1980 in Music
January–March
- Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
- January 5 – Donna Summer’s third double album in a 14-month period, On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II, released on 15 October 1979, reaches the top spot on the Billboard Albums charts.
- January 7 – At the age of 44, 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 Beach Boys, Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Starship perform at a benefit concert at Oakland Coliseum for the people of Kampuchea.
- January 14 – Rush release Permanent Waves, which eventually becomes the band’s fifth platinum album.
- January 16 – Paul McCartney is arrested in Tokyo for possession of a half pound of marijuana. The remaining part of McCartney’s and Wings’ tour was subsequently canceled.
- January 19 – The first UK Indie Chart is published in Record Week, with Spizzenergi’s “Where’s Captain Kirk” topping the singles chart, and Adam and the Ants’ Dirk Wears White Sox topping the album chart. [1]
- January 25 – Paul McCartney is released from jail in Japan and ejected from the country by Japanese authorities.
- February 7 – Pink Floyd’s The Wall Tour opens at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
- February 19 – Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC, dies in London. Although common folklore cites pulmonary aspiration of vomit as the cause of his death, the official cause is listed as “Acute alcohol poisoning” and “Death by Misadventure”.
- February 27 – The 22nd Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by Kenny Rogers. Billy Joel’s 52nd Street wins Album of the Year, while the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes” wins both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Rickie Lee Jones wins Best New Artist.
- February 29 – Buddy Holly’s trademark glasses and the Big Bopper’s wristwatch are “rediscovered” in old police files by the Mason City, Iowa, sheriff (both were killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, along with singer Ritchie Valens).
- March 3 – Sotheby’s auction house in London auctions off a Rivera Hotel, Las Vegas, napkin signed by Elvis Presley for £500. Other items auctioned included four American dollar bills autographed by the Beatles, for £220 and a collection of personal letters belonging to the Rolling Stones, also for £220.
- March 8–16 – Tbilisi Rock Festival (1980): the first state-sanctioned rock music festival in the Soviet Union.
- March 14 – Record producer Quincy Jones receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- March 19 – Elvis Presley’s autopsy was subpoenaed during the trial of Dr. George Nichopoulous, who would later be found guilty of over-prescribing drugs to Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and other clients.
- March 20 – Radio Caroline shuts down in the UK after radio ship Mi Amigo sinks in a storm.
April–June
- April 1 – Brian Johnson is made the new lead singer of AC/DC replacing the late Bon Scott.
- April 5 – R.E.M. lead vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, drummer Bill Berry and bassist Mike Mills played their first show. [2]
- April 13 – The musical Grease closes its run of 3,388 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.
- Iron Maiden release their self-titled debut album.
- 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 19
- Johnny Logan wins the 25th Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland, with the song “What’s Another Year”.
- R.E.M. performs their first performance under the name R.E.M. [3]
- April 25 – Black Sabbath release Heaven and Hell, their first album to feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals.
- April 30 – The Roger Daltrey film, McVicar, opens in London.
- May 4 – America’s Top 10, the television version of radio’s American Top 40 and hosted by Casey Kasem, debuts this week in syndication.
- May 18 – Ian Curtis, vocalist of pioneering post-punk group Joy Division, hangs himself, one day before Joy Division are scheduled to begin their first U.S. tour.
- June 25
- Rock and Roll pioneer Bill Haley performs for the last time during a tour of South Africa. After this tour, his health deteriorates and he dies in February 1981. July 1980 marks the 25th anniversary of Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” reaching No. 1 on the American singles charts.
- The Sony Walkman goes on sale in the United States.
- Kiss plays its first show with new drummer Eric Carr at the New York Palladium.
- June 27 – John Lydon and Keith Levene of Public Image Ltd make an appearance on The Tomorrow Show with host Tom Snyder. In a famously uncomfortable interview, Lydon gives curt and vague responses to most of Snyder’s questions.
July–September
- July 11 – Ultravox release their fourth studio album, Vienna. Their first album with new lead singer Midge Ure following the departures of frontman John Foxx and guitarist Robin Simon, Vienna marks a radical shift in Ultravox’s direction and image, transforming the former post-punk band into a more sophisticatedly-oriented new wave/synthpop group. Despite this stylistic shift alienating fans and critics who were more favorable towards the Foxx-led incarnation of the band, Vienna would go on to become Ultravox’s most successful studio album to date.
- July 18 – The documentary and concert film No Nukes opens in New York.
- July 25 – Over five months after the death of lead singer Bon Scott, AC/DC release Back in Black, their first album with replacement singer Brian Johnson, who would remain with the band until 2016. The album’s success would lead it to become the second-highest-selling album of all time and the highest-selling studio album by any band to date.
- July 29 – Over two months after the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis, the surviving members of Joy Division regroup as New Order and debut anonymously live at Manchester’s Beach Club; the group would adopt the moniker “New Order” the following year.
- July 31 – The Eagles end their tour with a contentious show. They would not play together again until 1994.
- August 4 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin the recording of the Double Fantasy album.
- August 16
- The first Monsters of Rock heavy metal festival is held at Donington Park in England. Rainbow headlines, and Judas Priest, Scorpions, April Wine, Saxon, Riot and Touch also perform.
- Several bands lose members in one day; bass player Jah Wobble leaves Public Image, Ltd.; keyboard player Jools Holland leaves Squeeze; and drummers Bill Ward and Cozy Powell leave Black Sabbath and Rainbow respectively.
- August 19 – Fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto stage a riot after Alice Cooper cancels because of illness.
- August 23 – The Heatwave festival near Toronto features The B-52’s, Talking Heads, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello and many others.
- August 26 – Pete Comita replaces Tom Petersson in Cheap Trick.
- August 31 – Karen Carpenter marries Thomas Burris. “Because We Are in Love” is played at their wedding.
- September 13
- Solid Gold, a new music television series, premieres in syndication.
- Elton John plays a free concert for 400,000 people in New York’s Central Park. He performs the encore in a Donald Duck costume.
- Gary Numan earns his third consecutive number 1 on the UK Albums Chart in less than fourteen months as Telekon enters the chart at number 1. [4]
- September 25 – John Bonham, drummer of Led Zeppelin, is found dead by bandmate John Paul Jones.
October–December
- October 9 – A riot breaks out at a Black Sabbath concert in Milwaukee after bassist Geezer Butler is hit in the head by a bottle and the band quits the stage.
- October 26 – Paul Kantner of Jefferson Starship is rushed to hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. He soon recovers without surgery, defying medical odds.
- October – Iron Maiden replaces guitarist Dennis Stratton with Urchin guitarist Adrian Smith.
- November 21
- Iron Maiden play their first gig with new guitarist Adrian Smith in Uxbridge, London, England.
- December 4 – Led Zeppelin disbands following the death of drummer John Bonham.
- December 5 – Duran Duran signs with EMI after finalizing its lineup and touring as a support act for Hazel O’Connor. [5]
- December 7 – Darby Crash, leader of L.A. punk band the Germs, dies of a heroin overdose in a suicide pact.
- December 8 – John Lennon is shot to death outside his apartment building in New York City. Lennon’s single, “(Just Like) Starting Over”, subsequently becomes a number one hit in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
- December 14 – Over 100,000 mourners attend a public vigil for John Lennon in Central Park, New York.
- December 31 – The ninth annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by The Charlie Daniels Band, Billy Preston, Syreeta, Chuck Berry and Barry Manilow.
Also in 1980
- The Roland Corporation releases the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which became a cornerstone of the emerging electronic, dance, and hip hop genres. The machine went on to become one of the most influential instruments in popular music, comparable to the Fender Stratocaster’s influence on rock. [6] [7]
- Record labels established in 1980
- Record labels disestablished in 1980
- The single “Groovy Ghost Show” by Casper is one of the first recorded hip hop songs from Chicago.
- British comedy group The Hee Bee Gee Bees release “Meaningless Songs (in Very High Voices)”, a parody of a Bee Gees’ disco-style single.
- Phil Collins signs a contract with Atlantic Records to distribute his solo records in the US and in Europe outside the UK (on WEA label).
Tracks in the 1980 playlist:
| Abba – The Winner Takes It All |
| Air Supply – All Out of Love |
| Air Supply – Every Woman In The World |
| Air Supply – Lost In Love |
| Al Stewart – Midnight Rocks |
| Ali Thompson – Take A Little Rhythm |
| Ambrosia – Biggest Part Of Me |
| Ambrosia – You’re The Only Woman (You & I) |
| America – All Around |
| Amy Holland – How Do I Survive |
| Andy Gibb – Desire |
| Andy Gibb – Time Is Time |
| Anne Murray – Could I Have This Dance |
| Anne Murray – Daydream Believer |
| Anne Murray – I’m Happy Just To Dance With You |
| Anne Murray – Lucky Me |
| Barbara Mandrell – Years |
| Barbra Streisand – Kiss Me In The Rain |
| Barbra Streisand – Woman In Love |
| Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb – Guilty |
| Barry Manilow – I Don’t Want To Walk With You |
| Barry Manilow – I Made It Through the Rain |
| Bernadette Peters – Gee Whiz |
| Bette Midler – My Mother’s Eyes |
| Bette Midler – The Rose |
| Billy Joel – Don’t Ask Me Why |
| Billy Joel – It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me |
| Billy Joel – You May Be Right |
| Billy Preston & Syreeta – One More Time For Love |
| Blondie – The Tide Is High |
| Bob Seger – Against The Wind |
| Bob Seger – You’ll Accompany Me |
| Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Fire Lake |
| Boz Scaggs – JoJo |
| Boz Scaggs – Look What You’ve Done To Me |
| Boz Scaggs – Miss Sun (Album Version) |
| Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are |
| Captain & Tennille – Happy Together (A Fantasy) |
| Carly Simon – Jesse |
| Carole King – One Fine Day |
| Charles Fox – Seasons |
| Charlie Dore – Pilot Of The Airwaves |
| Chicago – Thunder and Lightning |
| Chris Montan – Is This The Way Of Love |
| Christopher Cross – Never Be The Same |
| Christopher Cross – Ride Like The Wind |
| Christopher Cross – Sailing |
| Chuck Mangione – Fun And Games |
| Chuck Mangione – Give It All You Got |
| Cliff Richard – Dreamin’ |
| Commodores – Heroes |
| Commodores – Old Fashion Love |
| Commodores – Wonderland |
| Crystal Gayle – Blue Side |
| Crystal Gayle – If You Ever Change Your Mind |
| Crystal Gayle – It’s Like We Never Said Goodbye |
| Dan Fogelberg – Heart Hotels |
| Dan Fogelberg – Longer |
| Dan Fogelberg – Same Old Lang Syne |
| Dann Rogers – China |
| Daryl Hall and John Oates – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling |
| David Gates – Where Does The Lovin’ Go |
| Debby Boone – Are You On The Road To Lovin’ Me |
| Diana Ross – I’ts My Turn |
| Diana Ross – Upside Down |
| Dionne Warwick – After You |
| Dionne Warwick – Easy Love |
| Dolly Parton – 9 To 5 |
| Dolly Parton – Starting Over Again |
| Don Williams – I Believe In You |
| Donna Summer – On The Radio |
| Dottie West – A Lesson In Leavin’ |
| Dottie West – You Pick Me Up(And Put Me Down) |
| Dr. Hook – Sexy Eyes |
| Dr. Hook – Years From Now |
| Eagles – I Can’t Tell You Why |
| Earl Klugh – Doc |
| Eddie Rabbitt – Drivin’ My Life Away |
| Eddie Rabbitt – Gone Too Far |
| Eddie Rabbitt – I Love A Rainy Night |
| Electric Light Orchestra – All Over The World |
| Electric Light Orchestra – I’m Alive |
| Elton John – Don’t You Want To Play This Game No More |
| Elton John – Little Jeannie |
| Engelbert – Love’s Only Love |
| England Dan & John Ford Coley – In It For Love |
| England Dan Seals – Late At Night |
| Eric Troyer – Mirage |
| Exile РYou’re Good for Me |
| Felix Cavaliere – Good To Have Love Back |
| Felix Cavaliere – Only a Lonely Heart Sees |
| Firefall – Love That Got Away |
| Firefall – Only time will tell |
| Fleetwood Mac – Think About Me |
| Floyd Cramer – Dallas |
| Frank Mills – Happy Song |
| Frank Sinatra – You And Me (We Wanted It All) |
| Frankie Valli – Where We Did Go Wrong |
| Fred Knoblock – Why Not Me |
| Fred Knoblock & Susan Anton – Killin’ Time |
| Genesis – Misunderstanding |
| George Benson – Give Me The Night |
| George Burns – I Wish I Was Eighteen Again |
| Glen Campbell & Rita Coolidge – Somethin’ Bout You Baby I Like |
| Gordon Lightfoot – Dream Street Rose |
| Harry Chapin – Sequel |
| Herb Alpert – Beyond |
| Herb Alpert – Street Life |
| Imperials – Living WIthout Your Love |
| Irene Cara – Out Here On My Own |
| J. D. Souther – White Rhythm and Blues |
| Jack Jones – Love Boat Theme |
| Jackie English – Once A Night |
| James Last – Seduction (Love Theme) |
| Janis Ian – The Other Side Of The Sun |
| Jennifer Warnes – When The Feeling Comes Around |
| Jim Kirk & The TM Singers – Voice Of Freedom |
| Jimmy Hall – I’m Happy That Love Has Found You |
| Jimmy Ruffin – Hold On To My Love |
| John Denver – Autograph |
| John Denver – Dancing With The Mountains |
| John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over |
| Johnny Lee – Lookin’ For Love |
| Judie Tzuke – Stay With Me Till Dawn |
| Karla Bonoff – Baby Don’t Go |
| Kenny Loggins – Keep The Fire |
| Kenny Nolan – Us And Love (We Go Together) |
| Kenny Rankin – Regrets |
| Kenny Rogers – Lady |
| Kenny Rogers – Love The World Away |
| Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes – Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer |
| Kim Carnes – More Love |
| Kool & The Gang – Too Hot |
| Korona – Let Me Be |
| Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band – Taking Somebody With Me When I Fall |
| Larry Graham – One In A Million You |
| Larsen-Feiten Band – Who’ll Be The Fool Tonight |
| Leo Sayer – More Than I Can Say |
| Linda Ronstadt – Hurt So Bad |
| Linda Ronstadt – I Can’t Let Go |
| Livingston Taylor – First Time Love |
| Mary Macgregor – Dancin’ Like Lovers |
| Melissa Manchester – Fire in the Morning |
| Melissa Manchester – If This Is Love |
| Michael Jackson – She’s Out Of My Life |
| Michael Johnson – The very first time |
| Michael Johnson – You Can Call Me Blue |
| Mickey Gilley – Stand By Me |
| Mickey Gilley – True Love Ways |
| Natalie Cole – Someone That I Used To Love |
| Neil Diamond – Love on the Rocks |
| Neil Diamond – The Good Lord Loves You |
| Neil Sedaka & Dara Sedaka – Should’ve Never Let You Go |
| Nielsen-Pearson – If You Should Sail |
| Olivia Newton-John – Magic |
| Olivia Newton-John – Xanadu [With Electric Light Orchestra] |
| Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard – Suddenly |
| Paul Davis – Cry Just A Little |
| Paul Davis – Do Right |
| Paul Simon – Late In The Evening |
| Paul Simon – One Trick Pony |
| Peaches and Herb – I Pledge My Love |
| Photoglo – We Were Meant To Be Lovers |
| Poco – Midnight Rain |
| Pointer Sisters – He’s So Shy |
| Pure Prairie League – Let Me Love You Tonight |
| Queen – Crazy Little Thing Called Love |
| Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio – Two Places At The Same Time |
| Rita Coolidge – Fool That I Am |
| Robbie Dupree – Hot Rod Hearts |
| Robbie Dupree – Steal Away |
| Robert John – Hey There Lonely Girl |
| Robert John – Lonely Eyes |
| Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – You Are My Heaven |
| Rod Stewart – I Don’t Want To Talk About It |
| Rodney Crowell – Ashes By Now |
| Roger Daltry – Without Your Love |
| Ronnie Milsap – Smoky Mountain Rain |
| Roy Orbison – That Lovin’ You Feelin’ Again |
| Rupert Holmes – Answering Machine |
| Rupert Holmes – Him |
| Rupert Holmes – Morning Man |
| Seals & Crofts – First Love |
| Shalamar – The Second Time Around |
| Spinners – Cupid (I’ve Loved You for a Long Time) |
| Spinners – Working My Way Back To You |
| Spyro Gyra – Catching The Sun |
| Spyro Gyra – Percolator |
| Stacy Lattisaw – Let Me Be Your Angel |
| Starland Vocal Band – Loving You With My Eyes |
| Steely Dan – Hey Nineteen |
| Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before |
| Stephen Bishop – Send a little love my way (like always) |
| Steve Forbert – Romeo’s Tune |
| Stevie Wonder – Outside My Window |
| The Doobie Brothers – One Step Closer |
| The Doobie Brothers – Real Love |
| The Korgis – Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime |
| The Manhattans – Shining Star |
| The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Make a Little Magic |
| The Whispers – Lady |
| Tommy James – Three Times In Love |
| Toto – 99 |
| Wayne Newton – Years |
| Willie Nelson – My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys |
| Willie Nelson – On The Road Again |