1980 in music

Table of contents

1 Events 2 Classical music 3 Albums released 4 Chronological Table of US and UK Number One Hit Singles 5 Other significant singles 6 Published popular music 7 Musical theater 8 Musical films 9 Births 10 Deaths 11 Awards 11.1 Grammy Awards 11.2 Country Music Association Awards 11.3 Eurovision Song Contest

Events

• January 1 - Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II. The only other pop music acts to be created MBEs are the Beatles and Elton John
• January 2 - At the age of 45, songwriter Larry Williams is found dead in his Los Angeles, California home of a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators are never able to determine whether his death was a murder or suicide.
• January 13 - The Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys and Jefferson Starship perform at a benefit concert at Oakland Coliseum for the people of Kampuchea.
• January 16 - Paul McCartney is arrested in Tokyo for possession of a half pound of marijuana. The remaining part of McCartney's tour had to be canceled.
• January 25 - Paul McCartney is released from a Tokyo jail and is kicked out of the country by Japanese authorities.
• January - Daniel Amos and Randy Stonehill wrap up the first part of the Amos and Randy Tour in Toronto. Both artists are joined on stage by Larry Norman for an encore. The event makes the news on local television and newspapers.
• February 8 - David Bowie and his wife of nearly 10 years, Angie, file for divorce. Bowie gets custody of their 9 year old son, Zowie
• February 14 - Lou Reed marries Sylvia Morales in New York City's Greenwich Village
• February 21 - Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC, dies in London after choking on his own vomit following an all-night drinking binge.
• February 29 - Buddy Holly's trademark glasses and the Big Bopper's wristwatch are "rediscovered" in old police files by the Mason City Sheriff. Holly and the Big Bopper were killed in a plane crashed on February 3, 1959.
• March 1 - Patti Smith marries former MC5 member Fred Sonic Smith
• March 3 - Sotheby's Auction house in London auctions off a Rivera Hotel, Las Vegas napkin signed by Elvis Presley for 500 pounds. Other items auctioned included four American dollar bills autographed by the Beatles, for 220 pounds and a collection of personal letters belonging to the Rolling Stones, also for 220 pounds
• March 14 - Record producer Quincy Jones receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
• March 19 - Elvis Presley's autopsy is subpoened during the trial of Dr. George Nichopoulous, who would later be found guilty of overprescribing drugs to Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and other clients.
• March 29 - Ronald Selle, wins a lawsuit filed against the Bee Gees, Paramount Pictures and Polygram Records. Selle alleged that the Bee Gees' song "How Deep is Your Love" plagiarized two sections of a song he wrote called "Let it End." The Bee Gees claim they never heard Selle's song. (The Bee Gees successfully appeal the decision in 1983.)
• April 13 - The Broadway musical Grease closes its run of 3,883 performances, making it the longest running show on Broadway up until that time.
• April 14 - A member of the New Jersey State assembly introduces a resolution to make Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" the official state song.
• April 17 - As the "official guests of State", Bob Marley and the Wailers perform at Zimbabwe's Independence festival. Marley calls the event the "greatest honor of my life."
• April 30 - The Roger Daltrey film, McVicar, opens in London.
• November 21 - The Eagles' Don Henley is arrested when cocaine, Quaaludes, and marijuana were found in his hotel room after a nude 16 year old prostitute had drug-related seizures. Henley is also subsequently charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
• December - Duran Duran signs with EMI after finalizing its lineup and touring as a support act for Hazel O'Connor
• December 8 - John Lennon is shot and killed outside of his apartment building in New York City.
• The single "Groovy Ghost Show" by Casper is the first recorded hip hop music from Chicago
• Hee Bee Gee Bees release cutting parody of Bee Gees' disco-style single and help greatly to cut short the disco craze in the UK and encourage Gibb brothers to diversify stylistically
• Network Riddum Band's Breaking Out is the first occurrence of the term rapso as the musical genre continues its popularization
• Seals & Crofts break up
• Mercyful Fate forms
• Minor Threat forms
• The Sisters of Mercy forms
• Phil Collins signs a contract with Atlantic Records after leaving Genesis
• Hüsker Dü forms, and signs a contract with SST Records

• Krzysztof Penderecki - Symphony No. 2 - "Christmas"

• Back in Black - AC/DC
• I'm a Rebel - Accept
• Aerosmith's Greatest Hits - Aerosmith
• The Birthday Party - The Birthday Party''
• Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath
• Autoamerican - Blondie
• Eat to the Beat - Blondie
• Kurtis Blow - Kurtis Blow
• Hold Out - Jackson Browne
• Catholic Boy - Jim Carroll Band
• Panorama - The Cars
• XIV - Chicago
• Humans - Bruce Cockburn
• Flush the Fashion - Alice cooper
• Get Happy - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
• Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross
• Group Sex - The Circle Jerks (debut)
• London Calling - The Clash (2-record set)
• Sandinista - The Clash
• Stations of the Crass - Crass
• On Throught the Night - Def Leppard (debut)
• Freedom of Choice - Devo
• Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - Dead Kennedys
• Searching For The Young Soul Rebels - Dexy's Midnight Runners
• Lightning to the Nations - Diamond Head
• Making Movies - Dire Straits
• Live - The Eagles (2-record set)
• Just One Night - Eric Clapton
• The Inside Story - Robben Ford
• Head Games - Foreigner
• Peter Gabriel III - Peter Gabriel
• After Dark - Andy Gibb
• Loud N" Clear - Sammy Hagar
• Voices - Daryl Hall & John Oates
• Roses in the Snow - Emmylou Harris
• Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
• Sound Affects - The Jam
• A - Jethro Tull
• Glass Houses - Billy Joel
• 21 at 33 - Elton John
• Departure - Journey
• Dream After Dream - Journey
• Closer - Joy Division
• British Steel - Judas Priest
• Unmasked - KISS
• Metal-rendez-vous - Krokus
• Double Fantasy - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
• Uprising - Bob Marley and the Wailers
• Ace of Spades - Motörhead
• Xanadu (soundtrack by Olivia Newton-John, Electric Light Orchestra)
• Scream Dream - Ted Nugent
• Blizzard of Ozz - Ozzy Osbourne (solo debut)
• Mekons - The Mekons
• Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police
• The Pretenders - The Pretenders
• Dirty Mind - Prince
• The Psychedelic Furs - The Psychedelic Furs
• Second Edition - Public Image Ltd
• The Game - Queen
• Don't Fight It - Red Rider
• Permanent Waves - Rush
• Head On - Samson
• Strong Arm of the Law - Saxon
• Wheels of Steel - Saxon
• Animal Magnetism - Scorpions
• Longest Road - Seals & Crofts (final album)
• Specials - The Specials
• The River - Bruce Springsteen
• Gaucho - Steely Dan
• Remain in Light - Talking Heads
• Empty Glass - Pete Townshend
• Boy - U2 (debut)
• Women and Children First - Van Halen
• Ready an' Willin' - Whitesnake
• Live...im the Heart of the City - Whitesnake
• Hotter than July - Stevie Wonder

Other significant singles

• "All Night Long" - Rainbow
• "All Out of Love" - Air Supply
• "Any Way You Want It" - Journey
• "Big Man, Big M.A.N." - Crass
• "Borrowed Time" - Styx
• "Breakfast In America" - Supertramp
• "Breaking the Law" - Judas Priest
• "Drivin' My Life Away" - Eddie Rabbit
• "Fool in the Rain" - Led Zeppelin
• "Freewill" - Rush
• "Games Without Frontiers" - Peter Gabriel
• "Get A Move On" - Eddie Money
• "Good Morning Girl" - Journey
• "He's So Shy" - Pointer Sisters
• "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar
• "Hungry Heart" - Bruce Springsteen
• "I Can't Tell You Why" - The Eagles
• "I'm Alright" - Kenny Loggins
• "Let's Be Lovers Again" - Eddie Money
• "Living After Midnight" - Judas Priest
• "London Calling" - The Clash
• "The Long Run" - The Eagles
• "Metal Gods" - Judas Priest
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - Aerosmith
• "Rev On The Red Line" - Foreigner
• "Running Back" - Eddie Money
• "Since You Been Gone" - Rainbow
• "Stay Awhile" - Journey
• "Too Late" - Journey
• "Touch and Go" - The Cars
• "Train in Vain" - The Clash
• "Tulsa Time" - Eric Clapton
• "Walks Like A Lady" - Journey
• "Why Me" - Styx
• "Women" - Foreigner
• "You May Be Right" - Billy Joel

• "Fame"     w. Dean Pitchford m. Michael Gore
• "The Winner Takes It All"     w.m. Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus

• Barnum     Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on April 30 and ran for 854 performances
• Brigadoon     Broadway revival
• Bring Back Birdie     Broadway production
• Camelot     Broadway revival
• A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine     Broadway production
• Forty-Second Street     Broadway production
• The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby     London production opened at the Aldwych Theatre on June 5
• On The Twentieth Century     London production
• Sweeney Todd     London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on July 2
• The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg London production opened at the Phoenix Theatre on April 10
• West Side Story     Broadway revival

• Fame
• Popeye
• Xanadu

• January 28 - Nick Carter, The Backstreet Boys
• February 27 - Cyrus Bolooki, New Found Glory
• March 21 - Deryck Whibley, Sum 41
• June 20 - Tony Lovato, Mest
• July 26 - Dave Baksh, Sum 41
• October 5 - , Good Charlotte
• November 17 - Clarke Isaac Hanson, Hanson
• December 18 - Christina Aguilera
• Chris Gaynor, The All-American Rejects

• January 2 - Larry Williams
• January 7 - Carl White, the Rivingtons
• January 29 - Jimmie Durante
• January 30 - Professor Longhair
• February 19 - Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC
• March 26 - Jon Paulus (32), the Buckinghams, drug overdose
• March 30 - Annunzio Mantovani, Italian-born British orchestra leader and composer
• April 28 - Tommy Caldwell, Marshall Tucker Band, car accident
• May 18 - Ian Curtis, lead singer of Joy Division, suicide by hanging
• June 15 - Bob Nolan, country singer and songwriter
• June 27 - Barney Bigard
• July 23 - Keith Godchaux, Grateful Dead, car accident
• August 17 - Harold Adamson, US lyricist
• September 25 - John Bonham, Led Zeppelin
• December 8 - John Lennon

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1980

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1980