Image: Darkroom / Interscope
About This Quiz
Have you ever had one of those moments where you realize you've been singing the lyrics to your favorite song wrong this whole time? (Who would actually think that Starship was singing "We built this city on sausage rolls"?!)Â Sometimes people sing the wrong lyrics on purpose. Other times, their ears lead them astray, and they don't even know they're wrong! Make no mistake about it; we purposely messed with the lyrics of some of the most popular songs throughout the decades. We've included songs from all the way back to the groovy 1970s up to some of today's most popular hits to grace your radio dial.
From power ballads to soul tunes, we've covered every genre of music in the questions of this quiz. There's something for everyone, so it's time to prove just how musically sound you are! Consider yourself formally warned: There are some iconic jams in this quiz, so the likelihood of getting a song stuck in your head is extremely high. Â
Earworms aside, did you know that Elvis had a thing for blue suede shoes? Or will you mistake his footwear choices for dew shaded shoes? Just 35 questions stand between you and the title of Lyrical Genius.Â
"bad guy" by Billie Eilish
"Lover" by Taylor Swift
"Truth Hurts" by Lizzo
Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known as Lizzo, recently climbed to the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 after releasing her iconic bop, "Truth Hurts," more than two years ago.
"Sucker" by the Jonas Brothers
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"Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry
"Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley
The very first record that Elvis Presley ever recorded was for his mother as a gift. He was eighteen at the time and had to pay a whopping $4 to press and record the musical gift.
"Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins
"Angie" by The Rolling Stones
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"Friday" by Rebecca Black
"TiK ToK" by Kesha
Kesha's primary musical influence is her mother, Pebe. Her mother's songwriting talents can be seen most notably in the song "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You," which was sung by Joe Sun and Dolly Parton.
"Boys" by Charli XCX
"Timber" by Pitbull featuring Kesha
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"Blue Eyes" by Elton John
"Eyes Without a Face" by Billy Idol
"Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
"Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes
"Bette Davis Eyes" is arguably one of Kim Carnes' most notable achievements, but she has other impressive songs under her belt. She collaborated with Kenny Rogers in "Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer" and did a well-received cover of "More Love."
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"The Beat Goes On" by Sonny & Cher
"My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Joan Jett received a lot of rejection when she originally tried to pitch her solo album. In fact, the album was rejected by more than 20 different music labels. In order to remedy this problem, she co-founded a label of her own.
"You Got It All" by The Jets
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"Hotel California" by The Eagles
The "Hotel California" album was met with a lot of success, and it became one of the top-20 best-selling albums in the U.S. The other Eagles' album to do this was "The Eagles Greatest Hits."
"Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits
"California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas
"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin
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"You're Still the One" by Shania Twain
Shania Twain has always shown a love for music, even from a young age. She was performing at nearby clubs as early as eight years old, and by the time she turned ten, she had already written an original song.
"Remember When" by Alan Jackson
"Through the Years" by Kenny Rogers
"Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden
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"A Horse With No Name" by America
"Panda" by Designer
"Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin
"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
Best known for their song "Eye of the Tiger," Survivor came into existence in 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. The original band was made up of Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan, and they were most successful during the 1980s.
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"Old Town Road" Lil Nas X
'Old Time Rock & Roll' by Bob Seger
Despite growing up in the era of The Beatles, Seger was more drawn to the music of James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and Little Richard. His most valued album was "James Brown Live at the Apollo, Volume 1."
"We Will Rock You" by Queen
"Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley
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"Modern Love" by David Bowie
"Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna
"Higher Love" by Whitney Houston
"Little Red Corvette" by Prince
In addition to being a talented songwriter for his own music, Prince was also responsible for the music of tons of other artists. One such song was "Manic Monday" for The Bangles.
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"Barbie Girl" by Aqua
While they grew to global fame with their hit "Barbie Girl," the Danish-Norwegian group Aqua was originally called Joy Speed. They got the inspiration for their name from a poster.
"Lego House" by Ed Sheeran
"Kite" by U2
"My Toy Soldier" by 50 Cent
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"Gold Digger" by Kanye West
Despite his fame as a singer, Kanye West produced music for other singers before he laid down vocals to his own songs. Some of the people he has worked with the likes of Jay-Z, Drake and Justin Bieber.
"In Da Club" by 50 Cent
"Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G.
"Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg
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"Vogue" by Madonna
"Who's Lovin' You" by The Jackson 5
"Two of Hearts" by Stacey Q
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was obviously good at what he did, but he is the most decorated artist ever! Even since his passing, Jackson still holds this title, with over 800 awards to his name.
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"Please Me" by Cardi B
"Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran
"Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars was born with the name Peter Gene Bayot Hernandez, which is quite the mouthful! He got his stage name from a wrestler named Bruno Sammartino. The 'Mars' part came from girls describing him as "being out of this world."
"Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" by Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus
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"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor
"Night Fever" by the Bee Gees
"Dancing Queen" by ABBA
Despite never formally announcing the end of the musical group, ABBA last performed together on December 11, 1982. They have reportedly been offered up to $1 billion to tour again but have turned it down.
"My Sharona" by The Knack
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"Whole Lotta Rosie" by AC/DC
"Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
"Hey You" by Pink Floyd
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones
The group originally got their start in London, where Jagger, Richards, Jones, Watts and Wyman came together to form one of the most popular rock groups ever. By 1965, the only group who could compete was the The Beatles.
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"Burn" by Ellie Goulding
"Get Lucky" by Daft Punk
"Royals" by Lorde
"Royals" was the hit single that brought Lorde much of her initial fame. The popular single reached the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 100 in 2013 and won the young artist two Grammys.
"Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus
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"Every Breath You Take" by The Police
Despite their immense success, The Police band members went their separate ways in 1984. Sting went on to a successful solo career, and Copeland made a name for himself in scoring movies.
"I Will Possess Your Heart" by Death Cab for Cutie
"Sunglasses at Night" by Corey Hart
"Obsession" by Animotion
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"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
"Let It Be" by The Beatles
"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
"Imagine" by John Lennon
John Lennon's musical success was cut short when he was assassinated by Mark David Chapman. Prior to following through with his plans to shoot Lennon, Chapman had received an autograph from the singer.
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"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen
Despite it being a Leonard Cohen original, "Hallelujah" has seen the most success when it was covered by Jeff Buckley. It has also been covered by Pentatonix, Tori Kelly and Rufus Wainwright.
"Shallow" by Lady Gaga
"Mad World" by Gary Jules
"All of Me" by John Legend
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"I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty
'Go Your Own Way' by Fleetwood Mac
The very first time that Fleetwood Mac performed together was at the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival in England. At the time, Stevie Nicks was not a part of the original lineup, so she was not there.
"Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles
"Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin
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"Miles Away" by Alias
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, is said to have invented the art of stand-free mic singing. During one performance, his mic stand broke, and he saw this as an opportunity to use it as a prop and continued to do so in other performances.
"Purple Rain" by Prince
"Always" by Bon Jovi
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"Centerfield" by John Fogerty
"Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles
"(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon
"Centerfold" by The J. Geils Band
While they've been known to open for Bob Seger in more recent times, the J. Geils Band has had a number of memorable acts open for them! Some of the openers for their shows included The Eagles, ZZ Top and The Allman Brothers.
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"Take on Me" by A-ha
'Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Cyndi Lauper
"Manic Monday" by The Bangles
"Call Me" by Blondie
Despite the success that Blondie had with the song "Call Me," it was not originally supposed to be sung by the band. When it was first written, the song was going to be recorded by Stevie Nicks.
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"Amazed" by Lonestar
"Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton
"Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden
Formed in 1994, the Australian group Savage Garden was made up of lead vocalist Darren Hayes with Daniel Jones playing the instruments. The band got their name from an Anne Rice novel.
"You're Still the One" by Shania Twain
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"Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran
"Faded" by Alan Walker
"Closer" by The Chainsmokers
From New York City, Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall are the dynamic duo that comprise The Chainsmokers. They first rose to fame with their popular song "#SELFIE," which became a viral sensation.
"Let Me Love You" by DJ Snake
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"All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor
"Blank Space" by Taylor Swift
Despite her success at singing and performing, Swift had originally dreamed of breaking into musical theater. After years of trying out and never earning a role, she stuck to songwriting.
"Someone Like You" by Adele
"Friday" by Rebecca Black
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"The First Cut is the Deepest" by Sheryl Crow
"Don't You Want Me" by The Human League
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody" by Whitney Houston
"Stand Back" by Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks caught her first break with one of her Fleetwood Mac band members, Lindsey Buckingham. The first group they were in together was called Fritz, where Nicks sang lead vocals.
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"Every Breath You Take" by The Police
"Viva la Vida" by Coldplay
"With or Without You" by U2
In addition to a strange band name, one particular member of U2 also has a bizarre stage name. Born Paul David Hewson, Bono got his show name from an advertisement for hearing aids.
"Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd
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"Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye's original name was Marvin Gay. During his youth, because of his last name and his father's tendency to crossdress, Gaye was bullied. He added the "E" to his name when he started to gain fame.
"Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
"Let's Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas
"Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran
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"Thotiana" by Blueface
"God's Country" by Blake Shelton
"Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X, or Montero Lamar Hill, broke into the rap scene with his hit "Old Town Road" that he made with Billy Ray Cyrus. The song achieved a large amount of its popularity from the TikTok app.
"Sunflower" by Post Malone
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"Get Low" by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz
"Yeah!" by Usher
Terry Raymond IV, or as he's more popularly known, Usher, was destined to be a singer. He first began performing when he joined his church choir at six years old. Later in his young life, he was discovered through a show called "Star Search."
"My Boo" by Alicia Keys featuring Usher
"The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" by The Flaming Lips
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"Single Ladies" by Beyonce
While she seems completely comfortable on stage, Beyonce actually has a tendency to be shy when she's in front of large crowds. In order to get over this, she created her alter-ego, Sasha Fierce.
"She Wolf" by Shakira
"Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys
"Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
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"Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
When they were originally trying to figure out what they were going to name the band, R.E.M. members were considering "Cans of Piss" for their band name. They randomly found R.E.M. in the dictionary, however, and settled on that.
"Fortunate Son" Creedence Clearwater Revival
"It Ain't Me, Babe" by Bob Dylan
"Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash
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"Someone Like You" by Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was inspired by the likes of the Spice Girls and Ella Fitzgerald during her younger years. It obviously paid off because her album "21" is the fourth-highest-selling album of all time in the United Kingdom.
"We Found Love" by Rihanna
"F**kin' Perfect" by P!nk
"Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum
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You Got:
/35
