1980 in music

Events

• January 1 - Cliff Richard is awarded the MBE by Queen Elizabeth II. The only other pop music acts to be awarded the MBE are the Beatles and Elton John
• January 2 - At the age of 45, songwriter Larry Williams[?] is found dead in his Los Angles, 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.
• 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

Albums Released

• Back in Black - AC/DC
• 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
• Get Happy!!![?] - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
• Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross
• Group Sex[?] - The Circle Jerks (debut)
• London Calling - The Clash (2-record set)
• Sandanista![?] - The Clash
• Stations of the Crass - Crass
• Freedom of Choice - Devo
• Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - Dead Kennedys
• Lightning to the Nations - Diamond Head
• Making Movies - Dire Straits
• Live - The Eagles (2-record set)
• The Long Run - The Eagles (last recording until 2003)
• The Inside Story[?] - Robben Ford
• Head Games[?] - Foreigner[?]
• Peter Gabriel III[?] - Peter Gabriel
• After Dark[?] - Andy Gibb
• 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
• In Through the Out Door - Led Zeppelin
• Double Fantasy[?] - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
• Xanadu (soundtrack by Olivia Newton-John, Electric Light Orchestra)
• Mekons[?] - The Mekons[?]
• Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police
• The Pretenders - The Pretenders
• Dirty Mind[?] - Prince
• Second Edition[?] - Public Image Ltd.[?]
• The Game - Queen
• Down to Earth - Rainbow
• Permanent Waves[?] - Rush
• Longest Road[?] - Seals & Crofts[?] (final album)
• The 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
• Hotter than July[?] - Stevie Wonder

Top Hits

• "(Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon
• "All Night Long" - Rainbow
• "Another Brick in the Wall" - Pink Floyd
• "Another One Bites the Dust" - Queen
• "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
• "Call Me" - Blondie
• "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Queen
• "Drivin' My Life Away" - Eddie Rabbit[?]
• "Fool in the Rain" - Led Zeppelin
• "Freewill" - Rush
• "Funkytown" - Lipps, Inc.[?]
• "Games Without Frontiers" - Peter Gabriel
• "Get A Move On" - Eddie Money
• "Good Morning Girl" - Journey
• "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[?]
• "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" - Billy Joel
• "Lady" - Kenny Rogers[?]
• "Let's Be Lovers Again" - Eddie Money
• "Living After Midnight" - Judas Priest
• "London Calling" - The Clash
• "The Long Run" - The Eagles
• "Magic" - Olivia Newton-John
• "Metal Gods" - Judas Priest
• "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" - Aerosmith
• "Rev On The Red Line" - Foreigner
• "Rock with You" - Michael Jackson
• "Running Back" - Eddie Money
• "Sailing" - Christopher Cross
• "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
• "Upside Down" - Diana Ross
• "Walks Like A Lady" - Journey
• "We Don't Talk Anymore" - Cliff Richard
• "Why Me" - Styx
• "Women" - Foreigner
• "Woman in Love" - Barbra Streisand
• "You May Be Right" - Billy Joel

Births

• 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 - Paul[?], Good Charlotte
• November 17 - Clarke Isaac Hanson[?], Hanson
• December 18 - Christina Aguilera
• Chris Gaynor[?], The All-American Rejects

Deaths

• 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
• April 28 - Tommy Caldwell[?], Marshall Tucker Band[?], car accident
• June 27 - Barney Bigard
• July 23 - Keith Godchaux[?], Grateful Dead, car accident
• September 25 - John Bonham, Led Zeppelin
• December 8 - John Lennon

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1980

Country Music Association Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1980