Music Round Ideas for a Pub Quiz

The music round is often the highlight of a pub quiz. It gets people humming, arguing and tapping the table, and it gives teams who struggle with history or science a chance to shine. If your music quiz questions are starting to feel repetitive, this guide offers fresh round formats, practical setup advice and sample questions with answers you can use straight away.

Every format below can be adapted for any era or genre, so you can tailor the round to your crowd, whether they grew up with vinyl, cassettes or streaming playlists.

Audio Round Formats

Playing music out loud is what makes a music round special. These formats all need a speaker and a prepared playlist.

Name That Intro

Play the first five to ten seconds of a song and ask teams to name the title and artist. Award one point for each. Choose instantly recognisable intros for the first few tracks, then make them trickier as the round goes on.

Decade Mix

Pick ten songs from one decade, such as the 1980s or 1990s. Teams name the song, the artist and, for a bonus, the exact year of release. It is a great way to tailor a round to the age of your regulars.

Cover Versions

Play a cover of a famous song and ask teams to name the original artist. Covers in different genres, such as an acoustic version of a dance track, make it more challenging.

Theme Tunes

Play the opening music from well-known TV shows, films or video games. Teams name the programme or film. This round works especially well with mixed age groups because everyone remembers a theme tune or two.

Connections

Play eight short clips that share a hidden link, such as songs with colours in the title or songs by artists from the same city. Teams name each song and then work out the connection for bonus points.

Mash-Up Mayhem

Overlay two songs at once and ask teams to identify both. It is chaotic, noisy and very popular, though it takes a little preparation with simple editing software.

No-Audio Round Formats

Not every pub has a good sound system, and some quizmasters prefer a quieter approach. These formats work on paper or with spoken questions.

Real Names

Give the real name of a famous musician and ask for their stage name. It is a reliable crowd-pleaser and easy to prepare.

Emoji Song Titles

Print song titles written in emoji and ask teams to decode them. For example, a sun and a rising arrow could suggest a song with sunrise in the title.

Album Artwork Described

Describe a famous album cover in one sentence without naming the artist or title, and ask teams to identify it. Alternatively, draw a simple sketch of the artwork for a picture round twist.

Band Members

Name two or three members of a band and ask for the band’s name, or name the band and ask for the lead singer.

Sample Music Quiz Questions and Answers

Use these spoken questions as a ready-made round or mix them into your own.

Pop and rock

1. Freddie Mercury was the lead singer of which band? Answer: Queen
2. The Beatles came from which English city? Answer: Liverpool
3. Which Beatle was the band’s drummer? Answer: Ringo Starr
4. Which brothers fronted the band Oasis? Answer: Liam and Noel Gallagher
5. What was the name of David Bowie’s famous early-1970s alter ego? Answer: Ziggy Stardust
6. Which instrument is Jimi Hendrix best known for playing? Answer: The electric guitar

Real names

1. Reginald Dwight is better known as which singer? Answer: Elton John
2. Stefani Germanotta is better known as which singer? Answer: Lady Gaga
3. Gordon Sumner is better known by which one-word name? Answer: Sting
4. Robyn Fenty is better known as which singer? Answer: Rihanna

Albums and records

1. Michael Jackson’s album Thriller was released in which year? Answer: 1982
2. Adele named several of her albums after what? Answer: Her age at the time (such as 19, 21, 25 and 30)
3. What was the title of the Spice Girls’ 1996 debut single? Answer: Wannabe
4. Beyoncé first found fame as a member of which girl group? Answer: Destiny’s Child

Eurovision and world music

1. With which song did ABBA win the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974? Answer: Waterloo
2. In which English seaside town was the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest held? Answer: Brighton
3. Reggae legend Bob Marley came from which country? Answer: Jamaica
4. Elvis Presley was widely known by which royal nickname? Answer: The King

British music

1. In which Suffolk town did Ed Sheeran grow up? Answer: Framlingham
2. Which band released the 1994 album Parklife? Answer: Blur
3. What was the title of Amy Winehouse’s second studio album, released in 2006? Answer: Back to Black
4. Ian Brown was the lead singer of which Manchester band? Answer: The Stone Roses
5. Harry Styles first became famous as a member of which band? Answer: One Direction
6. Which Welsh singer had an early hit with It’s Not Unusual? Answer: Tom Jones

Themed Music Round Ideas

Themes give a music round a clear identity and make preparation easier. Here are a few that work well in pubs.

• One-hit wonders – Songs everyone knows by artists nobody can name. Expect plenty of groans.
• Festive favourites – Perfect for a December quiz. Ask for the artist and the year the song first charted.
• Film soundtracks – Play a song and ask which film it featured in, rather than the artist.
• Places in the title – Songs that mention a city, country or street. Teams name the song and the place.
• Local legends – Songs by bands from your own town or region, a fun way to celebrate local pride.
• Colours and numbers – Songs with a colour or a number in the title make a simple, satisfying connection theme.

How to Set Up a Great Music Round

Test the sound beforehand. Play a track at the volume you plan to use and walk around the pub to check every table can hear clearly. Busy pubs often need more volume than you expect.

Use a prepared playlist. Download or queue all tracks in advance and play them in order. Fumbling with a phone between songs slows the round and invites mistakes.

Keep clips short. Around ten to fifteen seconds per clip is usually enough. Play each clip twice if the room is noisy.

Mix the eras. A round with songs from several decades keeps every age group involved. If your quiz has regulars of all ages, aim for a broad spread.

Check licensing. Pubs that play recorded music to customers in the UK generally need the appropriate music licence. Most already have one, but check with the venue if you are running the quiz yourself, and check the official source for the current rules.

Tips for Fair Marking

Decide in advance whether you need both title and artist for a point or will award half points for each. Accept common spelling variations, as long as the answer is clearly correct. For year questions, consider awarding a point for answers within one year. Announce these rules before the round so nobody feels caught out at marking time.

Final Thoughts

A great music round brings the whole pub together, whether people are singing along or arguing about who sang that one in 1987. Use these music quiz questions and formats as a starting point, then build rounds that suit your crowd. Turn up the volume, hit play and enjoy the friendly chaos.