'90s Pop Quiz: "Tell Me Why" You Know All of This '90s Pop Music
Written by Jessica Holom
Last updated · 6 min play time
From the Backstreet Boys to Britney Spears, '90s pop brought us some catchy earworms. Can you name all of these artists who had '90s hits?
"I feel like there comes a point when being a pop star is not enough." – Beyoncé Knowles
Beyonce grew from her '90s days as a member of Destiny's Child to Queen Bey in 2020. But she was probably the most successful act to come out of the '90s. Still, nostalgia calls you to take this '90s Pop Quiz.
Not only will you enjoy recalling your favorite boy bands and pop artists, you'll probably be belting your favorite songs before this is over. So, let's get started with this '90s Pop Quiz!
Test your Entertainment Knowledge
Some of these pop artists know how to "MMMBop"; others know how to "go chasin' waterfalls". Do you know which is which? Then grab your mic and take our fun '90s Pop Quiz.
Do you remember which '90s group became the biggest British pop success since the Beatles? How about the original Spanish duo that got us all up and doing the Macarena?
This '90s Pop Quiz is for the millennials among us. If you regularly dive into '90s pop to hit that heartfelt nostalgia, then this is the quiz for you. Whether you're a boy band fangirl or a diva, this fun online quiz will take you back.
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Think you know everything there is to know about Harry Potter? How about '90s movie quotes? Our series of entertainment quizzes will have you laughing and learning new fun facts about your favorite characters at the same time. Think you're a know-it-all about entertainment? Then after taking our '90s Pop Quiz, dive right into what's next!
Quiz written by
Jessica HolomJessica Holom is a freelance writer and digital nomad with a background in literature, art, and writing. She believes curiosity never killed a single cat and enjoys learning, world-exploring, and writing about both.
'90s Pop Quiz Questions
20 Questions · 665 Plays · 1 Comment
Question 1
His 1991 album, Dangerous, was one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 32 million copies sold worldwide. Name this "King of Pop".
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ASantana
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BMichael Jackson
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CEric Clapton
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DJustin Bieber
Michael Jackson
<i>Dangerous</i> was Michael Jackson's eighth studio album. Featuring the number-one single, "Black or White," twelve of the album's fourteen songs were written or co-written by Jackson.
Question 2
What act was the biggest British pop success since The Beatles, having sold 85 million records worldwide?
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ARadiohead
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BSpice Girls
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COasis
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DOne Direction
Spice Girls
"I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ah!" Fronted by Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger, and Posh, the Spice Girls debut album, <i>Spice</i>, sold more than 31 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by a female group in history. Their follow-up, <i>Spiceworld</i>, sold over 20 million copies worldwide. They're both the best-selling girl group and one of the best-selling pop groups of all time.
Question 3
Performing six songs for the soundtrack of her acting debut, what vocal powerhouse's film received mixed reviews...but boasted the best-selling soundtrack of all time?
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AJennifer Hudson
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BRihanna
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CWhitney Houston
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DJennifer Lopez
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston's acting debut, <i>The Bodyguard</i>, was a huge box office hit but was not so hot with the critics, pulling in seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations. The soundtrack, however, became the best-selling of all time and won a Grammy for Album of the Year.
Question 4
This group started as a quartet called Girl's Tyme in 1990, but by the end, they were a trio with an entirely different name. Say their name, say their name...
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ADestiny's Child
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BNirvana
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CTLC
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DAtomic Kitten
Destiny's Child
Not all were survivors! Destiny's Child's best-known line-up was Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams, but before that, they went through a few other singers. When they were first signed, Knowles and Rowland were accompanied by LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett. Roberson and Luckett were eventually replaced by Williams and Farrah Franklin, until the latter quit, making the act as a trio.
Question 5
This Spanish flamenco-pop duo had us all participating in a dance craze when the Bayside Boys' English remix hit the airwaves. Name that original.
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ALos del Mar
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BLos Del Río
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CLas Ketchup
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DLos Romeros de la Puebla
Los Del Río
Los del Río were invited to a private party held by the Venezuelan impresario, Gustavo Cisneros, where they witnessed a dance performance that moved them to write the beginnings of lyrics on the spot. The song became a hit when the Bayside Boys were recruited by their radio personality friend to produce a remix.
Question 6
Due to stage fright, this artist hadn't toured to promote her previous albums but was persuaded to do a six-show North American tour in support of Music Box. Name that diva.
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ACher
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BBarbra Streisand
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CAdele
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DMariah Carey
Mariah Carey
<i>Music Box</i> was released in 1993 and debuted at number one on the Billboard charts but received mixed critical reception. After declining to tour for her past two albums partially due to her unwillingness to deal with the hassles of life on the road, Carey agreed to embark on a short string of six concerts, titled the Music Box Tour.
Question 7
In the music video for her debut single, what pop star danced around in a Catholic schoolgirl uniform, admiring her crush from afar?
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AChristina Aguilera
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BBritney Spears
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CJessica Simpson
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DFiona Apple
Britney Spears
Released in 1999, "...Baby One More Time" was the debut single by Britney Spears from her debut studio album of the same title. The hit launched Spears to stardom and then, "Oops, she did it again..."
Question 8
Her 1998 album, The Globe Sessions, featured the debut single, "My Favorite Mistake," which was rumored to be about Eric Clapton. Name that sunny songstress.
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AWhitney Houston
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BSheryl Crow
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CBeyoncé
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DNorah Jones
Sheryl Crow
Although her other major earworm, "Soak Up the Sun," didn't come out until 2002, Sheryl Crow's 1998 release, <i>The Globe Sessions</i>, held its own. There was speculation about a brief affair with Eric Clapton based on her admitted depression and other rumors, but Crow denied it, calling "My Favorite Mistake" her favorite single. "It was a lot of fun to record, and it's still a lot of fun to play," she said.
Question 9
Although she rose in the '80s, one of her biggest hits was a '90s favorite. Name that Queen.
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ADua Lipa
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BWhitney Houston
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CCher
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DMadonna
Madonna
Producer Shep Pettibone wrote and recorded the backing track for the cultural phenomenon, "Vogue," in two weeks on a small budget. Madonna wrote the lyrics which were inspired by vogue dancers and choreographers. The song was produced quickly and cheaply, with her vocals recorded in a small 24-track basement studio in a booth that had been converted from a closet. She was efficient in the tiny studio, rapidly tracking all the verse and chorus vocals consecutively and in single takes. The finished song was submitted to Warner Bros. three weeks after it was commissioned.
Question 10
This icon also had a decades-long career, but it was her single release in 1998 that earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female solo artist to top the chart.
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AMariah Carey
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BCeline Dion
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CCher
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DMiley Cyrus
Cher
Cher reached a new peak in 1998 with the dance-pop album, <i>Believe</i>. It was a follow-up to her poorly received album, <i>It's a Man's World</i>. Featuring the pioneering use of auto-tune, this effect covered up any off-key inaccuracies.
Question 11
These boys are "Larger Than Life". What group is the best-selling boy band of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide?
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A*NSYNC
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BBackstreet Boys
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CJonas Brothers
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DBoyz to Men
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are not only the best-selling boy band but also are one of the world's best-selling music artists. They're the first group since Led Zeppelin to have their first ten albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200.
Question 12
In 1999, what act sued their famous manager, Lou Pearlman, for defrauding them of more than 50 percent of their earnings?
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A*NSYNC
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BBackstreet Boys
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COutkast
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DO-Town
*NSYNC
In 1999, NSYNC entered a legal battle with Lou Pearlman, suing him and his record company for defrauding the group of more than 50 percent of their earnings, rather than his contracted one-sixth of the profits. The deal was similar to the contract Pearlman made with the Backstreet Boys.
Question 13
Her third single off of her critically-acclaimed third album attracted media attention for improper use of the word "ironic". "Don't ya think" you know this singer?
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AFiona Apple
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BCarly Rae Jepsen
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CAlanis Morissette
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DLiz Phair
Alanis Morissette
"Ironic" was written by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, with lyrics presenting several situations that are described as ironic. Though there has been a lot of debate as to whether any of the situations are actually ironic, some have argued that they could be defined as situational irony.
Question 14
With the release of the group's third album, Enema of the State, this band became the biggest pop-punk act of the era. What's their age – er, name – again?
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AFall Out Boy
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BRancid
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CBlink-182
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DBackstreet Boys
Blink-182
Blink-182 is considered a key group in the development and popularization of pop-punk. Their music was known for its pop melodies and fast-paced punk rhythms, while their live shows were high energy and full of toilet humor.
Question 15
Despite the success of their 1994 album, CrazySexyCool, what trio filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1995?
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ADixie Chicks
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BPower Puff Girls
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CSublime
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DTLC
TLC
The members of TLC declared debt totaling $3.5 million. Some of the debt was due to Lopes' insurance payments from her arson incident and from Watkins' medical bills for her sickle cell anemia. The primary reason for the bankruptcy, however, was that the group received what they called a less than favorable deal from their original management and production company, Pebbitone.
Question 16
Best known for the 1997 hit song, "MMMBop," which act is a trio of brothers?
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ALFO
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B*NSYNC
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CHanson
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DJonas Brothers
Hanson
Formed by brothers Isaac, Taylor, and Zac, Hanson is an American pop-rock band. Their 1997 hit song, "MMMBop," off of their debut album, <i>Middle of Nowhere</i>, earned three Grammy nominations.
Question 17
Whose 1995 album, Tragic Kingdom, was inspired by a moniker given to Disneyland by one of the band member's seventh-grade teachers?
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AGarbage
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BSublime
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CMiranda Lambert
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DNo Doubt
No Doubt
<i>Tragic Kingdom</i> – and its hit singles, "Don't Speak" and "Just a Girl" – helped set into motion the ska revival of the '90s. Along with the album title, the pictures on the cover and in the liner notes were a shout out to their native Anaheim, California.
Question 18
What pop-punk trio helped to popularize the genre in the mainstream after the release of their 1994 album, Dookie?
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ASum 41
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BPanic! at the Disco
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CBlink-182
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DGreen Day
Green Day
Green Day was originally part of the late '80s-early '90s punk scene in California. The band's early releases were with an indie label. Their major-label debut – the release of <i>Dookie</i> in 1994 – was a breakout success. The band is credited, along with other bands from SoCal, with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S.
Question 19
In 1992, his song, "Baby Got Back," peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Who is this rapper?
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ASir Mix-a-Lot
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BVanilla Ice
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CKendrick Lamar
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DMC Hammer
Sir Mix-a-Lot
In 1991, Anthony L. Ray, known by his stage name, Sir Mix-A-Lot, signed to the Def American label. He released his third album, <i>Mack Daddy</i>, in 1992. The single, "Baby Got Back," was a number-one hit that went double platinum and won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Question 20
Raised in Alaska, which artist grew up singing and yodeling as a duo with her father?
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AAlison Krauss
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BSarah McLachlan
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CBillie Eilish
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DJewel
Jewel
Shortly after her birth, Jewel's family relocated from Utah to Anchorage, Alaska and settled on the Kilcher family's 770-acre homestead. After her parents' divorce in 1981, Jewel lived with her father, where they sometimes earned a living by performing music as a father-daughter duo.
Comments (1)
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It's fun. I also learn ALOT. Keeps my memory sharp. Things I forgot, I quickly remembered, yup it's cool for sure!!!