- 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
- Jan 18 Punk singer Wendy O. Williams arrested in Milwaukee for on-stage obscenity (later cleared)
- Jan 21 "Shakespeare's Cabaret" opens at Bijou Theater New York City for 54 performances
- Jan 28 "5 O'Clock Girl" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 12 performances
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
Music Awards
Feb 25 23rd Grammy Awards: Sailing, Christopher Cross, Billy Joel wins
Billy Joel
- Feb 27 Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder record "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 29 Peter Stone's musical "Woman of the Year" opens at Palace Theater NYC for 770 performances
- Apr 4 26th Eurovision Song Contest: Bucks Fizz for United Kingdom wins singing "Making Your Mind Up" in Dublin
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
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
Murder of Interest
Aug 24 Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 yrs to life for John Lennon's murder
John Lennon
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