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Quizzes > Entertainment & Pop Culture > Music

Take the Black Music Trivia Quiz and Prove Your Soul & R&B Mastery

Ready for r&b trivia questions? Show off your black music trivia skills!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art record microphone and musical notes on dark blue for Black music trivia quiz about classic soul and R and B

Use this Black music trivia quiz to check your grasp of classic soul and R&B - Motown hits, smooth harmonies, and the legends behind them. Have fun and learn a new fact, then compare with our broader mix or get extra practice in this practice set.

Which artist is widely known as the Queen of Soul?
Chaka Khan
Aretha Franklin
Tina Turner
Diana Ross
Aretha Franklin earned the title Queen of Soul for her powerful vocal delivery, chart-topping hits, and enduring influence on soul and R&B music. Her rendition of songs like Respect and Chain of Fools showcases her gospel-rooted style and emotional depth. Franklins career spanned decades, earning her 18 Grammy Awards and a legacy as one of musics greatest vocalists.
Which Motown group originally recorded the hit song My Girl in 1964?
The Four Tops
The Miracles
The Supremes
The Temptations
My Girl was recorded by The Temptations and released on the Motown label in December 1964. The song features lead vocals by David Ruffin and became one of the groups signature tracks, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1965. Written by Smokey Robinson and Ronnie White, it remains a classic example of the Motown Sound.
Which duo had a hit with the song Aint No Mountain High Enough in 1967?
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Otis & Carla
Sam & Dave
Ike & Tina Turner
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell recorded Aint No Mountain High Enough in 1967 for the Motown label. Written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the song became a major hit for the duo, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their chemistry and vibrant vocal interplay helped cement it as a timeless soul classic.
Which record label was home to Otis Redding and Booker T. & the MGs?
Motown Records
Chess Records
Atlantic Records
Stax Records
Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee, was a foundational soul label that launched the careers of Otis Redding and Booker T. & the MGs. The studios house band, Booker T. & the MGs, backed many legendary recordings there. Staxs gritty, gospel-infused style contrasted with the polished sound of Motown, defining Southern soul in the 1960s.
Which artist is known as the King of Soul?
Otis Redding
Wilson Pickett
Al Green
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke earned the nickname King of Soul for his smooth vocals, songwriting prowess, and crossover success in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Hits like You Send Me and A Change Is Gonna Come showcased his ability to blend gospel influences with secular themes. Cookes work paved the way for countless R&B and soul artists who followed.
Which Marvin Gaye album, released in 1971, tackled social issues like war and poverty?
Trouble Man
Whats Going On
Lets Get It On
I Want You
Marvin Gayes 1971 album Whats Going On is celebrated for its socially conscious lyrics addressing war, poverty, and environmental issues. The title track became an anthem for peace and understanding during the Vietnam War era. Produced by Gaye himself, the album broke Motowns hit-oriented mold and influenced generations of soul and R&B artists.
Who sang lead vocals on The Temptations original recording of My Girl?
Eddie Kendricks
Melvin Franklin
David Ruffin
Paul Williams
David Ruffin provided the lead vocals on The Temptations 1964 classic My Girl. His soulful voice and distinctive vibrato helped propel the song to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Ruffins emotive performance remains one of the defining moments in Motown history.
Which soul duo originally released the song Soul Man in 1967?
Ike & Tina Turner
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Sam & Dave
Nick & Knight
Sam & Dave released Soul Man in 1967 on the Stax label, co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award. Its energetic call-and-response vocals and driving rhythm have made it an enduring soul classic.
Which Al Green song, released in 1971, became his signature hit?
Lets Stay Together
Im Still in Love with You
Tired of Being Alone
Love and Happiness
Al Greens Lets Stay Together was released in 1971 and became his most successful single, topping the Billboard Hot 100. The songs smooth arrangement and Greens falsetto vocals helped define the early 1970s soul sound. It remains one of his best-known and most-covered tracks.
Gladys Knight & the Pips had a major hit in 1973 with which song?
Neither One of Us
Midnight Train to Georgia
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
How Sweet It Is
Midnight Train to Georgia was released by Gladys Knight & the Pips in 1973 and became their biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Its soulful storytelling and Knights expressive vocals have made it an R&B staple.
Who produced Etta Jamess 1967 soul single Tell Mama at FAME Studios?
Rick Hall
Jerry Wexler
Phil Spector
Berry Gordy
Rick Hall, founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, produced Etta Jamess 1967 hit Tell Mama. Halls production emphasized the raw, emotional vocals and tight rhythm section for which the studio became famous. The recording helped revitalize Jamess career and cemented FAMEs reputation.
Which 1973 Curtis Mayfield album addressed crime, poverty, and inner-city life with tracks like Superfly?
Curtis
Superfly
People Get Ready
Roots
Superfly is the soundtrack album Curtis Mayfield wrote and produced for the 1972 film of the same name, released in 1973. It explores themes of drug culture, crime, and socioeconomic struggles in inner-city America. The title track became one of the eras defining examples of funk-infused soul with social commentary.
The songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland crafted many hits for which Motown act?
Diana Ross & the Supremes
The Jackson 5
Marvin Gaye
The Four Tops
Holland-Dozier-Holland, consisting of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, wrote and produced a string of number-one hits for Diana Ross & the Supremes in the 1960s. Songs like Stop! In the Name of Love and You Cant Hurry Love showcase their catchy melodies and tight arrangements. Their work defined the Motown Sound and influenced pop and R&B worldwide.
Which Philadelphia soul production team was behind The OJays hit For the Love of Money?
Gamble & Huff
Barry White & Tony Sepe
Isaac Hayes & David Porter
Thom Bell & Linda Creed
Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff formed the production duo Gamble & Huff and pioneered the Philadelphia soul sound in the 1970s. They wrote and produced The OJays For the Love of Money, which combined lush strings, driving basslines, and socially conscious lyrics. Their work influenced disco, R&B, and modern soul.
Norman Whitfield is best known for pioneering which style of soul music in the late 1960s?
Doo-wop
Neo-soul
Southern soul
Psychedelic soul
As a producer and songwriter at Motown, Norman Whitfield developed the psychedelic soul style by infusing rock elements, wah-wah guitars, and socially aware lyrics. His work on tracks like The Temptations Cloud Nine and Ball of Confusion exemplifies this fusion. This genre bridged psychedelic rock with classic soul and expanded R&Bs sonic palette.
Who co-wrote Otis Reddings posthumous hit (Sittin On) the Dock of the Bay alongside Redding?
Al Bell
Steve Cropper
Isaac Hayes
Booker T. Jones
Steve Cropper, guitarist for Booker T. & the MGs, co-wrote (Sittin On) the Dock of the Bay with Otis Redding in 1967. After Reddings death in a plane crash, the song was released in 1968 and became his first and only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. Croppers subtle guitar riff and Reddings soulful vocals created one of soul musics most enduring classics.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Iconic Artists and Tracks -

    Learn to recognize seminal soul and R&B performers and their signature songs from the golden era of black music trivia.

  2. Recall Key Release Dates and Chart Achievements -

    Strengthen your memory of important release years and chart positions that shaped classic soul and R&B history.

  3. Analyze Musical and Lyrical Elements -

    Discover the defining soundscapes, rhythms, and lyrical themes that make soul and R&B timeless genres.

  4. Appreciate Cultural and Historical Impact -

    Gain insight into how classic soul and R&B tracks influenced social movements and black cultural expression.

  5. Evaluate Your Black Music Trivia Expertise -

    Challenge yourself to measure and expand your knowledge of black music trivia through fun, engaging questions and answers.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Historical Roots of Soul & R&B -

    Understanding historical origins: tracing roots from 1940s Gospel, jazz, and blues, per Library of Congress, is key. Migration patterns from rural South to urban North influenced lyrical themes and rhythms. This context underpins many black music trivia questions and answers about early releases.

  2. Signature Musical Elements -

    Identifying signature musical elements: Classic soul & R&B often feature 12-bar blues structures, syncopated backbeats, and call-and-response vocals. A handy mnemonic "GRACE" (Groove, Riff, A cappella call-response, Chord progression, Emotion) helps lock in these traits. These sound hallmarks are frequent subjects in R&B trivia questions.

  3. Pivotal Record Labels -

    Recognizing pivotal labels: Motown (Detroit), Stax (Memphis), and Atlantic (New York) each cultivated distinct sounds, documented by the Smithsonian. Studying label histories reveals why Smokey Robinson's hits differ from Otis Redding's recordings. Knowledge of these hubs enhances your performance on a classic soul and R&B quiz.

  4. Iconic Artists & Landmark Tracks -

    Memorizing key artists and tracks: Icons like Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Nina Simone defined genre milestones. Use the "SANA" mnemonic (Sam, Aretha, Nina, Otis) to recall first-letter cues for five landmark songs. Many black music trivia questions hinge on matching these artists to their breakthrough hits.

  5. Research-Driven Trivia Prep -

    Utilizing research-driven trivia prep: Consult academic sources such as the R&B Jukebox database at University of North Carolina and the Smithsonian Folkways archives for primary recordings. Create flashcards grouped by decade to quiz yourself on release years and label affiliations. This methodical approach powers up your classic soul and R&B quiz readiness.

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