Eighties Video Vanguard Trivia

100 questions · by Qwiz Rush

Eighties Video Vanguard Trivia is a free 100-question multiple choice, letters and numbers quiz on Qwiz Rush, made by Qwiz Rush, split into 10 rounds. Test your knowledge on the creative, flashy, and groundbreaking music videos that defined the golden era of MTV.

Host it live for friends, family, a class or a quiz night: everyone joins with a game code on their own device, no app needed. Or play it solo with Free Play and see how many you get right.

Every question runs on a 10-second countdown and the fastest correct answers score the most. All the questions and their choices are listed below so you can see what the quiz covers; the answers are revealed in the game. Want to change something? Make your own copy and edit it in your library.

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The 100 questions

  1. What was the very first music video broadcast on MTV when the channel launched on August 1st?

    • You Better Run
    • Video Killed the Radio Star
    • Brass in Pocket
    • Take On Me

  2. Which rock artist's video for "You Better Run" was the second video ever played on MTV?

    • Pat Benatar
    • Joan Jett
    • Stevie Nicks
    • Chrissie Hynde

  3. Who was the first MTV Video Jockey (VJ) to speak on screen during the channel's launch day?

    • Alan Hunter
    • Martha Quinn
    • Mark Goodman
    • Nina Blackwood

  4. Which British New Wave band performed "Video Killed the Radio Star", the historic first video played on MTV?

    • The Buggles
    • The Cars
    • Devo
    • Squeeze

  5. Who was the respected radio veteran and only African-American VJ among the "original five" MTV VJs?

    • J.J. Jackson
    • Don Cornelius
    • Downtown Julie Brown
    • Ed Lover

  6. Which media executive is credited with co-creating MTV and uttering the famous launch words, "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll"?

    • John Lack
    • Robert Pittman
    • Michael Nesmith
    • Jann Wenner

  7. In what calendar year did MTV make its historic television debut on August 1st?

    Answer with a number.

  8. How many original on-air personalities, known as VJs, were hired to host MTV's launch?

    Answer with a number.

  9. Name the co-founder and lead vocalist of The Buggles who went on to become a legendary music producer for acts like Yes and Seal.

    Answer with a letter.

  10. Name the youngest of the original MTV VJs, widely celebrated for her bubbly, girl-next-door personality and deep indie music knowledge.

    Answer with a letter.

  11. Which choreographer, who later directed the 'High School Musical' franchise, choreographically staged the famous parade sequence in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and worked on several iconic 1980s music videos?

    • Kenny Ortega
    • Michael Peters
    • Vince Paterson
    • Arlene Phillips

  12. Which future pop superstar won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 1987 for her work on Janet Jackson's 'Nasty' video?

    • Paula Abdul
    • Madonna
    • Toni Basil
    • Debbie Allen

  13. What highly choreographed 1982 music video by Toni Basil featured a vibrant cheerleading routine that she choreographed herself?

    • Mickey
    • Over My Head
    • Shoop Shoop Song
    • Shopping from A to Z

  14. Which 1989 Janet Jackson music video featured an intense, military-style synchronized routine set in a bleak, industrial factory?

    • Rhythm Nation
    • The Pleasure Principle
    • What Have You Done for Me Lately
    • Miss You Much

  15. Who choreographed Madonna's Fritz Lang-inspired, highly stylized 1989 music video for 'Express Yourself'?

    • Vincent Paterson
    • Michael Peters
    • Jeffrey Hornaday
    • Carlton Wilborn

  16. The innovative, award-winning 1983 music video for Herbie Hancock's 'Rockit' featured choreographed movements performed by what unusual elements?

    • Robotic legs and mannequins
    • Floating musical instruments
    • Animated claymation figures
    • Synchronized laser beams

  17. In what year did MTV premiere Michael Jackson's landmark 14-minute choreographic masterpiece 'Thriller'?

    Answer with a number.

  18. In what year did Olivia Newton-John release her heavily choreographed, aerobics-themed music video for the smash hit 'Physical'?

    Answer with a number.

  19. Name the legendary American dancer and actor whose iconic 'Band Wagon' film choreography directly inspired Michael Jackson's white-suited choreography in the 'Smooth Criminal' music video.

    Answer with a letter.

  20. What is the surname of the legendary choreographer who co-created the iconic zombie dance for Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and also choreographed the 'Beat It' music video?

    Answer with a letter.

  21. Which 1982 Disney sci-fi film was the first feature-length motion picture to utilize extensive 3D computer-generated imagery (CGI) alongside live-action footage?

    • The Black Hole
    • Tron
    • The Last Starfighter
    • Flight of the Navigator

  22. Which 1989 James Cameron film featured the groundbreaking CGI 'pseudopod' water tentacle, created by Industrial Light & Magic?

    • The Abyss
    • Aliens
    • Leviathan
    • Terminator 2: Judgment Day

  23. Who directed the 1988 landmark film 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', which seamlessly blended live-action and hand-drawn animation?

    • Steven Spielberg
    • Don Bluth
    • Robert Zemeckis
    • Richard Williams

  24. Which pioneering 1986 Pixar short film, directed by John Lasseter, featured the iconic hopping desk lamp that eventually became the company's mascot?

    • Tin Toy
    • Luxo Jr.
    • Red's Dream
    • The Adventures of André & Wally B.

  25. Which 1985 Barry Levinson film featured the first-ever fully computer-generated 3D character in a feature film, depicting a stained-glass knight coming to life?

    • Labyrinth
    • Legend
    • Young Sherlock Holmes
    • The NeverEnding Story

  26. What stop-motion technique, developed by Phil Tippett for 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Dragonslayer', introduced computer-controlled motion blur to make miniature movements look smoother?

    • Go-motion
    • Claymation
    • Pixilation
    • Dynamation

  27. In what year did the groundbreaking anime masterpiece 'Akira' premiere in Japan, setting a new global standard for detailed hand-drawn animation?

    Answer with a number.

  28. In what year did Disney release 'The Little Mermaid', marking the final Disney feature film to use the traditional hand-painted cel animation process before transitioning to the digital CAPS system?

    Answer with a number.

  29. What is the name of the iconic, gluttonous green ghost captured by the team in the 1984 supernatural comedy 'Ghostbusters'?

    Answer with a letter.

  30. What is the surname of the legendary special effects master who created the stop-motion creature effects for 'Clash of the Titans' (1981), which served as his final feature film?

    Answer with a letter.

  31. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video, directed by John Landis, features a famous spoken-word voiceover by which legendary horror film actor?

    • Vincent Price
    • Christopher Lee
    • Bela Lugosi
    • Boris Karloff

  32. Which band's cinematic music video for "Take On Me" features a pencil-sketch animation style known as rotoscoping mixed with live action?

    • A-ha
    • Tears for Fears
    • Duran Duran
    • Alphaville

  33. Directed by David Fincher, which 1989 Madonna music video features a dark, industrial aesthetic heavily inspired by Fritz Lang's classic film "Metropolis"?

    • Express Yourself
    • Vogue
    • Like a Prayer
    • Oh Father

  34. The narrative music video for Pat Benatar's 1983 hit "Love Is a Battlefield" features her character running away from home and finding work in what type of establishment?

    • A taxi dance hall
    • A Broadway theater
    • A circus
    • A cruise ship

  35. Which English band's cinematic video for "The Wild Boys" (1984) was directed by Russell Mulcahy and featured a massive, expensive set depicting a post-apocalyptic world?

    • Duran Duran
    • Spandau Ballet
    • Depeche Mode
    • The Cure

  36. In the highly narrative 1983 music video for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler, what setting serves as the primary backdrop for the surreal, dreamlike sequences?

    • A gothic boarding school
    • A deserted island
    • A Victorian asylum
    • A high-tech laboratory

  37. In what year was the landmark, 14-minute-long cinematic music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" first broadcast on MTV?

    Answer with a number.

  38. How many members of the band Genesis are depicted as caricature puppets in the satirical, narrative 1986 music video for "Land of Confusion"?

    Answer with a number.

  39. Name the Academy Award-winning director of "The Departed" who directed the cinematic, 18-minute subway-set music video for Michael Jackson's 1987 hit "Bad".

    Answer with a letter.

  40. Name the Oscar-nominated actor who portrayed the protective, concerned father in the narrative music video for Madonna's 1986 hit "Papa Don't Preach".

    Answer with a letter.

  41. Which pioneering animation technique, involving tracing over live-action film footage frame-by-frame, was used to create the iconic pencil-sketch look of A-ha's 'Take On Me' music video?

    • Rotoscoping
    • Claymation
    • Stop-motion
    • Pixilation

  42. Shot on 35mm film in Antigua, Duran Duran's stylish 1982 music video for 'Rio' features the band performing on what type of vessel?

    • A luxury yacht
    • A paddle steamer
    • A military submarine
    • A wooden raft

  43. In what year was the highly stylized, ranch-set music video for Devo's synthpop hit 'Whip It' released?

    Answer with a number.

  44. Who directed the historic music video for 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by The Buggles, which famously became the first video played on MTV?

    • Russell Mulcahy
    • Steve Barron
    • Julien Temple
    • David Mallet

  45. What farm animal makes a bizarre, surreal appearance in a boardroom during the music video for Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)'?

    Answer with a letter.

  46. The music video for which 1986 New Order synthpop single features a mix of black-and-white art-studio footage, argument scenes, and avant-garde dancing choreographed by Michael Clark?

    • Bizarre Love Triangle
    • Blue Monday
    • True Faith
    • The Perfect Kiss

  47. In what year did MTV (Music Television) officially launch, forever changing the visual landscape for New Wave and Synthpop acts?

    Answer with a number.

  48. Which Tears for Fears music video features singer Curt Smith standing on a jetty while songwriter Roland Orzabal performs a bizarre, erratic dance inside a lakeside house?

    • Mad World
    • Pale Shelter
    • Change
    • Shout

  49. What is the surname of the multi-talented choreographer and co-director who helped David Byrne develop his iconic, spastic physical movements for the Talking Heads' 'Once in a Lifetime' video?

    Answer with a letter.

  50. Set during a cinematic murder-mystery film shoot on a cold winter day, the music video for which synthpop classic was filmed in and around a studio in Berkshire, England?

    • Don't You Want Me
    • Love Action (I Believe in Love)
    • (Keep Feeling) Fascination
    • Mirror Man

  51. In the iconic 1983 music video for Quiet Riot's 'Metal Health (Bang Your Head)', what distinctive object does the straightjacket-wearing character wear on his face?

    • A hockey mask
    • A chrome metal mask
    • A leather executioner's hood
    • A clown mask

  52. Which actress famously danced across the hoods of two Jaguar cars in Whitesnake's 1987 music video for 'Here I Go Again'?

    • Tawny Kitaen
    • Heather Locklear
    • Lita Ford
    • Pamela Anderson

  53. In the comedic intro to Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' video, what actor plays the overbearing, screaming father who gets blown out of a window by a guitar chord?

    • Mark Metcalf
    • Ned Beatty
    • Jeffrey Jones
    • Dick Miller

  54. The opening scene of Guns N' Roses' 'Welcome to the Jungle' video features Axl Rose arriving in a new city. What is he carrying as he steps off the bus?

    • A suitcase and a piece of hay in his mouth
    • A guitar case
    • A boombox
    • A leather jacket over his shoulder

  55. What physical event is depicted happening to the band's performance space during Def Leppard's music video for 'Pour Some Sugar on Me'?

    • The building is being demolished by a wrecking ball
    • The stage is slowly sinking into water
    • A massive indoor rainstorm starts
    • The crowd tears down the stage barriers

  56. In Cinderella's 'Shake Me' video, two wicked stepsisters are obsessed with the band. Which classic fairy tale is the video's narrative loosely based on?

    • Cinderella
    • Snow White
    • Sleeping Beauty
    • Rapunzel

  57. In what year did Van Halen release their landmark album '1984', which featured the wildly popular MTV staple video 'Hot for Teacher'?

    Answer with a number.

  58. How many band members of Metallica are shown performing in the dark warehouse space in their first-ever music video, 'One'?

    Answer with a number.

  59. Identify the mythical, hairy creature that Ozzy Osbourne transforms into during his classic 1983 music video for 'Bark at the Moon'.

    Answer with a letter.

  60. Name the stringed instrument played by Angus Young in AC/DC's high-voltage 1980s music videos like 'Back in Black' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'.

    Answer with a letter.

  61. Who directed the controversial 1989 music video for Madonna's "Like a Prayer"?

    • Mary Lambert
    • David Fincher
    • Jean-Baptiste Mondino
    • Steve Barron

  62. Which professional wrestling manager played Cyndi Lauper's father in her iconic 1983 music video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"?

    • Captain Lou Albano
    • Rowdy Roddy Piper
    • Hulk Hogan
    • Jimmy Hart

  63. What color palette is exclusively used in the stark, military-style choreography of Janet Jackson's 1989 "Rhythm Nation" music video?

    • Black and white
    • Neon pink and green
    • Red and gold
    • Blue and silver

  64. In the 1983 music video for "Love Is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar, her character leaves her home to work as what in New York City?

    • A taxi dancer
    • A waitress
    • A fashion model
    • A Broadway actress

  65. Which distinct visual element is prominently featured as the backdrop in Whitney Houston's colorful 1985 music video for "How Will I Know"?

    • A striking multi-colored paint-splattered maze
    • A futuristic spaceship interior
    • A classic 1950s neon diner
    • A rain-slicked city street at night

  66. Olivia Newton-John's 1981 music video for "Physical" features her working out in a gym. What sport does she play at the very end of the video with a classmate?

    • Tennis
    • Racquetball
    • Squash
    • Badminton

  67. In what year did Tina Turner release her massive comeback album "Private Dancer", which spawned the MTV-staple music video for "What's Love Got to Do with It"?

    Answer with a number.

  68. In what year did Madonna release her self-titled debut studio album, launching her journey to becoming the ultimate video vanguard?

    Answer with a number.

  69. What is the mononymous stage name of the British-Nigerian lead singer who captivated MTV audiences with the stylish, film-noir-inspired 1984 music video for "Smooth Operator"?

    Answer with a letter.

  70. Name the Jamaican-American singer, supermodel, and muse who delivered a striking, avant-garde performance in her 1985 music video for "Slave to the Rhythm".

    Answer with a letter.

  71. Which animation studio co-created the groundbreaking, surreal stop-motion and claymation visual effects for Peter Gabriel's 1986 "Sledgehammer" music video?

    • Aardman Animations
    • Laika
    • Rankin/Bass
    • Will Vinton Studios

  72. The eerie, award-winning 1983 music video for Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" features robotic, disembodied limbs and kinetic sculptures created by artist Jim Whiting. Who directed this avant-garde masterpiece?

    • Godley & Creme
    • David Fincher
    • Steve Barron
    • Julien Temple

  73. David Byrne's iconic, twitchy, marionette-like choreography in the surreal 1980 video for Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime" was co-choreographed by Byrne and which famous dancer?

    • Toni Basil
    • Twyla Tharp
    • Martha Graham
    • Bob Fosse

  74. Which 1984 music video by The Cars utilized pioneering, surreal computer graphics to depict singer Ric Ocasek as a giant fly, a lipstick, and a monster in a girl's bathroom?

    • You Might Think
    • Drive
    • Magic
    • Shake It Up

  75. In Kate Bush's cinematic, surreal 1985 music video for "Cloudbusting", which acclaimed actor portrays her father, the eccentric inventor Wilhelm Reich?

    • Donald Sutherland
    • Michael Caine
    • Christopher Lee
    • Jeremy Irons

  76. Directed by Tim Pope, the claustrophobic and surreal 1989 music video for which song by The Cure features frontman Robert Smith being swallowed alive by a giant cannibalistic spider?

    • Lullaby
    • Pictures of You
    • Lovesong
    • Close to Me

  77. In what year was Laurie Anderson's minimalist, avant-garde synth-pop masterpiece "O Superman" released as a surprise hit single?

    Answer with a number.

  78. Peter Gabriel's surreal masterpiece "Sledgehammer" holds the record for the most MTV Video Music Awards won by a single video. How many Moonmen did it take home at the 1987 ceremony?

    Answer with a number.

  79. The surreal, pencil-sketch fantasy world of A-ha's 1985 music video "Take On Me" was achieved using which animation technique where live-action footage is traced frame-by-frame?

    Answer with a letter.

  80. The striking, surrealist cubist imagery and avant-garde music videos of Grace Jones in the 1980s were created in collaboration with which French graphic designer and photographer?

    Answer with a letter.

  81. At the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna performed "Like a Virgin" in a wedding dress accessorized with a belt buckle displaying which phrase?

    • Boy Toy
    • Material Girl
    • Lucky Star
    • Wild One

  82. Designed by Deborah Landis, the iconic red leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson in the "Thriller" music video featured which distinctive design element on the front?

    • A black "V" shape
    • A silver zipper grid
    • A gold embroidered crown
    • A white stripe down the center

  83. In the music video for ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man", what specific brand of customized 1933 hot rod coupe is prominently featured?

    • Ford
    • Cadillac
    • Chevrolet
    • Lincoln

  84. In her "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video, Cyndi Lauper wore a vibrant, multi-layered red dress she famously purchased from which location?

    • A thrift shop on St. Mark's Place
    • A Parisian haute couture runway
    • Her mother's closet
    • A department store bridal section

  85. What is the official name of the tiered, red plastic dome hats worn by Devo in their 1980 "Whip It" music video?

    • Energy Domes
    • Power Pyramids
    • Cosmic Crowns
    • Static Helmets

  86. Run-D.M.C. popularized wearing Adidas Superstar sneakers without laces in their music videos. What was the name of the 1986 track they wrote celebrating this specific footwear brand?

    • My Adidas
    • Walk This Way
    • Rock Box
    • King of Rock

  87. During his iconic performances and music videos of the 1980s, such as "Billie Jean", how many rhinestone-covered gloves did Michael Jackson typically wear at one time?

    Answer with a number.

  88. In what year was the music video for Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" released, showcasing his backing band of mannequin-like women wearing slicked-back hair and red lipstick?

    Answer with a number.

  89. Identify the color of the iconic, high-collared trench coat worn by Prince in the "Purple Rain" music video and movie, which became his signature hue.

    Answer with a letter.

  90. Name the lead singer of Culture Club who became a 1980s fashion icon for his androgynous look, colorful makeup, and braided hair in videos like "Karma Chameleon".

    Answer with a letter.

  91. Which music video won the very first MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year at the inaugural 1984 ceremony?

    • Thriller
    • You Might Think
    • Rockit
    • Girls Just Want to Have Fun

  92. How many MTV Video Music Awards did Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" win in 1987, setting a record for a single video that still stands today?

    Answer with a number.

  93. Which Norwegian band won the 1986 MTV Video Music Award for Best Concept Video for their groundbreaking pencil-sketch animation in "Take On Me"?

    • A-ha
    • Duran Duran
    • Alphaville
    • Tears for Fears

  94. At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, which controversial video by Madonna won the Viewer's Choice Award despite being banned by Pepsi and condemned by the Vatican?

    • Express Yourself
    • Like a Prayer
    • Cherish
    • Oh Father

  95. Which 1985 Dire Straits music video, famous for its early computer-animated characters, won the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year in 1986?

    • Money for Nothing
    • Walk of Life
    • Sultans of Swing
    • Brothers in Arms

  96. Who directed the iconic, award-winning 1983 music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller"?

    • John Landis
    • Martin Scorsese
    • Steven Spielberg
    • David Fincher

  97. Which artist won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1989 for his dystopian, stop-motion-heavy video "Leave Me Alone"?

    • Michael Jackson
    • Prince
    • David Bowie
    • George Michael

  98. In what year did MTV launch its inaugural Video Music Awards (VMAs) ceremony at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City?

    Answer with a number.

  99. Identify the Bruce Springsteen song whose music video, directed by Brian De Palma and featuring a young Courteney Cox, won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance in 1985.

    Answer with a letter.

  100. Identify the legendary jazz keyboardist whose visually inventive, robotic video for the instrumental track "Rockit" won five MTV Video Music Awards in 1984.

    Answer with a letter.