Pre-1980
1981 - 2000
2001 - Today
Instruments
Lyrics Are Hard
100
This quartet of Brits dominated the 1960s, boasting 18 #1 hits on the U.S. Billboard charts throughout the decade.
Who are The Beatles?
100
"Video Killed the Radio Star" fittingly kicked off the era of the music video on this television channel - which, as any Gen X-er will tell you, has gone downhill and doesn't play music anymore.
What is "MTV?"
100
This future rap god won an academy award in 2003.
Who is "Eminem?"
100
The modern version of this instrument features 88 keys, 52 of which are white and 36 of which are black.
What is a "piano?"
100
This classic Beatles hit features the lyrics "Na na na nana na naaaaaaa."
What is "Hey Jude?"
200
This muddy music festival was billed as a "3 Days of Peace & Music" and featured landmark acts from Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, The Grateful Dead, and more iconic groups from the 60s.
What is "Woodstock?"
200
The 1981 song "9 to 5" was a hit single for this female singer, who is practically a patron saint of books after she established the Imagination Library.
Who is "Dolly Parton?"
200
This Canadian rapper had to have a talking-to by NBA officials due to his courtside behavior.
Who is "Drake?"
200
While the original version of this instrument dates back to Ancient Egypt, it went electric in 1931 and quickly became a staple of an emerging musical genre called "Rock & Roll."
What is a "guitar?"
200
This song by the Emo-Rock group "My Chemical Romance" features the lyrics "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)."
What is "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)?"
300
The Chuck Berry song "Johnny B Goode" is featured in this classic time-travel movie, where it technically creates a bit of a time paradox.
What is "Back to the Future?"
300
This boy band from the 1990s was formed N' the same city as their rival boy band, The Backstreet Boys.
Who is "N'Sync?"
300
In the 2000s, this artist set a record for the most Grammy Awards won by a rap artist in a single decade.
Who is "Kanye West?"
300
This brass instrument is distinct in that it features a slide mechanism as opposed to button or valves, and is based on an ancient instrument called a "sackbut." (Bonus fact: Mr. Brett played this instrument in marching and jazz band!)
What is a "trombone?"
300
This single from Will Smith's debut album features the lyrics "Na na na na na na na nana/Na na na na nana."
What is "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It?"
400
Born as David Robert Jones, this singer/songwriter/alien(?) adopted several personas over his career, such as Ziggy Stardust and The Thin White Duke.
Who is David Bowie?
400
This parody of a Michael Jackson hit was Weird Al Yankovic's highest-charting single until 2006's "White & Nerdy."
What is "Eat It?"
400
This group's single "Boom Boom Pow" was #1 on the charts for 12 weeks before it was displaced - by "I Gotta Feeling," another song by the same group!
Who are "The Black Eyed Peas?"
400
This instrument, fittingly called a "serpent," is considered an ancestor of his low brass marching band staple.
What is a "tuba?"
400
This 80's bop by the J. Geils Band is a story about seeing a familiar face in a "girly" magazine, and features the lyrics "Na na nana na na/na na na nana na na na."
What is "Centerfold?"
500
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison all died at this age, starting the infamous "curse" in which musicians pass away once they reach this year of their life - a curse that more recently claimed Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.
What is "27?"
500
This trio of brothers sang one of the most ear-wormy hits of the 90s. One word: "MMMBop."
Who is "Hanson?"
500
Before she was wearing meat dresses and taking the world by storm with her music (and now, her acting!), this artist was known as "Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta." One could say that she was born that way.
Who is "Lady Gaga?"
500
This instrument is operated by a hand crank, and often shows up in media featuring pirates - for example, it's a playable instrument in the game "Sea of Thieves."
What is a "hurdy-gurdy?"
500
This song from Selena Gomez's debut album as a solo artist features the lyrics "Na na na na/na na na na/na na na na."
What is "Come and Get it?"