Think You Know Rock Music? Take This Quiz And Power Your Way To A Perfect Score!

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Rock Music Quiz Questions

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Question 1

Known for their makeup and costumes, what band wants to "Rock and Roll All Night"?

  • A
    Kiss
  • B
    Jethro Tull
  • C
    Def Leppard
  • D
    The Black Keys

Question 2

Fronted by Mick Jagger, which band "Can't Get No Satisfaction"?

  • A
    Radiohead
  • B
    The Rolling Stones
  • C
    The Ramones
  • D
    The Kinks

Question 3

Fronted by Axl Rose, which heavy metal band wants to welcome you to the jungle?

  • A
    Avenged Sevenfold
  • B
    Guns N' Roses
  • C
    The Byrds
  • D
    Rush

Question 4

Who is this transformative "Space Oddity" who shapeshifted across genres?

  • A
    Madonna
  • B
    David Bowie
  • C
    Prince
  • D
    Elton John

Question 5

Fans of this band will instantly recognize the distinctive outline of frontman Robert Smith.

  • A
    The Smiths
  • B
    The Cure
  • C
    Flock of Seagulls
  • D
    Depeche Mode

Question 6

This rockstar was "All Shook Up"...which may be why he's famed for his swiveling hips. Name that "King of Rock 'n Roll".

  • A
    Jon Bon Jovi
  • B
    Michael Jackson
  • C
    Elvis Presley
  • D
    Kanye West

Question 7

What American band welcomes you to the Hotel California?

  • A
    Crosby, Stills, & Nash
  • B
    The Eagles
  • C
    My Chemical Romance
  • D
    Genesis

Question 8

Who is this popular pop-rock group, fronted by Stevie Nicks, who produced one of the top best-selling albums of all time?

  • A
    Slipknot
  • B
    Fleetwood Mac
  • C
    Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • D
    Iron Maiden

Question 9

Which British rock group, fronted by Pete Townsend, "Won't Get Fooled Again"?

  • A
    The Who
  • B
    The What
  • C
    Dire Straits
  • D
    The Cure

Question 10

In 1980, Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock 'n Roll To Me" spent eleven weeks in the Top 10. On which of Joel's albums did the song first appear?

  • A
    Nylon Curtain
  • B
    Glass Houses
  • C
    The Stranger
  • D
    River of Dreams

Question 11

When these "Fab Four" crossed over from England, they blew up Ed Sullivan Theatre. Name these British rock legends.

  • A
    U2
  • B
    The Beach Boys
  • C
    The Strokes
  • D
    The Beatles

Question 12

Fronted by Freddie Mercury, what "Bohemian Rhapsody" band delivered hit after hit, culminating in one of the best rock performances in history at Live Aid?

  • A
    Aerosmith
  • B
    Queen
  • C
    Metallica
  • D
    Coldplay

Question 13

This British rock band's "Stairway to Heaven" leads to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

  • A
    Pearl Jam
  • B
    Linkin Park
  • C
    Led Zeppelin
  • D
    The Clash

Question 14

Who is this master of the electric guitar, known for his "Purple Haze"?

  • A
    ZZ Top
  • B
    Bob Marley
  • C
    Carlos Santana
  • D
    Jimi Hendrix

Question 15

What alternative band can "Testify" to their political lyrics?

  • A
    Imagine Dragons
  • B
    Radiohead
  • C
    The Clash
  • D
    Rage Against the Machine

Question 16

Jim Morrison wanted you to "Light My Fire" as the front of this rock band.

  • A
    The Yardbirds
  • B
    Blink-182
  • C
    The Allman Brothers Band
  • D
    The Doors

Question 17

This rock singer with a unique bluesy voice lived hard and died young. Name that "Piece of My Heart" songstress.

  • A
    Patti Smith
  • B
    Stevie Nicks
  • C
    Taylor Swift
  • D
    Janis Joplin

Question 18

If you've ever rocked out to "Sweet Home Alabama," then you know one of this band's greatest hits. Name that country-rock group.

  • A
    Talking Heads
  • B
    Paramore
  • C
    The Police
  • D
    Lynyrd Skynyrd

Question 19

Who is this folk/rock giant, who many called the "voice of his generation"? "The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wind..."

  • A
    Woody Guthrie
  • B
    John Legend
  • C
    Johnny Cash
  • D
    Bob Dylan

Question 20

A member of which of the following all-female groups appeared on Season 13 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, on which she talked about her recovery from drug and alcohol addiction?

  • A
    The Cover Girls
  • B
    The Bangles
  • C
    En Vogue
  • D
    Wilson Phillips

Question 21

This "Heart-Shaped Box" band's frontman died young, but not before launching one of the greatest alt-rock bands in history. Name that band.

  • A
    Arctic Monkeys
  • B
    R.E.M.
  • C
    Nirvana
  • D
    The Foo Fighters

Question 22

Splitting in 2010 and reuniting almost 10 years later, which of the following groups was awarded L.A.'s Cabaret Act of the Year in 2002 by People Magazine?

  • A
    L7
  • B
    Girls Aloud
  • C
    HAIM
  • D
    Pussycat Dolls

Question 23

What psychedelic British rock band was "Comfortably Numb"?

  • A
    Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • B
    Pink Floyd
  • C
    Grateful Dead
  • D
    Deep Purple

Question 24

Finish this lyric from Bad Company's "Rock 'n Roll Fantasy": "Here comes the dancers one by one, your mama's callin'..."

  • A
    "But you're eating a bun"
  • B
    "But she's not the one"
  • C
    "But you're having fun"
  • D
    "But you're never done"

Question 25

In concert, Robert Plant would often refer to Led Zeppelin's song "Rock and Roll" by the first line of the song instead of by its actual name. What's the first line?

  • A
    "You need coolin', baby"
  • B
    "It's been a long time"
  • C
    "Hey lady, you got the love I need"
  • D
    "We come from the land of the ice and snow"

Question 26

Danny & the Juniors first recorded the prophetic "Rock 'n Roll is Here to Stay" back in 1959. Who performed the song in the 1978 movie Grease under the name Johnny Casino and the Gamblers?

  • A
    The Tokens
  • B
    The Chipmunks
  • C
    Sha Na Na
  • D
    Jay and the Americans

Question 27

Byrds expert Tim Conners once described "So You Wanna Be A Rock 'n Roll Star" as "an acerbic, but good-natured swipe at the success of manufactured rock bands like..." who?

  • A
    Josie and the Pussycats
  • B
    Partridge Family
  • C
    The Monkees
  • D
    Backstreet Boys

Question 28

Which iconic alternative rock star is pictured in the foreground of this middle school band photo?

  • A
    Kurt Cobain
  • B
    Flea
  • C
    Beck
  • D
    Thurston Moore

Question 29

Released in 1977, what song did Rolling Stone magazine call a "no-bulls**t, horn-slathered Silver Bullet crunch with a nod to Chuck Berry"?

  • A
    "Rock 'n Roll Never Forgets"
  • B
    "Rock 'n Roll With Me"
  • C
    "Rock 'n Roll Dream"
  • D
    "Rock 'n Roll Heart"

Question 30

The real first names of the members of TLC were Lisa, Tionne, and Rozonda. Which of the following was NOT one of the nicknames the ladies adopted?

  • A
    R-Zone
  • B
    Left Eye
  • C
    Chilli
  • D
    T-Boz

Question 31

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan also contributed multiple songs to which fellow alterna-rocker's albums?

  • A
    Carrie Brownstein/Sleater-Kinney
  • B
    Courtney Love/Hole
  • C
    Natalie Merchant/10,000 Maniacs
  • D
    Kathleen Hanna/Bikini Kill

Question 32

Inspiring the punk and alternative rock movements, this '60s American rock band was avant garde.

  • A
    Sound Garden
  • B
    Fall Out Boy
  • C
    The Velvet Underground
  • D
    Oasis

Question 33

Written before the band was even signed, and released in 1976 on their very first album, what hit was described as Boston's "song of self-description"?

  • A
    "Rock 'n Roll Train"
  • B
    "Rock 'n Roll Band"
  • C
    "Rock 'n Roll Dream"
  • D
    "Rock 'n Roll Part 2"

Question 34

"Rock 'n Roll is King". Say no more. Name the band whose hit by that name was written by Jeff Lynne and was originally supposed to be called "Motor Factory".

  • A
    'N Sync
  • B
    Electric Light Orchestra
  • C
    The Moody Blues
  • D
    Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Question 35

Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell helped establish the Seattle grunge sound in the early 1990s. What was the name of his side project with members of Pearl Jam?

  • A
    Alice in Chains
  • B
    Temple of the Dog
  • C
    Melvins
  • D
    Mother Love Bone

Question 36

You know a song is great when it's recorded by Chuck Berry, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. Name the song that all three recorded in 1957, 1964, and 1976, respectively.

  • A
    "You Can't Stop Rock 'n Roll"
  • B
    "She Likes Rock 'n Roll"
  • C
    "Rock 'n Roll Music"
  • D
    "Rock 'n Roll is King"

Question 37

Now known simply as The Chicks, The Dixie Chicks have a long history of pumping out hits - and political controversy. After initially issuing an apology for a statement she made at a concert, for what did Natalie Maines rescind that apology in 2006?

  • A
    Criticizing the Iraq War
  • B
    Ripping on Bill Clinton
  • C
    Admitting she hates the Dallas Cowboys
  • D
    Saying she was pro-choice

Question 38

With a single studio album, 1994's Grace, singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley left an indelible musical mark on the world. In which year did the virtuoso meet his untimely death?

  • A
    1987
  • B
    1997
  • C
    2007
  • D
    2000

Question 39

Before recording his own more popular version in 1973, who wrote "Rock 'n Roll Hoochie Koo" for Johnny Winter 3 years earlier?

  • A
    John Denver
  • B
    Jeff Beck
  • C
    Rick Derringer
  • D
    J. Geils

Question 40

"Be My Baby" by The Ronettes is a certified classic. Considered by Billboard to be the best girl-group song ever made, who famously said of the track: “I was driving and I had to pull over to the side of the road — it blew my mind"?

  • A
    Frank Sinatra
  • B
    Brian Wilson
  • C
    Elvis Presley
  • D
    Richard Nixon

Question 41

Which baritone folk singer penned "Hallelujah," the secular hymn that has been covered by more than 300 artists?

  • A
    Jeff Buckley
  • B
    Bob Dylan
  • C
    Leonard Cohen
  • D
    Rufus Wainwright

Question 42

"Rock 'n Roll All Nite" is one of KISS's most iconic songs. With whom did the band perform the song on the season finale of American Idol at the Nokia Theater in 2009?

  • A
    Adam Lambert
  • B
    Daughtry
  • C
    William Hung
  • D
    Bo Bice

Question 43

When the Rolling Stones produced the studio album "It's Only Rock 'n Roll," and the song of the same name, what pseudonym did Keith Richards and Mick Jagger use?

  • A
    The Obtainers
  • B
    The Black Hands
  • C
    The Glimmer Twins
  • D
    The Nerk Twins

Question 44

With which of these musical sounds is the seminal indie-rock band Sonic Youth most associated?

  • A
    Beat boxing
  • B
    Vocal harmonies
  • C
    Guitar feedback
  • D
    Orchestral anthems

Question 45

What band's former lead singer philosophized: "Sometimes I think life is just a rodeo, the trick is to ride and make it to the bell" in his hit "Rock and Roll Girls"?

  • A
    Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • B
    Cream
  • C
    The Eagles
  • D
    Doobie Brothers

Question 46

To quote Alphaville: "it's easy when you're big in Japan." What all-female band became huge in Japan in the 1970s with hits like "Queens of Noise" and "California Paradise"?

  • A
    The Cover Girls
  • B
    Girlschool
  • C
    The Bangles
  • D
    The Runaways

Question 47

Which beloved indie rock group did Stephen Malkmus front in the 1990s?

  • A
    Belle & Sebastian
  • B
    Pavement
  • C
    Built to Spill
  • D
    Yo La Tengo

Question 48

In which all-girl group hit song can you find the iconic lyrics: "Now wait a minute, y'all, This dance ain't for everybody, Only the sexy people"?

  • A
    Klymaxx
  • B
    Salt-n-Pepa
  • C
    Spice Girls
  • D
    t.A.T.u

Question 49

Posing here (curiously) with Cher, David Bowie was a master of reinvention. Which of his many alter egos is this?

  • A
    Major Tom
  • B
    The Thin White Duke
  • C
    Aladdin Sane
  • D
    Halloween Jack

Question 50

Known for being streetwise before punk, and formed out of two sets of sisters - the Weisses and the Gansers - what band was named for local diner in their native Queens, New York?

  • A
    The Shangri-Las
  • B
    The Dixie-Cups
  • C
    The Nu-Luvs
  • D
    The Supremes

Question 51

Which member of legendary glam rock band the New York Dolls would later reinvent himself as lounge lizard Buster Poindexter?

  • A
    Jerry Nolan
  • B
    David Johansen
  • C
    Sylvain Sylvain
  • D
    Johnny Thunders

Question 52

In the liner notes to the compilation "Peel Slowly and See," who wrote: "[The song] 'Rock and Roll' is about me. If I hadn't heard rock and roll on the radio, I would have had no idea there was life on this planet"?

  • A
    David Bowie
  • B
    Lou Reed
  • C
    Justin Bieber
  • D
    Bruce Springsteen

Question 53

RBG might be the most famous Supreme in 2020, but in the 1960s it was Diana Ross. Which of the following was NOT a number one hit for the Supremes?

  • A
    You Keep My Hangin' On
  • B
    You Can't Hurry Love
  • C
    I Hear a Symphony
  • D
    Nowhere to Run

Question 54

In 1987, Susanna Hoffs and the Bangles released a cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter," originally released by Simon & Garfunkel 21 years earlier. For what movie soundtrack did the Bangles record their version?

  • A
    Spaceballs
  • B
    Less Than Zero
  • C
    The Lost Boys
  • D
    Dirty Dancing

Question 55

When your biggest song has been covered by the Mamas & the Papas, David Bowie and Mick Jagger, and Van Halen, you can safely say you're rock influencers. Name the ladies who achieved this honor.

  • A
    Martha and The Vandellas
  • B
    Bananarama
  • C
    The Marvelettes
  • D
    The Supremes

Question 56

Already on their way to stardom, the Go-Go's got a big boost when the brother of the drummer from what band signed them to his new record label, I.R.S.?

  • A
    The Police
  • B
    Haircut 100
  • C
    The Cars
  • D
    The Rolling Stones

Question 57

Which revered alternative rock group did bassist/vocalist Kim Deal co-found in the 1980s?

  • A
    The Replacements
  • B
    The Jesus and Mary Chain
  • C
    Siouxsie and the Banshees
  • D
    The Pixies

Question 58

Joan Jett's 1982 hit "I Love Rock 'n Roll" is definitely a classic. Not so much for the cover version. In what early 2000s movie is the song covered at a karaoke bar, and who sang it?

  • A
    "Crossroads"/Britney Spears
  • B
    "Saved"/Mandy Moore
  • C
    "Dogma"/Alanis Morissette
  • D
    "Glitter"/Mariah Carey

Question 59

Beyoncé is a superstar, but it all started with the powerhouse trio Destiny's Child. Before they were famous, DC would practice in Beyoncé's family garage and in her Mom's hair salon. Where were these places located?

  • A
    Lafayette, Louisiana
  • B
    Houston, Texas
  • C
    Stockton, California
  • D
    Detroit, Michigan

Question 60

The only all-female group to outsell the Spice Girls is the Andrews Sisters. Who was president of the United States when the Andrews Sisters first hit radio airwaves?

  • A
    Ulysses S. Grant
  • B
    Harry S. Truman
  • C
    Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • D
    Franklin D. Roosevelt

Question 61

Which German chanteuse did manager Andy Warhol pressure Lou Reed into adding to the Velvet Underground roster in advance of recording their 1967 debut album?

  • A
    Ingrid Superstar
  • B
    Nico
  • C
    Edie Sedgwick
  • D
    Baby Jane Holzer

Question 62

The Pointer Sisters must have been excited to learn that "I'm So Excited" was ranked #23 on the Billboard charts list of best girl-group tracks of all-time. Which of the following was NOT a Pointer Sister?

  • A
    Anita
  • B
    June
  • C
    Ruth
  • D
    Grace

Question 63

Which band did Johnny Rotten (aka Johnny Lydon) form after leaving the Sex Pistols in 1978?

  • A
    The Pogues
  • B
    Public Image LTD
  • C
    Big Audio Dynamite
  • D
    Flock of Seagulls

Question 64

Described as "anthemic" and a "bold way to start a debut album," "Rock 'n Roll Star" is the first song on the very first album released in 1994 by what band?

  • A
    Hanson
  • B
    Radiohead
  • C
    Oasis
  • D
    Live

Question 65

All-girl group Bananarama set a Guinness record with 28 Top 50 songs on the UK charts. What actor appears in the title of one of their songs that went all the way to number 3 in 1984?

  • A
    Ralph Macchio
  • B
    Sylvester Stallone
  • C
    Robert De Niro
  • D
    Tom Selleck

Question 66

This band's "Never Ever" was the third-best selling single in UK history, behind only "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls and "Shout Out to My Ex" by Little Mix. Name this all-girl group.

  • A
    Sugababes
  • B
    Spicier Girls
  • C
    Girls Aloud
  • D
    All Saints

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