If one album defines the 1980s, it's Michael Jackson's Thriller, released on November 30, 1982. It would go on to sell over 70 million copies worldwide, spawning seven top-10 singles and a music video that became a cultural phenomenon. But even before Thriller landed, 1982 was already a banner year for music.
Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger"—written at Sylvester Stallone's request for Rocky III—spent six weeks at #1 and became the year's defining anthem. Joan Jett proved punk could be pop with "I Love Rock 'N Roll," while John Cougar Mellencamp found his heartland rock voice on American Fool.
The British invasion of the Second Wave was in full swing. Duran Duran, ABC, and Dexy's Midnight Runners all had major hits. The Clash released Combat Rock, featuring "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Toto swept the Grammys with "Rosanna" and "Africa."
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder topped the charts with "Ebony and Ivory," a song about racial harmony. The Go-Go's made history with Beauty and the Beat. And Asia's supergroup debut proved that prog-rock musicians could dominate the pop charts. 1982 was the year the '80s truly found their sound.
Our 1982 music trivia covers Billboard Hot 100 chart positions, RIAA certifications, Grammy winners, and the production stories behind the hits. You'll encounter questions on Quincy Jones's production techniques for Thriller, the chart battles between John Cougar Mellencamp and Steve Miller, and the UK acts that crossed over to American radio. Difficulty ranges from moderate sing-along recognition to expert-level chart data that only serious music historians know. The year that gave us the best-selling album in history deserves trivia questions to match.
Test yourself with 15 multiple-choice questions about the music of 1982.
1. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was released in late 1982. How many singles from the album reached the top 10?
A) 4
B) 5
C) 7
D) 9
2. Which Survivor song, written for a Sylvester Stallone movie, topped the charts in 1982?
A) Burning Heart
B) Eye of the Tiger
C) The Moment of Truth
D) High on You
3. Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" carried over from 1981 to top the 1982 year-end chart. How many total weeks at #1?
A) 6
B) 8
C) 10
D) 12
4. Which British band released "The Lexicon of Love" and had a hit with "The Look of Love" in 1982?
A) Duran Duran
B) ABC
C) Spandau Ballet
D) Culture Club
5. Asia's self-titled debut album spent nine weeks at #1 in 1982. Which single was its biggest hit?
A) Only Time Will Tell
B) Heat of the Moment
C) Don't Cry
D) The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
6. Which Toto song won Record of the Year at the 1983 Grammys for a 1982 release?
A) Africa
B) Rosanna
C) Hold the Line
D) I Won't Hold You Back
7. John Cougar (Mellencamp) had his breakthrough in 1982 with which album?
A) Scarecrow
B) Uh-Huh
C) American Fool
D) The Lonesome Jubilee
8. Which Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder duet reached #1 in 1982?
A) Say Say Say
B) Ebony and Ivory
C) The Girl Is Mine
D) Goodnight Tonight
9. The Go-Go's debut album became the first #1 album by an all-female band that wrote and played their own music. What was it?
A) Talk Show
B) Vacation
C) Beauty and the Beat
D) God Bless the Go-Go's
10. Which Dexy's Midnight Runners hit topped charts worldwide in 1982?
A) Jackie Wilson Said
B) Come On Eileen
C) Geno
D) The Celtic Soul Brothers
11. Fleetwood Mac released which album in 1982, featuring "Hold Me"?
A) Tango in the Night
B) Tusk
C) Mirage
D) Behind the Mask
12. Which Clash album, considered a departure to a more commercial sound, was released in 1982?
A) London Calling
B) Sandinista!
C) Combat Rock
D) Give 'Em Enough Rope
13. Steve Miller Band had a surprise #1 comeback hit in 1982 with which song?
A) The Joker
B) Fly Like an Eagle
C) Abracadabra
D) Jet Airliner
14. Which Joan Jett & the Blackhearts anthem reached #1 in 1982?
A) Bad Reputation
B) Crimson and Clover
C) I Love Rock 'N Roll
D) Do You Wanna Touch Me
15. Vangelis won an Oscar for the score of which 1981 film that boosted his 1982 chart success?
A) Blade Runner
B) Chariots of Fire
C) Conquest of Paradise
D) Antarctica