The Bands of the 80s Quiz

The name UB40 was inspired by the British Government Unemployment Benefit Form 40. The reggae/pop band UB40 was formed in 1978 and gained popularity in the U.S. in 1983 with the release of the album "Labour of Love."

Def Leppard released the album "Hysteria" on Aug. 3, 1987. Over the course of the next three years, "Hysteria" sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.

The solo artist Morrissey was the lead singer of The Smiths until the band broke up in 1987.

10,000 Maniacs released the album "In My Tribe" on July 7, 1987. The album is ranked at No. 65 on the "100 Best Albums of the Eighties" by Rolling Stone.

Founding members of the band Duran Duran named the group after a villain in the 1968 science fiction movie "Barbarella."

Billy Idol was born William Albert Michael Broad on Nov. 30, 1955, in Middlesex, England.

The B-52s released the album "Wild Planet" featuring the song "Private Idaho" on Aug. 27, 1980.

Michael Hutchence was the lead singer for INXS. The band formed in Sydney, Australia, and released its first self-titled album in 1980.

The soundtrack of the 1987 movie "Less Than Zero" featured The Bangles performing "Hazy Shade of Winter."

The car seen in the ZZ Top music videos from the album "Eliminator" is a 1933 Ford three-window coupe with suicide doors. Band member Billy Gibbons had the hot rod built and named it the Eliminator.

"Working for the Weekend" was the lead single of the Loverboy album "Get Lucky" and was released in October 1981.

In 2007, Violent Femmes vocalist and primary songwriter Gordon Gano sold the advertising rights of the song "Blister In The Sun" to the fast-food chain Wendy's. While Gano had the legal rights to the song, other band members disagreed with the decision and the band broke up.

The Scorpions recorded the song "Rock You Like A Hurricane," and it was released on the 1984 album "Love At First Sting." The song was later ranked No. 31 on the VH1 special "40 Greatest Metal Songs."

The band Modern English recorded the song "I Melt With You." The song was released on the 1982 album "After The Snow" and featured on the 1983 "Valley Girl" movie soundtrack.

Alton Brown was the director of photography and Steadicam operator for the R.E.M. music video "The One I Love" in 1987.

They Might Be Giants released the song "Don't Let's Start" on their self-titled album in 1986. In 2001, the music video for the song was named one of the Top 100 Videos of All Time by MTV.

"Kill 'Em All" was Metallica's debut album released by Megaforce Records on July 25, 1983.

Robert Smith is the lead singer and only remaining constant member of The Cure. The band released seven albums during the '80s.

"People Are People" was a breakthrough hit in the U.S. for the British band Depeche Mode. The song was released on the 1984 album "Some Great Reward."

Vince Neil was the singer of the '80s metal band Motley Crue. Vince Neil's full name is Vince Neil Wharton.

Oingo Boingo performed "Weird Science" and released the song on the 1985 album "Dead Man's Party" as well as the movie soundtrack.

Bananarama was the '80s female trio that sang the song "Cruel Summer." The song was released on the 1983 self-titled album "Bananarama."

Poison released the song "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" in 1988, and the song spent the last two weeks of the year at No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

MTV began broadcasting at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 1, 1981. The first music video played was "Video Killed The Radio Star" by the Buggles.

Prince wrote the hit song "Manic Monday," which was performed and recorded by The Bangles.

Courteney Cox appears on stage with Bruce Springsteen in the music video "Dancing In The Dark." Cox had been planted in the audience for the video shoot.

Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo in Michael Jackson's song "Beat It."

"Madonna" was the title of the debut full-length album released in 1983 by Madonna.

"Licensed to Ill" was the first full-length album released by the Beastie Boys.

The U2 frontman Bono was born Paul David Hewson on May 10, 1960, in Dublin, Ireland.