Question 1 of 20Motown and soulEasy
1960s music quiz
From the British Invasion and Motown soul to folk rock, psychedelia and landmark festivals, few decades changed popular music like this one. Our 60s music quiz has 20 questions on the bands, singers, albums and chart moments that defined the era, with a mix of easy, medium and hard picks. Gather the family and find out who knows their 1960s music trivia best.
A free quiz from Megan Moran, author of The Ultimate 1960's Quiz Book.
Question 2 of 20British InvasionEasy
Who replaced Pete Best as the Beatles' drummer in August 1962?
Question 3 of 20Motown and soulMedium
Aretha Franklin's 1967 hit "Respect" was a cover of a song first recorded in 1965 by which soul singer?
Question 4 of 20Folk and rockEasy
At the July 1965 Newport Folk Festival, which singer-songwriter famously "went electric", backed by members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band?
Question 5 of 20British InvasionMedium
Which Beatles album, released in 1967, became the first rock LP to win the Grammy for Album of the Year?
Question 6 of 20British InvasionHard
Which pirate radio station began broadcasting from a ship anchored off England's east coast in March 1964?
Question 7 of 20California soundsEasy
Which California band released the 1966 album Pet Sounds, masterminded by Brian Wilson?
Question 8 of 20British InvasionMedium
Which British Invasion band was led by the brothers Ray and Dave Davies?
Question 9 of 20CountryMedium
In January 1968, Johnny Cash recorded a celebrated live album in front of inmates at which prison?
Question 10 of 20Motown and soulEasy
Who sang lead for the Supremes through most of the 1960s?
Question 11 of 20Motown and soulHard
On Booker T. & the M.G.'s 1962 instrumental hit "Green Onions", which instrument did Booker T. Jones play?
Question 12 of 20Folk and rockMedium
Which 1967 film starring Dustin Hoffman featured a soundtrack of songs by Simon & Garfunkel?
Question 13 of 20FestivalsMedium
At which June 1967 festival did Jimi Hendrix end his set by setting his guitar on fire?
Question 14 of 20British InvasionHard
On January 30, 1969, the Beatles played their famous rooftop concert above the Apple Corps offices on which London street?
Question 15 of 20TV and filmEasy
Which made-for-TV pop group starred in its own NBC sitcom from September 1966?
Question 16 of 20British InvasionMedium
Which band released Tommy, a 1969 rock opera about a boy who becomes a pinball champion?
Question 17 of 20Motown and soulHard
Which Motown songwriting and production team wrote the Supremes' hits "Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love"?
Question 18 of 20California soundsMedium
Which Los Angeles band, fronted by Jim Morrison, took its name from a book by the English writer Aldous Huxley?
Question 19 of 20CountryMedium
Which country singer co-wrote her 1968 No. 1 country hit "Stand by Your Man" with producer Billy Sherrill?
Question 20 of 20California soundsHard
Grace Slick made her album debut with which San Francisco band on 1967's Surrealistic Pillow?
Answer all 20 to see your score.
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Show all the answers, with the facts behind them
- Motown, the label behind dozens of 1960s soul hits, was founded by Berry Gordy in which US city? DetroitGordy started with an $800 family loan and turned a former photography studio on West Grand Boulevard into his Hitsville U.S.A. studio.
- Who replaced Pete Best as the Beatles' drummer in August 1962? Ringo StarrBorn Richard Starkey, he joined from fellow Liverpool group Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and was knighted in 2018.
- Aretha Franklin's 1967 hit "Respect" was a cover of a song first recorded in 1965 by which soul singer? Otis ReddingHer version won two Grammys in 1968 and was ranked No. 1 on Rolling Stone's 2021 list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
- At the July 1965 Newport Folk Festival, which singer-songwriter famously "went electric", backed by members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band? Bob DylanHe played just three songs with the electric band before returning to perform two more on acoustic guitar.
- Which Beatles album, released in 1967, became the first rock LP to win the Grammy for Album of the Year? Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandEngineer Geoff Emerick estimated the band spent about 700 hours recording it, more than 30 times as long as their first album.
- Which pirate radio station began broadcasting from a ship anchored off England's east coast in March 1964? Radio CarolineIts ship was a former Danish passenger ferry. A 1967 UK law later outlawed supplying or advertising on unlicensed offshore stations.
- Which California band released the 1966 album Pet Sounds, masterminded by Brian Wilson? The Beach BoysThe album version closes with the sound of Wilson's own dogs barking, and the cover shows the band feeding goats at the San Diego Zoo.
- Which British Invasion band was led by the brothers Ray and Dave Davies? The KinksAfter their 1965 US tour, an American musicians' union refused them permits to perform in the country for about four years.
- In January 1968, Johnny Cash recorded a celebrated live album in front of inmates at which prison? FolsomHis future wife, June Carter, joined him on stage for two duets, and the album went to No. 1 on Billboard's country albums chart.
- Who sang lead for the Supremes through most of the 1960s? Diana RossThe group started out as the Primettes in 1959, and its star singer left for a solo career in 1970.
- On Booker T. & the M.G.'s 1962 instrumental hit "Green Onions", which instrument did Booker T. Jones play? OrganHe wrote the riff aged just 17. The track topped Billboard's R&B chart and reached No. 3 on the Hot 100.
- Which 1967 film starring Dustin Hoffman featured a soundtrack of songs by Simon & Garfunkel? The GraduateThe soundtrack album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and one of its songs went on to win the Grammy for Record of the Year.
- At which June 1967 festival did Jimi Hendrix end his set by setting his guitar on fire? Monterey Pop FestivalSitar master Ravi Shankar played a three-hour Sunday-afternoon set there and was reportedly the only act paid, receiving $3,000.
- On January 30, 1969, the Beatles played their famous rooftop concert above the Apple Corps offices on which London street? Savile RowBilly Preston joined them on electric piano for the roughly 42-minute set, which ended after police asked them to turn the volume down.
- Which made-for-TV pop group starred in its own NBC sitcom from September 1966? The MonkeesDavy Jones was already signed; Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork were chosen from 437 hopefuls who answered trade-paper ads.
- Which band released Tommy, a 1969 rock opera about a boy who becomes a pinball champion? The WhoGuitarist Pete Townshend wrote most of it, and Ken Russell directed a 1975 film version with singer Roger Daltrey in the title role.
- Which Motown songwriting and production team wrote the Supremes' hits "Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love"? Holland-Dozier-HollandBrothers Brian and Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier also wrote major hits for the Four Tops before leaving the label in 1968.
- Which Los Angeles band, fronted by Jim Morrison, took its name from a book by the English writer Aldous Huxley? The DoorsThe band had no permanent bassist; keyboardist Ray Manzarek played the bass lines on a keyboard bass at live shows.
- Which country singer co-wrote her 1968 No. 1 country hit "Stand by Your Man" with producer Billy Sherrill? Tammy WynetteShe reportedly said the song took about 20 minutes to write, and it won her the Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
- Grace Slick made her album debut with which San Francisco band on 1967's Surrealistic Pillow? Jefferson AirplaneThe album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and two of its singles made the Hot 100's top 10.
