This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1961.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Bands formed

Albums released

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1961.

Top hits on record

• "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" – Gene McDaniels #3 US • "Angel Baby" – Rosie & The Originals #5 US • "At Last" – Etta James • "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" – Elvis Presley #1 US, UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Spain • "Are You Sure?" – The Allisons #1 UK • "Baby Sittin' Boogie" – Buzz Clifford #4 Norway, #6 US • "Blue Moon" – The Marcels #1 US, UK • "Bristol Stomp" – The Dovells #2 US • "Calcutta" – Lawrence Welk #1 US • "Calendar Girl" – Neil Sedaka #1 Canada, Japan, #3 Australia, #4 US • "Can't Help Falling in Love" – Elvis Presley #1 US, UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, NZ, Netherlands, Sweden • "Crazy" – Patsy Cline #9 US • "Crying" – Roy Orbison #2 US • "Don't Bet Money Honey" – Linda Scott #9 US • "Dum Dum" – Brenda Lee #4 US, Australia • "Emotions" – Brenda Lee #7 US • "F.B.I." – The Shadows #3 France, #6 UK, #8 NZ • "The Fly" – Chubby Checker #7 US • "Fool #1" – Brenda Lee #3 US • "The Frightened City" – The Shadows #3 UK • "Garde-moi la dernière danse" – Dalida • "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)" – Carla Thomas • "A Girl Like You" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows #3 UK • "Hello Mary Lou" – Ricky Nelson #1 Norway, #2 UK, #4 NZ, #9 US • "(He's My) Dreamboat" – Connie Francis • "Hit the Road Jack" – Ray Charles #1 US, NZ, #3 Australia • "How Many Tears" – Bobby Vee • "I Don't Know Why" – Linda Scott • "I Fall to Pieces" – Patsy Cline • "I Just Want to Make Love to You"- Etta James • "I Like It Like That, Part 1" – Chris Kenner #2 US • "Il faut savoir" – Charles Aznavour #1 France • "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star" – Linda Scott #1 Denmark, Philippines, South Africa, Sweden • "Johnny Remember Me – John Leyton #1 UK • "Kon-Tiki" – The Shadows #1 UK, #3 NZ, #4 Australia, Ireland • "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" – The Tokens • "Little Boy Sad" – Johnny Burnette • "Lonely Street" – Clarence "Frogman" Henry • "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame"/"Little Sister" – Elvis Presley • "Michael" – The Highwaymen • "Moliendo Café" – Hugo Blanco #1 Argentina, Japan • "Moody River" – Pat Boone #1 US • "Mother-in-Law" – Ernie K-Doe #1 US • "The Mountain's High" – Dick and Dee Dee #2 US • "Muskrat" – The Everly Brothers • "Nuits d'Espagne" – Dalida • "On the Rebound" – Floyd Cramer • "Please Mr. Postman" – The Marvelettes #1 US • "Quarter to Three" – Gary U.S. Bonds #1 US, #7 UK • "Raindrops" – Dee Clark #2 US • "The Red Rooster" – Howlin' Wolf • "Runaround Sue" – Dion #1 US • "Runaway" – Del Shannon #1 US, UK, Australia, Canada, Chile, NZ • "Running Scared" – Roy Orbison #1 US • "Run to Him" – Bobby Vee #2 US, #4 Canada • "Sailor" – Petula Clark #1 UK, NZ, Israel • "School Is Out" – Gary U.S. Bonds #5 US • "Shop Around" – The Miracles • "Spanish Harlem" – Ben E. King #10 US • "Stand By Me" – Ben E. King #4 US • "Stranger on the Shore" – Acker Bilk #1 UK • "Sukiyaki" ("Ue o Muite Arukō", 上を向いて歩こう, "I Look Up As I Walk") – Kyu Sakamoto #1 US, Canada, Japan, Australia, NZ, Norway • "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" – The Crystals • "This Time" – Troy Shondell #4 Canada, Norway, #6 US • "Together" – Connie Francis • "Tossin' and Turnin' " – Bobby Lewis #1 US • "Travelin' Man" – Ricky Nelson • "Viens danser le twist" – Johnny Hallyday #1 France, Belgium • "Walk Right Back"/"Ebony Eyes" – The Everly Brothers • "Walkin' Back to Happiness" – Helen Shapiro #1 UK, Ireland, Israel, NZ, South Africa • "The Wanderer" – Dion • "When the Girl in Your Arms Is the Girl in Your Heart" – Cliff Richard #1 Norway, #2 Australia, #3 UK • "Where the Boys Are" – Connie Francis #4 US, NZ, #5 UK • "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" – The Shirelles • "Wonderland by Night" – Bert Kaempfert #1 US • "You Don't Know" – Helen Shapiro • "You're Driving Me Crazy" – The Temperance Seven #1 UK

Published popular music

Other notable songs

Classical music

Premieres

Compositions

Opera

Film

Jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Awards

Grammy Awards

Eurovision Song Contest