The 1980s: an era known for big hair, bigger shoulder pads, and some of the biggest pop culture moments in history. From the era-defining music of Madonna and Michael Jackson to iconic movies like ‘Back to the Future‘ and ‘The Breakfast Club,’ the ’80s had it all. The decade gave birth to MTV, introduced us to Pac-Man, and made us all believe that “greed is good.”
This set of ’80s trivia questions and answers is a total nostalgia trip. Remember when E.T. phoned home? Or when Ferris Bueller took a day off? How about that time when everyone was trying to solve the Rubik’s Cube? This quiz will test how well you remember those rad times.
Take a trip down memory lane with this ’80s quiz and find out if you are a true ’80s aficionado or just an occasional time-traveler. No need to break out your old cassette tapes for a refresher—we’ve got all the best bits from the 1980s right here!
For those who can’t get enough of the trivia buzz, check out our 70’s trivia questions or let’s see how well you know the new millenium with our 2000’s trivia. If you’re a movie buff, don’t miss our 80’s movie trivia questions.
Which two toy lines, released in 1982, became the most popular?
Transformers and Barbie
Lego City and Hot Wheels
Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
My Little Pony and Cabbage Patch Kids
In 1982, which virus famously targeted Apple II computers?
Brain
Creeper
Elk Cloner
Morris Worm
What was No Doubt’s first released video called?
Just A Girl
Don’t Speak
Spiderwebs
Trapped In A Box
Which artist originally sang the hit single “Der Kommissar (The Commissioner)”?
Missing Persons
Falco
Sandra
After The Fire
In the ” Galaga ” arcade game, what color does your ship turn if captured in a tractor beam?
Yellow
Blue
Green
Red
In “A Fish Called Wanda”, what advice does Otto give while eating the pet fish?
Avoid The Blue Ones
Avoid The Black Ones
Avoid The Green Ones
Avoid The Orange Ones
Who was the first female candidate for Vice President in U.S. history in 1984?
Hillary Clinton
Angelina Jolie
Geraldine Ferraro
Nancy Pelosi
Who led the “Rainbow Coalition” in the 1980s?
Gary Hart
James Watt
Elton John
Rev. Jesse Jackson
What actor made his big screen debut in the 1986 film “SpaceCamp”?
Balthazar Getty
Kevin Chapman
John Travolta
Joaquin Phoenix
In 1987, which famous singer appeared on the TV soap “Another World”?
Kenny G
Dolly Parton
Crystal Gayle
Kenny Rogers
Which actress was featured in the 80’s sitcom, “Square Pegs”?
Sarah Jessica Parker
Justine Bateman
Mindy Cohn
Courteney Cox
What Blondie album was released in 1982?
No Exit
The Hunter
AutoAmerican
Parallel Lines
How many Bond movies were made in the 1980s?
0
4
6
1
These two benefits, “Live Aid” and “Band Aid”, benefited what?
Aids Research
Homeless In The USA
Aids Education
African Famine Relief
Who is famous for the slogan “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams”?
Robin Leach
Dick Cavett
Monty Hall
Fernando Lamas
What 80’s British music star guest starred in one episode of the “A-Team”?
George Harrison
Ozzy Osbourne
Boy George
George Michaels
What’s the name of the hurricane that hit the coast of South Carolina on September 22, 1988?
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Billy-Ray
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Gracie
In what 1986 film did George Harrison play a nightclub singer?
Gateway To Spies
The Golden Child
Shanghai Surprise
Ruthless People
What is Baby’s real name in “Dirty Dancing”?
Frances
Barbara
Lisa
Cindy
Who was the first American woman to travel to space in 1983?
Mae Jemison
Sally Ride
Eileen Collins
Judith Resnik
Tom Hanks and Donna Dixon starred in which 1980s TV show?
The Cosby Show
Bosom Buddies
Mad About You
Bewitched
Who starred with Michael J. Fox in the movie “Light Of Day”?
Tina Turner
Kim Carnes
Chrissie Hynde
Joan Jett
How much did the first “Air Jordan” retail for in 1985?
$15
$225
$65
$105
What was the name of the multi-platinum 1988 album by Gloria Estefan?
Let It Loose
Gloria
Destiny
Cuts Both Ways
Who sang the theme to the 1988 movie “Working Girl”?
Michelle Shocked
Linda Ronstadt
Sheryl Crow
Carly Simon
Elton John sang with which R&B artist in 1985’s single “That’s What Friends are For”?
Patti LaBelle
Dionne Warwick
Aretha Franklin
Martha Reeves
U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop denounced what practice in 1982?
Plastic Surgery
Smoking
Drinking
Not Wearing A Seatbelt
What 1984 movie did Belinda Carlisle perform in?
Firestarter
Purple Rain
Swing Shift
This Is Spinal Tap
Who was the co-founder of Apple Computer, who founded NeXT Computer in 1985?
Steven Paul Jobs
Jeffrey P. Bezos
Lee De Forest
Gordon Moore
Who put out the hit single “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” in 1985?
Culture Beat
Wham!
Gerry Rafferty
Surfaris
Krystle Carrington is a character from which television series?
Passions
General Hospital
Dallas
Dynasty
In 1984, who offered Billy Gibbon and Dusty Hill money to cut off their beards?
Gillette
MTV
Bic
Sony
What was the baby’s name in “Three Men and a Baby”?
Elizabeth
Mary
Christy
Susan
Who is Donkey Kong’s primary sidekick in “Donkey Kong”?
Diddy
Cranky
Buddy
Skippy
Jeff Lynne of ELO joined which band in 1988?
Material Issue
Genesis
Fleetwood Mac
Traveling Wilburys
The logo for which 1980s maker of pants was a “Slippery When Wet” caution sign?
Skidz
Nike
Jellies
Hanes
In Don Bluth’s cartoon feature “An American Tail”, what was Fievel’s last name?
Mousekewitz
He Had No Last Name
Mousenstein
Catack
What is the name of the theatrical score that David Byrne wrote in 1981?
The Wedding Song
The Here And Now
The Catherine Wheel
The Keyboardist
What 1984 movie has the characters Noodles, Fat Moe, and Max?
Dick Tracy
Chaplin
JFK
Once Upon A Time In America
Which Beatles song did Britain’s Thompson Twins cover in the mid-1980s?
Mean Mr. Mustard
Yellow Submarine
Strawberry Fields Forever
Revolution
What casual clothing brand did Levi Strauss & Co. introduce in 1986?
Old Navy
Garanimals
Fruit Of The Loom
Dockers
Vanessa Williams was selected Miss America 1984 while representing which U.S. state?
New Jersey
New York
Texas
California
Which group had a novelty hit in 1982 with “Mexican Radio”?
The Jam
Wall Of Voodoo
Jayhawks
Romeo Void
What is the name of the orange ghost in “Ms. Pac-Man”?
Clyde
Sally
Patty
Sue
What game, released in 1989, allowed the player to build a city?
Bakubaku
CityWorlds
Tetris City Streets
Sim City
What fictional planet did Alf come from in the 1980s TV show of the same name?
Mackler
Orf
Melmac
Maglum
What was Madonna’s first top 40 hit?
Material Girl
Like A Virgin
Crazy For You
Holiday
What group did the theme song from James Bond’s “The Living Daylights”?
Duran Duran
A-Ha
Paul McCartney & Wings
ABBA
What was the name of the dog on the children’s show “Fraggle Rock”?
Bowser
Speigal
Sprocket
Alfie
In which 1985 film did Tina Turner appear?
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Cocoon
Brewster’s Millions
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
Who did Bonnie Raitt sing backup for in a 1987 television special?
Bob Dylan
Tom Petty
George Harrison
Roy Orbison
What Bob Seger album won 2 Grammys at the 1981 Grammys?
Like A Rock
Stranger In Town
Against The Wind
Night Moves
Which of the following did not win Best Actor in the 80s?
Robert Duvall
Henry Fonda
Jeremy Irons
Paul Newman
“One Day at a Time” took place in which city?
Indianapolis
Toledo
Kansas City
Des Moines
The video game “Tetris” is what type of game?
Sports
Role Playing
First Person Shooter
Puzzle
What was the name of President Ronald Reagan’s English Sheepdog?
Lucky
Roy
Millie
Fala
Which song was a Number One hit for Tanya Tucker in 1986?
Ridin’ Rainbows
Just Another Love
Spring
Love’s The Answer
Which group sang the hit “I Want Candy”?
The Waitresses
Bow Wow Wow
The Pretenders
The Go-Gos
In which 80’s arcade game might you hear “body blow! body blow!”?
Punch-Out
Tron
Rampage
Berzerk
Who portrayed Sid Vicious in the acclaimed film “Sid and Nancy”?
Tim Roth
Gary Oldman
Alfred Molina
David Thewliss
Who played Dorothy’s student that got deported on “The Golden Girls”?
Mario Lopez
Leonardo DiCaprio
McCauley Culkin
Brendan Frasier
Who played Derek Smalls in “This Is Spinal Tap”?
Harry Shearer
David Lander
Paul Shaffer
Michael McKean
The original 12-inch single of “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell included which classic medley?
Remember Me?
My Girl
I Feel Love
Where Did Our Love Go?
What was the MTV game show hosted by Ken Ober and Colin Quinn?
Name That Video
Singled Out
Remote Control
Idiot Savants
From 1983 to 1984, Desi Arnaz Jr. starred in which ABC TV series?
Desi’s Place
Barefoot In The Park
The Avengers
Automan
Who were the two candidates for President in 1988?
Jason Priestley And Kenny Rogers
Herbert Hoover And Alfred E. Smith
George Bush And Michael Dukakis
Bill Clinton And George Bush
Which exchange introduced the “Small Order Execution System” in 1987?
New York Stock Exchange
Tokyo Stock Exchange
NASDAQ
American Stock Exchange
What did Kenneth G. Wilson of the U.S. win the Nobel Prize for in 1982?
Method Of Creating Peptides
Discovery Of W And Z Particles
Study Of Prostaglandins
Theory Of Phase Transitions
On which TV sitcom was Molly Ringwald a regular?
Webster
The Facts Of Life
Happy Days
Diff’rent Strokes
The 1980 film “Raging Bull” starred which of these actors?
Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons
Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell
Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin
Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty
How many members were there in the band Tears For Fears?
5
4
2
3
Who wrote “Liar’s Poker”?
Frank Yablans
Michael Lewis
Bryan Burroughs
James B. Stewart
What actor played Willie Mays Hayes in the 1989 flick, “Major League”?
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Wesley Snipes
Denzel Washington
Charlie Sheen
Which actor formed his production company, Tribeca Productions, in 1989?
Denzel Washington
Robert De Niro
James Caan
Tom Cruise
Who was Walter Mondale’s running mate in the 1984 U.S. Presidential election?
Geraldine Ferraro
Michael Dukakis
Dan Quayle
Hubert Humphrey
Which single of The Bangles feature hieroglyphics on the cover?
Return Post
Walk Like An Egyptian
If She Knew What She Wants
Let It Go
Queen recorded music for which 1980 film and its accompanying soundtrack?
Somewhere In Time
Flash Gordon
Excalibur
Clash Of The Titans
The tagline, “Yule crack up.”, comes from what 1989 movie?
Christmas Vacation
The Arrival
Arachnophobia
Batman & Robin
What was the character’s name played by Robert Redford in “The Natural”?
Roy Hobbs
Roy Savoy
Ray Cone
Hal Holyfield
Billy Joel’s song “My Life” became the theme song for which 1980s sitcom?
Growing Pains
Perfect Strangers
Bosom Buddies
Night Court
What film had Daryl Hannah’s character wooed by a big-nosed fire chief?
Anne
Rosanne
Roxanne
Marianne
Jackson Browne had which hit single in 1983?
Show Me The Way
New Kid In Town/Victim Of Love
Lawyers In Love
Today
The best-selling video in 1985 was?
Jane Fonda’s Workout
Wham! The Video
Gone With The Wind
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
What NBA legend had cameo roles in “Airplane!” and “Fletch”?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Which 1984 movie featured Sylvester Stallone singing?
Rocky
Rhinestone
The Contender
Dollywood
In 1988, which band won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance?
Aerosmith
Jethro Tull
AC/DC
Metallica
Who entertained the crowd before the fight in “Rocky 4”?
Hulk Hogan
Mr. T
James Brown
Ray Charles
What was the name of the 1980 album Cyndi Lauper released with her band Blue Angel?
Extrapolate
Doc West
Fusion
Polydor
What fruity-named competitor did The Gap buy in 1983?
Grape-Nuts
Applebee’s
Banana Republic
Orange Julius
What was Molly Ringwald’s character’s name in “Sixteen Candles”?
Sarah
Claire
Molly
Samantha
Whose final screen appearance was in the movie “On Golden Pond”?
Katharine Hepburn
Henry Fonda
Walter Brennan
Jack Lemmon
What candy added red back into its traditional color mix in 1987?
Mr. Goodbar
Nestle’s Crunch
M&M’s
Milk Duds
What Cold War landmark was dismantled on November 11, 1989?
Ipatiev House
Crystal Palace
Berlin Wall
Brandenburg Gate
Which Washington D.C. memorial was dedicated on November 13, 1982?
Vietnam Memorial
Eternal Flame
Lincoln Memorial
Washington Memorial
What yellow dot-eating creature made his arcade debut in 1981?
Sonic
Mario
Q-Bert
Pac Man
What was the top-grossing film of 1987?
Good Morning, Vietnam
Beverly Hills Cop II
Three Men And A Baby
Fatal Attraction
In which city did the TV show “Cheers” take place?
Boston
New York City
Los Angeles
St. Louis
Billy Idol had which hit single in 1987?
Raindrops
Desert Rose
Jealousy
Mony Mony
Lee Horsley played the title role in what 1980s detective series?
Matt Dennis
Matt Lincoln
Matt Houston
Matt Helm
In “The Blues Brothers”, who played a woman trying to kill Jake and Elwood?
Carrie Fisher
Karen Black
Mackenzie Phillips
Susan Strasberg
Which 80’s star got married on the first season of “The Surreal Life”?
Richard Benjamin
Judd Nelson
Corey Feldman
Corey Haim
The theme for “Miami Vice” was written and composed by whom?
Gary Numan
Pseudo Echo
Herbie Hancock
Jan Hammer
Men Without Hats was a synth-pop band from which nation?
Belgium
Canada
Holland
Sweden
What is the name of the Simple Minds song that appeared in the movie “The Breakfast Club”?
Alive & Kicking
Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Waterfront
Sanctify Yourself
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
