August 1, 1981 is one of the most important dates in music history. At 12:01 AM, MTV beamed "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles into American living rooms and changed how the world consumed music forever. Suddenly, image mattered as much as sound, and artists who looked great on camera had an enormous advantage.
Kim Carnes's "Bette Davis Eyes" dominated the year, spending nine weeks at number one. The Rolling Stones proved they could still sell arenas with "Start Me Up" from Tattoo You. Phil Collins launched his solo career with Face Value and its unforgettable single "In the Air Tonight." REO Speedwagon's Hi Infidelity became the year's best-selling album, riding the success of "Keep On Loving You."
Synth-pop was crossing the Atlantic. Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" signaled the British invasion of synthesizer-driven pop that would dominate the mid-80s. Meanwhile, Blondie's "Rapture" made history as the first #1 hit to feature rap vocals, pointing toward hip-hop's future mainstream success.
Power ballads were born this year. Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You" spent a record ten consecutive weeks at #2 (blocked by Olivia Newton-John's "Physical"). Air Supply scored two #1 hits. Rick Springfield delivered "Jessie's Girl," which would win the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. The musical landscape was shifting rapidly, and 1981 was the pivot point.
Our 1981 music trivia quiz draws from Billboard Hot 100 chart data, Grammy records, and the behind-the-scenes stories that shaped the year. Questions range from moderate (identifying hit singles) to expert-level deep cuts about chart positions, songwriting credits, and the album tracks that defined the era. Whether you were glued to MTV's opening night or you discovered these songs decades later, this quiz will test how well you really know the music of 1981.
Test yourself with 15 multiple-choice questions about the music of 1981.
1. What was the first music video played on MTV when it launched on August 1, 1981?
A) Thriller — Michael Jackson
B) Video Killed the Radio Star — The Buggles
C) Whip It — Devo
D) Take On Me — a-ha
2. Kim Carnes had the biggest hit of 1981 with which song?
A) Bette Davis Eyes
B) I Love a Rainy Night
C) Keep On Loving You
D) Jessie's Girl
3. Which Rick Springfield single spent two weeks at #1 and won a Grammy?
A) Don't Talk to Strangers
B) Love Somebody
C) Jessie's Girl
D) Affair of the Heart
4. REO Speedwagon's "Hi Infidelity" album spent how many weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200?
A) 5 weeks
B) 10 weeks
C) 15 weeks
D) 20 weeks
5. Which Soft Cell synth-pop hit became a worldwide smash in 1981?
A) Tainted Love
B) Fade to Grey
C) Just Can't Get Enough
D) Don't You Want Me
6. Diana Ross and Lionel Richie recorded which #1 duet for a 1981 film soundtrack?
A) We Are the World
B) Say You, Say Me
C) Endless Love
D) Ebony and Ivory
7. Which Rolling Stones single from "Tattoo You" became a massive 1981 hit?
A) Emotional Rescue
B) Start Me Up
C) Miss You
D) Waiting on a Friend
8. Hall & Oates began their commercial peak in 1981 with which album?
A) Voices
B) Private Eyes
C) Big Bam Boom
D) H2O
9. Phil Collins released his debut solo album in 1981. What was it called?
A) No Jacket Required
B) Hello, I Must Be Going!
C) Face Value
D) ...But Seriously
10. Which Stevie Nicks solo debut single reached the top 10 in 1981?
A) Edge of Seventeen
B) Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
C) Leather and Lace
D) Stand Back
11. Air Supply had two #1 hits in 1981. Which of these was one of them?
A) Making Love Out of Nothing at All
B) The One That You Love
C) Lost in Love
D) Even the Nights Are Better
12. Which Blondie single, blending rap elements, became a #1 hit in early 1981?
A) Heart of Glass
B) The Tide Is High
C) Rapture
D) Call Me
13. The Police released which album in 1981, featuring "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"?
A) Outlandos d'Amour
B) Reggatta de Blanc
C) Ghost in the Machine
D) Synchronicity
14. Which Sheena Easton single, produced by Prince, was a 1981 debut hit in the US?
A) Sugar Walls
B) Strut
C) Morning Train (9 to 5)
D) For Your Eyes Only
15. Which Foreigner power ballad became one of the biggest hits of 1981?
A) I Want to Know What Love Is
B) Waiting for a Girl Like You
C) Cold as Ice
D) Hot Blooded