1981 in music
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
See also: 1980 in music, other events of 1981, 1982 in music, 1980s in music and the list of 'years in music'
Events
- January 10 - Revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith
- February 14 - Billy Idol leaves the band Generation X to begin a solo career
- February 15 - Blues guitarist Mike Bloomfield is found dead in San Francisco. The cause of death was ruled an accidental drug overdose
- March 14 - Suffering from bleeding ulcers, Eric Clapton is admitted to United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Clapton's 60 city tour of the US is canceled.
- April 7 - Former Who manager Kit Lambert dies after falling down a flight of stairs in his mother's home in London. Lambert managed the band between 1964 and 1967.
- April 11 - Van Halen's lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli
- April 17 - Eric Clapton is released from St. Paul's Hospital in Minnesota following a month-long treatment for bleeding ulcers.
- April 18 - Yes announces that they're breaking up. (They would however reunite frequently in years to come).
- April 20 - The Mamas and the Papas' John Phillips is sentenced to five years in jail after after pleading guilty to drug possession charges. Phillips' sentence would be suspended after thirty days in exchange for 250 hours of community service
- April 22 - Eric Clapton is taken to the hospital suffering from brused ribs and a lacerated shin, following a car accident in Seattle, Washington.
- April 25 - Paul McCartney's backing band, Wings, breaks up
- August 1 - MTV debuts on cable television, playing music videos 24 hours a day
- September 19 - Simon and Garfunkel perform a free reunion concert in New York City's Central Park attended by over 500,000 fans.
- The musical Cats begins its 18 year run on Broadway
- Menudo's golden era (1981-1985) begins in Latin America, parts of Europe and Asia.
- U2 appears on the Tomorrow show with Tom Snyder, their first U.S. television appearance
- Phil Collins releases his first solo album (although he won't leave the band Genesis until 1995)
- Joe Walsh leaves the Eagles
- Hunters & Collectors forms
- Sonic Youth forms
- Throbbing Gristle split up
- Social Distortion's career starts
Albums released
- Wild-Eyed Southern Boys - .38 Special
- Damaged - Black Flag
- Red - Black Uhuru
- Autoamerican - Blondie
- Best of Blondie - Blondie
- Shot of Love - Bob Dylan
- Made in America - The Carpenters
- Face Value - Phil Collins
- Trust - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
- Penis Envy - Crass
- Duran Duran - Duran Duran
- 4 - Foreigner
- The Electric Spanking of War Babies - Funkadelic
- The Beauty and the Beat - The Go-Go's
- Private Eyes - Daryl Hall & John Oates
- My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - David Byrne & Brian Eno
- Freeze Frame - J. Geils Band
- I Love Rock 'N Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
- The Fox Album - Elton John
- Captured - Journey
- Escape - Journey
- Point of Entry - Judas Priest
- Discipline - King Crimson
- Computer World - Kraftwerk
- Get Lucky - Loverboy
- Chances Are - Bob Marley and the Wailers
- Quiero Ser - Menudo
- M.S.G. II - The Michael Schenker Group
- One Night at Budokan - The Michael Schenker Group
- The Michael Schenker Group (album) - The Michael Schenker Group
- Place Without a Postcard - Midnight Oil
- Minor Threat and In My Eyes - Minor Threat
- Fiyou on the Bayou - The Neville Brothers
- Physical - Olivia Newton-John
- Bella Donna - Stevie Nicks
- Blizzard Of Ozz - Ozzy Osbourne
- Diary Of A Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
- Ghost In The Machine - The Police
- Controversy - Prince
- Talk, Talk, Talk - Psychedelic Furs
- A Collection of Great Dance Songs - Pink Floyd
- Quarterflash - Quarterflash
- As Far as Siam - Red Rider
- Tattoo You - The Rolling Stones
- Moving Pictures - Rush
- Mainliner (The Wreckage Of The Past) - Social Distortion
- Non-Stop Erotic Caberet - Soft Cell
- East Side Story - Squeeze
- The Time - The Time
- Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club
- October - U2
- Never Too Much - Luther Vandross
- Fair Warning - Van Halen
Chronological Table of US and UK Number One Hit Singles
| US Number One Singles and Artist (Weeks at Number One) | UK Number One Singles and Artist (Weeks at Number One) |
|---|---|
|
"(Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon (1 week in 1980+ 2 weeks in 1981) "The Tide Is High" - Blondie (1) "Celebration" - Kool & The Gang (2) "9 To 5" - Dolly Parton (2) "I Love A Rainy Night" - Eddie Rabbitt (2) "Keep On Loving You" REO Speedwagon (1) "Rapture" - Blondie (2) "Kiss On My List" - Daryl Hall & John Oates (3) "Morning Train (9 To 5)" - Sheena Easton (2) "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes (9, best selling single of the year "Stars On 45 Medley" - Stars On 45 (1) "The One That You Love" - Air Supply (1) "Jessie's Girl" - Rick Springfield (2) "Endless Love" - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (9) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" - Christopher Cross (3) "Private Eyes" - Daryl Hall & John Oates (2) "Physical" - Olivia Newton-John (6 weeks in 1981 + 4 weeks in 1982) |
"There's No One Quite Like Grandma" - St Winifred's School Choir (1 week in 1980 + 1 week in 1981) "Imagine" - John Lennon (4) "Woman" - John Lennon (2) "Shaddup You Face" - Joe Dolce Music Theatre (3) "Jealous Guy"- Roxy Music (2) "This Ole House" - Shakin' Stevens (3) "Making Your Mind Up" - Bucks Fizz (3) "Stand And Deliver" - Adam & The Ants (5) "Being With You" - Smokey Robinson (2) "One Day In Your Life" - Michael Jackson (2) "Ghost Town" - Specials (3) "Green Door"- Shakin' Stevens (4) "Japanese Boy" - Aneka (1) "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell (2) "Prince Charming" - Adam & The Ants (4) "It's My Party" - Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskill (4) "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" - The Police (1) "Under Pressure" - Queen & David Bowie (2) "Begin The Beguine" - Julio Iglesias (1) Don't You Want Me" - Human League (3 weeks in 1981 + 2 weeks in 1982, best selling single of the year |
Other significant singles of the year
- "All Those Years Ago" - George Harrison
- "Angel Of The Morning" - Juice Newton
- "The Best Of Times" - Styx
- "Don't Stop Believin'" - Journey
- "Easier Said Than Done" - Shakatak
- "For Your Eyes Only" - Sheena Easton
- "Girls On Film" - Duran Duran
- "Guilty" - Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb
- "heading Out To The Highway" - Judas Priest
- "In The Air Tonight" - Phil Collins
- "Intruder" - Peter Gabriel
- "Just The Two Of Us" - Grover Washington Jr with Bill Withers
- "Let's Groove" - Earth, Wind & Fire
- "Love On The Rocks" - Neil Diamond
- "Oh No" - Commodores
- "Oh Yeah" - Roxy Music
- "Queen Of Hearts" - Juice Newton
- "Radio Free Europe" - R.E.M (debut)
- "Seven Bridges Road" - The Eagles
- "Slow Hand" - Pointer Sisters
- "Start Me Up" Rolling Stones
- "Stop Draggin' My Heat Around" - Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
- "Sukiyaki" - A Taste Of Honey
- "There's No Gettin' Over Me" - Ronnie Milsap
- "TV Party" - Black Flag
- "Urgent" - Foreigner
- "Vienna" - Ultravox
- "Waiting For A Girl Like You" - Foreigner (spent 10 weeks at #2 on US charts)
- "Who's Crying Now" - Journey
- "What Makes You Think You're The One" - Fleetwood Mac
- "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) - Ray Parker Jr & Raydio
- "Yes, I'm Your Angel" - John Lennon
Published popular music
- "9 To 5" w.m. Dolly Parton from the film 9 To 5
- "All Those Years Ago" w.m. George Harrison
- "Allentown" w.m. Billy Joel
- "Allergies" w.m. Paul Simon
- "America" w.m. Neil Diamond from the film The Jazz Singer
- "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" w. Tom Eyen m. Henry Krieger from the musical Dreamgirls
- "Arthur's Theme" w.m. Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Christopher Cross & Peter Allen from the film Arthur
- "At This Moment" w.m. Billy Vera
- "Baby, Come To Me" w.m. Rod Temperton
- "Being With You" w.m. William "Smokey" Robinson
- "The Best Of Times" w.m. Dennis DeYoung
- "Bette Davis Eyes" w. Donna Weiss m. Jackie DeShannon
- "Black Limousine" w.m. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ron Wood
- "Bruce" w.m. Rick Springfield
- "Chariots Of Fire" w. Jon Anderson m. Vangelis
- "Good Thing Going (Going Gone)" w.m. Stephen Sondheim
- "Key Largo" w.m. Bertie Higgins & Sonny Limbo
- "One Of The Girls" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander introduced by Lauren Bacall in the musical Woman Of The Year
Musical theater
- Barnum London production opened at the Palladium on June 11
- Cats London production
- Dreamgirls Broadway production opened on December 20 at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 1522 performances
- March of the Falsettoes off-Broadway production
- Pirates Of Penzance Broadway revival
- Song and Dance London production
- Woman Of The Year Broadway production
Musical films
- The Jazz Singer
- Pennies from Heaven
Births
- March 9 - Chad Gilbert, New Found Glory
- December 2 - Britney Spears
- December 13 - Amy Lee, Evanescence
Deaths
- January 23 - Samuel Barber
- January 25 - Adele Astaire, US dancer, actress and singer
- February 9 - Bill Haley, dies of heart attack
- February 15 - Mike Bloomfield, blues guitarist
- April 5 - Bob Hite, Canned Heat, heart attack
- April 7 - Kit Lambert, former manager for The Who
- May 11 - Bob Marley
- October 15 - Elsie Randolph, English actress, dancer and singer
Awards
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
Eurovision Song Contest