A Music Round for Your Party Quiz, Without the Hassle

A music round is often the loudest part of a party quiz. People sing along, argue about the year and shout the name of the artist just too late. It is also the round that raises the most questions for hosts: where do you get the music from, and are you allowed to play it? This guide explains three ways to do a music round with PubquizTV and what to keep in mind.

What is and is not included

Let us be clear first. PubquizTV does not include commercial songs. The built-in sound library (applause, drumroll, the winner fanfare and the background music) is original and royalty-free, so you can use it anywhere. For real songs, you choose one of two routes: you play the music yourself from your own streaming account, or you upload a short clip that you are allowed to use.

Option 1: play it yourself, the screen counts down

This is the simplest and most popular option. You create a music question and choose “play it yourself”. During the quiz, the big screen shows the question and a countdown, while you start the song on Spotify, YouTube or any other service on your phone or the laptop.

• •No files needed: you only write the question and the answer.
• •Any song from your own account: the first dance, the birthday person's teenage favourite, the song the team always plays on Friday.
• •Tip: make a playlist with all the songs of the round in the right order, and set the starting point of each song in advance, so you do not have to search during the quiz.
• •Sound: connect the device that plays the music to the same speaker or TV as the big screen, or use a Bluetooth speaker near the screen.

💡 Background music on the big screen pauses automatically during music questions, so it does not clash with the song you are playing.

Option 2: upload a short clip you may use

You can also upload a short audio clip to a music question, which then plays from the big screen. Use audio that you are allowed to use, for example:

• •Your own recordings: a voice memo of grandpa playing the piano, a guest humming the wedding song, the children singing “Happy Birthday”.
• •Sounds from daily life: the ringtone of the birthday person's old phone, the bell of the school, the family dog barking.
• •Music you have the rights to: your own band, a song a friend wrote, or royalty-free music under a licence that allows it.

Homemade clips often give the best moments of the evening. “Who is humming this song?” is a question that only your guests can answer.

Option 3: royalty-free sounds for atmosphere

Not every music moment has to be a question. The soundboard plays applause, a drumroll and other effects on the big screen with one tap on your phone. Background music fills the lobby while teams scan the QR code. At the end, the winner fanfare plays when the podium rises. All of it is original and royalty-free.

Question ideas for a music round

• •Name the song: which song is this? (play it yourself, five to ten seconds)
• •Which year was this song a hit? (estimate question: closest team wins)
• •Who sings this song? (multiple choice)
• •Which song did Anna and Tom dance to at their wedding?
• •Which of these songs was number one in the year the birthday person was born?
• •Who is humming this song? (your own clip)
• •Which song does the guest of honour always sing in the car? (they answer live)

Five or six music questions are enough for one round. Mix decades so that every generation has its moment, and keep each fragment short: the shorter, the harder.

A note on licences

We are not lawyers, and the rules differ between countries, so here is only the general picture. At a private party at home with family and friends, playing music from your own streaming account is usually fine. At a venue, such as a party hall, restaurant or company location, the venue's music licence applies, so check with the venue what is covered. If you upload clips, only upload audio that you are allowed to use. When in doubt, choose the play-it-yourself option or your own recordings.

Technical tips

• •Test the sound before the guests arrive: both the big screen sounds and the device you play songs from.
• •Switch off notifications on the device that plays the music.
• •Download the playlist for offline use if your streaming service allows it, in case the venue wifi is slow.
• •Keep the volume of the music round a bit higher than the background music; people will be singing along.

Planning the whole evening? Read our guide to hosting a party quiz.