May 1980 in Music

Events in Music

  • May 1 "Day in Hollywood, A Night..." opens at John Golden NYC for 588 performances
  • May 1 15th Academy of Country Music Awards: Larry Gatlin and Crystal Gayle win

Event of interestEvent of Interest

May 2 Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in Wall (Part II)" is banned in South Africa

Singer-songwriter and Producer David Gilmour
Singer-songwriter and Producer
David Gilmour
Rock Bassist and Vocalist Roger Waters
Rock Bassist and Vocalist
Roger Waters
  • May 10 "Happy New Year" closes at Morosco Theater NYC after 17 performances
  • May 14 "Musical Chairs" opens at Rialto Theater NYC for 15 performances
  • May 16 Brian May of rock group Queen collapses on stage with hepatitis

Music releaseAlbum Release

May 16 Paul McCartney releases "McCartney II" album

Musician and Beatle Paul McCartney
Musician and Beatle
Paul McCartney

Event of interestEvent of Interest

May 17 Paul & Linda McCartney appear on "Saturday Night Live"

Musician, Activist and Photographer Linda McCartney
Musician, Activist and Photographer
Linda McCartney
Television Producer Lorne Michaels
Television Producer
Lorne Michaels
  • May 19 "Blackstone" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 104 performances
  • May 20 Drummer Peter Criss quits rock band Kiss

Event of interestEvent of Interest

May 21 "Star Wars Episode V - Empire Strikes Back", produced by George Lucas opens in cinemas in UK and North America

Film Director George Lucas
Film Director
George Lucas
Composer John Williams
Composer
John Williams

Event of interestEvent of Interest

May 23 33rd Cannes Film Festival: "All That Jazz" directed by Bob Fosse and "Kagemusha" directed by Akira Kurosawa jointly awarded the Palme d'Or

Film Director and Screenwriter Akira Kurosawa
Film Director and Screenwriter
Akira Kurosawa
  • May 24 "Rock Lobster" by B-52s hits #56
  • May 25 "Musical Chairs" closes at Rialto Theater NYC after 15 performances
  • May 29 "Billy Bishop Goes to War" opens at Morosco Theater NYC for 12 performances
  • May 31 "Love Stinks" by J. Geils Band peaks at #38

Birthdays in Music

  • May 1 Zaz [Isabelle Geffroy], French singer-songwriter (Je veux), born in Tours, France
  • May 6 Taebin, Korean singer (1TYM)
  • May 8 Michelle McManus, Scottish singer
  • May 13 Mau Marcelo, Filipino singer
  • May 17 Dallas Taylor, American metal singer (Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Underoath), born in Florida, United States
  • May 18 Ali Zafar, Pakistani singer and model
  • May 22 Rhett Fisher, actor/musician
  • May 24 Cecilia Cheung, Hong Kong actress and singer
  • May 28 Mark Feehily, Irish musician (Westlife)
  • May 31 Andy Hurley, American musician (Fall Out Boy)

Deaths in Music

  • May 14 Wilhelm Weismann, German composer, dies at 79
  • May 18 Ian Curtis, English rock vocalist (Joy Division), commits suicide at 23
  • May 30 Carl Radle, bassist (Derek & Dominoes), dies of a kidney ailment