R&B & Soul Music Quiz

Question 1

Aretha Franklin is called the 'Queen of Soul'. Her signature hit 'Respect' (1967) was originally written and recorded by whom?

Accepted Answer

Otis Redding

Answer

Sam Cooke

Answer

James Brown

Answer

Ray Charles

Question 2

Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' (1964) became an anthem of which movement?

Accepted Answer

The Civil Rights Movement

Answer

The anti-Vietnam War movement

Answer

The women's suffrage movement

Answer

The labour rights movement

Question 3

Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' (1992) was a cover of which artist's original?

Accepted Answer

Dolly Parton

Answer

Mariah Carey

Answer

Gladys Knight

Answer

Diana Ross

Question 4

Ray Charles is credited with creating soul music by merging which two genres?

Accepted Answer

Gospel and R&B/blues

Answer

Jazz and country

Answer

Blues and jazz

Answer

Folk and blues

Question 5

Mariah Carey holds the record for the most #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 among solo artists. How many does she have?

Accepted Answer

19

Answer

14

Answer

18

Answer

22

Question 6

James Brown is called the 'Godfather of Soul'. Which key rhythmic innovation is he credited with pioneering?

Accepted Answer

Shifting the rhythmic emphasis to the 'one' beat, creating funk's characteristic groove

Answer

The bass guitar replacing upright bass in R&B

Answer

Introducing African polyrhythm to American popular music

Answer

Creating the 'call and response' vocal style in Black music

Question 7

Stevie Wonder produced five consecutive masterpiece albums in the 1970s. This period is often called what?

Accepted Answer

'Classic Wonder' or 'The Golden Years'

Answer

'The Wonder Years'

Answer

'Stevie's Classic Period'

Answer

'The Jungle Fever Era'

Question 8

Tina Turner was famously part of which duo before her solo career, and what did her stage name conceal?

Accepted Answer

Her real name is Anna Mae Bullock; she was in The Ike and Tina Turner Revue

Answer

Turner was always her real surname; she was in The Ike and Tina Turner Revue

Answer

She performed as a backup singer for Ray Charles under her real name

Answer

She was in a girl group called The Ikettes

Question 9

Which Detroit-born artist is known as 'The Temptation Killer' for his dramatic vocals and what 1971 album is considered his masterpiece?

Accepted Answer

Marvin Gaye, What's Going On

Answer

Eddie Kendricks, People...Hold On

Answer

David Ruffin, My Whole World Ended

Answer

Al Green, Let's Stay Together

Question 10

The Temptations pioneered which Motown sound, and which song is considered their masterpiece?

Accepted Answer

Psychedelic soul — 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone'

Answer

Hard funk — 'Ball of Confusion'

Answer

Classic close-harmony soul — 'My Girl'

Answer

Disco — 'Get Ready'

Question 11

Beyoncé became the first female solo artist and first Black woman to headline which major festival?

Accepted Answer

Coachella

Answer

Glastonbury

Answer

Lollapalooza

Answer

Bonnaroo

Question 12

Alicia Keys won five Grammy Awards at the 2002 ceremony, including Album of the Year for her debut. What was the album?

Accepted Answer

Songs in A Minor

Answer

The Diary of Alicia Keys

Answer

Unplugged

Answer

As I Am

Question 13

What is 'neo-soul' and which late 1990s artists defined it?

Accepted Answer

A genre blending 1970s soul aesthetics with contemporary R&B, hip-hop, and alternative influences — D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell

Answer

A 1980s retro movement inspired by classic Motown

Answer

A British-born smooth R&B style

Answer

An electronic subgenre of soul music

Question 14

Otis Redding's posthumous hit '(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay' was recorded just days before his death. How did he die?

Accepted Answer

His plane crashed into a Wisconsin lake, killing Redding and most of his band The Bar-Kays

Answer

A car accident

Answer

He was shot in Memphis

Answer

He died of a drug overdose

Question 15

Which R&B artist's 'Confessions' (2004) became one of the best-selling albums of the 2000s?

Accepted Answer

Usher

Answer

R. Kelly

Answer

Chris Brown

Answer

Ne-Yo

Question 16

Which Motown songwriter wrote many of The Supremes', Marvin Gaye's, and Smokey Robinson's greatest hits?

Accepted Answer

Both Lamont Dozier AND Smokey Robinson wrote most major Motown hits

Answer

Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland

Answer

Norman Whitfield

Answer

Smokey Robinson himself

Question 17

Frank Ocean's 'Channel Orange' (2012) was groundbreaking partly because of what announcement Ocean made before its release?

Accepted Answer

He came out as bisexual/queer in a Tumblr post — rare for a male R&B/hip-hop artist at the time

Answer

He announced he was retiring from music after the album

Answer

He released the album for free despite being signed to a major label

Answer

He announced the album would only be available on vinyl

Question 18

Which Atlanta-based record label shaped the sound of 1990s R&B with artists like TLC, Usher, and OutKast?

Accepted Answer

LaFace Records

Answer

Def Jam South

Answer

Bad Boy South

Answer

So So Def

Question 19

What is 'trap soul' and which artist is most associated with popularising it?

Accepted Answer

A sub-genre blending trap music's 808s and hi-hats with R&B singing — associated with Bryson Tiller

Answer

A gospel-influenced trap subgenre

Answer

A Latin trap crossover style

Answer

An electronic dance music variant of classic soul

Question 20

Which artist holds the record for the most Grammy Awards won overall?

Accepted Answer

Beyoncé

Answer

Jay-Z

Answer

George Solti (classical conductor)

Answer

Quincy Jones