- Jan 4 "Peter Pan" closes at Lunt-Fontanne Theater NYC after 578 performances
- Jan 8 "Pirates of Penzance" opens at Uris Theater NYC for 772 performances
- Jan 11 "Tintypes" closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 93 performances
Event of Interest
Jan 16 John Lennon releases "Woman" in UK
John Lennon
Music Awards
Jan 30 8th American Music Awards: Barbra Streisand & Kenny Rogers win
Barbra Streisand
Kenny Rogers
- Jan 31 "The Tide Is High" by Blondie hits #1
Music Premiere
Feb 1 Duke Ellington's musical "Sophisticated Ladies," premieres in NYC
Duke Ellington
- Feb 5 "Piaf" opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 165 performances
Hall of Fame
Feb 5 Joni Mitchell inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame
Joni Mitchell
Event of Interest
Feb 6 Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr & George Harrison record a tribute to John Lennon
Event of Interest
Feb 19 George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" with Ronnie Mack's song "He's So Fine"
George Harrison
Grammy Awards
Feb 25 23rd Grammy Awards: Sailing, Christopher Cross, Billy Joel wins
Billy Joel
- Feb 27 Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder record the single "Ebony & Ivory"
- Mar 1 Duke Ellington's musical "Sophisticated Ladies" opens at Lunt-Fontanne, NYC for 767 performances
- Mar 5 Michael Stewart's musical "Bring Back Birdie" opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC for 4 performances
- Mar 7 Michael Stewart's musical "Bring Back Birdie" closes at Martin Beck Theater, NYC, after 4 performances
- Mar 8 "Shakespeare's Cabaret" closes at Bijou Theater NYC after 54 performances
- Mar 10 "Bette Davis Eyes" single released by Kim Carnes (Billboard Song of the Year 1981)
- Mar 12 Stephen Sondheim's musical "Marry Me a Little," premieres in NYC
- Mar 27 John Lennon single "Watching the Wheels" released posthumously in UK
Album Release
Mar 27 "Blizzard of Ozz", the debut solo album by English rock musician Ozzy Osbourne, is released in the United States
Ozzy Osbourne
Album Release
Apr 7 "Street Songs" 5th studio album by Rick James is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1981)
Rick James
- Apr 16 "Copperfield" opens at ANTA Theater NYC for 13 performances
- Apr 19 William Finn's musical "March of Falsettos" premieres in NYC
- Apr 20 Rocker Papa John Phillips arrested for drug possession
- Apr 20 "Fire and Smoke" single released by Earl Thomas Conley (Billboard Song of the Year 1981)
- Apr 26 "Copperfield" closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 13 performances
- Apr 27 Paul McCartney's solo rock band Wings disbands
- Apr 30 "Can-Can" opens at Minskoff Theater NYC for 5 performances
- Apr 30 16th Academy of Country Music Awards: Barbara Mandrell and George Jones win
- May 3 "Can-Can" closes at Minskoff Theater NYC after 5 performances
- May 6 "Inacent Black" opens at Biltmore Theater NYC for 14 performances
Music Premiere
May 11 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Cats" (based on poetry by T. S. Eliot) directed by Trevor Nunn first premieres in the West End, London
Andrew Lloyd Webber
T. S. Eliot
- May 12 "Lena Horne: Lady, Music" opens at Nederlander NYC for 333 performances
- May 15 George Harrison releases "All Those Years Ago" in UK
#1 in the Charts
May 16 "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes hits #1 for next 9 weeks
Bette Davis
- May 17 "Inacent Black" closes at Biltmore Theater NYC after 14 performances
Event of Interest
May 21 Reggae musician Bob Marley receives a Jamaican state funeral
Bob Marley
- Jun 5 George Harrison releases "Somewhere in England"
- Jun 8 15th Music City News Country Awards: Mandrell Sisters
- Jun 20 Guitarist Gerry Cott quits Boomtown Rats
Event of Interest
Jun 21 Don Fagan and Walter Becker quit rock group Steely Dan
Walter Becker
Donald Fagen
- Jun 22 Mark David Chapman pleads guilty to killing John Lennon
- Jun 23 "This Was Burlesque" opens at Princess Theater NYC for 28 performances
- Jun 28 "Piaf" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 165 performances
- Jul 17 "This is Burlesque" closes at Princess Theater NYC after 28 performances
Music Single
Aug 1 "Endless Love" single released by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (Billboard Song of the Year 1981, Billboard Greatest Song Duet of All-Time)
Lionel Richie
- Aug 18 "My Fair Lady" opens at Uris Theater NYC for 119 performances
- Aug 24 Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 yrs to life for John Lennon's murder
- Sep 6 Musical "They're Playing Our Song" closes at Imperial NYC after 1082 performances
- Sep 25 Rolling Stones begin their 6th US tour (JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
- Sep 27 "Day in Hollywood, A Night.." closes at John Golden NY after 588 performances
Music Single
Sep 28 “Physical” single released by Olivia Newton-John (Billboard Song of the Year 1982)
Olivia Newton-John
- Oct 11 Unknown rocker Prince opens for Rolling Stones at LA Coliseum
- Oct 12 "Marlowe" opens at Rialto Theater NYC for 48 performances
- Oct 12 15th Country Music Association Award: Barbara Mandrell & George Jones wins
- Nov 10 "Oh, Brother!" opens at ANTA Theater NYC for 3 performances
- Nov 11 "Oh, Brother!" closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 3 performances
- Nov 14 "Raise!" 11th studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1982)
- Nov 15 "Camelot" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 48 performances
- Nov 16 "Merrily We Roll Along" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 16 performances
- Nov 17 "1st" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 37 performances
- Nov 21 Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" single goes #1 & stays for 10 weeks
- Nov 22 "Marlowe" closes at Rialto Theater NYC after 48 performances
- Nov 28 "Merrily We Roll Along" closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 16 performances
- Nov 29 "My Fair Lady" closes at Uris Theater NYC after 119 performances
- Dec 12 "1st" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC after 37 performances
- Dec 20 Harry Krieger and Tom Eyen's musical "Dreamgirls" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 1522 performances
Music Single
Dec 30 "That Girl" single released by Stevie Wonder (Billboard Song of the Year 1982)
Stevie Wonder