How to host a music quiz with friends (in person or online)
A music quiz is the party game everyone agrees on… until the host spends three hours building a playlist while everyone else has fun. This guide helps you run a music quiz with friends that runs itself, at home or remotely.
The classic music quiz: what you need to know
You know the drill: a song plays, and the first person to name the title or artist scores. To make it work you need:
- A host who builds the playlist and doesn't play (the format's weak spot).
- A playlist of 20 to 40 clips of 20–30 seconds, with mixed difficulty.
- A way to settle ties: a buzzer, a spoon on a glass, or written answers.
- A scoreboard kept by hand.
It works, but the host never plays, and the same people always win: the ones with the biggest music knowledge.
The twist that changes everything: guess “who picked what”
In Who put this ? you don't name the song. Every player secretly adds their own songs, and for each track you guess which friend picked it. As a result:
- Nobody builds a playlist for the others: everyone brings 3 to 5 songs in two minutes.
- Everyone plays, the host included.
- No music expertise needed: you need to know your friends, and how to bluff.
- Scores are automatic and everyone votes from their own phone, so there are no arguments about who shouted first.
Set it up in 5 steps
1. Pick the format
Everyone in the same room? Presenter mode plays the music on the TV or speaker while everyone votes on their phone. Spread out, or no speaker? Everyone on their own screen starts the song on every phone at the same time.
2. Pick themes
Each song gets its own theme: “your guilty pleasure”, “a song from when you were 15”, “a movie soundtrack”… Themes force everyone to dig into their memories. See 40 theme ideas.
3. Set the length
| Players | Songs per player | Approx. length |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 | 5 | 30–45 min |
| 5–7 | 3–4 | 45 min |
| 8–12 | 2–3 | 45 min – 1 h |
With the round timer (30 to 90 seconds), rounds move on even if someone forgets to vote.
4. Send the link
The host creates the room and shares the link on WhatsApp or Discord. Everyone adds their songs while the others arrive.
5. Play, vote, argue
A countdown and you're off. The best moment of each round is the reveal, when everyone sees who voted for whom.
Tips for a great night
- Start small: 3 songs per player for the first game. There's always a rematch.
- Play audio-only: the music video often gives the answer away.
- Avoid the obvious picks: if your metal-loving friend picks metal, they won't earn any bonus. The game rewards surprises.
- Prepare your links in a note: paste them all at once and they fill the boxes automatically.
For more ideas, see the music party games list.