- Jan 17 "Sure Thing" single released by Miguel (Billboard Song of the Year 2011)
#1 in the Charts
Feb 9 Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" album reaches number one on the Billboard 200 in its eleventh week on the chart
Grammy Awards
Feb 13 53rd Grammy Awards: "Need You Now"; Esperanza Spalding; Lady Gaga; Usher; Jeff Beck win
Academy Awards
Feb 27 83rd Academy Awards: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross win Best Original Score for 'The Social Network'
- Mar 7 "Crazy Girl" single released by Eli Young Band (ACM Awards Song of the Year 2012, Billboard Song of the Year 2011)
Music History
Mar 9 Bonham's Auctions in New York City conducts sale of Eric Clapton and friends' guitars and amplifiers to benefit Crossroads Centre at Antigua, a drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility he co-founded in 1997, raising over $1.75M
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Mar 14 26th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Alice Cooper Band; Neil Diamond; Dr. John; Darlene Love; Tom Waits; Leon Russell; Jac Holzman; and Art Rupe
Latin Music Legends
Mar 16 U.S. Postal Service issues a set of five "Latin Music Legends" stamps, including one of Carlos Gardel
So Beautiful or So What
Apr 8 Hear Music Records releases "So Beautiful or So What", the twelfth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon
Music History
May 2 Flavor Flav is arrested on four outstanding misdemeanor warrants for various driving offenses
lovestrong
May 10 Christina Perri releases her debut studio album, "lovestrong"
- May 14 56th Eurovision Song Contest: Ell & Nikki for Azerbaijan wins singing "Running Scared" in Dusseldorf
Billboard Music Awards
May 22 18th Billboard Music Awards: Eminem and Justin Bieber win 6 each;, Taio Cruz and Rihanna also win
Academy of Country Music Awards
May 25 46th Academy of Country Music Awards: Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert & Brad Paisley win
- Jun 8 45th CMT Music Awards: Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, and Blake Shelton win
- Jun 12 65th Tony Awards: "The Book of Mormon" (musical) & "War Horse" (play) win
Glastonbury Festival
Jun 22 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: U2, Coldplay, and Beyoncé headline; other performers include B.B. King, Paul Simon, Mumford and Sons, Morrissey, and Wu-Tang Clan
Farm Aid Concert
Aug 13 Farm Aid (25th Anniversary) held in Kansas City, Kansas; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Jamey Johnson, Jakob Dylan, and Billy Joe Shaver [1]
Video Music Awards
Aug 28 28th MTV Video Music Awards: Katy Perry, Lady Gaga & Justin Bieber win
Music History
Sep 15 Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performs with the NY Philharmonic and guests Celine Dion, Tony Bennett, and Pretty Yende, on the Great Lawn of New York City's Central Park; 70,000 in attendance
Call Me Maybe
Sep 20 "Call Me Maybe", single by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen, is released
- Oct 13 Italian conductor Riccardo Muti is awarded the second $1 million Birgit Nilsson Prize
- Nov 9 45th Country Music Association Award: Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton win
The X Factor
Nov 18 "The X Factor" group One Direction release their debut album "Up All Night" in Ireland and the UK