The Big Music Quiz

Background

On March 13, 2016, it was announced that the Seven Network had purchased the local rights for an Australian version of The Big Music Quiz. It was also confirmed that production would start in April with Darren McMullen to present.

Three days after the announcement, an audience call was released. It required enthusiastic audience members willing to stand and dance as part of the show.

Format

The celebrities begin in a warm up (Round 1) where they are tested in their musical knowledge by identifying original artists of popular cover titles. Top scoring celebrities must pick teams which then compete against each other in the following three rounds (2-4)... they are to recognise song titles played at ten times its' normal speed, go through a personalised round where they are tested on extracts linked to their career and try to work out a cover version of a song sung in a different language. In the fifth round members from each team go head to head deciphering songs that have been altered in several ways. And in the final round (6), the highest scoring team face off individually against each other... each celebrity in that team must shout out the song titles they hear within the two minutes given.

In addition to all this, there is also an app which allows viewers to play along while they are watching at home.

Round 1: The Warm Up

This round determines Team Captains and their teams. Each of the eight guest panelists plays as individuals and listens to a list of known songs. After the music has played, each panelist writes down the name of the artist; they only have 20 seconds to write down their answer and a “cheat sheet” appears at the 15-second mark. The two panelists highest scoring panelists become Team Captains and then choose their teams in a schoolyard pick.

Round 2: Unlikely Covers

Each team has 30 seconds to name the original artist of cover songs performed by live guests. The first team to identify the original artist buzzes in (the buzzer cannot be used for the first seven seconds of each song).

Round 3: Headphone Heroes

The teams must listen to people singing with headphones on. The teams have 30 seconds to buzz in when they can identify the original artist (the buzzer cannot be used for the first seven seconds of each song).

Round 4: Personal Playlist

Teams must guess the name of the artists in a themed segment which takes musical inspiration from one, or some, of the panelists. The game is played as a team; however, all of the panelists can score points for their team if they get the correct answer. Panelists have access to a cheat sheet for the last five seconds of each track.

Round 5: Twisted Tunes

In the final team round, a panelist from each team goes head-to-head to identify the original artist. The songs may be harder to identify as they have been twisted, sped up, slowed down, and reversed. The first panelist to buzz in with the correct answer scores the points. The game is played four times so each panelist gets a turn. At the end of this round, the team with the highest score moves into the Final Round while the losing team head off to learn a dance routine to a popular song.

Round 6: The Final

The winning team now play as individuals. Each player has 60 seconds to guess as many of the original artists as possible. The panelist with the highest score is crowned The Big Music Quiz Champion for the night. The losing team closes the show with their dance routine.