Music and Instrument Words for the Imposter Game

Instruments, pop stars, bands and genres: these 40 music pairs are a hit with anyone who has a playlist for every mood.

40 pairs, ready to play. Free, no sign-up.

Music & Instruments word pairs

Civilians get the first word. In Undercover mode the imposter gets the second word; in Classic mode the imposter only sees the hint (if hints are on).

Civilian word	Imposter word	Hint
Guitar	Ukulele	Stringed instrument
Piano	Keyboard	Black and white keys
Violin	Cello	Played with a bow
Drums	Bongos	Hit it to make rhythm
Flute	Clarinet	Woodwind instrument
Trumpet	Saxophone	Brass band instrument
Harp	Sitar	Many strings
Tabla	Dhol	Indian drum
DJ	Beatboxer	Makes music without a band
Taylor Swift	Olivia Rodrigo	Pop singer-songwriter
Beyonce	Rihanna	Pop queen
Drake	The Weeknd	Canadian music star
Ed Sheeran	Shawn Mendes	Singer with a guitar
Justin Bieber	Harry Styles	Former teen idol
Adele	Dua Lipa	British female singer
Eminem	Kendrick Lamar	Rap legend
Bad Bunny	Shakira	Latin superstar
BTS	BLACKPINK	K-pop group
The Beatles	The Rolling Stones	Classic British band
Queen	AC/DC	Legendary rock band
Coldplay	Imagine Dragons	Stadium band
Michael Jackson	Prince	King of a genre
Elvis Presley	Frank Sinatra	Old-school icon
Arijit Singh	Atif Aslam	Bollywood playback singer
A.R. Rahman	Hans Zimmer	Film composer
Spotify	Apple Music	Streaming app
Concert	Music Festival	Live music event
Karaoke	Open Mic	Sing in front of people
Hip Hop	R&B	Urban music genre
Jazz	Blues	Smoky bar music
Rock	Metal	Loud guitar genre
EDM	Techno	Club music
Opera	Musical	Singing on stage
Choir	Orchestra	Big group performing
Headphones	Earbuds	Listen privately
Vinyl Record	Cassette Tape	Old music format
Microphone	Speaker	Sound equipment
Lullaby	Nursery Rhyme	Song for kids
National Anthem	Hymn	Song sung together
Grammys	Eurovision	Big music event on TV

Who the music pack suits

The music pack mixes three kinds of pairs: instruments (Violin vs Cello), artists and bands (Taylor Swift vs Olivia Rodrigo) and music culture (Concert vs Music Festival). That variety means there is something for the band kid, the pop fan and the person who only sings at karaoke. It works well for teens, students and music-loving friend groups.

Sample rounds and clues

Guitar vs Ukulele. "Strings" and "strum" fit both. "Hawaii" or "tiny" gives the Ukulele away, while "electric" points to Guitar.
Beyonce vs Rihanna. Two superstars with huge fanbases. "Queen" is a bold clue, and a sharp group will notice who flinches.
The Beatles vs The Rolling Stones. Both British bands from the sixties. "Liverpool" is too specific, while "classic rock" keeps everyone safe.

Other fun ones: Jazz vs Blues, Headphones vs Earbuds and BTS vs BLACKPINK.

Making it easier or harder

If some players do not follow pop music, use Classic mode. The imposter knows their role and may see a hint such as "Stringed instrument", which gives them something to work with. For music fans, Undercover mode is far more fun: the imposter gets Cello while everyone describes the Violin, and nobody knows who is out of tune.

Combine this pack with Bollywood for a song-heavy evening, or add your group's favourite artists as custom words.

A tip for civilians: if you suspect the imposter early, give a clue that only fits your word but sounds general, such as "under the chin" for Violin. If someone nods along a little too eagerly, you may have found them.

Keep exploring

Read our list of the best imposter game words, or learn how to play from scratch.

More word packs

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Play with the Music & Instruments pack