I’ve always been a huge fan of trivia nights with friends and family. There’s something special about seeing everyone’s faces light up when they remember that obscure fact from years ago. The 1970s was such a colorful decade – from disco fever to Watergate, Star Wars to ABBA – and it makes for some of the most entertaining trivia questions.
I’ve put together this collection of 101+ 1970s trivia questions that I’ve personally tested at family gatherings (my uncle who lived through the 70s thinks he knows everything until I pull out the music questions!). Whether you’re planning a themed party, looking for ice breakers, or just want to test your knowledge of this groovy decade, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here.
1970s Pop Culture Trivia
The 70s gave us everything from pet rocks to platform shoes, and these pop culture questions capture the essence of this unforgettable decade. I love watching people’s faces when they suddenly remember that toy they had or that fad they followed!
- What popular toy consisting of two heavy metal balls on a string became a fad in 1973? Answer: Clackers
- What dance move, characterized by pointing one arm up and one arm down, became massively popular after the release of “Saturday Night Fever”? Answer: The Hustle
- What toy was released in February 1976 and sold for $4, becoming one of the biggest fads of the decade? Answer: Pet Rock
- What game, invented by Reyn Guyer and released by Milton Bradley in 1966, saw its popularity explode in the 1970s? Answer: Twister
- What handheld electronic game featuring a red LED display was first released in 1976 and allowed users to play simple games like Football and Baseball? Answer: Mattel Electronic Football
- What toy, consisting of a plastic tube filled with a viscous liquid, became popular in the 1970s for its ability to “walk” down stairs? Answer: Slinky
- What best-selling 1971 book by Alvin Toffler predicted the digital revolution? Answer: Future Shock
- What popular 1970s toy consisted of small colorful plastic beads that could be arranged on pegboards and then fused together with heat? Answer: Perler Beads (or Hama Beads)
- What fashion designer popularized the wrap dress in the 1970s? Answer: Diane von Furstenberg
- What footwear brand, known for its wooden soles, became extremely popular in the 1970s? Answer: Dr. Scholl’s
- What hairstyle, characterized by layered hair with the sides and back longer than the top, was popular for men in the 1970s? Answer: The mullet
- What board game, featuring the characters Colonel Mustard and Professor Plum, saw renewed popularity in the 1970s? Answer: Clue
- What slang term from the 1970s meant “excellent” or “wonderful”? Answer: Dynamite
- What popular puzzle toy with six colored sides was invented in 1974? Answer: Rubik’s Cube
- What colorful haired dolls became a fad in the 1970s? Answer: Troll dolls
- What was the first successful home video game console, released in 1972? Answer: Magnavox Odyssey
- What electronic game requiring players to repeat increasingly complex patterns of lights and sounds was first released in 1978? Answer: Simon
- What company released the first commercially successful microwave oven for home use in the early 1970s? Answer: Raytheon (sold under the Amana brand)
- What popular 1970s toy consisted of a small plastic barrel with a spring-loaded mechanism that would make a plastic man “pop” up? Answer: Pop-Up Pirate
- What television character’s “thumbs up” gesture became a popular cultural reference in the 1970s? Answer: Arthur Fonzarelli (The Fonz)
If you enjoy testing your knowledge with interesting questions, you’ll love our philosophical questions that really make you think!
1970s Music Trivia
The 70s were a golden age for music – disco, punk, progressive rock, and the birth of hip-hop all happened during this decade. These questions cover the chart-toppers and the groundbreakers. I once stumped my music-loving brother-in-law with the Donna Summer question!
- What band released the album “Hotel California” in 1976? Answer: Eagles
- Who sang the 1971 hit “Imagine”? Answer: John Lennon
- What group had a 1977 hit with “Stayin’ Alive”? Answer: Bee Gees
- Who was known as the “Queen of Disco” in the 1970s? Answer: Donna Summer
- What rock opera by The Who was released as an album in 1969 and made into a film in 1975? Answer: Tommy
- What Rod Stewart song hit #1 on the charts in 1971? Answer: “Maggie May”
- What legendary rock group formed in 1973 with members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham? Answer: Led Zeppelin (Note: Actually formed in 1968)
- Which 1972 song by Don McLean was written as a tribute to Buddy Holly? Answer: “American Pie”
- What Swedish group won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with the song “Waterloo”? Answer: ABBA
- Who released the album “Rumours” in 1977? Answer: Fleetwood Mac
- What David Bowie album released in 1972 introduced his alter ego Ziggy Stardust? Answer: “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”
- What music duo released the album “Bridge Over Troubled Water” in 1970? Answer: Simon & Garfunkel
- What pioneering hip-hop DJ was known for performing at block parties in the South Bronx in the 1970s? Answer: DJ Kool Herc
- What instrument does Peter Frampton make “talk” on his hit live album “Frampton Comes Alive!” from 1976? Answer: Guitar (using a talk box effect)
- What band had a hit in 1979 with “Another Brick in the Wall”? Answer: Pink Floyd
- What Elton John song became the best-selling single of 1997 after being re-released as a tribute to Princess Diana, but was originally a hit in 1973? Answer: “Candle in the Wind”
- What singer had hits with “You’re So Vain” and “Nobody Does It Better” in the 1970s? Answer: Carly Simon
- What band’s 1973 album “Dark Side of the Moon” stayed on the Billboard charts for 741 consecutive weeks? Answer: Pink Floyd
- What supergroup formed in 1978 included members from Free, Mott the Hoople, and King Crimson? Answer: Bad Company
- Which reggae artist released the album “Exodus” in 1977? Answer: Bob Marley
- What punk rock band formed in 1976 featured Johnny Rotten as the lead vocalist? Answer: Sex Pistols
For more memorable questions that spark great conversations, check out our collection of deep topics to talk about with friends and family!
1970s Movies and TV Trivia
From groundbreaking films like Star Wars to iconic TV shows like MAS*H, the 70s transformed entertainment forever. I find that these questions always get the most competitive responses at trivia nights – everyone wants to prove they know their Star Wars facts!
- What 1975 Steven Spielberg film about a shark terrorizing a beach town became the first summer blockbuster? Answer: Jaws
- What 1977 film began with the text “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”? Answer: Star Wars (later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope)
- What TV show featured the Bunker family and ran from 1971 to 1979? Answer: All in the Family
- Who played Rocky Balboa in the 1976 film “Rocky”? Answer: Sylvester Stallone
- What 1972 film featured Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone? Answer: The Godfather
- What comedy group created the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975)? Answer: Monty Python
- Which 1979 sci-fi horror film had the tagline “In space, no one can hear you scream”? Answer: Alien
- What TV show featured John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino? Answer: Welcome Back, Kotter
- What actor played Michael Corleone in “The Godfather” (1972)? Answer: Al Pacino
- What TV comedy about a Korean War medical unit premiered in 1972 and ran until 1983? Answer: MAS*H
- What 1973 film starred Gene Hackman as Popeye Doyle? Answer: The French Connection
- What soap opera set in the fictional town of Pine Valley premiered in 1970? Answer: All My Children
- What 1974 disaster film featured an upside-down ocean liner? Answer: The Poseidon Adventure
- What TV show featured the characters Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney? Answer: Laverne & Shirley
- What 1971 film about a police detective was known for its iconic car chase through San Francisco? Answer: Dirty Harry
- What 1979 Vietnam War film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starred Martin Sheen? Answer: Apocalypse Now
- What TV show that debuted in 1977 was set aboard the cruise ship “Pacific Princess”? Answer: The Love Boat
- What actress starred as the telepathic Carrie White in the 1976 horror film “Carrie”? Answer: Sissy Spacek
- What TV game show hosted by Richard Dawson premiered in 1976? Answer: Family Feud
- What 1978 musical film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John was set in the 1950s? Answer: Grease
Looking for more movie knowledge? Test yourself with our 80s movie trivia questions and see how you stack up!
1970s Sports Trivia
The 70s were filled with legendary sports moments and iconic athletes. From Muhammad Ali’s comeback to the dynasty of the Pittsburgh Steelers, these questions capture the decade’s athletic achievements. My dad absolutely dominates this category at family gatherings!
- What boxer defeated George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974? Answer: Muhammad Ali
- Which team won the most Super Bowls in the 1970s? Answer: Pittsburgh Steelers (4)
- Who was the first female athlete to earn $1 million in endorsements in the 1970s? Answer: Chris Evert
- What American tennis player won the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match against Bobby Riggs in 1973? Answer: Billie Jean King
- What baseball player broke Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1974? Answer: Hank Aaron
- What thoroughbred racehorse won the Triple Crown in 1973, the first to do so in 25 years? Answer: Secretariat
- What country hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by terrorists? Answer: West Germany (Munich)
- What was the name of the first African American manager in Major League Baseball, appointed in 1975? Answer: Frank Robinson
- Which NHL team won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1976 to 1979? Answer: Montreal Canadiens
- What famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975 was known as the “Thrilla in Manila”? Answer: Ali-Frazier III
- What baseball player became known as “Mr. October” for his World Series heroics in the 1970s? Answer: Reggie Jackson
- What country hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics? Answer: Canada (Montreal)
- What NFL quarterback led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s? Answer: Terry Bradshaw
- What tennis player won Wimbledon five consecutive times from 1976 to 1980? Answer: Björn Borg
- What baseball team known as the “Big Red Machine” won back-to-back World Series in 1975 and 1976? Answer: Cincinnati Reds
- What NFL team went undefeated and won the Super Bowl in the 1972 season? Answer: Miami Dolphins
- Who was the first female driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 races in the 1970s? Answer: Janet Guthrie
- What basketball player led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA championship in 1971? Answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor)
- Which boxer known as “Hands of Stone” had a legendary rivalry with Sugar Ray Leonard beginning in the late 1970s? Answer: Roberto Durán
- What Olympic event did Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) win at the 1976 Olympics? Answer: Decathlon
Sports fans will also enjoy testing their knowledge with our comprehensive sports trivia questions collection!
1970s History and Politics Trivia
The 70s were a tumultuous time politically, from Watergate to the energy crisis. These questions cover the major events and figures that shaped the decade and our world today. I’m always surprised by how many people remember exactly where they were when Nixon resigned!
- What political scandal led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974? Answer: Watergate
- What U.S. space station was launched in 1973 and fell back to Earth in 1979? Answer: Skylab
- What peace agreement, signed in 1978, was brokered by President Jimmy Carter between Israel and Egypt? Answer: Camp David Accords
- What war ended for the United States in 1973 with the Paris Peace Accords? Answer: Vietnam War
- Who became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979? Answer: Margaret Thatcher
- What international crisis began in 1979 when 52 American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage in Iran? Answer: Iran Hostage Crisis
- What accident at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania occurred in 1979? Answer: Three Mile Island accident
- What was the name of the first test tube baby, born in 1978? Answer: Louise Brown
- What international terrorist group took Israeli athletes hostage at the 1972 Munich Olympics? Answer: Black September
- What environmental protection agency was established in the United States on December 2, 1970? Answer: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- What worldwide economic problem, caused partly by an oil embargo, affected many countries throughout the 1970s? Answer: Stagflation
- What computer company, founded in 1976, introduced the Apple II in 1977? Answer: Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.)
- What country did the United States officially recognize in 1979, ending decades of diplomatic isolation? Answer: People’s Republic of China
- What controversial dam project on the Tennessee River was halted in 1977 due to the discovery of the endangered snail darter fish? Answer: Tellico Dam
- What was the name of the solar-powered calculator introduced by Texas Instruments in 1978? Answer: TI-30
- What term was coined for President Gerald Ford’s economic policy to combat inflation in 1974? Answer: Whip Inflation Now (WIN)
- What 1970s political movement advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment? Answer: Women’s Liberation Movement (or Second-wave feminism)
- What African nation, formerly known as Rhodesia, gained independence in 1980 after a civil war that lasted through the 1970s? Answer: Zimbabwe
- What was the popular name for the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the U.S. and USSR during the 1970s? Answer: SALT
- What former governor of California was appointed Vice President in 1973 after Spiro Agnew resigned? Answer: Gerald Ford
For those who enjoy thoughtful conversations about world events, our hypothetical questions are perfect for sparking engaging discussions!
Why 1970s Trivia is Perfect for Any Gathering
The 1970s was a decade of incredible contrasts – from the aftermath of the free-loving 60s to the emergence of punk rock, from Watergate to Star Wars. This makes 70s trivia absolutely perfect for multi-generational gatherings. I’ve found that even people who didn’t live through the decade are fascinated by its cultural impact.
Last summer, I organized a 70s-themed cookout and used these questions between burgers and hot dogs. Even my teenage nieces and nephews, who were born decades later, got caught up in the fun, especially with the movie questions. The best part? Everyone learns something new while having a blast.
Looking for more ways to spark great conversations? Check out our collection of interesting topics to talk about for your next get-together!
Final Thoughts
So there you have it—over 100 groovy trivia questions about the decade that gave us disco, Star Wars, and platform shoes! The 1970s might seem like ancient history to some, but its cultural impact continues to influence us today.
I’ve used these questions at everything from family reunions to office parties, and they never fail to get people talking, laughing, and sharing their own memories of the era. The best part is watching different generations connect—my kids are always amazed when their grandparents nail the music questions!
Did you know all the answers? Or were there a few surprises in there? I’d love to know which category you found easiest (for me, it’s definitely the movies section!).
If you enjoyed testing your knowledge of the 1970s, why not check out our 90s movie trivia or video game trivia questions for more fun challenges!