Quiz of the Day
The Beatles
Friday, 9 October 2026
Marking John Lennon's birthday (Oct 9, 1940), a deep dive into the Fab Four, their songs, and 1960s music.
1. In which year was John Lennon born?
- 1940
- 1944
- 1942
- 1938
John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, at Liverpool Maternity Hospital; his middle name honored wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. A long-repeated legend that he arrived during a German air raid has been debunked, as no bombs fell on Liverpool that night. Decades later his son Sean Lennon was born on the very same date, October 9, in 1975.
2. Which English city are The Beatles from?
- Liverpool
- Birmingham
- London
- Manchester
All four Beatles were born and raised in Liverpool, a port city in northwest England. The band honed their early sound playing marathon sets in the clubs of Hamburg, Germany, before returning to fame at Liverpool's Cavern Club. The city today hosts the annual International Beatleweek festival celebrating their legacy.
3. Who was the drummer for The Beatles alongside John, Paul, and George?
- Keith Moon
- Ringo Starr
- Stuart Sutcliffe
- Pete Best
Ringo Starr, born Richard Starkey, joined The Beatles in August 1962, replacing earlier drummer Pete Best. His stage name came from the rings he liked to wear, and 'Starr' led to his drum solos being billed as 'Starr Time.' He is one of only two Beatles, along with Paul McCartney, still living today.
4. John Lennon's songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney was credited under what shared name?
- Harrison-Lennon
- Lennon-McCartney
- McCartney-Starr
- The Quarrymen
Lennon and McCartney agreed early on to credit all their songs jointly as 'Lennon-McCartney,' regardless of who wrote more of a given tune. This partnership produced hundreds of songs and is often regarded as one of the most successful in popular music history. In practice many songs were written mostly by one or the other, but the shared credit remained.
5. Which 1969 Beatles album shows the band walking across a zebra crossing on its cover?
- Rubber Soul
- Abbey Road
- Let It Be
- Revolver
The cover of 'Abbey Road' shows the four Beatles striding across the pedestrian crossing outside London's Abbey Road Studios. The photo was taken in about ten minutes on August 8, 1969, by photographer Iain Macmillan while a policeman held up traffic. The crossing has since become a tourist landmark and was given protected heritage status in 2010.
6. Which instrument did George Harrison primarily play in The Beatles?
- Piano
- Lead guitar
- Drums
- Bass guitar
George Harrison was The Beatles' lead guitarist and the youngest member of the band. He also introduced Indian classical instruments like the sitar into Western pop, notably on the song 'Norwegian Wood.' After the band split, his 1970 triple album 'All Things Must Pass' became a major solo success.
7. Which instrument was Paul McCartney best known for playing in The Beatles?
- Bass guitar
- Drums
- Violin
- Saxophone
Paul McCartney became the band's bassist, famously favoring a violin-shaped Hofner bass that became iconic. He is also a multi-instrumentalist who played piano, guitar, and even drums on some recordings. McCartney is recognized as one of the most commercially successful songwriters in history.
8. Which manager guided The Beatles to fame before dying in 1967?
- Allen Klein
- Dick James
- Brian Epstein
- George Martin
Brian Epstein discovered The Beatles at the Cavern Club and became their manager in 1962, smartening up their image and securing their recording contract. He died in August 1967 from an accidental drug overdose at age 32. His death is often seen as a turning point that led to growing tensions within the band.
9. Which producer is often nicknamed the 'fifth Beatle' for shaping their studio sound?
- Phil Spector
- Rick Rubin
- George Martin
- Quincy Jones
George Martin produced nearly all of The Beatles' recordings and contributed orchestral arrangements, such as the string quartet on 'Yesterday.' His classical training helped translate the band's ambitious ideas into finished records. He was knighted in 1996 for his services to music.
10. What was The Beatles' first single released in the UK, in October 1962?
- Love Me Do
- She Loves You
- From Me to You
- Please Please Me
'Love Me Do' was released in the UK on October 5, 1962, and features John Lennon's distinctive harmonica. It reached the lower end of the UK charts at the time but later topped the US charts in 1964. The single marked the beginning of The Beatles' recording career with producer George Martin.
11. The song 'Hey Jude' was written by Paul McCartney to comfort which child?
- James McCartney
- Sean Lennon
- Julian Lennon
- Zak Starkey
Paul McCartney wrote 'Hey Jude' for John Lennon's son Julian to console him during his parents' divorce, originally singing 'Hey Jules.' At over seven minutes, it was one of the longest songs to top the charts when released in 1968. Its extended 'na-na-na' coda became a beloved sing-along.
12. Which was the last album The Beatles recorded together, even though it was released before 'Let It Be'?
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
- Abbey Road
- Magical Mystery Tour
- The White Album
Although 'Let It Be' was released in 1970 as their final album, most of it was recorded in early 1969, before 'Abbey Road.' 'Abbey Road,' recorded and released later in 1969, was thus the last album the group worked on together. Its second side features a celebrated medley stitching together several short song fragments.
13. Which 1971 John Lennon solo song became an enduring anthem for peace?
- Woman
- Instant Karma!
- Give Peace a Chance
- Imagine
'Imagine,' the title track of Lennon's 1971 solo album, envisions a world without borders, possessions, or conflict. Its gentle piano melody and utopian lyrics made it one of the most covered songs of all time. Rolling Stone has repeatedly ranked it among the greatest songs ever recorded.
14. The Beatles' famous 1964 US television debut, drawing roughly 73 million viewers, was on which program?
- Saturday Night Live
- The Ed Sullivan Show
- American Bandstand
- The Tonight Show
The Beatles first appeared on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' on February 9, 1964, watched by an estimated 73 million viewers. The broadcast is widely credited with igniting 'Beatlemania' in the United States and fueling the British Invasion. It remains one of the most watched television events in American history.
15. Outside which New York City apartment building was John Lennon fatally shot in December 1980?
- The Dakota
- The Plaza
- The Ansonia
- The Chelsea Hotel
John Lennon was shot and killed on December 8, 1980, outside The Dakota, the historic apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side where he lived with Yoko Ono. He was 40 years old. Across the street in Central Park, the Strawberry Fields memorial was later dedicated in his honor.