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If you were born any time between 1980 and 1995-ish, you should LOVE our selection of ’90s trivia questions for adults!
These throwback trivia questions will take you back to your childhood or teenage years and will remind you of everything that was oh-so-cool about that decade.
Oh, and — because we know what you are thinking — not one of our ’90s trivia has to do with Friends, so you’re in for quite a surprise!
Contents
10 Best ’90s Trivia
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As always, let’s start with our top picks.
1. What does “AOL” stand for?
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Answer
American Online
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Internet pioneer AOL provided a dial-up service, email, instant messaging, a web portal, and a browser. By 1995, it was the largest online service provider with 3+ million users. AOL declined after 2001 with the rise of broadband.
2. Which country’s 1996 Olympic women’s teams won gold in basketball, soccer, and softball?
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Answer
The US
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The 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia.
3. Who lost part of his ear to the teeth of Mike Tyson in 1997?
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Answer
Evander Holyfield
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Evander Holyfield was the first fighter since Muhammad Ali to win three world heavyweight titles. In a 1997 match against Tyson, the latter bit off a part of Holyfield’s ear in round three and got disqualified.
4. In what year did the USSR pull out of Hungary?
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Answer
1990
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Soviet troops had been stationed in the country since 1955 and famously intervened during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The Soviet Army began its withdrawal in March of 1990, with the last troops leaving by June 1991.
5. What was OJ Simpson driving in the famous police chase?
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Answer
Ford Bronco
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In 1994, OJ’s white Ford Bronco made history after appearing in the world’s first televised slow-speed chase. The police chased Simpson after he had failed to turn himself in for questioning following the murder of his wife.
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6. What was the most popular cellphone on the market in 1999?
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Answer
Nokia 3210
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The Nokia 3210 was virtually unbreakable, its battery could last two weeks on a single charge, and it had Snake. Doesn’t get better than that.
7. What was used to raise over $15 million for the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund?
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Answer
Princess Beanie Baby
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The Diana bear started retailing two months after her death in August 1997. Sellers were told they could only purchase 12 beanies at a time, leading many to believe the bears were limited edition. Demand spiked drastically, and the manufacturer ended up donating over $21 million to Diana’s memorial fund.
8. What was the most popular way to communicate in the ’90s?
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Answer
Pagers
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Remember those?
9. When was the World Wide Web first introduced?
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Answer
1991
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The World Wide Web was invented by English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee in 1989.
10. What was the federal minimum wage for most of the 1990s?
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Answer
4.25
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Life was much cheaper back then.
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10 Funny ’90s Trivia
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If these funny trivia questions can’t lighten up your mood, nothing else will.
11. What dairy product did the US Agriculture Department propose as a substitute for meat?
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Answer
Yogurt
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In 1996, the U.S. government toyed with the idea of allowing yogurt to substitute (some) meat in school lunches.
12. What sweet-and-sour treats featured temporary tongue tattoos?
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Answer
Fruit Roll-Ups
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And apparently, they now also have unicorn tongue tattoos.
13. The first Google server's storage rack was made out of what?
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14. Who is responsible for Budweiser’s Whassup? commercial?
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Answer
Justin Reardon
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Whassup? aired from 1999 to 2002. The ad became a global hit and a pop-culture catchphrase.
15. In what country was Power Rangers banned?
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Answer
New Zealand
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Power Rangers was banned in the country until 2011 due to parental complaints about violent content. The irony is that the show was actually filmed in New Zealand!
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16. Who came up with the name of *NSYNC?
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Answer
Justin Timberlake’s mom
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She did not come up with the asterisk, though. The group has Israeli illusionist Uri Geller to thank for that.
17. Who voiced the Beast in the Chinese release of Beauty and the Beast?
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Answer
Jackie Chan
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He sang the theme song, too — in Mandarin!
18. What are bucket hats called in Australia?
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Answer
Giggle hats
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The Australian version comes with a thinner brim.
19. What hit song was unwittingly written about a deodorant?
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Answer
“Smells Like Teen Spirit”
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When writing the song, Kurt Cobain had no idea Teen Spirit was the name of a female deodorant. Nevertheless, the song became so popular that Cobain ended up hating it.
20. What fad toy was feared to be a tool for foreign spies?
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Answer
Furby
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In 1999, the NSA banned Furbies from its premises due to concerns that they could be used to spy on them. Their fears were unfounded: the original Furby mic could not record sound. Newer Furby Connect models, however, can be activated remotely and used to record voice via Bluetooth.
via: Pixabay / furbymama
10 Easy ’90s Trivia
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Not everything has to be a struggle — which is why we compiled this great selection of nice and easy trivia for you.
21. What was the number of the TWA flight that exploded shortly after take-off in July 1996?
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Answer
800
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Paris-bound TWA Flight 800 took off from JFK Airport on July 17, 1996. A mere 12 minutes later, it exploded over Long Island. All 230 people on board died.
22. How many members did Backstreet Boys have?
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Answer
5
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Namely, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson, and Nick Carter.
23. What is the most-watched television episode of the decade?
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24. Who wrote the Goosebumps series?
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Answer
R.L. Stine
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The young-adult TV horror series was based on the hugely popular Goosebumps books written by R. L. Stine.
25. Who sued MCA Records over the song “Barbie Girl” for copyright infringement?
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Answer
Mattel
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Mattel lost the lawsuit.
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26. Which candy was marketed as the “freshmaker”?
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27. Who had a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Genie in a Bottle”?
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Answer
Christina Aguilera
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“Genie in a Bottle” climbed to the top of the record charts of 21 countries.
28. Which was the last Harry Potter book to be released in the ’90s?
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Answer
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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The book was initially published in the U.K. on July 8, 1999.
29. Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to how many championships?
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Answer
Six
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The Chicago Bulls are the only NBA team to never lose an NBA Finals series.
30. What was the bestselling video game console of the 1990s?
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Answer
Sony PlayStation
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The first PlayStation was released in Japan in December 1994.
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10 Hard 90s Trivia
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Now that you’re all warmed up, do you think you can handle these hard trivia questions?
31. Who won Taiwan’s first democratic Presidential election?
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Answer
Lee Teng-hui
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President Lee Teng-hui spearheaded the end of martial law and the country’s transition to democracy — hence his nickname “Mr. Democracy.”
32. Who invented slap bracelets?
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Answer
Stuart Anders
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Slap bracelets were banned in a number of schools after students got injured while using them.
33. Who directed and wrote Clueless? Answer
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Answer
Amy Heckerling
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Little-known fact: Clueless is based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma.
34. Who created the Hampster Dance web page in 1998?
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Answer
Deidre LaCarte
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The Hampster Dance might very well be the mother of all memes.
35. Whose voice was used to announce “You’ve Got Mail!” whenever you received an email?
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Answer
Elwood Edwards
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Elwood Edwards also voiced AOL’s “Welcome,” “Goodbye,” “File’s done,” “You’ve got pictures,” and “You’ve got voicemail” notifications. All were recorded in his own living room.
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36. What is Bart Simpson’s full name?
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Answer
Bartholomew JoJo Simpson
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Bart Simpson made his first TV appearance on April 19, 1987, in The Tracey Ullman Show.
37. Which TV character was so popular in the ’90s that he got his own cereal?
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Answer
Urkel
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Steven Quincy Urkel is a character on the sitcom Family Matters. He was portrayed by actor Jaleel White.
38. Wendy Kaufman starred in this company’s commercials and was really its employee.
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Answer
Snapple
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The ad was so popular that Kaufman became known as the “Snapple Lady.”
39. What do the initials of JNCO jeans stand for?
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Answer
Judge None Choose One
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The LA-based brand is known for its signature ultra-wide straight-legged jeans with prominent pocket logos.
40. What 1990s teen movie was re-titled after a Britney Spears song?
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Answer
Drive Me Crazy
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Originally titled Next to You, the movie title was renamed after “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” one of its soundtrack songs.
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9 90s Music Trivia
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90's bangers were something else. Why don’t you revisit some of them with our music trivia questions and answers?
41. How old was Mandy Moore when she released her first single “Candy”?
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Answer
15
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Remember “Candy”?
42. Who had a hit with “U Can’t Touch This”?
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Answer
MC Hammer
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“U Can’t Touch This” was the first rap song to be nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy’s.
43. Extreme released a popular ballad in 1991 called “More Than _____ “?
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Answer
Words
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“More Than Words” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and number two in the UK.
44. In which year did the Spice Girls have their first number-one single?
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Answer
1996
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Their debut single “Wannabe” climbed to the top of the music charts in 37 countries.
45. Who sang the song “Closing Time”?
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Answer
Semisonic
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While “Closing Time” is ostensibly about the last call at a bar, it is actually a metaphor about birth and fatherhood.
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46. What was the bestselling rock album of the 1990s?
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Answer
Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill
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The album sold 33+ million copies worldwide.
47. What was the first rap song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100? ”
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Answer
“Ice Ice Baby”
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If “Ice Ice Baby” reminds you of “Under Pressure,” you are not wrong. Vanilla Ice used the classic Queen and David Bowie bassline. However, they did not receive royalties (or even songwriting credit) until after the song had become a hit.
48. Whitney Houston had a massive hit in 1992 with a cover of whose hit?
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Answer
Dolly Parton’s
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That’s right: “I Will Always Love You” was originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973.
49. What’s the name of the group responsible for “Macarena?”
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Answer
Los Del Rio
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If you could describe the ’90s in a song, it would be “Macarena” without a doubt.
9 90s movie trivia
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Titanic, Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, Schindler’s List… When it comes to movies, the ’90s had us spoiled.
But have you seen them all? Test your ’90s film knowledge with these movie trivia questions!
50. What is the name of the child who owns the toys in Toy Story?
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Answer
Andy
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Toy Story (1995) was the first 100% computer-animated feature film.
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51. Who plays Mrs. Doubtfire?
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Answer
Robin Williams
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Robin Williams’s disguise was so good that Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) won an Oscar for Best Makeup.
52. Where was the DNA of dinosaurs found in Jurassic Park?
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Answer
In amber
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Jurassic Park (1990) was based on Michael Crichton’s best-selling books.
53. What year was Forrest Gump released?
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Answer
1994
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Forrest Gump was the second-highest-grossing film of 1994, second only to The Lion King.
54. Which TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar was a spin-off of a 1992 movie?
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Answer
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
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The series, its sequels, and the spin-off Angel are collectively known as the “Buffyverse.”
55. Which movie became the first to gross $1 billion at the box office in 1998?
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Answer
Titanic
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Titanic (1997) also made Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio international stars.
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56. What classic Audrey Hepburn film was the title of a 1995 one-hit wonder?
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Answer
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
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“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was recorded by the alternative rock band Deep Blue Something and was a massive hit (for a while).
57. What movie earned Tom Hanks his third straight Oscar nomination in 1996?
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Answer
Apollo 13
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Apollo 13 tells the dramatic story of the eponymous 1970 lunar mission.
58. Macaulay Culkin was paid $1 million — the first child star ever to do so — for what film?
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Answer
My Girl
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You thought it was Home Alone, didn’t you?
59. What was the first animated feature film to nominated for a Best Picture Oscar?
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Answer
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
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The film was based on the classic 18th-century French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. However, she was only credited in the French version.
7 90's History Trivia
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The 90s are long gone or, as people say, history — which means we now get to enjoy ’90s history trivia questions!
60. What is the bestselling game of 1991?
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Answer
Lite-Brite
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This is somewhat surprising, considering that Lite-Brite had been around since 1967.
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61. Who is the bestselling artist of 1999?
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Answer
The Backstreet Boys
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Their album Millennium sold a whopping 11,446,000 copies that year.
62. What was launched in 1990 that is able to lock onto a target?
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63. What pioneering auction site launched in 1995?
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Answer
eBay
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eBay is now a multibillion-dollar business.
64. What is the biggest mall in America that opened in 1992?
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Answer
Mall of America
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Located in Bloomington, MN, Mall of America houses 520 stores and 12,287 parking spaces.
65. When did the Google search engine first debut?
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Answer
1998
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Google’s prototype was called BackRub.
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66. Who was named the first female secretary of state in 1997?
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Answer
Madeleine Albright
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She was born Marie Jana Korbelová in what was then Czechoslovakia on May 15, 1937.
6 ’90s Pop Culture Trivia
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Let’s end things with a bang — and some super cool pop culture trivia.
67. In 1992, LA Gear sold around 5 million pairs of which popular sneakers?
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Answer
Light-up sneakers
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LA Gear was selling 5+ million pairs of the kids light-up sneakers per year for a good part of the 1990s.
68. What made a comeback in the ’90s as a fashion statement for women?
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Answer
Chokers
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The choker did not stay in the ’90s, either.
69. What was the name of the handheld digital pet which started a worldwide craze?
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Answer
Tamagotchi
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The Tamagotchi was released in 1996 in Japan and quickly become a global hit, selling over 82 million units as of 2017. The name comes from the Japanese tamago (egg) and uotchi (watch).
70. What is the music-sharing program launched in 1999 that had 26.4 million users?
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Answer
Napster
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In 2020, the company had to cease operations due to copyright infringement claims.
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71. What song did the dancing baby dance to on Ally McBeal?
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Answer
“Hooked on a Feeling”
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Ally McBeal repeatedly hallucinated a baby dancing to Vonda Shepard’s “Hooked on a Feeling” as a metaphor for the ticking of her biological clock.
72.What is considered the first reality TV show?
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Answer
The Real World
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In the show, several young adults temporarily move in together in a new city — while being filmed round the clock.
Downloadable and Printable List of 90's Trivia Questions
Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of 90's trivia questions (right-clicked the image and select Save Image As...):
via: Mantelligence
More Awesome Trivia Questions
Want more awesome trivia questions?
- Check out our Back to the Future trivia.
- Follow it up with our Friends trivia.
- And top it all off with some Harry Potter trivia.
Here Is How to Pick the Best ’90s Trivia
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Do you need some handy tips on selecting the best 90's trivia? We’ve got you covered.
1. Don’t Pick Little-Known Facts
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You want to keep your trivia challenging, original, and interesting. However, you also want to avoid super obscure facts that even people living in the ’90s would have been hard-pressed to recall at the time. As always, the middle ground is the best option.
2. Stay Away from Politics
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When we think of the ’90s, it’s pop culture that comes to mind. That’s what defined the decade for most people — not politics. So, it’s best to stick to trivia about movies, music, crazy fashion fads, and the likes (plus, it’s just more fun).
3. Don’t Get Fixated on the Dates
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Many of the trends that defined the ’90s started in the mid- to late ’80s and continued well into the early 2000s. Don’t start arguing with people over whether slap bracelets were more of an ’80s or a ’90s thing. Instead, go with the flow and try to enjoy yourself.
In Conclusion
Trivia questions for adults can be so much fun. And they get even better when you throw one of your favorite decades into the mix. Turns out there are a couple of benefits of trivia questions too.
We hope you enjoyed our 90's trivia questions — we, for one, have always had a weak spot for that time period!
