and doubles the photos.

If you want to build a whole decade night, pair this with our 90s trivia questions and answers for a two-decade showdown, or borrow structure ideas from our roundup of trivia night ideas.

80s Music Trivia

A decade that brought music television into the mainstream. Read these aloud and watch people mouth the lyrics before they answer.

Which 1982 Michael Jackson album became the best-selling album of all time? — Thriller
What was the first music video ever played on MTV? — "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
Which band recorded "Every Breath You Take" in 1983? — The Police
On what date did Live Aid take place? — July 13, 1985
Which charity single did Band Aid release in 1984? — "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
Who wrote "We Are the World" for USA for Africa? — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie
Which Madonna single gave her a first US number one in 1984? — "Like a Virgin"
Which Prince album and film both arrived in 1984? — Purple Rain
What was Prince's backing band called on that record? — The Revolution
Which duo released "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"? — Eurythmics
Which Norwegian band made the rotoscoped "Take On Me" video? — a-ha
Which Cyndi Lauper song became a 1983 anthem? — "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
Who sang "99 Luftballons"? — Nena
Which two members made up Wham!? — George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley
Duran Duran took their name from a character in which film? — Barbarella
Which Bon Jovi album gave us "Livin' on a Prayer"? — Slippery When Wet
Which 1987 debut album launched Guns N' Roses? — Appetite for Destruction
Where did Michael Jackson first moonwalk on television? — The Motown 25 special, in 1983
Who played the guitar solo on "Beat It"? — Eddie Van Halen
Which 1984 Van Halen single became their only US number one? — "Jump"
Which Tears for Fears song topped the charts in 1985? — "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
"Africa" appeared on which 1982 Toto album? — Toto IV
Which 1981 Journey song simply refuses to die? — "Don't Stop Believin'"
Which Def Leppard album sold by the truckload in 1987? — Hysteria
What is remarkable about Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen? — He plays with one arm
Which collaboration revived "Walk This Way" in 1986? — Run-DMC and Aerosmith
Which 1986 album was the first rap LP to top the Billboard 200? — Licensed to Ill by the Beastie Boys
Which Peter Gabriel video became MTV's most-played? — "Sledgehammer"
Which 1987 Rick Astley single later became an internet prank? — "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Which Talking Heads song opens with "And you may find yourself..."? — "Once in a Lifetime"

80s Movies and TV Trivia

Blockbusters, John Hughes, and a sitcom lineup people can still recite. This round always scores highest.

Which candy did Elliott use to lure E.T.? — Reese's Pieces
What speed must the DeLorean reach to time travel? — 88 mph
How much power does the flux capacitor need? — 1.21 gigawatts
Which 1985 John Hughes film locked five students in detention? — The Breakfast Club
Who sang the Ghostbusters theme? — Ray Parker Jr.
Which giant mascot attacks New York at the end of Ghostbusters? — The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
What is Maverick's real name in Top Gun? — Pete Mitchell
Who sang "Danger Zone"? — Kenny Loggins
In which building does Die Hard take place? — Nakatomi Plaza
Who played Hans Gruber? — Alan Rickman
Which Star Wars film opened in 1980? — The Empire Strikes Back
Which Indiana Jones film came first? — Raiders of the Lost Ark
Which 1986 Hughes film features a Ferrari and a fake illness? — Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Whose treasure do the Goonies hunt? — One-Eyed Willy's
Finish the Dirty Dancing line: "Nobody puts Baby..." — "...in a corner."
Who plays Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride? — Mandy Patinkin
Name the three Gremlins rules. — No water, no bright light, no food after midnight
Which 1984 film gave us "I'll be back"? — The Terminator
Which 1988 Tim Burton film requires saying the title three times? — Beetlejuice
Which 1988 film mixed live action and animation in Toontown? — Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Which 1980 spoof includes "Don't call me Shirley"? — Airplane!
In which city is Cheers set? — Boston
Which sitcom starred Betty White as Rose Nylund? — The Golden Girls
Who were the two lead detectives in Miami Vice? — Crockett and Tubbs
Which car played KITT in Knight Rider? — A Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Who played B.A. Baracus on The A-Team? — Mr. T
What planet is ALF from? — Melmac
Which show introduced Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton? — Family Ties
The Simpsons began as shorts on which series? — The Tracey Ullman Show
Which 1988 film won the Best Picture Oscar? — Rain Man

If this round goes down well, our TV show trivia questions and answers collection stretches the same idea across every decade.

80s Pop Culture and Fashion Trivia

Headlines, hairstyles, and the products everyone remembers arguing about.

Who invented the Rubik's Cube? — Ernő Rubik
Which 1983 doll came with adoption papers? — Cabbage Patch Kids
Which fast-food chain asked "Where's the beef?" — Wendy's
What did Coca-Cola launch and then retract in 1985? — New Coke
Who was US president for most of the decade? — Ronald Reagan
What fell on November 9, 1989? — The Berlin Wall
Which space shuttle was lost on January 28, 1986? — Challenger
Which volcano erupted in Washington State in May 1980? — Mount St. Helens
Who married Prince Charles in 1981? — Lady Diana Spencer
Which win is remembered as the "Miracle on Ice"? — The US beating the USSR at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Which comet swung past Earth in 1986? — Halley's Comet
Which team drafted Michael Jordan in 1984? — The Chicago Bulls
Which sneaker line launched in 1985? — Air Jordan
Which team did Wayne Gretzky join in 1988? — The Los Angeles Kings
Which board game became a nationwide craze in 1984? — Trivial Pursuit
Which anti-drug slogan did Nancy Reagan popularize? — "Just Say No"
Which 1983 film sent leg warmers and torn sweatshirts mainstream? — Flashdance
Whose 1982 workout video launched the home fitness boom? — Jane Fonda's
Which Frank Zappa song popularized Valley girl slang? — "Valley Girl"
Which jacket brand promised "When you put it on, something happens"? — Members Only
Which colorful Swiss watch brand exploded in the 80s? — Swatch
Which 1980 book codified preppy style? — The Official Preppy Handbook
Which haircut is "business in the front, party in the back"? — The mullet
Which primetime soap set the shoulder-pad standard? — Dynasty
Which portable cassette player made music personal? — The Sony Walkman

For a version of this round that spans more than one decade, try our pop culture trivia questions and answers.

80s Toys and Tech Trivia

Arcades, cartridges, and the first computers people kept in the living room.

Which 1980 arcade game starred a yellow dot-eater? — Pac-Man
What was Mario originally called in Donkey Kong? — Jumpman
Which console did Nintendo launch in the US in 1985? — The NES
Which Mario platform game, first released in 1985, was later bundled with the NES? — Super Mario Bros.
Who created Tetris in 1984? — Alexey Pajitnov
In which country was Tetris invented? — The Soviet Union
Which handheld launched in 1989 bundled with Tetris? — The Game Boy
Which Atari game's cartridges were buried in a New Mexico landfill? — E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Who leads the Autobots? — Optimus Prime
What is He-Man's catchphrase? — "By the power of Grayskull!"
Who commands Cobra in G.I. Joe? — Cobra Commander
Which rat trains the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? — Splinter
In what year did the TMNT comic debut? — 1984
Which 1985 animatronic bear told stories from a cassette? — Teddy Ruxpin
Which memory game lit up in four colors? — Simon
Which machine became the best-selling single computer model ever? — The Commodore 64
Which Apple computer debuted in January 1984? — The Macintosh
Who directed Apple's "1984" Super Bowl ad? — Ridley Scott
Which home video format beat Betamax? — VHS
Which NES accessory let you punch the air to play? — The Power Glove
Which NES peripheral shot ducks? — The Zapper
Which 1986 Nintendo game introduced Link? — The Legend of Zelda

Hard 80s Trivia Questions and Answers for True Fans

Double points. Expect groans, arguments, and at least one person who knows every single answer.

Who directed the "Thriller" video? — John Landis
Who narrates the spoken-word section of "Thriller"? — Vincent Price
Name any one of MTV's five original VJs. — Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson, or Martha Quinn
What was Marty McFly's band called? — The Pinheads
Where was the DeLorean actually manufactured? — Dunmurry, Northern Ireland
What was the NES called in Japan? — The Famicom
What is the full subtitle of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill"? — "(A Deal with God)"
How many top-10 singles came off Born in the U.S.A.? — Seven
In what year is Blade Runner set? — 2019
Roughly how many combinations does a Rubik's Cube have? — About 43 quintillion
Which production trio was behind Rick Astley's hits? — Stock Aitken Waterman
What was the name of Sonny Crockett's pet alligator? — Elvis
Who became the first American woman in space, in 1983? — Sally Ride
Which nuclear plant suffered a disaster in April 1986? — Chernobyl
Where did Reagan say "Tear down this wall" in 1987? — The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Which planet did Voyager 2 reach in August 1989? — Neptune
Which film won Best Picture at the 1988 Academy Awards? — The Last Emperor
Which album was among the first CDs commercially released, in 1982? — Billy Joel's 52nd Street

Where to Take These 80s Trivia Questions and Answers Next

Run a read-aloud quiz with paper answer sheets, or use Quizado’s connected Bar Trivia format for phone answers and a shared scoreboard. The free starter experience supports up to 16 players. Custom question authoring starts with Trivia Pro; Family Feud, Jeopardy and Music Bingo require Hospitality Group. Compare the plans before choosing your format.

Drop the music round into a Name That Tune game, keep the hard round as your tiebreaker, and you have a full evening from one page.

FAQ

What are good 80s trivia questions for beginners?

Stick to the biggest cultural landmarks: the first video on MTV, the DeLorean's 88 mph, Pac-Man, the Rubik's Cube, and "Where's the beef?" These get near-universal recognition even from people born after 1990, which keeps casual players in the game instead of watching from the sidelines.

How many 80s trivia questions should a full night have?

Sixty to seventy-five is the sweet spot for a two-hour night: five or six rounds of ten to twelve questions, with a short break for scoring and drink orders. Anything past 100 questions and attention starts to sag, no matter how good the material is.

What is the hardest 80s trivia question?

The reliable stumpers are the ones one step behind a famous fact. Almost everyone knows "Thriller"; far fewer know John Landis directed the video and Vincent Price narrated it. Same with the DeLorean — the 88 mph answer is easy, but the Northern Ireland factory is not.

Can I run an 80s trivia night for a large group?

Yes. Once you pass about twenty people, hand-scoring becomes the bottleneck rather than the questions. For a larger group, check your paid plan, network and joining flow in advance; and our guide to hosting a bar trivia night covers the room logistics.

How do I add an 80s music round?

Prepare recognizable audio you have permission to use and test it on the room’s speakers. Explain whether players should name the song, the artist or both, and decide the scoring before you begin. Music/media questions in Quizado require the relevant paid access.

Can I mix 80s and 90s trivia in one night?

It's one of the best formats going — split the room into two teams by decade allegiance and alternate rounds. Pull the second half from our 90s trivia questions and answers and let the scoreboard settle the argument about which decade was better.

Extra 1980s questions for a fresh round

Choose a short selection from this additional question bank to vary a repeat session.

Who sang "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"? — Whitney Houston
Which Bruce Springsteen album has a red baseball cap on the cover? — Born in the U.S.A.
Who sang "What's Love Got to Do with It"? — Tina Turner
Which band had a 1986 hit with "Walk Like an Egyptian"? — The Bangles
Who was the lead singer of Culture Club? — Boy George
Which band's 1984 concert film features a famously oversized suit? — Talking Heads (Stop Making Sense)
Who is the lead singer of Eurythmics? — Annie Lennox
Which city is Prince most associated with? — Minneapolis
Which Madonna song and video caused a 1989 Pepsi ad to be pulled? — "Like a Prayer"
Which duo had a hit with "Push It"? — Salt-N-Pepa
Which Swedish band recorded "The Final Countdown"? — Europe
Duran Duran's 1982 hit about a hunt is called what? — "Hungry Like the Wolf"
Who played Doc Brown? — Christopher Lloyd
Who played Sarah Connor in The Terminator? — Linda Hamilton
Who played Maverick in Top Gun? — Tom Cruise
On what day of the week is The Breakfast Club set? — Saturday
What is the name of the high school in The Breakfast Club? — Shermer High School
Who played Ferris Bueller? — Matthew Broderick
Who played Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing? — Patrick Swayze
Who played the Joker in 1989's Batman? — Jack Nicholson
Which 1980 Kubrick film features "Here's Johnny"? — The Shining
Which character in The Princess Bride keeps saying "Inconceivable!"? — Vizzini
Which 1988 comedy stars Eddie Murphy as an African prince in Queens? — Coming to America
In which city do The Golden Girls live? — Miami
What nickname does Detective Crockett use in Miami Vice? — Sonny
Who leads The A-Team? — Hannibal Smith
Which multi-tool did MacGyver famously carry? — A Swiss Army knife
What is the family surname on The Cosby Show? — Huxtable
What is the family surname on Married... with Children? — Bundy
Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in what year? — 1987
How many colours are on a standard Rubik's Cube? — Six
What are the two warring factions in Transformers? — Autobots and Decepticons
What is the symbol on a Care Bear's stomach called? — A belly badge
Which country did the inventors of Trivial Pursuit come from? — Canada
Which office supply, launched across the US in 1980, is a small sticky square? — Post-it Notes
Which green Hi-C drink was tied to a Ghostbusters cartoon? — Ecto Cooler
What outerwear item did Michael Jackson wear in the "Thriller" video? — A red leather jacket
Which actor was originally cast as Marty McFly and filmed for weeks before being replaced? — Eric Stoltz
Roughly how long is the full "Thriller" video? — About 14 minutes
How many Oscars did Amadeus win? — Eight
Under what pseudonym did Prince write "Manic Monday" for The Bangles? — Christopher
Which mountain "rises like Olympus above the Serengeti" in Toto's "Africa"? — Kilimanjaro
Who was the guitarist of The Smiths? — Johnny Marr
Which band did the surviving members of Joy Division form? — New Order
Which U2 album, released in 1987, opens with "Where the Streets Have No Name"? — The Joshua Tree
Who became the first Black Miss America, crowned in 1983? — Vanessa Williams
Which 1986 David Lynch film stars Isabella Rossellini and Dennis Hopper? — Blue Velvet
Which 1989 Spike Lee film is set on the hottest day of a Brooklyn summer? — Do the Right Thing
At which two stadiums was Live Aid primarily staged? — Wembley Stadium and JFK Stadium
Which Talking Heads frontman wore the oversized suit? — David Byrne
Who played Goose in Top Gun? — Anthony Edwards
What car does Cameron's father own in Ferris Bueller's Day Off? — A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California
Which two cities hosted the Live Aid concerts on July 13, 1985? — London and Philadelphia
Which song from Whitney Houston’s self-titled 1985 debut album became her first US number-one single? — Saving All My Love for You
Which 1984 NBC sitcom about an upper-middle-class New York family was the top-rated show for five years? — The Cosby Show
In "Miami Vice", what colors were detectives Crockett and Tubbs famous for wearing? — Pastels (often pink and teal blazers over T-shirts)
In "The A-Team", what catchphrase did Hannibal often deliver as a plan came together? — I love it when a plan comes together
In 1980, the cliffhanger "Who shot J.R.?" came from which prime-time soap opera? — Dallas
During which 1984 Super Bowl did Apple air its famous "1984" commercial introducing the Macintosh? — Super Bowl XVIII
Which two countries fought the 1982 Falklands War over a group of islands in the South Atlantic? — The United Kingdom and Argentina
Which two Summer Olympic Games of the 1980s were each affected by political boycotts? — Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984
Which Soviet leader, who came to power in 1985, introduced the reforms of glasnost and perestroika? — Mikhail Gorbachev
Which catastrophic 1984 industrial accident at a Union Carbide plant in India killed thousands? — The Bhopal disaster

Host a decade night

Mix music, films and everyday life rather than relying on one specialist category. Begin with a practice question, explain how scoring works and leave space between rounds for conversation. Use a shared screen for the questions, keep the answer key on the host side and rehearse any audio before guests arrive. See a bar trivia running order and check plans for custom question authoring.

80s Trivia Questions and Answers: Music, Movies, TV & More