This is a list of notable events in music that took place in 1981.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

January–April

May–August

September–December

Also in 1981

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Release date unknown

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1981.

Chronological table of US and UK and Japan Number One hit singles

US Number One singles and artist (Weeks at Number One) UK Number One singles and artist (Weeks at Number One) Japanese Oricon Number One singles and artist (Weeks at Number One)

Chronological table of US and UK Number One hit albums

US Number One album and artist (Weeks at Number One) UK Number One album and artist (Weeks at Number One)

Top 40 Chart hit singles

Other Chart hit singles

• "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

Other Notable singles

• "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

Classical music

Opera

Jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Awards

Grammy Awards

Country Music Association Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

Japan Record Awards

Charts

List of No. 1 Hits