Music Trivia: 20 Facts to Ace Any Song Round

The music round is where quiz nights get loud. Everyone thinks they know their songs, but a few well-chosen facts will put you ahead of the crowd. Here are 20 to hum along to.

Chart Records

• The Beatles hold the record for the most number-one hits on the US charts.
• Elvis Presley is often called the “King of Rock and Roll” for reshaping popular music in the 1950s.
• “Happy Birthday to You” is one of the most recognised songs in the English language.
• Vinyl records made a huge comeback, outselling CDs in some years for the first time in decades.

Bands & Legends

• Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” famously has no chorus and shifts through several musical styles.
• Michael Jackson’s Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time.
• ABBA rose to fame after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.
• Beethoven continued composing masterpieces after he had lost most of his hearing.

Instruments & Sound

• A standard piano has 88 keys.
• The violin, viola, cello and double bass make up the string family of an orchestra.
• The theremin is played without ever being touched — you move your hands through the air near its antennas.
• Middle C sits right in the centre of the piano keyboard and is a common reference note.

Learn a handful of these and the music round becomes your favourite. Ready to test your ear? Jump into a free Music quiz and see how high you can score.