Test your knowledge of Michael Jackson's biggest hits, deep cuts and iconic moments.
Scores are valid for 15 days.
From the 'Billie Jean' bassline to the finger snaps of 'Smooth Criminal', many of his songs give themselves away in a heartbeat. See how fast your ear is before the vocal even lands.
A moonwalk unveiled on live TV in 1983, a 'Thriller' film long enough to screen as a short movie, and four Jackson 5 singles that hit number one in a row: the details behind the hits decide the close rounds.
His catalog runs from 1960s Motown soul to 80s stadium pop. Start with the basslines everyone knows, then test yourself on the Jackson 5 era and the grooves that trip fans up.
Some Michael Jackson songs are guessable before the singing starts. The rubbery bassline of 'Billie Jean', the crunching riff on 'Beat It', the horn stabs of 'Bad' and the finger-snap intro of 'Smooth Criminal' are near-automatic points for almost anyone. In a guess-the-song round these are where casual players build an early lead, often naming the track from the opening bar.
Jackson turned his own voice into a hook. The clipped 'hee-hee', the sharp 'ow!', the gulped breaths and the 'shamone' ad-libs are all giveaways once you know them. A clever Michael Jackson quiz can hide the melody and let a single non-word sound carry the question, which is where fans who have really listened pull ahead of people who only know the choruses.
Before the solo King of Pop there was an eleven-year-old lead singer at Motown. 'I Want You Back', 'ABC' and 'I'll Be There' come from a different decade and a different sound, and players who only picture the 'Thriller' years place them far too late. This is the classic trap question, testing whether you know where Michael Jackson actually started.
Several of his songs are remembered as much for their short films as their sound. The zombie dance of 'Thriller', the anti-gravity lean of 'Smooth Criminal', the morphing faces of 'Black or White' and the Egyptian set of 'Remember the Time' all became pop landmarks. A thorough quiz reaches past the audio and asks about the visuals that turned these tracks into events.
Play a Michael Jackson quiz on Songtrivia and find out. Guess the song from a short clip and answer trivia across the Jackson 5 and solo years. Score 8 out of 10 and you are a real fan; a perfect 10 that catches the deep cuts is rare.
Expect the signatures everyone knows, 'Billie Jean', 'Beat It', 'Thriller', 'Smooth Criminal' and 'Bad', alongside groove tracks like 'Rock With You' and early Jackson 5 hits that separate the superfans.
The hits are quick points, but his catalog jumps from 1960s Motown soul to 80s pop, so the trap is misplacing a Jackson 5 track or missing an Off the Wall groove. That spread is what makes it fun.
Only if you know more than the radio hits. Naming an early Jackson 5 single or a deep cut like 'P.Y.T.' from a short clip is what turns a good score into a perfect one.
Yes. Every Michael Jackson quiz is free to play, with no signup and no Spotify account needed. Just pick one and play. You can also guess the song with friends in a multiplayer music quiz.
His full name was Michael Joseph Jackson. He was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1958 and started out as the youngest star of the Jackson 5 with his brothers.
Wikipedia · AllMusic · Pitchfork · Billboard · Songtrivia editorial team.
Each topic is curated by a Quiz Master with category expertise. Selection crosses cultural impact, chart performance, recognition potential and era variety.