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Test your basic knowledge |
Music Appreciation
Start Test
Study First
Subjects
:
performing-arts
,
music
Instructions:
Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can
study here
.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.
This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. DJ and leader of the furious five - he developed many of the turntable techniques that characterized early hip-hop music.
Grandmaster Flash
The Sex Pistols
David Bowie
Patsy Cline
2. Pioneered West Coast gangsta rap with the release of the album Straight Outta Compton. Their recordings expressed the gangsta lifestyle - saturated with images of sex and violence. The nucleus of the group was formed in 1986 - when O'Shea ;Ice C
art rock
N.W.A.
bluegrass
sampling
3. Acrobatic solo dancing improvised by the young 'B-boys' who attended hip-hop dances.
reggae
M.C. Hammer
breakdancing
heavy metal
4. Rock style that emerged in the late 1970s. It was a 'back to basics' rebellion against the perceived artifice and pretension of corporate rock music—a stripped-down and often purposefully 'nonmusical' version of rock music.
punk rock
psychedelic rock
Nirvana
Janis Joplin
5. One of the main venues for techno. Semipublic event modeled partly on the be-ins of the 1960s counterculture.
synthesizer
rave
N.W.A.
Public Enemy
6. Centered on the creation of a strong rhythmic momentum or groove - with the electric bass and bass drum often playing on all four main beats of the measure - the snare drum and other instruments playing equally strongly on the second and fourth beats
bluegrass
funk music
N.W.A.
art rock
7. The term 'alternative'—like the broadly equivalent terms 'underground' and 'independent'—is used across a wide range of popular genres - including rock - rap - adult contemporary - dance - folk - and country music. It is used to describe music that c
soul music
soft soul
rave
alternative music
8. 'Glam rock' pioneer who established the character of Ziggy Stardust.
Public Enemy
David Bowie
Jimi Hendrix
pop rock
9. The most influential and economically successful member of N.W.A. He founded an independent record label (Death Row/Interscope) - cultivated a number of younger rappers - and continued to develop a distinctive hip-hop production style - christened 'G
Led Zeppelin
Andre (Dr. Dre) Young
art rock
reggae
10. Style of electronic dance music that originated in the Detroit area during the 1980s.
techno
heavy metal
Nirvana
Kurt Cobain
11. Style modeled on that of the early acoustic string bands; probably the original 'alternative country' music.
countrypolitan
Carole King
bluegrass
disco
12. Genre that developed out of hard rock in the 1970s and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s.
Michael Jackson
Dolly Parton
heavy metal
Patsy Cline
13. The norm since the introduction of recording in the nineteenth century. Transforms the energy of sound waves into physical imprints (as in pre-1925 acoustic recordings) or into electronic waveforms that closely follow (and can be used to reproduce) t
analog recording
Carole King
Run-D.M.C.
Madonna
14. Upbeat variety of rock music represented by artists such as Elton John - Paul McCartney - Rod Stewart - Chicago - and Peter Frampton.
Bob Marley
pop rock
house music
funk music
15. Rock style that emerged in the late 1970s. It was a 'back to basics' rebellion against the perceived artifice and pretension of corporate rock music—a stripped-down and often purposefully 'nonmusical' version of rock music.
Ray Charles
heavy metal
punk rock
Andre (Dr. Dre) Young
16. Device that standardized digital technologies - enabling devices produced by different manufacturers to 'communicate' with one another.
rap
MIDI
breakdancing
Bruce Springsteen
17. Variant of hip-hop music; its emergence was heralded nationwide by the release of the album Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. (Niggaz with Attitude). It included artists such as Snoop Doggy Dogg - 2Pac Shakur - and the Notorious B.I.G.
Andre (Dr. Dre) Young
James Brown
gangsta rap
Tupac Shakur
18. From the late 1980s through the 1990s - Madonna's popularity was second only to Michael Jackson's. She created controversial songs and music videos - including 'Papa Don't Preach' (1986) - 'Express Yourself' (1989) - and 'Like a Prayer' (1989).
Madonna
MP3
Dolly Parton
David Bowie
19. One of the main venues for techno. Semipublic event modeled partly on the be-ins of the 1960s counterculture.
Willie Nelson
Grateful Dead
rave
Queen Latifah
20. Prince is one of the most talented musicians ever to achieve mass commercial success in the field of popular music. He has sold almost forty million recordings. Between 1982 and 1992 - he placed nine albums in the Top 10 - reaching the top of the cha
Napster
Nirvana
house music
Prince
21. Trio consisting of the MCs Run (Joseph Simmons - b. 1964) and D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniels - b. 1964) - and the DJ Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell - b. 1965). Perhaps the most influential act in the history of rap music - they established a hard-edged - roc
Dolly Parton
progressive country
Clear channel
Run-D.M.C.
22. The most original - inventive - and influential guitarist of the rock era - and the most prominent African American rock musician of the late 1960s.
Run-D.M.C.
house music
Jimi Hendrix
Public Enemy
23. Variant of MPEG; MP3 enables sound files to be compressed to as little as one-twelfth of their original size.
Sonic Youth
nashville sound
MP3
analog recording
24. 'The Queen of Soul -' she began singing gospel music at an early age and had several hit records with Atlantic - including 'Respect' in 1967 and 'Think' in 1968.
Sean 'Puffy' Combs
reggae
pop rock
Aretha Franklin
25. Publicly traded corporation that owns more than 1 -200 radio stations - 39 television stations - 100000 advertising billboards - and 100 live performance venues - ranging from huge amphitheaters to dance clubs - enabling them to present more than 70
Clear channel
soft soul
alternative music
Willie Nelson
26. The 'Godfather of Soul.' He was known for his acrobatic physicality and remarkable charisma on stage. No other single musician has proven to be as influential on the sound and style of black music as James Brown.
Vanilla Ice
Prince
Carlos Santana
James Brown
27. Born in the impoverished shantytowns of Kingston - Jamaica - reggae first became popular in the United States in 1973 - after the release of the Jamaican film The Harder They Come and its soundtrack album. The heart of reggae music consists of 'riddi
funk music
psychedelic rock
reggae
James Brown
28. Veteran of folk pop groups such as the New Christy Minstrels and the First Edition - star of made-for-TV movies. One of the main beneficiaries of country pop's increasing mainstream appeal.
bluegrass
Kenny Rogers
Tupac Shakur
RIAA
29. Sophisticated approach to the vocal presentation and instrumental arrangement of country music; a fusion of 'country' and 'cosmopolitan.'
Kurt Cobain
soul music
Sean 'Puffy' Combs
countrypolitan
30. A digital recording process wherein a sound source is recorded with a microphone - converted to a digital stream of binary numbers - and stored in a computer. The sampled sounds may be retrieved in a number of ways.
Sean 'Puffy' Combs
Grateful Dead
sampling
hip-hop
31. Prince is one of the most talented musicians ever to achieve mass commercial success in the field of popular music. He has sold almost forty million recordings. Between 1982 and 1992 - he placed nine albums in the Top 10 - reaching the top of the cha
Prince
sampling
Jimi Hendrix
nashville sound
32. DJ and leader of the furious five - he developed many of the turntable techniques that characterized early hip-hop music.
Janis Joplin
Grandmaster Flash
rap
Donna Summer
33. Began his performing career as a member of the Jackson Five. He achieved unprecedented success with his 1982 album Thriller - and his elaborately produced music videos helped boost the new medium of music videos. Jackson became the first African Amer
Prince
Sean 'Puffy' Combs
M.C. Hammer
Michael Jackson
34. Pioneered West Coast gangsta rap with the release of the album Straight Outta Compton. Their recordings expressed the gangsta lifestyle - saturated with images of sex and violence. The nucleus of the group was formed in 1986 - when O'Shea ;Ice C
sampling
Kenny Rogers
N.W.A.
soft soul
35. The most influential and economically successful member of N.W.A. He founded an independent record label (Death Row/Interscope) - cultivated a number of younger rappers - and continued to develop a distinctive hip-hop production style - christened 'G
grunge rock
Andre (Dr. Dre) Young
Grandmaster Flash
MP3
36. Named after the Warehouse - a popular gay dance club in Chicago - it was a style of techno dance music. Many house recordings were purely instrumental - with elements of European synth-pop - Latin soul - reggae - rap - and jazz grafted over an insist
alternative rock
Sonic Youth
Patsy Cline
house music
37. The most outrageous—and therefore famous—punk band - formed in 1975 in London. They were the creation of Malcolm McAllen - owner of a London boutique called Sex - which specialized in leather and rubber clothing.
rap
The Sex Pistols
house music
Janis Joplin
38. Named after the Warehouse - a popular gay dance club in Chicago - it was a style of techno dance music. Many house recordings were purely instrumental - with elements of European synth-pop - Latin soul - reggae - rap - and jazz grafted over an insist
house music
Snoop Doggy Dogg (Calvin Broadus)
urban folk
Lauryn Hill
39. Internet-based software program that enabled computer users to share and swap files - specifically music - through a centralized file server. A federal court injunction forced Napster to shut down operations in February 2001.
Napster
sequencer
Aretha Franklin
Madonna
40. Centered on the creation of a strong rhythmic momentum or groove - with the electric bass and bass drum often playing on all four main beats of the measure - the snare drum and other instruments playing equally strongly on the second and fourth beats
funk music
gangsta rap
bluegrass
breakdancing
41. Country music style involving polished arrangements and a sophisticated approach to vocal presentation. The recordings of Patsy Cline were among the most important manifestations of the Nashville sound.
nashville sound
Carole King
Lauryn Hill
Jimi Hendrix
42. Band that originated in the 1960s San Francisco rock scene. Their career spanned more than three decades.
Public Enemy
Grateful Dead
Kurt Cobain
gangsta rap
43. The term 'alternative'—like the broadly equivalent terms 'underground' and 'independent'—is used across a wide range of popular genres - including rock - rap - adult contemporary - dance - folk - and country music. It is used to describe music that c
alternative music
Bob Marley
RIAA
Carlos Santana
44. Tragic victim of conflicts between East and West Coast factions within the hip-hop business. He was an up-and-coming star with Los Angeles-based Death Row Records when He was shot and killed in Las Vegas in 1996.
Vanilla Ice
Tupac Shakur
urban folk
disco
45. Springsteen's music and personal image evoked the rebellious rock 'n' rollers of the 1950s and the socially conscious folk rockers of the 1960s. His songs reflected his working-class origins and sympathies.
Bruce Springsteen
Queen Latifah
Andre (Dr. Dre) Young
Napster
46. One of the biggest stars to emerge from disco in the 1970s. She sang on several disco classics - including 'Love to Love You Baby' (1976) and 'Good Times' (1979).
Def Jam
Grandmaster Flash
Donna Summer
Madonna
47. The first commercially successful white act in hip-hop. Their early recordings represent a fusion of the youth-oriented rebelliousness of hardcore punk rock—the style they began playing in 1981—with the sensibility and techniques of hip-hop.
gangsta rap
Beastie Boys
breakdancing
psychedelic rock
48. Singer and guitarist who founded the alternative rock band Nirvana. His recordings broke through to the commercial mainstream and popularized grunge rock. He shot himself in Seattle in 1994.
Grandmaster Flash
Clear channel
Janis Joplin
Kurt Cobain
49. Extreme variation of punk - pioneered during the early 1980s by bands in San Francisco (the Dead Kennedys) and Los Angeles (the Germs - Black Flag - X - and the Circle Jerks).
alternative rock
David Bowie
funk music
hardcore
50. Singer and guitarist who founded the alternative rock band Nirvana. His recordings broke through to the commercial mainstream and popularized grunge rock. He shot himself in Seattle in 1994.
gangsta rap
Kurt Cobain
Michael Jackson
sampling