1981 in music

none August 2011 1981 1981 music radio television film This is a list of notable events in music that took place in 1981. Specific locations 1981 in British music 1981 in Japanese music 1981 in Norwegian music 1981 in Scandinavian music Specific genres 1981 in country music 1981 in heavy metal music 1981 in hip-hop music 1981 in jazz 1981 in progressive rock Events January–April January – Nearly a year after the suicide of Ian Curtis, the surviving members of Joy Division plus Gillian Gilbert, now under the name New Order, release their debut single "Ceremony"; the single and its B-side, "In a Lonely Place", are both re-recordings of songs originally written and performed by Curtis.http://www.neworder.com/newordernow/2018/12/19/movement-definitive-edition.html New Order - New Order - Movement 'Definitive Edition' February 23, 2019 September 13, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190913171424/http://www.neworder.com/newordernow/2018/12/19/movement-definitive-edition.html dead The single's release marks the band's first public use of the "New Order" moniker, which they retained for the remainder of their career. 10 January – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith. 11 January – Country singer Hank Williams Jr. releases his 32nd album, Rowdy. It is certified Gold by the RIAA. 18 January – Wendy O. Williams of The Plasmatics is arrested in Milwaukee for simulating masturbation with a sledgehammer on stage. In a scuffle with the police Williams is pinned to the floor and receives a cut above the eye requiring twelve stitches. The Rock Yearbook 1982 https://archive.org/details/rockyearbook198200newy/page/22 New York Virgin Books Ltd. 22 1981 0-312-68784-2 registration 24 January – Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler is injured in a motorcycle crash that leaves him hospitalized for two months. 9 February – Phil Collins releases his first solo album, Face Value, whose opening track "In the Air Tonight" popularizes the gated reverb drum sound that became ubiquitous for the next ten years; while the album ended up a smash success, Collins remained a member of Genesis until 1995. 14 February Ultravox reach number 2 on the UK Singles Chart with "Vienna", but despite huge radio play and massive sales it is subsequently held off the top position for two consecutive weeks by Joe Dolce's novelty song "Shaddup You Face".https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/18593/ultravox/ Ultravox Official Charts Billy Idol leaves the band Generation X to begin a solo career. 25 February – The 23rd Annual Grammy Awards are presented in New York, hosted by Paul Simon. Christopher Cross, with his self-titled debut album and its single "Sailing", becomes the first artist to win all four General Field awards in a single ceremony, controversially beating Pink Floyd's The Wall for Album of the Year. 14 March – Suffering from bleeding ulcers, Eric Clapton is admitted to United Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. Clapton's 60-city tour of the US is cancelled, and he remains in hospital for a month. 21 March – Yellow Magic Orchestra release their fourth studio album, BGM; the album is the first to make use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which would go on to become an influential device in both electronic dance music and hip-hop.http://www.factmag.com/2015/01/22/the-essential-yellow-magic-orchestra/ The Essential... Yellow Magic Orchestra Jones Mikey IQ 22 January 2015 FACT Magazine 24 August 2017 27 March – Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a dove at a CBS record label gathering in Los Angeles.Fricke, David One Ahead For Ozzy Melody Maker IPC Magazines Ltd. April 11, 1981 4 4 April – British pop group Bucks Fizz wins the 26th Eurovision Song Contest, held at the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion, Dublin, with the song "Making Your Mind Up". 11 April – Van Halen's lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli. 12 April – Soviet orchestral conductor Maxim Shostakovich (son of Dmitri) defects while on tour in West Germany with his son.https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/28/arts/russians-call-defection-of-shostakovich-personal.html Russians Call Defection Of Shostakovich 'Personal' The New York Times 28 April 1981 18 April – Yes announce that they are breaking up. (They reunited frequently in years to come). 20 April – The Mamas & the Papas' John Phillips is sentenced to five years in jail after pleading guilty to drug possession charges. Phillips' sentence was then suspended after thirty days in exchange for 250 hours of community service. 22 April – Eric Clapton is taken to the hospital suffering from bruised ribs and a lacerated shin, following a car accident in Seattle, Washington. 26 April/27 April/28 April – Gary Numan performs three sold out 'farewell concerts' at Wembley Arena, following his announcement to retire from live work at the height of his popularity. (He returned to live performance less than two years later.)https://dangerousminds.net/comments/gary_numans_1981_farewell_concerts GARY NUMAN'S 1981 'FAREWELL' CONCERTS July 17, 2014 Dangerous Minds 27 April – Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach marry, in London, England.https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw69533/The-wedding-of-Ringo-Starr-and-Barbara-Bach The wedding of Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach Terry O'Neill 27 April 1981 National Portrait Gallery 21 March 2018 en May–August 2 May – British vocalist Sheena Easton hits No. 1 in the US with "Morning Train (9 to 5)" following a swift rise to fame as the result of a reality TV show. 9 May – Adam and the Ants single "Stand and Deliver" enters the UK Singles Chart at number 1.https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/18646/adam-and-the-ants/ Adam and the Ants Official Charts It remains at number 1 for five consecutive weeks and will sell over one million copies,https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/nov/04/uk-million-selling-singles-full-list UK's million-selling singles: the full list The Guardian November 4, 2012 becoming the years third best selling single in the UK. 14 May – Diana Ross signs with RCA Records (EMI internationally), leaving Motown Records, her label of two decades. The $20,000,000 deal is the most lucrative recording contract in history at that time. 15 May – A riot breaks out at The Ritz rock club in New York when Public Image Ltd plays behind a videoscreen while completely different music plays over the club's speakers. 16 May – Adam and the Ants tops the UK Albums Chart for the tenth consecutive week with Kings of the Wild Frontier. 30 May – A reformed The Human League have their first commercial success as "The Sound of the Crowd" climbs to number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/the%20sound%20of%20the%20crowd/ The Sound of the Crowd Official Charts 4 June – U2 appears on The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder, their first U.S. television appearance. 5 June – The TV series Night Flight, a variety show featuring music documentaries and videos, is premiered on the USA Network. 6 June – Kerrang! magazine publishes its first issue. Angus Young of AC/DC is on the cover. 30 June – Jerry Lee Lewis is rushed to hospital in Memphis for emergency surgery for a tear in his stomach. Despite being given less than a 50% chance of survival, he eventually pulls through. 13 July – Duran Duran release the single "Girls on Film". Accompanied by a highly controversial music video that is censored for airplay on MTV and banned by BBChttps://louderthanwar.com/40-years-ago-this-month-duran-duran-released-girls-on-film-the-song-and-its-appearance-on-mtv-was-a-pop-culture-game-changer/ 40 years ago, this month, Duran Duran released "Girls On Film" the song and its appearance on MTV was a pop culture game changer 31 July 2021 louderthanwar.com the song becomes the band's first big hit, eventually peaking at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart during an 11-week chart run.https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/19319/duran-duran/ Duran Duran Official Charts 27 July – Stevie Nicks releases debut solo album Bella Donna, which sold 4 million copies in the US alone. 1 August MTV broadcasts for the first time on cable television in the United States, playing music videos 24 hours a day. First to air is "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. 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. 23 August – The Violent Femmes are discovered by members of The Pretenders busking outside a Milwaukee venue and are invited to play a 10-minute acoustic set as a second opening act in the Pretenders' show that night. September–December 5 September – Soft Cell tops the UK Singles Chart with "Tainted Love". The song also tops the chart the following week and becomes the second best selling single in the UK in 1981. 19 September Simon & Garfunkel perform a free reunion concert in New York City's Central Park attended by over 500,000 fans. Adam and the Ants have their second chart-topping single of the year as "Prince Charming" reach number 1 on the UK Singles Chart. It remains at number one for four consecutive weeks and becomes the years fourth best selling single in the UK. 26 September – Iron Maiden hires Samson lead singer Bruce Bruce AKA Bruce Dickinson to replace Paul Di'Anno. Dickinson will finish off the last 7 dates of the Killer World Tour. 16 October – The Human League release Dare. A huge commercial and critical success, it spent 69 weeks on the UK Albums Chart including four weeks at number 1https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/18435/human-league/ The Human League Official Charts and be certified platinum in the UK,https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/ The Human League Dare BPI June 18, 2022 May 7, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210507201753/https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/ dead and gold in the US.https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/#search_section The Human League Dare RIAA 26 October – Iron Maiden plays its first show with Bruce Dickinson as the new lead singer in Bologna, Italy. 27 October – The British Phonographic Industry takes out newspaper ads unveiling its new slogan: "Home Taping Is Killing Music". The ads advocate a levy on blank cassette tapes. The Rock Yearbook 1983 New York Virgin Books Ltd. 9 1982 0-312-68785-0 31 October – Punk band Fear makes a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live. A group of fans storm the stage and damage TV equipment while moshing, resulting in the show cutting to commercial. 18 November – While sitting in Tom's Restaurant in New York City, Suzanne Vega composes the song "Tom's Diner". 21 November – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark hits number 3 on the UK Albums Chart with their third album Architecture & Morality. Including three UK top-5 singles, "Souvenir", "Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans", it will remain on the chart for 37 weekshttps://www.officialcharts.com/artist/18250/orchestral-manoeuvres-in-the-dark/ OMD Official Charts and be certified platinum in the UK.https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/ OMD Architecture & Morality BPI June 18, 2022 May 7, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210507201753/https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/ dead 5 December – The 10th OTI Festival, held at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico, is won by the song "es Latino no", written by Pablo Herrero and José Luis Armenteros, and performed by Francisco (singer) es Francisco (cantante) Francisco representing Spain. 11 December – The Human League reach number one on the UK Singles Chart with Don't You Want Me. The song remains at number one for five consecutive weeks and become the years best selling single in the UK.https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-50-best-selling-songs-of-1981__32604/ The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981 Official Charts 5 March 2021 18 December – An estimated 35 million people around the world watch a live satellite transmission of a Rod Stewart concert at the Los Angeles Forum. It is the first broadcast of its kind since Elvis Presley's "Aloha from Hawaii" special in 1973. 31 December Benny Andersson, recently divorced from Anni-Frid Lyngstad, marries TV presenter Mona Nörklit.Benoît Clerc Abba: All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Track Octopus 2024 9781788404839 The tenth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Four Tops, Rick Springfield, Barry Manilow, Alabama and Rick James. Also in 1981 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. Synthpop enjoys mainstream popularity in the UK, with groups such as Ultravox, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and The Human League releasing hit singles and albums. The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" and Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" become the years best selling singles in the UK.https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-50-best-selling-songs-of-1981__32604/ The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981 Official Charts 5 March 2021 Menudo's golden era (1981–1985) begins in Latin America, parts of Europe and Asia. Brad Whitford leaves Aerosmith and is replaced by Rick Dufay. Hal Willner "invents" the modern tribute album with Amacord Nino Rota. Bands formed See Musical groups established in 1981 Bands disbanded See Musical groups disestablished in 1981 Albums released January DayAlbumArtistNotes3 Wild-Eyed Southern Boys 38 Special -12 The Nature of the Beast April Wine album r807 yes Nature of the Beast overview at AllMusic 2010-05-27 AllMusic.com15 In Our Lifetime Marvin Gaye - Stands for Decibels The dB's Debut16Paradise Theatre Styx https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/ BPI certifications for Styx August 7, 2023 February 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210205223425/https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/ dead Turn Back Toto - The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent UFO - Radioland Nicolette Larson -19 Take My Time Sheena Easton 17 January 1981 News https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1981/Music-Week-1981-01-17.pdf Music Week 2 12 September 202223 Kiss Me Deadly Generation X - Trust Elvis Costello and the Attractions -28 Healing Todd Rundgren - Welcome to the Wrecking Ball! Grace Slick -30 Captured Journey Live Photographs as Memories Eyeless in Gaza Debut? Mondo Bongo The Boomtown Rats - Frost and Fire Cirith Ungol -Playing to WinRick Nelson There Must Be a Better World Somewhere B. B. King - To the Bone Kris Kristofferson - February DayAlbumArtistNotes2 You Must Believe in Spring Bill Evans -4 Urban Chipmunk Alvin and the Chipmunks - Evangeline Emmylou Harris -6 The Fool Circle Nazareth -9 Difficult to Cure Rainbow 17 January 1981 News https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/81/Record-Mirror-1981-01-17-OCR.pdf Record Mirror 2 23 August 202212 Moving Pictures Rush -13 Face Value Phil Collins solo debut St. Valentine's Day Massacre Motör Headgirl School EP Fire Down Under Riot -16 Killers Iron Maiden https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/3625-1438-2 Killers certification17 Being with You Smokey Robinson - To Love Again Diana Ross Compilation20 ...And Don't the Kids Just Love It Television Personalities Debut Another Ticket Eric Clapton -27 Point of Entry Judas Priest -? Working Class Dog Rick Springfield - Another One Rides the Bus "Weird Al" Yankovic EP Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks Hanoi Rocks - Atomkraft? Nein, Danke! Earthstar - Coconut Telegraph Jimmy Buffett - Feels So Right Alabama - From the Tea-rooms of Mars .... Landscape - Higher Plane Al Green - Juice Juice Newton - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts Brian Eno – David Byrne - Seven Year Ache Rosanne Cash - Stray Cats Stray Cats - The League of Gentlemen Robert Fripp and The League of Gentlemen - March DayAlbumArtistNotes2 Intensities in 10 Cities Ted Nugent LiveHenke James March 19, 1981 Ted Nugent Gets Intense Rolling Stone Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. 339 50 6 Journeys to Glory Spandau Ballet-9 Magnets The Vapors -10 There Goes the Neighborhood Joe Walsh -13 Never Too Late Status Quo - We'll Bring the House Down Slade -16 Breaker Accept - Face Dances The Who -20 Time Tells No Lies Praying Mantis -21 Grand Slam The Isley Brothers -25 DEV-O Live Devo Live Album26 Fancy Free The Oak Ridge Boys - The Dude Quincy Jones -27 Carl Wilson Carl Wilson -30 Extended Play The Pretenders EP31 Music for Stowaways British Electric Foundation -? 390° of Simulated Stereo Pere Ubu Live Chariots of Fire Vangelis Soundtrack Dad Loves His Work James Taylor - Directions Miles Davis - Sucking in the Seventies The Rolling Stones Compilation Franke & The Knockouts Franke & The Knockouts - Hardware Krokus - Honi Soit John Cale - Long Play Album aka Stars on Long Play Stars on 45 - Nightwalker Gino Vannelli - No Fun After Midnight A II Z EP Party 'Til You're Broke Rufus - Rock Away Phoebe Snow - Short Note Matt Finish - Solid Gold Gang of Four - Somewhere Over the Rainbow Willie Nelson - Waiata Split Enz - White Lace & Black Leather Helix - April DayAlbumArtistNotes1 Reckoning Grateful Dead Live Rock Steady with Flo & Eddie Flo & Eddie -2 Modern Times Jefferson Starship -6 Come an' Get It Whitesnake - The DeBarges DeBarge - Fun in Space Roger Taylor - Prayers on Fire The Birthday Party - The Completion Backward Principle The Tubes -7 Street Songs Rick James -10 Faith The Cure - The Flowers of Romance Public Image Ltd. - Spellbound Tygers of Pan Tang https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Tygers+Of+Pan+Tang&titel=Spellbound&cat=a Tygers of Pan Tang albums11 A Woman Needs Love Raydio -13 Don't Say No Billy Squier - Of Skins and Heart The Church -14 The Electric Spanking of War Babies Funkadelic -15 What Cha' Gonna Do for Me Chaka Khan -17 Future Shock Gillan Popoff Martin Martin Popoff The Deep Purple Family, vol 2 2nd Wymer Publishing 2018 49 978-1-908724-87-8 Go for It Stiff Little Fingers -20 Hit and Run Girlschool - Twangin... Dave Edmunds -23 Where Do You Go When You Dream Anne Murray -27 As Falls Wichita, so Falls Wichita Falls Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays - Slates The Fall EP29 Fair Warning Van Halen - Zebop! Santana -? ¡Alarma! Daniel Amos - Bad for Good Jim Steinman - Dedication Gary U.S. Bonds - El Rayo-X David Lindley - Goddo Live: Best Seat in the House Goddo Live Mistaken Identity Kim Carnes - The Nightcomers Holocaust - Punks Not Dead The Exploited - May DayAlbumArtistNotes1 Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports https://www.pinkfloyd.com/history/timeline_1981.php Pink Floyd official site5 Hard Promises Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Positive Touch The Undertones -6 Wild Gift X -8 Shock Tactics Samson - The One That You Love Air Supply - Wha'ppen? The Beat -11Computer World Kraftwerk - Balin Marty Balin - Nightclubbing Grace Jones - Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar Frank Zappa Live14 Breaking All the Rules Peter Frampton - It Must Be Magic Teena Marie -15 East Side Story Squeeze - Long Distance Voyager The Moody Blues - Talk Talk Talk The Psychedelic Furs 16 May 1981 New Albums Music Week17 Tinsel Town Rebellion Frank Zappa -18 Knights of the Sound Table Cameo -20 Magnetic Fields Jean-Michel Jarre - The Fox Elton John -22 Anthem Toyah -25 Hard 'n' Heavy Anvil Debut29 Heaven Up Here Echo & the Bunnymen - In Concert Amy Grant Live Present Arms UB40 -? Beyond the Valley of 1984 The Plasmatics - Dedicated to Peter Kürten Whitehouse - Look Out! 20/20 - Mecca for Moderns The Manhattan Transfer - Quasimodo's Dream The Reels - Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam Bill Nelson - Red Black Uhuru - Sondra The Sports - June DayAlbumArtistNotes1 The Baron Johnny Cash -2 Somewhere in England George Harrison -5 A Product Of... (Participation) Thompson Twins -8 Season of Glass Yoko Ono -12 Black & White The Pointer Sisters -15 Duran Duran Duran Duran Debut Love Songs Cliff Richard -16 Made in America The Carpenters -19 Jumpin' Jive Joe Jackson - Juju Siouxsie & the Banshees - Only a Lad Oingo Boingo Debut22 Fire of Unknown Origin Blue Öyster Cult - What's THIS For...! Killing Joke -29 Kim Wilde Kim Wilde Debut30 As Far as Siam Red Rider - Breakin' Away Al Jarreau - Earthshaker Y&T - The Visitor Mick Fleetwood -? Corazón de poeta Jeanette - Children of Paradise – The Greatest Hits of Boney M. – Vol. 2 Boney M. Compilation Cut Lunch Models EP Deuce Kurtis Blow - Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places Kid Creole and the Coconuts - Here Comes the Night David Johansen - In the Pocket Commodores - I've Got the Rock'n'Rolls Again The Joe Perry Project - Magic, Murder and the Weather Magazine - No Sleep 'til Hammersmith Motörhead Live Party Iggy Pop - Reflector Pablo Cruise - Renaissance Village People - RocKihnRoll The Greg Kihn Band - Share Your Love Kenny Rogers - Six Pack Black Flag EP Some Days Are Diamonds John Denver - Wanted Dread And Alive Peter Tosh - July DayAlbumArtistNotes3 4 Foreigner - The Friends of Mr Cairo Jon and Vangelis - Whomp That Sucker Sparks -6 High 'n' Dry Def Leppard - Precious Time Pat Benatar -8 Beauty and the Beat The Go-Go's -20 Escape Journey - El Loco ZZ Top - Pleasant Dreams The Ramones -27 Bella Donna Stevie Nicks Solo Debut KooKoo Debbie Harry Solo Debut Bucks Fizz Bucks Fizz Debut28 You Want It You Got It Bryan Adams -29 The Time The Time Debut31 Time Electric Light Orchestra - Step by Step Eddie Rabbitt -? Blue and Gray Poco - Document and Eyewitness Wire - Dexterity Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons - Dreamtime Tom Verlaine - Endless Love Various Artists Soundtrack Freetime Spyro Gyra - Girls to Chat and Boys to Bounce Foghat - Heavy Metal Soundtrack Various Artists Soundtrack Hoy-Hoy! Little Feat Compilation It's a Condition Romeo Void - The Man with the Horn Miles Davis - Marauder Blackfoot - Night of the Demon Demon - Party Mix! The B-52's Remix Pirates Rickie Lee Jones - The Pirates of Penzance Broadway Cast Album Various Artists Broadway cast recording Sirocco Australian Crawl - Three Quartets Chick Corea - Walking Wild New England - Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) Debut Word of Mouth Jaco Pastorius - August DayAlbumArtistNotes7 Pretenders II The Pretenders https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/5205-1896-2 BPI10 Friday Night in San Francisco Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía Live12 Shot of Love Bob Dylan - Never Too Much Luther Vandross Debut17 Red Mecca Cabaret Voltaire -18 Dark Continent Wall of Voodoo -20 Love All the Hurt Away Aretha Franklin -21 Sleep No More The Comsat Angels -24 Tattoo You The Rolling Stones -25 Scissors Cut Art Garfunkel - Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash The Replacements Debut26 Dead Set Grateful Dead Live New Traditionalists Devo -28 Alive Alone Mickey Thomas - The Spirit's in It Patti LaBelle -31 Fire of Love The Gun Club -? Brothers of the Road The Allman Brothers Band - Signals, Calls, and Marches Mission of Burma EP Torch Carly Simon - Give the People What They Want The Kinks - Heartbreak Radio Rita Coolidge - The Innocent Age Dan Fogelberg - Joy The Minutemen EP King Cool Donnie Iris - Level 42 Level 42 - The Pressure Is On Hank Williams, Jr. - Short Back 'n' Sides Ian Hunter - Simplicity Tim Curry - There's No Gettin' Over Me Ronnie Milsap - Thirsty Ears Powder Blues Band - Whitford/St. Holmes Brad Whitford and Derek St. Holmes - September DayAlbumArtistNotes1 Private Eyes Hall & Oates - Special Forces Alice Cooper -2 1234 Ronnie Wood -4 Dead Ringer Meat Loaf - Dance Gary Numan - Strait Country George Strait - Why Do Fools Fall in Love Diana Ross - Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call Simple Minds -7 Burning Blue Soul Matt Johnson Solo Debut11 Rage in Eden Ultravox -12 Hanx! Stiff Little Fingers Live14 Maiden Japan Iron Maiden Live EP Songs in the Attic Billy Joel Live Wired for Sound Cliff Richard -18 Abacab Genesis https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/269-1206-2 BPI Penthouse and Pavement Heaven 17 -21 You Could Have Been with Me Sheena Easton -23 Peter Cetera Peter Cetera Solo Debut You Are What You Is Frank Zappa -24 Something Special Kool & the Gang -25 Denim and Leather Saxon https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/1763-665-2 Denim and Leather certification Wild Things The Creatures EP? Allied Forces Triumph - Boonoonoonoos Boney M. - Buchenwald Whitehouse - Camouflage Rufus - Cats & Dogs Mental As Anything - Caught in Flux Eyeless in Gaza - Dangerous Acquaintances Marianne Faithfull - Deaf You've Got Foetus on Your Breath - Grand Funk Lives Grand Funk Railroad - Happy Birthday Altered Images Debut Hooligans The Who Compilation If I Should Love Again Barry Manilow - Killing Time Massacre Debut Kix Kix - Lord Upminster Ian Dury - Love Byrd Donald Byrd and 125th St, NYC - Magic Windows Herbie Hancock - Mark of the Mole The Residents - MSG Michael Schenker Group - Nine Tonight Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band Live Rock Until You Drop Raven - Snaz Nazareth Live Sunnyboys Sunnyboys - Time Exposure Little River Band - Walk Under Ladders Joan Armatrading - Wanna Be a Star Chilliwack - October DayAlbumArtistNotes2 Discipline King Crimson - Ghost in the Machine The Police - 7 Madness -5 Kollaps Einstürzende Neubauten - Speak & Spell Depeche Mode -7 Get Lucky Loverboy -8 Looking Back with Love Mike Love solo debut9 Still Joy Division Compilation12 Days of Innocence Moving Pictures - October U2 -14 Controversy Prince -16 Mask Bauhaus - See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah. City All Over! Go Ape Crazy Bow Wow Wow - Dare The Human League - The Best of Blondie Blondie Compilation In the Garden Eurythmics Debut19 Underneath the Colours INXS -21 Bobby and the Midnites Bobby and the Midnites-23 Circle of Love Steve Miller Band - Raise! Earth, Wind & Fire - Almost Blue Elvis Costello and the Attractions -26 Freeze Frame The J. Geils Band - Greatest Hits Queen Compilation29 Exit...Stage Left Rush Live? Diary of a Madman Ozzy Osbourne https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/610/mode/2up The Great Rock Discography 1995 610 9780862415419 Strong Martin Charles Law and Order Lindsey Buckingham - Sonic Attack Hawkwind - Don't Stop Billy Idol EP Camera Camera Renaissance - Premonition Survivor - This Is the Way Rossington Collins Band - Present Arms in Dub UB40 Remix Big City Merle Haggard - Chances Are Bob Marley & the Wailers Compilation of previously unreleased material Christmas Album Boney M. Christmas Coup de Grâce Mink DeVille - Face to Face GQ - Fourth Drawer Down Associates - Gosh It's... Bad Manners - Inside You The Isley Brothers - Living Eyes Bee Gees - Local and/or General Models - Love Is Only Feeling Donovan - Physical Olivia Newton-John - Quarterflash Quarterflash - Round Trip The Knack - The Sound of the Sand and Other Songs of the Pedestrian David Thomas & the Pedestrians - Strictly Personal The Romantics - Tom Tom Club Tom Tom Club - Wrap It! Doug and the Slugs - November DayAlbumArtistNotes2 Re·ac·tor Neil Young and Crazy Horse -4 Mob Rules Black Sabbath US Saúde Rita Lee -6 Prince Charming Adam and the Ants - Architecture & Morality Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Shake It Up The Cars - Tonight I'm Yours Rod Stewart - Great Gonzos! The Best of Ted Nugent Ted Nugent Compilation9 Business as Usual Men at Work Australia, debut La Folie The Stranglers - On the Way to the Sky Neil Diamond -10 Too Fast for Love Mötley Crüe - Music from "The Elder" Kiss - Memories Barbra Streisand Compilation +3 new tracks 11 The Jacksons Live! The Jacksons Live Youth of America Wipers -13 Movement New Order - Till Deaf Do Us Part Slade - Tin Drum Japan -16 Changestwobowie David Bowie Compilation Take It Off Chic -20 Renegade Thin Lizzy - Stop and Smell the Roses Ringo Starr -23 The Catherine Wheel David Byrne - Christmas Album Boney M. - A Collection of Great Dance Songs Pink Floyd Compilation with alternate mixes I Love Rock 'n' Roll Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - Too Late the Hero John Entwistle -27 For Those About to Rock We Salute You AC/DC - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret Soft Cell - Ten Out of 10 10cc -30 Bad Religion Bad Religion EP Best of the Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers Compilation The Visitors ABBA -? Crazy Nights Tygers Of Pan Tang - Adventures in Modern Recording The Buggles - In Concert Volume Two Amy Grant Live The Ascension Glenn Branca - Christmas Wishes Anne Murray Christmas Gonna Ball Stray Cats - From the Lions Mouth The Sound - Pearls Elkie Brooks - Place without a Postcard Midnight Oil - The Poet Bobby Womack - She Shot Me Down Frank Sinatra - Still the Same Ole Me George Jones - Take No Prisoners Molly Hatchet - December DayAlbumArtistNotes7 Ten Years of Harmony The Beach Boys Compilation15 LC The Durutti Column -30 For Those Who Think Young Rough Trade -? Damaged Black Flag -Drop Down and Get MeDel Shannon - The Best of Top of the Pops '81 Top of the Poppers - The Blasters The Blasters - In God We Trust, Inc. Dead Kennedys EP Small Change Prism - Welcome to Hell Venom - Wilder The Teardrop Explodes - Release date unknown Adventures in Clubland – Modern Romance Alles ist gut – Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft Begin the Beguine – Julio Iglesias B.L.T. – Jack Bruce, Bill Lordan & Robin Trower Breakin' the Chains – Don Dokken Celebration – Johnny Mathis Changing Hearts – Polyrock Chasanova – Chaz Jankel Claro Que Si – Yello Classic Rock: Rock Classics – London Symphony Orchestra Condition Red - Red Rockers Cool Night – Paul Davis Cowboy Jubilee – Riders in the Sky Curiosum – Cluster Deceit – This Heat Directions – Miles Davis Drama of Exile – Nico Escape Artist – Garland Jeffreys The Evil One – Roky Erickson and the Aliens Fire Wind – Electric Sun Free Lancing – James Blood Ulmer Give the People What They Want – Jimmy Cliff Hits Right Up Your Street – The Shadows Individuellos – La Düsseldorf Inner City Front – Bruce Cockburn Insect and Individual Silenced – Nurse with Wound Introducing The Winans - The Winans Is This a Cool World or What? – Karla DeVito Jane Siberry – Jane Siberry Jealousy - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Judgement of Paris – Kevin Dunn and the Regiment of Women Jump Up / What to Do About – Jimmy Lyons and Sunny Murray La voce del Padrone – Franco Battiato Let Them Eat Jellybeans! – Various Artists Live in Tasmania – John Fahey The Lounge Lizards – The Lounge Lizards Love Potion - Dr. John Lustwandel – Hans-Joachim Roedelius Macadam 3, 2, 1, 0 – Riff Magic Man – Herb Alpert Minor Threat – Minor Threat – EP Material – Moebius & Plank Mommy Don't Love Daddy Anymore – Resurrection Band Mondo Mando - David Grisman Never Say Die – Petra Odyshape – The Raincoats Penis Envy – Crass Peperina – Serú Girán Performance – Ashford & Simpson Play Me Out – Helen Reddy Pleasure – Girls at Our Best! The Plimsouls – The Plimsouls Public Service (EP) – Various Artists The Punch Line – Minutemen Quiero Ser – Menudo Reflections – Gil Scott-Heron Repercussion – The dB's Rock 'n' Roll Warriors – Savoy Brown Secret Combination – Randy Crawford Selbstportrait – Hans-Joachim Roedelius Sky 3 – Sky Speechless – Fred Frith Standing Together – Midnight Star Stick Figure Neighbourhood – Spoons Suburban Lawns - Suburban Lawns Sunrise in Different Dimensions – Sun Ra Trio – Trio Wünsche fliegen übers Meer – Die Flippers Years Ago – The Statler Brothers You're the Guy I Want to Share My Money With – Laurie Anderson, William S. Burroughs and John Giorno Youth of America – Wipers Biggest hit singles The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1981.http://tsort.info/music/yr1981.htm Songs from the Year 1981 # Artist Title Year Country Chart Entries 1 Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes 1981 US US Billboard 1 - Mar 1981 (26 weeks), US BB 1 of 1981, Record World 1 - 1981, US Radio 1 of 1981 (peak 1 16 weeks), Canada 1 - Apr 1981 (14 weeks), France (SNEP) 1 - Jun 1981 (5 months), France 1 - Jun 1981 (5 weeks), Brazil 1 of 1981, Switzerland 1 - Jun 1981 (12 weeks), Norway 1 - Jun 1981 (15 weeks), Italy 1 for 3 weeks - Nov 1981, Germany 1 - Jun 1981 (5 months), ODK Germany 1 - Jun 1981 (27 weeks) (7 weeks at number 1) (15 weeks in top 10), Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Jun 1981, Springbok 1 - Jun 1981 (16 weeks), France 1 for 15 weeks - Jul 1981, Germany 1 for 7 weeks - Jul 1981, Spain 1 for 1 week - Sep 1981, Grammy in 1981, Top Song of 1981 of the Billboard 50th list, US CashBox 2 of 1981, WABC NY 2 of 1981, ARC 2 of 1981 (peak 1 21 weeks), France (InfoDisc) 2 of the 1980s (peak 1, 43 weeks, 1,190k sales estimated, 1981), Austria 2 - Jul 1981 (4 months), Switzerland 2 of 1981, Canada 2 of 1981, South Africa 2 of 1981, Sweden (alt) 4 - May 1981 (22 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jun 1981), Italy 5 of 1981, Belgium 6 - May 1981 (10 weeks), Australia 6 of 1981, UK 10 - May 1981 (9 weeks), Billboard 50th song 12, 55th Billboard 100 14 (1981), Billboard100 15, Holland 16 - May 1981 (8 weeks), nuTsie 16 of 1980s, Germany 18 of the 1980s (peak 1 20 weeks), OzNet 45, Holland free40 56 of 1981, Scrobulate 66 of 80s, RIAA 268, Acclaimed 738 (1981), RYM 16 of 1981 2 Stars On 45 Stars On 45 Medley 1981 Netherlands US Billboard 1 - Apr 1981 (19 weeks), Record World 1 - 1981, Canada 1 - May 1981 (14 weeks), Holland 1 - Jan 1981 (13 weeks), Austria 1 - May 1981 (6 months), Switzerland 1 - May 1981 (14 weeks), Switzerland 1 of 1981, Belgium 1 - Feb 1981 (12 weeks), Germany 1 - Mar 1981 (7 months), ODK Germany 1 - Mar 1981 (30 weeks) (7 weeks at number 1) (22 weeks in top 10), Eire 1 for 3 weeks - May 1981, Canada RPM 1 for 12 weeks - May 1981, Canada 1 of 1981, New Zealand 1 for 7 weeks - Jun 1981, Australia 1 for 4 weeks - Jul 1981, Germany 1 for 7 weeks - May 1981, Spain 1 for 3 weeks - Jul 1981, UK 2 - Apr 1981 (14 weeks), Australia 2 of 1981, US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jul 1981), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1981), Norway 5 - Jun 1981 (10 weeks), Germany 5 of the 1980s (peak 1 24 weeks), Sweden (alt) 7 - Jun 1981 (18 weeks), Springbok 10 - Jun 1981 (7 weeks), US CashBox 13 of 1981, WABC NY 21 of 1981, US BB 24 of 1981, ARC 32 of 1981 (peak 1 13 weeks), Italy 54 of 1981, Brazil 91 of 1981 3 Olivia Newton-John Physical 1981 UK/Australia US Billboard 1 - Oct 1981 (26 weeks), US BB 1 of 1982, Record World 1 - 1981, Switzerland 1 - Nov 1981 (12 weeks), Belgium 1 - Oct 1981 (12 weeks), Canada RPM 1 for 6 weeks - Dec 1981, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks - Dec 1981, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Nov 1981, Top Song of 1982 of the Billboard 50th list, WABC NY 2 of 1982, France 2 - Nov 1981 (1 week), Brazil 2 of 1982, US Platinum (certified by RIAA in Jan 1982), ARC 3 of 1981 (peak 1 23 weeks), US Radio 3 of 1981 (peak 1 16 weeks), Holland 4 - Oct 1981 (10 weeks), Germany 4 - Jan 1982 (5 months), ODK Germany 4 - Nov 1981 (21 weeks) (10 weeks in top 10), US CashBox 6 of 1981, Billboard 50th song 6, UK 7 - Oct 1981 (16 weeks), France (SNEP) 7 - Nov 1981 (2 months), Austria 7 - Dec 1981 (2 months), Billboard100 8, 55th Billboard 100 8 (1981), Springbok 11 - Aug 1982 (6 weeks), Switzerland 14 of 1981, Sweden (alt) 15 - Nov 1981 (10 weeks), Canada 15 of 1982, POP 41 of 1981, nuTsie 51 of 1980s, Italy 62 of 1982, Germany 201 of the 1980s (peak 4 15 weeks), OzNet 319, RYM 124 of 1981 4 Diana Ross & Lionel Richie Endless Love 1981 US US Billboard 1 - Jul 1981 (26 weeks), US CashBox 1 of 1981, Record World 1 - 1981, WABC NY 1 of 1981, ARC 1 of 1981 (peak 1 20 weeks), Canada RPM 1 for 6 weeks - Sep 1981, Australia 1 for 4 weeks - Oct 1981, Springbok 1 - Oct 1981 (19 weeks), US BB 2 of 1981, US Radio 2 of 1981 (peak 1 15 weeks), Oscar in 1981 (film 'Endless Love') (Nominated), Grammy in 1981 (Nominated), Golden Globe in 1981 (film 'Endless Love') (Nominated), US Platinum (certified by RIAA in Oct 1981), Canada 3 of 1981, Holland 4 - Sep 1981 (10 weeks), Sweden (alt) 5 - Sep 1981 (10 weeks), Brazil 5 of 1981, Switzerland 6 - Sep 1981 (7 weeks), South Africa 6 of 1981, UK 7 - Sep 1981 (12 weeks), Norway 8 - Sep 1981 (3 weeks), Australia 8 of 1981, Belgium 9 - Sep 1981 (8 weeks), Billboard 50th song 13, POP 14 of 1981, 55th Billboard 100 15 (1981), Billboard100 16, nuTsie 18 of 1980s, Italy 84 of 1981 5 Soft Cell Tainted Love 1981 UK UK 1 - Aug 1981 (30 weeks), Canada 1 - Nov 1981 (18 weeks), France 1 - Aug 1981 (4 weeks), Belgium 1 - Oct 1981 (9 weeks), ODK Germany 1 - Oct 1981 (26 weeks) (2 weeks at number 1) (16 weeks in top 10), Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1982, Australia 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1982, Springbok 1 - Dec 1981 (19 weeks), Germany 1 for 2 weeks - Nov 1981, Brit best song 1982, Austria 2 - Dec 1981 (3 months), Switzerland 2 - Nov 1981 (15 weeks), Germany 2 - Jan 1982 (5 months), Scrobulate 2 of 80s, Australia 3 of 1982, Sweden (alt) 4 - Oct 1981 (24 weeks), France (SNEP) 4 - Dec 1981 (3 months), UK Gold (certified by BPI in Sep 1981), Holland 5 - Oct 1981 (9 weeks), South Africa 5 of 1982, Canada 7 of 1982, US Billboard 8 - Jan 1982 (43 weeks), Holland free40 9 of 1981, US BB 11 of 1982, POP 18 of 1982, nuTsie 19 of 1980s, ARC 29 of 1982 (peak 5 20 weeks), Germany 37 of the 1980s (peak 1 18 weeks), KROQ 38 of 1982, Virgin 41, US CashBox 50 of 1982, US Radio 59 of 1982 (peak 8 9 weeks), UKMIX 95, Acclaimed 163 (1981), Belgium 242 of all time, France (InfoDisc) 255 of the 1980s (peak 4, 27 weeks, 431k sales estimated, 1981), OzNet 451, WXPN 745, RYM 4 of 1981, Guardian Pop 57, Party 142 of 2007 Chronological table of US and UK and Japan Number One hit singles US Number One singles and artist (Weeks at Number One) "(Just Like) Starting Over" – John Lennon (4 weeks) "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) "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) UK Number One singles and artist (Weeks at Number One) "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma" – St Winifred's School Choir (1) "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 and the Ants (5) "Being With You" – Smokey Robinson (2) "One Day in Your Life" – Michael Jackson (2) "Ghost Town" – The Specials (3) "Green Door"- Shakin' Stevens (4) "Japanese Boy" – Aneka (1) "Tainted Love" – Soft Cell (2) "Prince Charming" – Adam and the Ants (4) "It's My Party" – Dave Stewart (the keyboardist) & 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" – The Human League (3) Japanese Oricon Number One singles and artist (Weeks at Number One) List of Oricon number-one singles of 1981 "Sneaker Blues ja スニーカーぶる〜す" – Masahiko Kondō (2 weeks in 1980 + 3 weeks in 1981) "Koi wa Do! ja 恋＝Do!" – Toshihiko Tahara (2) "Cherry Blossom (song) Cherry Blossom ja チェリーブラッサム" – Seiko Matsuda (4) "Machikado Twilight ja 街角トワイライト" – Chanels (3) "Ruby no Yubiwa ja ルビーの指環" – Akira Terao (10) "Natsu no Tobira ja 夏の扉" – Seiko Matsuda (2) "Blue Jeans Memory ja ブルージーンズメモリー" – Masahiko Kondō (3) "Nagai Yoru ja 長い夜 (松山千春の曲)" – Chiharu Matsuyama (3) "Shiroi Parasol ja 白いパラソル" – Seiko Matsuda (3) "High School Lullaby ja ハイスクールララバイ" – Imo-kin Trio ja イモ欽トリオ (7) "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku ja ギンギラギンにさりげなく" – Masahiko Kondō (6) "Kaze Tachinu (song) Kaze Tachinu ja 風立ちぬ (松田聖子の曲)" – Seiko Matsuda (1) "Akujo ja 悪女 (中島みゆきの曲)" – Miyuki Nakajima (3) "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjū (song) Sailor Fuku to Kikanjū ja セーラー服と機関銃 (曲)" – Hiroko Yakushimaru (2 weeks in 1981 + 3 weeks in 1982) Chronological table of US and UK Number One hit albums US Number One album and artist (Weeks at Number One) Double Fantasy – John Lennon and Yoko Ono (7) Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon (15) Paradise Theatre – Styx (3) Mistaken Identity – Kim Carnes (4) Long Distance Voyager – The Moody Blues (3) Precious Time – Pat Benatar (1) 4 – Foreigner (7) Bella Donna – Stevie Nicks (1) Escape – Journey (1) Tattoo You – The Rolling Stones (9) For Those About to Rock We Salute You – AC/DC (1) UK Number One album and artist (Weeks at Number One) Super Trouper – ABBA (3) Kings of the Wild Frontier – Adam and the Ants (12) Double Fantasy – John Lennon & Yoko Ono (2) Face Value – Phil Collins (3) Stars on 45- Stars on 45 / Starsound (5) No Sleep 'til Hammersmith – Motörhead (1) Disco Daze and Disco Nites – Various Artists (1) Love Songs – Cliff Richard (5) The Official BBC Album of the Royal Wedding – Various Artists (2) Time – Electric Light Orchestra (2) Dead Ringer – Meat Loaf (2) Abacab – Genesis (2) Ghost in the Machine – The Police (3) Dare – The Human League (1) Shaky – Shakin' Stevens (1) Greatest Hits – Queen (4) Chart Hits '81 – Various Artists (1) The Visitors – ABBA (3) Top 40 Chart hit singles Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) US UK Highest chart position Other Chart Performance(s) "'65 Love Affair" Paul Davis December 1981 6 n/a 6 (United States) See chart performance entry "9 to 5 (Morning Train)" Sheena Easton February 1981 1 3 1 (4 countries) See chart performance entry "Abacab" Genesis August 1981 26 9 3 (South Africa) See chart performance entry "Absolute Beginners" The Jam October 1981 n/a 4 4 (United Kingdom) 35 (New Zealand) "America" Neil Diamond April 1981 8 n/a 8 (United Kingdom) 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 10 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 15 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) - 45 (Canada RPM Top Singles) "Angel of the Morning" Juice Newton February 1981 4 43 1 (Canada) See chart performance entry "Antmusic" Adam & the Ants January 1981 n/a 2 1 (Australia) See chart performance entry "Arc of a Diver" Steve Winwood April 1981 48 n/a 19 (Canada) 11 (US Billboard Rock Albums & Top Tracks) "Atlanta Lady (Something About Your Love)" Marty Balin August 1981 27 n/a n/a 11 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) "Backfired" Debbie Harry July 1981 43 32 16 (Sweden) See chart performance entry "Being With You" Smokey Robinson January 1981 2 1 1 (New Zealand, United Kingdom) See chart performance entry "Bette Davis Eyes" Kim Carnes March 1981 1 10 1 (9 countries) See chart performance entry "Blessed Are the Believers" Anne Murray March 1981 34 n/a 13 (Canada) 1 (Canadian RPM Country Tracks, Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks, U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 10 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" The Greg Kihn Band March 1981 15 n/a 14 (Australia) 5 (U.S. Billboard Rock Albums & Top Tracks) "Burnin' For You" Blue Öyster Cult July 1981 40 76 40 (United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart) - 47 (Canada) "Cambodia" Kim Wilde November 1981 n/a 12 1 (France, Sweden, Switzerland) See chart performance entry "Can You Feel It" The Jacksons February 1981 77 6 1 (Belgium, South Africa) See chart performance entry "Centerfold" The J. Geils Band September 1981 1 3 1 (Australia, Canada, United States) See chart performance entry "Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)" Spandau Ballet July 1981 n/a 3 3 (United Kingdom) See chart performance entry "Chariots of Fire" Vangelis March 1981 1 12 1 (United States) See chart performances entry "Chequered Love" Kim Wilde April 1981 n/a 4 1 (South Africa) See chart performances entry "Controversy" Prince September 1981 70 n/a 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) - 3 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 15 (Australia) 28 (Netherlands [Dutch Singles Chart]) "Cool Night" Paul Davis October 1981 11 n/a 11 (United States) 2 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) "Counting The Beat" The Swingers March 1981 n/a n/a 1 (Australia, New Zealand) n/a "Crying" Don McLean January 1981 5 1 1 (Belgium, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40], United Kingdom See chart performance entry "Der Kommissar" Falco December 1981 n/a n/a 1 (4 countries) See chart performance entry "Don't Let Him Go" REO Speedwagon May 1981 24 n/a 2 (Canada) See chart performance entry "Don't Stop Believin'" Journey October 1981 9 62 9 (United States) 8 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 9 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 9 (Canada) - 50 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 62 (United Kingdom) - 100 (Australia) "Don't You Want Me" The Human League November 1981 1 1 1 (8 countries) See chart performance entry "Elvira" The Oak Ridge Boys March 1981 5 n/a 5 (United States) See chart performance entry "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" The Police November 1981 3 1 1 (4 countries) See chart performance entry "Every Woman in the World" Air Supply January 1981 5 n/a 3 (Canada) 2 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 3 (U.S. Record World) - 7 (New Zealand) - 8 (Australia) - 9 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) "Fade to Grey" Visage January 1981 n/a 8 1 (Switzerland, West Germany) See chart performance entry "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" Haircut One Hundred October 1981 n/a 4 4 (United Kingdom) 97 (Australia) "Fire" U2 August 1981 n/a 35 4 (Ireland) n/a "Fire and Ice" Pat Benatar July 1981 17 n/a 3 (New Zealand) 2 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 4 (Canada) - 30 (Australia) "For Your Eyes Only" Sheena Easton June 1981 4 8 1 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100], Norway, Switzerland) See chart performance entry "Games People Play" Alan Parsons Project January 1981 16 n/a 9 (Canada) 95 (Australia) "Gemini Dream" The Moody Blues May 1981 12 n/a 1 (Canada) 12 (U.S. Mainstream Rock) - 13 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 36 (Australia) - 36 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) "Genius of Love" Tom Tom Club September 1981 31 65 26 (Belgium) 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) - 2 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 28 (New Zealand) "Girls on Film" Duran Duran July 1981 n/a 5 1 (Portugal) 4 (New Zealand) - 11 (Australia) - 15 (Sweden) - 16 (Ireland) "Give It to Me Baby" Rick James February 1981 40 47 40 (United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) - 34 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) "Gloria" U2 October 1981 n/a 55 10 (Ireland) 15 (New Zealand) - 32 (Australia) "Good Year for the Roses" Elvis Costello and the Attractions September 1981 n/a 6 6 (United Kingdom) 11 (Netherlands [Dutch top 40]) - 25 (Belgium) - 34 (Australia) "Happy Birthday" Altered Images August 1981 n/a 2 2 (United Kingdom, South Africa) 3 (Ireland) - 16 (Sweden) - 23 (Australia) - 56 (West Germany) "Harden My Heart" Quarterflash September 1981 3 49 3 (United States) 5 (Switzerland) - 6 (Australia) - 12 (New Zealand) - 15 (Austria) - 41 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 51 (West Germany) "Hearts" Marty Balin May 1981 8 n/a 4 (Canada) 9 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 9 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 11 (Canada RPM Top Singles) - 19 (France) - 20 (U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks) "Hearts on Fire" Randy Meisner January 1981 19 n/a 19 (United States) 34 (Canada) "Hell's Bells" AC/DC February 1981 n/a n/a 7 (Australia) 16 (France) - 25 (Germany) - 50 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)" Air Supply August 1981 5 n/a 5 (United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 5 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) - 5 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 43 (Australia) "Hill Street Blues" Mike Post August 1981 10 n/a 10 (United States) 4 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) "History Never Repeats" Split Enz March 1981 n/a 63 4 (Australia) 5 (New Zealand) - 33 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) "Hold On Tight" Electric Light Orchestra July 1981 10 4 1 (Spain, Switzerland) See chart performance entry "How 'Bout Us" Champaign February 1981 12 5 1 (Belgium, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Singles Top 100] See chart performance entry "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" Stevie Wonder January 1981 11 10 2 (New Zealand) See chart performance entry "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" Hall & Oates November 1981 1 8 1 (United States) See chart performance entry "I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)" Lulu July 1981 18 62 3 (New Zealand) 10 (Canada) - 71 (Australia) "I Don't Need You" Kenny Rogers June 1981 3 n/a 2 (Canada) See chart performance entry "I Go to Sleep" The Pretenders November 1981 n/a 7 4 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]) 6 (Belgium) - 9 (Netherlands [Single Top 100] - 28 (New Zealand) "I Love You" Climax Blues Band February 1981 12 n/a 14 (Canada) 9 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 20 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 30 (Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary) - 59 (Australian) "I Made It Through the Rain" Barry Manilow January 1981 10 37 20 (Ireland) 4 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 18 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) "I Missed Again" Phil Collins February 1981 19 14 6 (Canada) See chart performance entry "I Will Follow" U2 August 1981* n/a n/a 34 (New Zealand) 20 (U.S. Billboard Top Tracks) - 71 (Australia) *song released in October 1980 "I Surrender" Rainbow February 1981 50 3 1 (Finland) See chart performance entry "I Want to Be Free" Toyah May 1981 n/a 8 8 (United Kingdom) 1 (UK Independent Singles Chart) - 10 (Ireland) - 10 (South Africa) - 30 (New Zealand) - 35 (Australia) - 61 (West Germany) "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World" Ronnie Milsap October 1981 20 n/a 20 1 (U.S. Hot Country Songs, Canadian RPM Country Tracks, Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) - 3 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 57 (Australia) "If Leaving Me Is Easy" Phil Collins May 1981 n/a 17 17 (United Kingdom) 61 (Germany) "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?" Mental As Anything May 1981 n/a n/a 4 (Australia) 16 (New Zealand) "I'm in Love" Evelyn King June 1981 40 27 27 (United Kingdom) 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles, U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) - 33 (U.S. Record World) - 44 (U.S. Cash Box) "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins June 1981 19 2 (6 countries) See chart performance entry "In the Dark" Billy Squier August 1981 35 n/a 22 (Canada) 7 (U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks) "Intuition" Linx February 1981 n/a 7 7 (United Kingdom) 10 (Ireland) - 38 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 69 (Australia) "Invisible Sun" The Police September 1981 n/a 2 2 (United Kingdom) 5 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 89 (Australia) "Is That Love" Squeeze May 1981 n/a 35 1 (Israel) 25 (Ireland) "It Must Be Love" Madness November 1981 33 4 4 (United Kingdom) 5 (Ireland) - 6 (Australia) - 43 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) "It Must Be Magic" Teena Marie May 1981 23 n/a 23 (United Kingdom) 2 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) "I've Done Everything for You" Rick Springfield February 1981 8 n/a 8 (United States) 19 (Canada RPM Charts) - 31 (Australia) - 40 (Canada) "Jessie's Girl" Rick Springfield February 1981 1 n/a 1 (Australia, United States) 1 (U.S. Cash Box, U.S. Record World) - 6 (Canada) - 10 (U.S. Mainstream Rock) 21 (New Zealand) "Jukebox Hero" Foreigner October 1981 26 48 7 (South Africa) 24 (Germany) - 34 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 39 (Canada) - 53 (Australia) "Just Between You and Me" April Wine February 1981 21 52 21 (United States) 22 (Canada) "Just Can't Get Enough" Depeche Mode September 1981 n/a 8 4 (Australia) 1 (UK Independent Singles Chart) - 14 (Sweden) - 16 (Ireland) - 18 (Spain) - 26 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) - 29 (New Zealand) - 30 (Belgium) "Just the Two of Us" Grover Washington, Jr. February 1981 2 34 2 (United States) See chart performance entry "Kids in America" Kim Wilde January 1981 25 2 1 (Finland, South African) See chart performance entry "Kiss on My List" Hall & Oates January 1981 1 33 1 (United States) 7 (Canada) - 13 (Australia) - 16 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 33 (New Zealand) - 54 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) "Labelled with Love" Squeeze September 1981 n/a 4 2 (Ireland) 46 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) "Leader of the Band" Dan Fogelberg November 1981 9 n/a 9 (United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult contemporary) - 35 (U.S. Billboard Top Pop Singles) "Leather and Lace" Stevie Nicks and Don Henley October 1981 6 n/a 6 (United States) See chart performance entry "Let's Get It Up" AC/DC December 1981 n/a n/a 18 (Sweden) 33 (West Germany) - 73 (Australia) "Let's Groove" Earth, Wind & Fire September 1981 3 3 2 (France, New Zealand) See chart performance entry "Limelight" Rush February 1981 55 n/a 18 (Canada) 4 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) "A Little in Love" Cliff Richard January 1981 17 15 4 (Canada) See chart performance entry "Living Inside Myself" Gino Vannelli March 1981 6 n/a 6 (United States) See chart performance entry "Lock Up Your Daughters" Slade September 1981 n/a 29 19 (Netherlands [Dutch Singles Chart]) n/a "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" The Human League July 1981 n/a 3 3 (United Kingdom) 11 (Ireland) - 12 (Australia) - 21 (New Zealand) "Love is Alright Tonite" Rick Springfield August 1981 20 n/a 20 (United Kingdom) 26 (Canada RPM Top Singles) - 40 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) "Love on a Two-Way Street" Stacy Lattisaw June 1981 26 n/a 26 (United States) 2 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 19 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 23 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 26 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100) - 39 (Canada) "Message of Love" The Pretenders February 1981 n/a 11 9 (Ireland) 5 (U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks) - 15 (Australia) - 33 (Netherlands) - 44 (U.S. Billboard Dance/Disco) "The Model" Kraftwerk November 1981 n/a 1 1 (United Kingdom) 4 (Ireland) - 7 (West Germany) - 20 (Finland) - 33 (Australia) *"Modern Girl" Sheena Easton May 1981 18 8 8 (United Kingdom) "More Than I Can Say" Leo Sayer January 1981 2 2 1 (Australia) 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 2 (Ireland, South Africa) - 3 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 5 (New Zealand) - 7 (Canada) [1980 overlap] "Musclebound" b/w "Glow" Spandau Ballet March 1981 n/a 10 10 (United Kingdom) 18 (Ireland) - 32 (Netherlands [Single Top 100)] - 97 (Australia) "Never Too Much" Luther Vandross October 1981 33 13 13 (United Kingdom) 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 4 (U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 18 (Ireland) - 47 (New Zealand) "New Life" Depeche Mode June 1981 n/a 11 11 (United Kingdom) 1 (UK Independent Singles chart) - 22 (Ireland) - 29 (U.S. Billboard Dance Clubs Songs) "O Superman" Laurie Anderson October 1981 n/a 2 2 (United Kingdom) See chart performance entry "Oh No" The Commodores September 1981 4 44 3 (Canada) 5 (U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 5 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 51 (Australia) "Once in a Lifetime" Talking Heads January 1981 n/a 14 14 (United Kingdom) 16 (Ireland) - 23 (Australia) - 24 (Netherlands [Dutch Singles Chart]) - 28 (Canada) - 103 (U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100) "One in Ten" UB40 August 1981 n/a 7 7 United Kingdom) 87 Australia) "One of Us" ABBA December 1981 n/a 3 1 (6 countries) See chart performance entry "Open Your Heart" The Human League October 1981 n/a 6 6 (United Kingdom) 8 (Ireland) - 12 (Belgium) - 20 (Netherlands [Single Top 100)] - 43 (New Zealand) "Our Lips Are Sealed" The Go-Go's June 1981 20 47 2 (Australia) See chart performance entry "Ooa hela natten" Attack 1981 n/a n/a 1 (Sweden) 2 (Norway) "Pac-Man Fever" Buckner & Garcia December 1981 9 n/a 9 (Canada, United States) 7 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) "Physical" Olivia Newton-John September 1981 1 7 1 (Australia, Belgium, Canada, New Zealand) See chart performance entry "Planet Earth" Duran Duran February 1981 n/a 12 8 (Australia) 1 (French Airplay Chart) - 14 (Ireland) - 70 (France) "Queen of Hearts" Juice Newton June 1981 2 n/a 2 (South Africa, United States) See chart performance entry "Rapture" Blondie January 1981 1 5 1 (United States) See chart performance entry "The River" Bruce Springsteen May 1981 n/a n/a 5 (Norway) 5 (Norway) – 10 (Sweden) - 24 (Ireland) – 25 (Netherlands) – 35 (UK Singles Chart) "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" AC/DC November 1980 (Charted in 1981) n/a 15 7 (Australia) 15 (Ireland)"Rock This Town" Stray Cats January 1981 9 9 3 (Belgium) See chart performance entry"Sat in Your Lap" Kate Bush June 1981 n/a 11 11 (United Kingdom) 18 (Ireland) - 25 (Italy) - 30 (Spain) - 32 (Netherlands) - 93 (Australia)"Shake It Up" The Cars November 1981 4 n/a 3 (Netherlands) See chart performance entry"She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)" Carl Carlton August 1981 22 34 22 (United States) 2 (US Billboard Soul Singles) - 23 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 27 (New Zealand)"Should I Do It" The Pointer Sisters December 1981 12 50 6 (Belgium) See Chart performance entry"(Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star" Bill Wyman September 1981 n/a 14 5 (Australia) 6 (New Zealand) - 14 (Netherlands) - 20 (Belgium)"Slow Hand" The Pointer Sisters May 1981 2 10 2 (3 countries) See Chart performance entry"Souvenir" Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark August 1981 n/a 3 1 (Portugal, Spain) See Chart performance entry"Spirits in the Material World" The Police December 1981 11 12 4 (France) See Chart performance entry"Start Me Up" The Rolling Stones August 1981 2 7 1 (Australia) See Chart performance entry"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers July 1981 3 50 3 (United States) 2 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 4 (South Africa) - 5 (Canada) - 10 (Australia) - 11 (New Zealand) - 43 (Netherlands [Single Top 100)"Stray Cat Strut" Stray Cats April 1981 3 (Charted in 1982) 11 3 (Canada, United States) 3 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 8 (Ireland) - 30 (South Africa) - 41 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 78 (US Billboard Disco/Dance)"The Stroke" Billy Squier May 1981 17 52 3 (Austria, United States) See Chart performance entry"Sukiyaki" A Taste of Honey March 1981 3 n/a 3 (New Zealand, United States) See Chart performance entry"Super Freak" Rick James August 1981 16 n/a 2 (Belgium, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]) See Chart performance entry"Sweetheart" Franke and the Knockouts March 1981 10 n/a 10 (United States) See Chart performance entry"Take It on the Run" REO Speedwagon March 1981 5 19 2 (Canada) See Chart performance entry"Tempted" Squeeze July 1981 49 41 41 (United Kingdom) 8 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 45 (Canada) - 95 (Australia)"Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)" Joey Scarbury May 1981 2 n/a 1 (New Zealand) See chart performance entry"(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" Ronnie Milsap June 1981 5 n/a 5 (United States) See chart performance entry"The Thin Wall" Ultravox April 1981 11 43 7 (Canada) 5 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 7 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 11 (New Zealand)"This Little Girl" Gary U.S. Bonds May 1981 n/a 14 14 (United Kingdom) 16 (Ireland) - 95 (Australia)"Tom Sawyer" Rush August 1981 44 25 24 (Canada) 8 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock)"Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)" Rod Stewart October 1981 20 8 2 (Canada) See chart performance entry"Too Much Time on My Hands" Styx February 1981 9 n/a 4 (Canada) 67 (Australia) "Turn Me Loose" Loverboy February 1981 35 n/a 3 (Australia) 4 (South Africa) - 5 (New Zealand) - 6 (US Billboard Top Rock Tracks) - 7 (Canada) "Turn Your Love Around" George Benson October 1981 5 29 5 (United States) See chart performance entry"Two Hearts" Stephanie Mills & Teddy Pendergrass January 1981 40 49 40 (United States) 3 (US Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 46 (New Zealand) - 82 (US Billboard Disco Top 100)"Urgent" Foreigner June 1981 4 54 1 (Canada, South Africa) See chart performance entry"Vienna" Ultravox January 1981 n/a 2 1 (3 countries) See chart performance entry"The Voice" The Moody Blues July 1981 15 n/a 9 (Canada) 1 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 15 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 16 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 46 (Netherlands) - 91 (Australia)"The Waiting" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers April 1981 19 n/a 6 (Canada) 1 (US Billboard Top Tracks) - 14 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 27 (New Zealand)"Waiting for a Girl Like You" Foreigner October 1981 2 8 2 (Canada, United States) See chart performance entry"Waiting on a Friend" The Rolling Stones February 1981 13 50 10 (Canada) See chart performance entry"Walking on Thin Ice" Yoko Ono November 1981 58 35 6 (Sweden) See chart performance entry"Watching the Wheels" John Lennon March 1981 10 30 3 (Canada) See chart performance entry"We Got the Beat" The Go-Go's July 1981 2 n/a 2 (United States) See chart performance entry"Wedding Bells" Godley & Creme November 1981 n/a 7 7 (United Kingdom) See chart performance entry"While You See a Chance" Steve Winwood February 1981 7 45 3 (Canada) See chart performance entry"Who Can It Be Now?" Men at Work May 1981 1 (Charted in 1982) 45 1 (Israel, United States) See chart performance entry"Who's Crying Now" Journey July 1981 4 46 4 (United States) See chart performance entry"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" Diana Ross September 1981 7 4 1 (Belgium, Netherlands) See chart performance entry"Wired for Sound" Cliff Richard August 1981 71 4 2 (Australia, South Africa) See chart performance entry"Working for the Weekend" Loverboy September 1981 29 n/a 10 (Canada) 2 (US Billboard Rock Top Tracks) - 19 (Australia) - 19 (New Zealand)"Working in the Coal Mine" Devo August 1981 43 n/a 10 (New Zealand) 17 (Canada) - 20 (Australia) - 30 (US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play) - 36 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 53 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks)"You Better You Bet" The Who February 1981 18 9 4 (Canada) See chart performance entry"You Make My Dreams" Hall & Oates April 1981 5 n/a 5 (United States) 4 (US Radio & Records Chart) - 7 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 17 (Canada) - 35 (US Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 40 (Australia)"Young Turks" Rod Stewart October 1981 5 11 1 (Canada, Israel) See chart performance entry Number One hit singles Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) Date reached number one Weeks at number one Country(s) "(Out Here) On My Own" Nikka Costa 1981-04 August 1981 14 weeks Italy "Nine to Five (Morning Train)" Sheena Easton 1980-05 1981-05 2 weeks 4 countries "Amoureux solitaires" Lio 1980-09 1981-01 6 weeks France, Italy "Angel of the Morning" Juice Newton 1981-02 1981-05 3 weeks Canada "Antmusic" Adam and the Ants 1980-11 1981-03 5 weeks Australia "Atmosphere" Joy Division 1980-03 1981-01 1 week New Zealand "Bad Habits" Billy Field 1981-05 1981-10 1 week New Zealand "Begin the Beguine" Julio Iglesias 1981 1981-11 3 weeks Ireland, United Kingdom "Being with You" Smokey Robinson 1981-02 1981-04 6 weeks New Zealand, United Kingdom "Bensonhurst Blues" Oscar Benton 1981 1981-12 1 week France "Bette Davis Eyes" Kim Carnes 1981-03 1981-06 5 weeks 14 countries "Celebration" Kool & the Gang 1980-09 1981-05 5 weeks Canada, New Zealand, United States "Chi Mai" Ennio Morricone 1981 1981-11 3 weeks France "Cicale/Mr. pulce" Heather Parisi 1981-09 1981-12 4 weeks Italy "Confidence pour confidence" Jean Schultheis 1981 1981-10 4 weeks France "Counting the Beat" The Swingers 1981-03 1981-05 1 week Australia, New Zealand "DEV-O Live" Devo 1981-03 1981-08 3 weeks Australia "Don't You Want Me" The Human League 1981-11 1981-12 1 week 8 countries "Duncan" Slim Dusty 1980-11 1981-02 2 weeks Australia "Endless Love" Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 1981-06 1981-09 5 weeks 4 countries "Enola Gay" Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 1980-09 1981-07 6 weeks Italy, Portugal, Spain "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" The Police 1981-10 1981-11 1 week 4 countries "Gemini Dream" The Moody Blues 1981-05 1981-08 1 week Canada "Ghost Town" The Specials 1981-06 1981-07 3 weeks United Kingdom "Green Door" Shakin' Stevens 1981-08 1981-08 4 weeks Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom "Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)" Ottawan 1981 1981-10 2 weeks 5 countries "Imagine" John Lennon 1975-10 1981-01 1 week Ireland, Luxembourg, United Kingdom "It's My Party" Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin 1981-09 1981-10 4 weeks Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom "Japanese Boy" Aneka 1981-08 1981-09 1 week 6 countries "Je chante avec toi, liberté" Nana Mouskouri 1981 1981-12 1 week France "Jealous Guy" Roxy Music 1981-03 1981-04 4 weeks Australia, Luxembourg, United Kingdom "Jessie's Girl" Rick Springfield 1981-02 1981-08 1 week Australia, United States "La danse des canards" J. J. Lionel 1981 1981-10 1 week France "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" Commodores 1981-07 1981-09 3 weeks New Zealand "Lança-perfume" Rita Lee 1980-09 1981-09 1 week France "Love Will Tear Us Apart" Joy Division 1980-06 1981-08 2 weeks New Zealand "Making Your Mind Up" Bucks Fizz 1981-03 1981-04 2 weeks 7 countries "Maledetta primavera" Loretta Goggi 1981-02 1981-03 1 week Italy "More and More" Joe Dolan 1981 1981-03 1 week Ireland, South Africa "One Day in Your Life" Michael Jackson 1981-02 1981-07 2 weeks 5 countries "One of Us" ABBA 1981-12 1981-12 1 week Chart performance "Physical" Olivia Newton-John 1981-09 1981-11 6 weeks Chart performance "Pour le plaisir" Herbert Léonard 1981 1981-05 6 weeks Chart performance "Prince Charming" Adam and the Ants 1981-09 1981-09 2 weeks Chart performance "Reality" Richard Sanderson 1980 1981-01 8 weeks Chart performance "Sarà perché ti amo" Ricchi e Poveri 1981-02 1981-03 10 weeks Chart performance "Sausalito Summernight" Diesel 1981 1981-09 1 week Chart performance "Say I Love You" Renée Geyer 1981-05 1981-10 2 weeks Chart performance "See Me Go" Screaming Meemees 1981-09 1981-10 2 weeks Chart performance "Shaddap You Face" Joe Dolce Music Theatre 1980-11 1981-03 8 weeks Chart performance "Stand and Deliver" Adam and the Ants 1981-04 1981-05 5 weeks Chart performance "Stars on 45" Stars on 45 1981-01 1981-05 4 weeks Chart performance "Start Me Up" The Rolling Stones 1981-08 1981-10 1 week Chart performance "Stop the Cavalry" Jona Lewie 1980-11 1981-03 6 weeks Chart performance "Tainted Love" Soft Cell 1981-07 1981-08 2 weeks Chart performance "The Best of Times" Styx 1981-01 1981-03 1 week Chart performance "The Bridge" Deane Waretini 1981-04 1981-06 6 weeks Chart performance "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" Jon and Vangelis 1981-05 1981-11 5 weeks Chart performance "The Streets of New York" Wolfe Tones 1981 1981-07 3 weeks Chart performance "The Tide Is High" Blondie 1980-10 1981-01 4 weeks Chart performance "Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)" Joey Scarbury 1981-05 1981-09 2 weeks Chart performance "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma" St Winifred's School Choir 1980-11 1981-01 1 week Chart performance "This Ole House" Shakin' Stevens 1981-02 1981-06 1 week Chart performance "Under Pressure" Queen & David Bowie 1981-10 1981-11 2 weeks Chart performance "Urgent" Foreigner 1981-06 1981-09 2 weeks Chart performance "Vertige de l'amour" Alain Bashung 1981 1981-04 1 week Chart performance "Vienna" Ultravox 1981-01 1981-03 1 week Chart performance "When You Were Sweet Sixteen" The Fureys and Davy Arthur 1981 1981-07 1 week Chart performance "Woman" John Lennon 1981-01 1981-06 3 weeks Chart performance "Woman in Love" Barbra Streisand 1980-08 1981-02 3 weeks Chart performance "You Drive Me Crazy" Shakin' Stevens 1981-04 1981-09 3 weeks Chart performance "You Weren't in Love with Me" Billy Field 1981-07 1981-11 1 week Chart performance Other Chart hit singles 30em "Aie a Mwana" – Bananarama "And the Bands Played On" – Saxon (# 12 UK) "Another Tricky Day" – The Who "Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey" – Modern Romance (# 10 UK) "Boys and Girls" – The Human League (# 48 UK) "Boys in Town" – Divinyls (# 8 Australia) "Bringing on the Heartbreak" – Def Leppard (# 61 US) "Chcem sa s tebou deliť" – Marika Gombitová (Winner of the Intervision Song Contest) "Computer Love" – Kraftwerk (# 36 UK) "Cool World" – Mondo Rock (# 8 Australia) "Der blaue Planet" - Karat (# 2 East Germany) "Don't Stop the Music" – Yarbrough and Peoples "Double Dutch Bus" – Frankie Smith "Eisbär" – Grauzone "Fight the Good Fight" – Triumph (# 18 U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) "Funeral Pyre" – The Jam (# 4 UK) "Heading Out to the Highway" – Judas Priest (# 10 U.S. Mainstream Rock) "I Don't Wanna Dance" – Split Enz (# 65 Australia) "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Roger (# 79 United States, # 1 U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles, # 25 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs) "If I Was a Dancer (Dance Pt. 2)" – The Rolling Stones*" "It's All I Can Do" - Anne Murray (# 53 United States) "(Kom så ska vi) Leva livet" – Gyllene Tider (# 13 Sweden) "La voix du bon Dieu" – Céline Dion (# 11 Quebec)*"Lonely Is the Night" "Mean Street" – Van Halen (# 12 U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks) "Oh No Not You Again" – Australian Crawl (# 58 Australia) "Pearl Necklace" – ZZ Top (# 28 US) "A Promise" – Echo & the Bunnymen (# 49 UK) "Red Barchetta" – Rush "Résiste" – France Gall "Rise Above" – Black Flag "Romeo and Juliet" – Dire Straits "Runaround Sue" – Racey "Sailing" – Christopher Cross "Same Old Lang Syne" – Dan Fogelberg "Sausalito Summernight" – Diesel "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" – Billy Joel "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" – David Bowie "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)" – Carl Carlton "She's Got a Way" (live) – Billy Joel "Shout and Deliver" – The Reels (# 43 Australia) "Shut Up" – Madness "Silly" – Deniece Williams "Since You're Gone" – The Cars "Slave" – The Rolling Stones "So This Is Love?" – Van Halen "The Sound of the Crowd" – The Human League "Stay Young" – INXS (# 21 Australia) "Stone in Love" – Journey "Stop This Game" – Cheap Trick "Straight from the Heart" – The Allman Brothers Band "Take It to the Limit (Live)" – The Eagles "Telstar" – The Shadows "That Old Song" – Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio "That's Entertainment" – The Jam "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" – Kirsty McColl "Through the Years" – Kenny Rogers "Time" – The Alan Parsons Project "Together" – Tierra "Too Many Times" – Mental As Anything "Treat Me Right" – Pat Benatar "Tube Snake Boogie" – ZZ Top "Tunnel of Love" – Dire Straits "Turning Japanese" – The Vapors (released in 1980) "Unchained" – Van Halen "The Unguarded Moment" – The Church "The Voice" – Ultravox "Little T&A" – The Rolling Stones "The Wanderer" – Donna Summer "Water on Glass"/"Boys" – Kim Wilde "We Don't Have to Hold Out" – Anne Murray "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" – Heaven 17 "Wedding Bells" – Godley & Creme "We'll Bring the House Down" – Slade "We're in This Love Together" – Al Jarreau "What Are We Doin' In Love" – Kenny Rogers and Dottie West "What Kind of Fool" – Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb "When He Shines" – Sheena Easton "When She Was My Girl" – The Four Tops "When You Were Sweet Sixteen" – The Fureys with Davey Arthur "Whip It" – Devo "Wild Colonial Boy" – Dr. Hook "Wild is the Wind" – David Bowie "Will You?" – Hazel O'Connor "Winning" – Santana "You Got Nothing I Want" – Cold Chisel Notable singles Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) Other Chart Performance(s)"Baila comigo" Rita Lee September 1980 4 (Argentina Singles Sales Chart) - 7 (Spain)"Ceremony" New Order January 1981 7 (New Zealand) - 1 (UK Independent Singles Chart) - 62 (US Billboard Hot Dance Club Party)"Christmas Wrapping" The Waitresses November 1981 See chart entry performance "Closer to the Heart" (live) Rush November 1981 21 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 69 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100)"God morgon" Chips 1981 2nd at the Swedish Melodifestivalen 1981"I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)" Grace Jones May 1981 See chart performance entry"Johnny Blue" Lena Valaitis 1981 Winner of the German national final of the Eurovision Song Contest 1981"Kick in the Eye" Bauhaus March 1981 29 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 59 (UK Singles Chart) "O Superman" Laurie Anderson October 1981 See chart performance entry "Procession/Everything's Gone Green" New Order September 1981 1 (UK Independent Charts) - 38 (UK Singles Chart)"Pull Up to the Bumper" Grace Jones June 1981 See chart performance entry"Release the Bats" The Birthday Party July 1981 3 (UK Indie Charts) "Walking in the Rain" Grace Jones October 1981 34 (New Zealand) - 67 (West Germany) - 94 (Australia)"Walking on Thin Ice" Yoko Ono February 1981 See chart performance entry"Wordy Rappinghood" Tom Tom Club June 1981 See chart performance entry Other Notable singles 30em "A.D. 1928/Rockin' the Paradise" – Styx "Alone with You" – Sunnyboys "Black Limousine" – The Rolling Stones "Happy Man" – Sunnyboys "Henry Hudson" – Nico "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" – Joe Jackson "It's a Tough Life" – Pat Benatar "Maljčiki" – Idoli "Nick The Stripper" - The Birthday Party "No Word From China" – Pel Mel "No.3" – The Reels "October" – U2 "Photographic"- Depeche Mode "Quasimodo's Dream" – The Reels "Radio Free Europe" (original Hib-Tone version) – R.E.M. "Rawhide" – Dead Kennedys "Thirsty and Miserable" b/w "Life of Pain" - Black Flag "We're Going to Live For a Very Long Time" – Heaven 17 "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" – Dead Kennedys 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 Ronnie 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 "Memory w. Trevor Nunn & T. S. Eliot m. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Introduced by Elaine Paige in the musical Cats. "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 piano four-hands Ars Combinatoria, for small orchestra Leonard Bernstein Olympic Hymn, chorus and orchestra Rob du Bois String Quartet no. 3 Sonata for solo viola George Crumb – Gnomic Variations for piano Peter Maxwell Davies – Piano Sonata Joël-François Durand – String Trio Morton Feldman Bass Clarinet and Percussion, for bass clarinet, cymbals and gongs Triadic Memories, for piano For Aaron Copland, for violin Lorenzo Ferrero Balletto Arioso II Variazioni sulla notte, for guitar Cristóbal Halffter Fantasia sobre una sonoridad de G. F. Haendel, for string orchestra Ricercare, for organ Bengt Hambraeus – Voluntary on a Swedish Hymn Tune from Dalecarlia Wojciech Kilar – Exodus, a vocal-symphonic poem for mixed choir and orchestra George Lloyd – Tenth Symphony (for brass) Tome Mančev Symphonic Poem, for large orchestra, Op. 16 Dance, for piano and percussion, Op. 19 The Year 1014, for mixed chorus, Op. 20 March of the Bicyclists, for children's chorus Miroslav Miletić Sonatina for violin and guitar Sonata for viola and piano Three Popular Songs from Dalmatia for voice and guitar 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 Alfred Schnittke Symphony No. 3 Minnesang, for 52 voices String Quartet No. 2 Karlheinz Stockhausen Klavierstück XIII Traum-Formel, for basset horn Opera Lorenzo Ferrero – La figlia del mago Conrad Susa and Richard Street – Black River Karlheinz Stockhausen – Donnerstag aus Licht (March 15, La Scala, Milan, but without act 3, due to a choir strike; first full performance on April 3) Jazz 1981 in jazz Musical theater Barnum – London production opened at the London 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 The 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 Aakkramanam American Pop The Great Muppet Caper Heavy Metal Lili Marleen Nandu Pennies from Heaven Shock Treatment Births January 2 - JT Daly, American indie rock musician, producer, songwriter, and visual artist (K Flay, Demi Lovato) January 3 – Sun Park, South Korean-Australian actress and singer (Hi-5) January 4 – Silvy De Bie, Belgian singer January 5 – Carmen Monarcha, Brazilian operatic soprano January 7 – Ania, Polish singer-songwriter and composer January 9 – Dean Saunders, Dutch singer January 10 – Brian Joo, American-South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, and television host (Fly To The Sky) January 11 – Jamelia, English-Jamaican R&B singer and actress January 14 – Rosa López, Spanish singer January 15 Howie Day, American singer-songwriter Pitbull, Cuban-American rapper January 16 Marta Roure, Andorran singer and actress Mỹ Tâm, Vietnamese singer and songwriter January 17 – Ray J, American rapper January 19 – Thaila Zucchi, British singer and actress (allSTARS*) January 21 Andy Lee, South Korean singer and actor (Shinhwa) Floor Jansen, Dutch singer, songwriter, and vocal coach. Jung Ryeo-won, Australian-South Korean singer (Chakra) January 22 Willa Ford, American pop singer-songwriter, model, musician and actress Ben Moody, American guitarist (Evanescence) Beverley Mitchell, American actress and singer January 25 Alicia Keys, American singer-songwriter, record producer, pianist, actress and activist Toše Proeski, Macedonian singer and songwriter (d. 2007) January 26 – Gustavo Dudamel, Venezuelan conductor January 28 – Gen Hoshino, Japanese singer January 29 – Jonny Lang, American blues artist January 31 – Justin Timberlake, American singer (NSYNC), collaborator with Britney Spears (Married to Jessica Biel, Worked with JC Chasez) February 1 – Jay R Sillona, Filipino singer February 3 - Micah P. Hinson an American Americana singer and guitarist and recording artist February 5 – Zameer Rizvi, Canadian singer/songwriter, composer and record producer February 6 – Shim Eun-jin, South Korean singer and actress (Baby Vox) February 9 Tom Hiddleston, English actor, film producer and musician (Taylor Swift) The Rev, American musician (Avenged Sevenfold) (d. 2009)http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-jim-the-rev-sullivan30-2009dec30-story.html James 'The Rev' Sullivan dies at 28; drummer for heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold Lewis Randy Los Angeles Times December 30, 2009 January 6, 2017 live https://web.archive.org/web/20160527160631/http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-jim-the-rev-sullivan30-2009dec30-story.html May 27, 2016 February 10 – Natasha St-Pier, Canadian singer February 11 – Kelly Rowland American singer-songwriter, member of Destiny's Child February 12 – Lisa Hannigan, Irish singer-songwriter, musician and voice actress. February 15 Matt Hoopes, musician, guitarist and singer-songwriter, (Relient K) Olivia, American singer-songwriter and actress February 17 Paris Hilton, American singer-songwriter, DJ, YouTuber and writer (Friend of Britney Spears) John Hassall, British bassist (The Libertines) February 18 – Kamasi Washington, American crossover jazz saxophonist February 19 – Beth Ditto, American singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur (Gossip) February 24 – Park Jung-ah, South Korean actress, singer, entertainer and radio DJ (Jewelry) February 26 – Sharon Van Etten, American singer-songwriter and actress February 27 – Josh Groban, American crossover singer-songwriter March 1 – Adam LaVorgna, American actor March 3 Tobias Forge, Swedish musician Shatha Hassoun, Iraqi singer Cristina Scarlat, Moldovan singer March 7 – Anna Leese, New Zealand operatic soprano March 9 – Chad Gilbert, American musician, singer-songwriter (New Found Glory) March 11 Russell Lissack (Bloc Party) LeToya Luckett (Destiny's Child) Paul Wall, American rapper and DJ March 14 - Katarína Knechtová, Slovak singer-songwriter and guitarist March 15 – Young Buck, American rapper (G-Unit) March 16 - Danny Brown, American rapper, singer and songwriter March 18 - LP (singer), American singer and songwriter March 18 – Jang Na-ra, South Korean actress and singer March 19 – Kim Rae-won, South Korean actor March 20 – Declan Bennett, English singer-songwriter March 22 – Mims, American rapper and songwriter March 26 Anaïs Mitchell, American singer-songwriter, producer and musician (Rachel Ries, Jefferson Hamer, Ani DiFranco, Justin Vernon, Greg Brown and Ben Knox Miller) Jay Sean, British singer-songwriter March 27 – JJ Lin, Singaporean singer March 28 - Michael Sarver, American singer March 29 Megan Hilty, American singer PJ Morton, American musician (Maroon 5) Willie Taylor, American R&B singer (Day26) April 1 Theresa Sokyrka, Canadian Idol 2 runner-up Hannah Spearritt, English singer and actress (S Club 7) April 2 – Raghav, Canadian singer April 5 – Mariqueen Maandig, Filipino-American musician and singer-songwriter (How To Destroy Angels, West Indian Girl, Trent Reznor) April 6 – Aidonia, Jamaican dancehall artist April 7 – Vanessa Olivarez, American singer April 8 – Gummy, Korean singer April 8 – Melanie Münch, German singer (Groove Coverage) April 9 - Geneviève Castrée, a Canadian cartoonist, illustrator, and musician from Quebec. (D. 2016) (Married to Phil Elverum) April 10 Laura Bell Bundy, American actress and singer Liz McClarnon, English singer (Atomic Kitten) April 12 – Fahad Al Kubaisi, Qatari singer and activist April 16 – Loulou Lamotte, Swedish singer-songwriter (The Mamas) April 17 – Hanna Pakarinen, Finnish singer April 21 – Mike Christie, English singer-songwriter, composer and baritone (G4) April 22 – Tabby Callaghan, Irish musician April 26 – Ms. Dynamite, English rapper and singer April 27 Sandy Mölling, German pop singer Fabrizio Faniello, Maltese pop singer April 28 – Jessica Alba, American actress and businesswoman April 29 – Tom Smith (Editors) April 30 – Justin Vernon, American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer (Bon Iver, Taylor Swift's Folklore and Evermore) May 3 Farrah Franklin, American singer-songwriter, actress (Destiny's Child) Father John Misty, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, drummer and record producer May 4 – Dallon Weekes, American singer, songwriter, musician and producer (Of Bands: Panic! At The Disco, & I Dont Know How but They Found Me) May 5 Jesse Colburn, Canadian guitarist and songwriter Craig David, British singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer May 12 Hannah Ild, Estonian singer-songwriter and pianist Kim Tae-woo, South Korean singer (g.o.d) May 13 - Mozella, American songwriter and singer May 15 – Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress and singer May 16 - Brooke McClymont, Australian singer-songwriter, musician and guitarist (sister of Samantha McClymont) May 17 R. J. Helton, American singer Shiri Maimon, Israeli singer, television personality and actress May 19 - Yo Gotti, American rapper May 20 Sean Conlon, English pop singer (5ive) Rachel Platten, American singer-songwriter May 21 – Stig van Eijk, singer, composer and lyricist May 22 – Su-Elise Nash, English singer (Mis-Teeq) May 23 Dessa, American rapper, singer, spoken word artist, writer and record executive Pierre Lapointe, Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboard player Gwenno Saunders, Welsh singer and dancer (The Pipettes) May 25 - Autumn Rowe, American singer-songwriter, TV personality, DJ and activist May 26 Eda-Ines Etti, Estonian singer and songwriter Zakes Bantwini, South African singer, record producer and businessman Issac Slade, American singer (The Fray) May 28 - Victoria Legrand, French-American musician (Beach House) May 30 – Devendra Banhart, Venezuelan American singer-songwriter and visual artist May 31 – Yoon Mi-rae, American-South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter and producer (Uptown) June 1 – Brandi Carlile, American folk rock and Americana singer-songwriter June 2 Brandon Jenner, indie pop musician (Brandon & Leah) Catherine Manoukian, Canadian violinist Seo Ji-young, South Korean singer (Sharp) June 7 – Dave Catching, American guitarist, songwriter and producer (Earthlings? and Mondo Generator) June 8 – Alex Band, American rock singer-songwriter (The Calling) June 9 Vic Chou, Taiwanese actor, singer and model Anoushka Shankar, British Indian sitar player June 10 – Hoku Ho, Hawaiian singer and musician June 15 – Billy Martin (guitarist), American guitarist June 17 – Ken the 390, Japanese rapper June 20 – Alisan Porter, American singer, winner of season 10 of The Voice (US) June 21 Christina Cewe, American singer Brandon Flowers, American singer-songwriter, musician, Multi-instrumentalist, advocate, member of (The Killers) June 23 Mikey Bustos, Filipino-Canadian singer and entertainer Antony Costa (Blue) Shi Xin Hui, Malaysian singer June 28 Michael Crafter, Australian singer-songwriter (Confession, I Killed the Prom Queen, Carpathian and Bury Your Dead) Savage (AKA Demetrius Savelio) New Zealand born Samoan rapper June 30 – Andy Knowles, English director and artist July 1 – Clemency Burton-Hill, English classical music broadcast presenter July 3 – Hayley Holt, New Zealand snowboarder, host and ballroom dancer July 6 – Emily West, American singer-songwriter and guitarist July 7 Synyster Gates, American musician (Avenged Sevenfold) Omar Naber, Slovenian singer, songwriter and musician July 8 Oka Antara, Indonesian rapper and actor Dagmar Oja, Estonian singer July 12 Rebecca Hunter, English pop singer (allSTARS*) and actress Maya Sar, Bosnian singer July 14 – Milow, Belgian singer-songwriter July 15 – OC Ukeje, Nigerian actor, model and musician July 19 – Zolani Mahola, South African singer-songwriter and actress (Freshlyground) July 20 Lowkey, American rapper and producer Dayang Nurfaizah, Malaysian singer July 21 Paloma Faith, English singer-songwriter Blake Lewis, American Idol 6 runner-up Claudette Ortiz, American singer and model (City High) July 22 – Anthony Santos, American singer-songwriter and composer July 25 – Kizito Mihigo, Rwandan gospel singer, organist and peace activist (d. 2020)https://edge.ug/2020/02/17/rwanda-musician-kizito-mihigo-dies-in-prison/ Rwanda musician Kizito Mihigo dies in prison 17 February 2020 edge.ug May 23, 2021 February 18, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200218181649/http://edge.ug/2020/02/17/rwanda-musician-kizito-mihigo-dies-in-prison/ dead July 31 Mesut Kurtis, British Turkish Islamic singer Ira Losco, Maltese singer M. Shadows, American singer-songwriter and musician (Avenged Sevenfold) August 1 – Vaiko Eplik, Estonian singer-songwriter August 3 - Scroobius Pip, English actor and podcaster as well as a spoken word poet and hip-hop recording artist from Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. (Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip) August 4 Florian Silbereisen, German singer and television presenter Marques Houston, American R&B singer (IMx) August 5 – Ko Shibasaki, Japanese singer and actress August 6 – Leslie Odom Jr., American singer and actor August 8 Vanessa Amorosi, Australian singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist and rock star (Dave Stewart) Bradley McIntosh, English pop singer (S Club 7) Kaori Iida, Japanese singer and actress August 10 – Natsumi Abe, Japanese singer (Morning Musume) August 11 Sandi Thom, Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fiona Sit, Hong Kong singer and actress August 21 – Jenilca Giusti, Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actress August 24 – Jiro Wang, Taiwanese actor and singer (Fahrenheit) August 28 – Iracema Trevisan (Cansei de Ser Sexy) September 4 Beyoncé, American singer-songwriter, dancer and actress Lacey Sturm, American singer-songwriter (Flyleaf) September 6 – Yumiko Cheng, Hong Kong singer September 7 – Do, Dutch singer September 11 – Mark Rhodes, English singer and television presenter (Sam & Mark) September 12 – Jennifer Hudson, American singer September 13 – EJay Day, American singer September 14 – Ashley Roberts American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress, model, presenter and television personality (The Pussycat Dolls) September 16 – Nazril Irham, Indonesian singer September 18 – Jesse Frasure, American music publisher, record producer, songwriter and DJ September 20 – Keith Semple, English boy band (One True Voice) September 21 – Sarah Whatmore, English singer-songwriter September 23 – Natalie Horler, German singer, songwriter and television presenter (Cascada) September 25 Perfume Genius, American indie EDM musician, singer-songwriter and artist Shane Tutmarc, American producer, songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist. (Jessica Lea Mayfield, Tristen Gaspadarek) September 26 Christina Milian, American singer-songwriter, dancer and actress Aras Baskauskas, Yogi, musician and reality TV personality, worked musically under name: Odd Us Roberta Howett, Irish singer September 29 – Suzanne Shaw, English singer (Hear'Say) and actress October 1 – Tom Donnelly, New Zealand rugby union October 4 – Friðrik Ómar, Icelandic singer (Eurobandið) October 5 – Breakbot, producer and DJ October 8 – Ruby, Egyptian singer October 10 – Una Healy, Irish singer (The Saturdays) October 13 Doveman, American singer, pianist and producer Kele Okereke, Kele, English musician (Bloc Party) October 14 – Ruslan Alekhno, Russian-Belarusian singer October 15 Nick White (Tilly and the Wall) Keyshia Cole, American singer, songwriter, television personality and actress October 19 – Christian Bautista, Filipino singer, actor, host and model October 23 – Yoo Soo-young, South Korean singer (S.E.S.) October 25 Josh Henderson, American actor, singer and model Jerome Jones, American R&B singer (IMx) October 26 – Guy Sebastian, Australian singer-songwriter October 29 – Angelika Dela Cruz, Filipina actress and singerhttp://www.pinoystop.com/bio/celebrity-profile/517/angelika-dela-cruz-biography Angelika Dela Cruz Biography – PINOYSTOP PinoyStop 4 December 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151208170830/http://www.pinoystop.com/bio/celebrity-profile/517/angelika-dela-cruz-biography 8 December 2015 dead October 31 – Frank Iero, American rock guitarist (My Chemical Romance) November 1 Tommy Karevik, Swedish metal vocalist (Kamelot, Seventh Wonder, Ayreon) LaTavia Roberson, American R&B singer-songwriter (Destiny's Child) November 2 - Ai, a Japanese-American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, spokeswoman, and actress. November 7 – Krystal Harris, American singer-songwriter November 11 – Natalie Glebova, Canadian author November 13 – Shawn Yue, Hong Kong actor and singer November 16 – Kate Miller-Heidke, Australian crossover singer-songwriter and actress November 17 – Sarah Harding, English pop singer-songwriter, dancer, model and actress (Girls Aloud) (d. 2021) November 18 – Shin Ji, South Korean singer (Koyote) November 20 Scott Hutchison, Scottish singer-songwriter, guitarist and artist (d. 2018) Kimberley Walsh, English pop singer-songwriter (Girls Aloud) November 22 Ben Adams, English pop singer-songwriter (A1) Jenny Owen Youngs, American singer-songwriter November 26 – Natasha Bedingfield, English singer-songwriter November 30 – Mavado, Jamaican deejay and singer-songwriter December 2 – Britney Spears, American singer-songwriter, dancer, performer, musician, author, activist, advocate, businesswoman, and clothes designer December 9 – Camoflauge, American rapper (d. 2003) December 10 – Paula Vesala, Finnish singer-songwriter December 11 – Zacky Vengeance, heavy metal rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist (Avenged Sevenfold) December 13 Gary Innes, Scottish accordionist, shinty player and broadcaster Amy Lee, American singer-songwriter, harpist, pianist, musician, multi instrumentalist and activist (Evanescence) December 16 Gaby Moreno, Guatemalan singer Krysten Ritter, American musician and actress December 17 Wacław Kiełtyka, Polish musician and composer Houari Manar, Algerian raï singer (d. 2019) S3RL, Australian Hardcore DJ December 18 – Aline Wirley, Brazilian actress and singer-songwriter December 19 – Sam Bloom, English singer and actor December 20 – MBrother, Polish DJ and music producer December 21 – Lynda Thomas, Mexican musician, singer-songwriter, Eurodance and alternative rock musician December 23 – Beth, Spanish singer and actress December 26 – Seorak, South Korean singer and VJ December 27 – Lise Darly, French singer December 28 – Frank Turner, English punk and folk singer-songwriter December 30 – K.Will, South Korean singer Deaths January 1 – Hephzibah Menuhin, pianist and human rights campaigner, 60 January 4 – Ruth Lowe, pianist and songwriter, 66 January 23 – Samuel Barber, composer, 70 January 25 – Adele Astaire, US dancer, actress and singer, 84 February 1 Frank Merrick, pianist Geirr Tveitt, Norwegian composer, 72 Ernst Pepping, composer, 79 February 9 – Bill Haley, rock and roll pioneer, 55 (heart attack) February 15 Mike Bloomfield, blues guitarist, 37 (accidental drug overdose) Karl Richter, German organist and conductor, 54 February 19 – Olive Gilbert, actress and singer, 82 February 21 – Ron Grainer, electronic music pioneer and composer, 58 February 26 – Howard Hanson, composer, 84 April 5 Bob Hite, vocalist (Canned Heat), 38 (heart attack) Maurice Zbriger, violinist, composer and conductor, 84 April 7 – Kit Lambert, former manager and producer of The Who, 45 (fell downstairs) April 8 – Burt Shevelove, librettist, 66 April 14 – Ivan Galamian, violin teacher, 78 April 28 – Steve Currie, bassist of T.Rex, 33 (car crash) May 11 – Bob Marley, reggae musician, 36 (cancer) May 25 – Roy Brown, blues singer, 55 May 28 – Mary Lou Williams, jazz pianist, 71 July 1 – Rushton Moreve, US bass player and songwriter (Steppenwolf), 32 July 16 – Harry Chapin, US singer-songwriter, 38 (car crash) July 29 – Sydney Kyte, British bandleader and violinist, 85 August 18 – Robert Russell Bennett, composer and arranger, 87 August 26 – Lee Hays, folk singer, 67 September 2 – Tadeusz Baird, composer, 53 September 8 – Master Venu, film composer, 65 September 14 – Furry Lewis, country blues guitarist and songwriter, 88 September 15 – Chick Bullock, US singer, 72 September 22 – Henry Warren, film songwriter, 87 October 2 – Hazel Scott, classical pianist and singer, 61 October 5 – Sven Gyldmark, film composer, 77 October 13 – Marius Casadesus, violinist and composer, 88 October 15 – Elsie Randolph, English actress, dancer and singer, 77 October 29 – Georges Brassens, singer-songwriter, 60 November 27 – Lotte Lenya, actress and singer, wife of Kurt Weill, 83 December 13 – Cornelius Cardew, avant-garde composer, 45 (road accident) December 27 – Hoagy Carmichael, pianist, singer and songwriter, 82 Awards Grammy Awards Grammy Awards of 1981 Country Music Association Awards 1981 Country Music Association Awards Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest 1981 Japan Record Awards 22nd Japan Record Awards Charts List of No. 1 Hits List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1981 See also Timeline of musical events References Category:20th century in music Category:Music by year