1981 IN MUSIC

'See also:'

★

★

★ list of 'years in music'

Contents

Events

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

Biggest hit singles

Chronological Table of US and UK Number One Hit Singles

Other significant singles of the year

Published popular music

Births

Deaths

Awards

Charts

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 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 bruised ribs and a lacerated shin, following a car accident in Seattle, Washington.

★ April 25 - Paul McCartney's backing band, Wings, breaks up

★ May 11 - The musical ''Cats'' begins its 8949 performance run on London's West End.

★ May 20 - Alice Cooper's daughter, Calico Cooper, is born.

★ August 1 - MTV debuts on cable television, playing music videos 24 hours a day.

★ August, UK - the success of Stars On 45 leads to a short-lived medley craze. The most successful imitator of the Stars On 45 format is, rather unexpectedly, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra whose "Hooked On Classics (Parts 1&2)" reaches number two in the charts.

★ August 23 - The Violent Femmes are discovered by members of The Pretenders busking outside the Milwaukee venue where The Pretenders will be playing, and invited to play a 10-minute acoustic set as a second opening act that night.

★ September 19 - Simon and Garfunkel perform a free reunion concert in New York City's Central Park attended by over 500,000 fans.

★ November 18 - While sitting in Tom's Restaurant in New York City, Suzanne Vega composes the song "Tom's Diner".

★ The organ at the famous Heinävesi Church in Finland is renewed, using locks from the original organ.

★ Alice Cooper drastically changes his appearance, leaving behind his trademark make-up and donning a Military uniform.

★ Synth pop enjoys mainstream popularity in the UK, with groups such as Ultravox, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Human League releasing hit singles and albums.

★ 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)

★ Hal Willner "invents" the modern tribute album with ''Amacord Nino Rota''

Bands formed

★ Agitpop

★ Depeche Mode

★ Great White

★ Hunters & Collectors

★ Metallica

★ Mötley Crüe

★ Pantera

★ Slayer

★ Sonic Youth

Bands disbanded

★ Throbbing Gristle

★ The Buzzcocks (they reform in 1989)

★ Josef K

★ Generation X

★ Ian Dury and the Blockheads

★ Toots & The Maytals (they reform in the early 90s)

★ Klaatu

★ Rockpile

★ The Slits

★ Wings

★ MFSB

★ Taveners

★ Raydio

★ City Boy

Albums released

★ ''4'' - Foreigner

★ ''7'' - Madness

★ ''9 to 5 and Odd Jobs'' - Dolly Parton

★ ''A Collection of Great Dance Songs'' - Pink Floyd

★ ''Amarcord Nino Rota'' - Various artists

★ ''Amy Grant In Concert'' - Amy Grant

★ ''Architecture and Morality'' - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

★ ''As Far as Siam'' - Red Rider

★ ''The Ascension'' - Glenn Branca

★ ''Bad Habits'' - Bily Field

★ ''Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks'' - Hanoi Rocks

★ ''Bella Donna'' - Stevie Nicks

★ ''The Best of Blondie'' - Blondie

★ '' The Best Of Minnie Riperton'' - Minnie Riperton

★ ''The Beauty and the Beat'' - The Go-Go's

★ ''Brasil (with João Gilberto, Gilberto Gil and Maria Bethânia)'' - Caetano Veloso

★ ''Breaker'' - Accept

★ ''Brown Rice and Kerosine'' - Redgum

★ ''Buchenwald'' - Whitehouse

★ ''Burning Blue Soul'' - The The

★ ''Captured'' - Journey

★ ''Chances Are'' - Bob Marley and the Wailers

★ ''Completion Backwards Principle'' - The Tubes

★ ''Computer World'' - Kraftwerk

★ ''Controversy'' - Prince

★ ''Come an' Get It'' - Whitesnake

★ ''Cool Night'' - Paul Davis

★ ''Cowboy Jubilee - Riders in the Sky

★ ''Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty'' - Felt

★ ''Damaged'' - Black Flag

★ ''Dare'' - Human League

★ ''Deaf!!'' - You've Got Foetus On Your Breath

★ ''Deceit'' - This Heat

★ ''Dedicated to Peter Kürten'' - Whitehouse

★ ''Denim And Leather'' - Saxon

★ ''Diary of a Madman'' - Ozzy Osbourne

★ ''Difficult to Cure'' - Rainbow

★ ''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' - AC/DC

★ ''Discipline'' - King Crimson

★ ''Don't Say No'' - Billy Squier

★ ''Drama Of Exile - Nico

★ ''Duran Duran'' - Duran Duran

★ ''Earthshaker'' - Y&T

★ ''East Side Story'' - Squeeze

★ ''Escape'' - Journey

★ ''The Electric Spanking of War Babies'' - Funkadelic

★ ''Exit...Stage Left'' (live album) - Rush

★ ''Face Dances'' - The Who

★ ''Face Value'' - Phil Collins

★ ''Fair Warning'' - Van Halen

★ ''Faith'' - The Cure

★ ''Fancy Free'' - The Oak Ridge Boys

★ ''Fire of Unknown Origin'' - Blue Oyster Cult

★ ''Fiyou on the Bayou'' - The Neville Brothers

★ ''Flowers of Romance'' - Public Image Ltd.

★ ''For Those About to Rock We Salute You'' - AC/DC

★ ''For Those Who Think Young'' - Rough Trade

★ ''The Fox'' - Elton John

★ ''Freelancing'' - James Blood Ulmer

★ ''Freeze Frame'' - J. Geils Band

★ ''Get Lucky'' - Loverboy

★ ''Ghost in the Machine'' - The Police

★ ''Give The People What They Want'' - The Kinks

★ ''Golden Down'' - Willie Nile

★ ''Gospel according to the meninblack''- The Stranglers

★ ''Great gonzos : the Best Of Ted Nugent'' - Ted Nugent

★ ''Handful Of Earth'' - Dick Gaughan

★ ''Hard N' Heavy'' - Anvil

★ ''Hardware'' - Krokus

★ ''Healing'' - Todd Rundgren

★ ''High 'N' Dry'' - Def Leppard

★ ''I Love Rock 'N Roll'' - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

★ ''In Concert Volume Two'' - Amy Grant

★ ''In the Garden'' - Eurythmics

★ ''Insect and Individual Silenced'' - Nurse With Wound

★ ''Intensities in 10 Cities (live)'' - Ted Nugent

★ ''Juice'' - Juice Newton

★ ''Killers'' - Iron Maiden

★ ''King Cool'' - Donnie Iris

★ ''Kix'' - Kix

★ ''Koo Koo'' - Debbie Harry

★ ''Love Is Only Feeling'' - Donovan

★ ''Made in America'' - Carpenters

★ ''Maiden Japan EP'' - Iron Maiden

★ ''The Michael Schenker Group'' - The Michael Schenker Group

★ ''Minor Threat'' and ''In My Eyes'' - Minor Threat

★ ''Mistaken Identity'' - Kim Carnes

★ ''The Mob Rules'' - Black Sabbath

★ ''Month Of Parturition (Ringetsu)'' - Miyuki Nakajima

★ ''Movement'' - New Order

★ ''Moving Pictures'' - Rush

★ ''M.S.G. II'' - The Michael Schenker Group

★ ''Music from "The Elder"'' - Kiss

★ ''My Life in the Bush of Ghosts'' - David Byrne & Brian Eno

★ ''Never Too Late''- Status Quo

★ ''Never Too Much'' - Luther Vandross

★ ''Nightwalker'' - Gino Vannelli

★ ''No Sleep 'til Hammersmith'' - Motörhead

★ ''Non-stop Erotic Cabaret'' - Soft Cell

★ ''October'' - U2

★ ''One Night at Budokan'' - The Michael Schenker Group

★ ''Only a Lad'' - Oingo Boingo

★ ''Only Jesus'' - Dion DiMucci

★ ''Penis Envy'' - Crass

★ ''Physical'' - Olivia Newton-John

★ ''Place Without a Postcard'' - Midnight Oil

★ ''Play Me Out'' - Helen Reddy

★ ''Playing With A Different Sex'' - The Au Pairs

★ ''Point of Entry'' - Judas Priest

★ ''Prayers On Fire'' - The Birthday Party

★ ''Precious Time'' - Pat Benatar

★ ''Prince Charming - Adam and the Ants''

★ ''Private Eyes'' - Daryl Hall & John Oates

★ ''Punk's Not Dead'' - The Exploited (debut)

★ ''Quarterflash'' - Quarterflash

★ ''Quiero Ser'' - Menudo

★ ''Raise'' - Earth, Wind & Fire

★ ''Red'' - Black Uhuru

★ ''Rock Till You Drop'' - Raven

★ ''Share Your Love'' - Kenny Rogers

★ ''She Shot Me Down'' - Frank Sinatra

★ ''Shock Tactics'' - Samson

★ ''Shot of Love'' - Bob Dylan

★ ''Slates'' - The Fall

★ ''Somewhere In England'' - George Harrison

★ ''Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash'' - The Replacements (debut)

★ ''Speak & Spell'' - Depeche Mode

★ ''Special Forces'' - Alice Cooper

★ ''Stahlwerksinfonie'' - Die Krupps

★ ''Standing Hampton'' - Sammy Hagar

★ ''Still''-Joy Division

★ ''Street Songs'' - Rick James

★ ''Talk, Talk, Talk'' - Psychedelic Furs

★ ''Tattoo You'' - The Rolling Stones

★ ''Teddy Boys Don't Knit'' - Vivian Stanshall

★ ''Time'' - Electric Light Orchestra

★ ''The Time'' - The Time

★ ''Tin Drum'' - Japan

★ ''Tom Tom Club'' - Tom Tom Club

★ ''Too Fast for Love'' - Mötley Crüe

★ ''Torch'' - Carly Simon

★ ''Trust'' - Elvis Costello & the Attractions

★ ''The Unknown Kurt Weill'' - Teresa Stratas

★ ''The Visitors'' - ABBA

★ ''Welcome to Hell'' - Venom

★ ''White Lace & Black Leather'' - Helix

★ ''Why Do Fools Fall In Love'' - Diana Ross

★ ''Wild-Eyed Southern Boys'' - .38 Special

★ ''Wünsche fliegen übers Meer'' - Die Flippers

★ ''Working Class Dog'' - Rick Springfield

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1981.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Chart Entries
1	Kim Carnes	Bette Davis Eyes	1981	UK 10 - May 1981, US BB 1 - Apr 1981, US CashBox 2 of 1981, Canada 1 - Apr 1981, Holland 16 - May 1981, Australia 06 of 1981, Germany 18 of the 1980s, Germany 01 - Jun 1981, France 46 of all time, South Africa 2 of 1981, Grammy in 1981, RYM 16 of 1981, RIAA 268, Scrobulate 66 of 80s, Acclaimed 738
2	Phil Collins	In the Air Tonight	1981	UK 2 - Jan 1981, US BB 19 - Jul 1981, US BB 27 of 1981, Canada 3 - Jun 1981, Holland 1 - Feb 1981, Australia 23 of 1981, Germany 44 of the 1980s, Germany 02 - Mar 1981, Europe 13 of the 1980s, Belgium 230 of all time, RYM 15 of 1981, POP 16 of 1981, Scrobulate 60 of pop, Acclaimed 1238
3	John Lennon	Woman	1981	UK 1 - Jan 1981, US BB 2 - Jan 1981, US BB 30 of 1981, US CashBox 16 of 1981, Canada 1 - Jan 1981, Holland 21 - Mar 1981, Germany 213 of the 1980s, Germany 07 - Feb 1981, Éire 1 - Feb 1981, New Zealand 1 for 5 weeks Feb 1981, Virgin 59, RYM 22 of 1981, POP 34 of 1981
4	The Police	Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic	1981	UK 1 - Oct 1981, US BB 3 - Oct 1981, US BB 25 of 1981, US CashBox 35 of 1981, Canada 1 - Sep 1981, Holland 1 - Sep 1981, Éire 1 - Nov 1981, RYM 29 of 1981, POP 51 of 1981, Scrobulate 59 of new wave, Acclaimed 2178
5	Kool & The Gang	Celebration	1981	UK 7 - Nov 1980, US BB 1 - Nov 1980, US BB 15 of 1981, US CashBox 10 of 1981, Holland 2 - Dec 1980, Germany 26 - Jan 1981, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks Aug 1981, South Africa 16 of 1981, RYM 200 of 1980, POP 9 of 1981, RIAA 214, Scrobulate 17 of disco, Acclaimed 1668, Party 9 of 2007

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 (3 weeks 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 - ''best selling single of 1981'') "Prince Charming" - Adam & The Ants (4) "It's My Party" - Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin (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)

Other significant singles of the year

★ "Aie a Mwana" - Bananarama

★ "One of Us" - ABBA

★ "Antmusic" - Adam + The Ants #1

★ "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" - Adam and the Ants

★ "Happy Birthday" - Altered Images

★ "I Could Be Happy" - Altered Images

★ "Every Woman In The World - Air Supply

★ "Errol - Australian Crawl

★ "This Little Girl" - Gary U.S. Bonds

★ "Night Games" - Graham Bonnet

★ "Scary Monsters And Super Creeps" - David Bowie

★ "Up The Hill Backwards" - David Bowie

★ "Wild Is The Wind" - David Bowie

★ "The Land of Make Believe" - Bucks Fizz

★ "Sat In Your Lap" - Kate Bush

★ "Plan B Escape" - Fraeon

★ "Shake It Up" - The Cars

★ "Talkin' Baseball" - Terry Cashman

★ "How 'Bout Us" - Champaign

★ "The Magnificent Seven" - The Clash

★ "This Is Radio Clash" - The Clash

★ "In The Air Tonight" - Phil Collins

★ "Good Year For The Roses" - Elvis Costello and the Attractions

★ "Sailing" - Christopher Cross

★ "Charlotte Sometimes" - The Cure

★ "Cool Night" - Paul Davis

★ "Star" - Kiki Dee

★ "Just Can't Get Enough" - Depeche Mode

★ "Plan B" - Dexy's Midnight Runners

★ "Show Me" - Dexy's Midnight Runners

★ "Romeo and Juliet" - Dire Straits

★ "Tunnel Of Love" - Dire Straits

★ "Wild Colonial Boy" - Dr Hook

★ "Europa And The Pirate Twins" - Thomas Dolby

★ "Planet Earth" - Duran Duran

★ "Take It To The Limit(Live) - The Eagles

★ "Let's Groove" - Earth, Wind & Fire

★ "For Your Eyes Only" - Sheena Easton

★ "When He Shines" - Sheena Easton

★ "Hold On Tight" - Electric Light Orchestra

★ "Who Do You Think We Are" - Alice Cooper

★ "Bad Habits" - Billy Field

★ "You Weren't In Love With Me" - Billy Field

★ "Juke Box Hero" - Foreigner

★ "Urgent" - Foreigner

★ "When She Was My Girl" - The Four Tops

★ "Southern Freeez" - Freeez

★ "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum" - Fun Boy Three

★ "Say I Love You" - Renée Geyer

★ "Abacab" - Genesis

★ "Keep It Dark" - Genesis

★ "Under Your Thumb" - Godley and Creme

★ "Wedding Bells" - Godley and Creme

★ "Can't Get Enough Of You" - Eddy Grant

★ "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) - Haircut 100

★ "Backfired" - Debbie Harry

★ "Penthouse And Pavement" - Heaven 17

★ "Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees" - Marcia Hines

★ "Love Action (I Believe In Love)" - Human League

★ "Body Talk" - Imagination

★ "Can You Feel It" - The Jacksons

★ "Absolute Beginners" - The Jam

★ "Funeral Pyre" - The Jam

★ "That's Entertainment" - The Jam

★ "Super Freak" - Rick James

★ "Quiet Life" - Japan

★ "Nobody Wins" - Elton John

★ "Razzamatazz" - Quincy Jones

★ "Watching The Wheels" - John Lennon

★ "I Shot The Sheriff" - Light Of The World

★ "Intuition" - Linx

★ "There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" - Kirsty MacColl

★ "Grey Day" - Madness

★ "It Must Be Love" - Madness

★ "Only Crying" - Keith Marshall

★ "If You Leave...Can I Come Too" - Mentals

★ "Too Many Times" - Mentals

★ "Good Thing Going" - Sugar Minott

★ "Mental Hopscotch" - Missing Persons

★ "Everybody Salsa" - Modern Romance

★ "Cool World" - Mondo Rock

★ "Chemistry" - Mondo Rock

★ "Summer Of '81" - Mondo Rock

★ "Chi Mai" - Ennio Morricone

★ "Days Are OK" - The Motels

★ "Motorhead (live)" - Motörhead

★ "Ceremony" - New Order

★ "Procession/Everything's Gone Green" - New Order

★ "Angel Of The Morning" - Juice Newton

★ "Queen of Hearts" - Juice Newton

★ "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" - Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

★ "Gotta Pull Myself Together" - Nolans

★ "She's Got Claws" - Gary Numan

★ "Will You?" - Hazel O'Connor

★ "Going Back To My Roots" - Odyssey

★ "Souvenir" - OMD

★ "Over The Mountain" - Ozzy Osbourne

★ "Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag" - Pigbag

★ "Invisible Sun" - The Police

★ "Spirits in the Material World" - The Police

★ "I Go To Sleep" - The Pretenders

★ "Controversy" - Prince

★ "Pretty In Pink" - The Psychedelic Furs

★ "Hip, Shake, Jerk" - The Quick UK

★ "Runaround Sue" - Racey

★ "I Surrender" - Rainbow

★ "Wired For Sound" - Cliff Richard

★ "Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones

★ "Waiting On A Friend" - The Rolling Stones

★ "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" - Diana Ross

★ "Limelight" - Rush

★ "Tom Sawyer" - Rush

★ "And The Bands Played On" - Saxon

★ "Theme from ''The Greatest American Hero'' (Believe It or Not)" - Joey Scarbury

★ "Homosapien" - Pete Shelley

★ "Chant No.1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)" - Spandau Ballet

★ "Musclebound/Glow" - Spandau Ballet

★ "History Never Repeats" - Split Enz

★ "The River" - Bruce Springsteen

★ "Is That Love" - Squeeze

★ "Labelled With Love" - Squeeze

★ "Tempted" - Squeeze

★ "Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)" - Rod Stewart

★ "Thrown Away" - The Stranglers

★ "Rock This Town" - The Stray Cats

★ "Stars On 45 Vol.2" - Starsound

★ "Alone With You" - Sunnyboys

★ "Counting The Beat" - Swingers

★ "Once In A Lifetime" - Talking Heads

★ "Reward" - The Teardrop Explodes

★ "Swords Of A Thousand Men" - Tenpole Tudor

★ "I Want To Be Free" - Toyah

★ "Talk To Ya Later" - The Tubes

★ "Don't Want To Wait Anymore" - The Tubes

★ "One In Ten" - UB40

★ "All Stood Still" - Ultravox

★ "Vienna" - Ultravox

★ "It's Gonna Happen" - The Undertones

★ "Gloria" - U2

★ "Livin' Inside Myself" - Gino Vannelli

★ "Chariots of Fire-Titles" - Vangelis

★ "Jimmie Jones" - The Vapors

★ "Fade To Grey" - Visage

★ "Just the Two of Us" - Grover Washington, Jr.

★ "You Better You Bet" - The Who

★ "Cambodia" - Kim Wilde

★ "Kids In America" - Kim Wilde

★ "(Si Si) Je Suis Un Rock Star" - Bill Wyman

★ "Sgt. Rock Is Going To Help Me" - XTC

★ "Don't Stop The Music" - Yarborough and Peoples

Published popular music

★ "9 To 5" w.m. Dolly Parton from the film ''Nine to Five''

★ "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

★ "Believe it or Not (Theme From The Greatest American Hero)" w. Stephen Geyer m. Mike Post

★ "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

★ "Dynasty theme song" m. Bill Conti

★ "The First Time it Happens" w.m. Joe Raposo, from the film ''The Great Muppet Caper''

★ "Good Thing Going (Going Gone)"     w.m. Stephen Sondheim

★ "Hill Street Blues theme song" m. Mike Post

★ "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''
==Classical music==

★ Milton Babbitt - Don for four-hand piano, ''Ars Combinatoria'' for small orchestra

★ George Crumb - ''Gnomic Variations'' for piano

★ Peter Maxwell Davies - Piano Sonata

★ Joël-François Durand - String Trio

★ Bengt Hambraeus - ''Voluntary on a Swedish Hymn Tune from Dalecarlia''

★ George Lloyd - ''Tenth Symphony'' (for brass)

★ Steve Reich - ''Tehillim''

★ Roger Sessions - ''Concerto for Orchestra'' (recorded by Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and for which the composer receives the Pulitzer Prize for Music)

★ Robert Simpson - Quintet for clarinet and Strings; ''Symphony No. 8''

★ Stanislaw Skrowaczewski - ''Clarinet Concerto''
==Opera==

★ Conrad Susa and Richard Street - ''Black River''
==Musical theater==

★ ''Barnum''     London production opened at the Palladium on June 11 and ran for 655 performances

★ ''Bring Back Birdie'' Broadway production

★ ''Cats'' (Andrew Lloyd Webber) - London production opened at the New London Theatre on May 11 and ran for 8949 performances

★ ''Dreamgirls'' Broadway production opened on December 20 at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 1522 performances

★ ''March of the Falsettoes''     off-Broadway production

★ ''Merrily We Roll Along'' - Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on November 16 and ran for 16 performances

★ ''Pirates Of Penzance''     Broadway revival

★ ''Song and Dance''     London production

★ ''Woman Of The Year''     Broadway production opened at the Palace Theatre on March 29 and ran for 770 performances
==Musical films==

★ ''The Great Muppet Caper''

★ ''The Jazz Singer''

★ ''Pennies from Heaven''

Births

★ January 5 - Carmen Monarcha, operatic soprano

★ January 29 - Jonny Lang, blues artist

★ January 31 - Justin Timberlake, former member of boy band
★ NSYNC

★ February 11 - Kelly Rowland, member of Destiny's Child

★ February 27 - Josh Groban, David Foster prodigy

★ March 9 - Chad Gilbert, New Found Glory

★ March 11 - Russell Lissack, Bloc Party

★ April 1 - Theresa Sokyrka, Canadian Idol 2 runner-up

★ June 8 - Alex Band, The Calling

★ June 21 - Brandon Flowers, The Killers

★ July 21 - Blake Lewis, American Idol 6 runner-up

★ August 28 - Iracema Trevisan, Cansei de Ser Sexy

★ September 4 - Beyoncé Knowles, member of Destiny's Child

★ September 14 - Ashley Roberts, member of The Pussycat Dolls

★ September 26 - Christina Milian, US singer

★ October 1 - Jamelia, British singer

★ October 13 - Kele Okereke, Bloc Party

★ October 15 - Nick White, Tilly and the Wall

★ November 17 - Sarah Harding,Girls Aloud

★ November 20 - Kimberley Walsh,Girls Aloud

★ November 26 - Natasha Bedingfield, British singer

★ December 2 - Britney Spears

★ December 13 - Amy Lee, Evanescence

Deaths

★ January 23 - Samuel Barber

★ January 25 - Adele Astaire, US dancer, actress and singer

★ February 1

★
★ Geirr Tveitt, Norwegian composer

★
★ Ernst Pepping, composer

★ February 9 - Bill Haley, rock and roll pioneer, heart attack

★ February 15 - Mike Bloomfield, blues guitarist

★ April 5

★
★ Bob Hite, Canned Heat, heart attack

★
★ Maurice Zbriger, violinist, composer and conductor

★ April 7 - Kit Lambert, former manager and producer for The Who

★ April 8 - Bert Shevelove, librettist

★ April 14 - Ivan Galamian, violin teacher

★ April 28 - Steve Currie, 33, bassist for T. Rex

★ May 11 - Bob Marley

★ July 16 - Harry Chapin, US singer, automobile accident

★ August 18 - Robert Russell Bennett, composer and arranger

★ September 15 - Chick Bullock, US singer

★ October 13 - Marius Casadesus, violinist and composer

★ October 15 - Elsie Randolph, English actress, dancer and singer

★ October 29 - Georges Brassens, singer-songwriter

★ November 27 - Lotte Lenya, actress and singer, wife of Kurt Weill

★ December 13 - Cornelius Cardew, avant-garde composer

★ December 27 - Hoagy Carmichael

Awards

===Grammy Awards===

★ Grammy Awards of 1981
===Country Music Association Awards

Eurovision Song Contest===

★ Eurovision Song Contest 1981

Charts

===List of No. 1 Hits===

★ Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1981
===KROQ===

★ KROQ Top 106.7 Countdown of 1981