Australia has a successful history when it comes to repurposing the classic U.K. variety quiz show format seen in programs like Never Mind The Buzzcocks, with both the long-running RocKwiz and the sadly-defunct Spicks & Specks providing us with weekly doses of music-themed knowledge and irreverence.
Now, with an Adam Hills-shaped hole left in our TV viewing schedules, Channel 7 have spied an opening and are entering into the fray with a contender for the music quiz throne.
The creatively-titled ‘The Big Music Quiz’ has been receiving its fair share of plugs in amongst the station’s coverage of the beach volleyball and synchronised diving, and will be debuting as soon as the Olympics trundle off for another four years.
Some of the musicians announced as contestants so far include ARIA winner (and Logie nominee) Clare Bowditch, Killing Heidi frontwoman Ella Hooper, Screaming Jets rocker Dave Gleeson, singer and former X-Factor judge Kate Ceberano, Eurovision upstart Dami Im, and ‘The Real Thing’ Russell Morris.
Of course, they’ll all be joined by a cast of non-musical celebrities and public figures including Andrew O’Keefe, Bindi Irwin, politician-turned-DJ Anthony Albanese, and good old Manu.
According to The Music Network, contestants will compete in typical music quiz activities such as identifying a rapid fire series of popular songs, pick out a cover that’s being played on an unusual instrument, or identify tracks that have been manipulated to sound entirely different.
However, the most enticing aspect seems to be that “The losing team closes the show with a loser’s dance”, meaning we may at least get to see Anthony Albanese awkwardly lurch around in gif-worthy fashion.
