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Music on the year of 1981 in history

Music
Date Text
02 Jan 1981 American singer David Lynch of The Platters died of cancer. (1959 UK & US No.1 single 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes').
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02 Jan 1981 Abba were enjoying their sixth week at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Super Trouper.'
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03 Jan 1981 David Bowie made his final appearance as the Elephant Man in the Broadway show in New York City.
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07 Jan 1981 The Police played the first night of a North American tour at The University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada during their Zenyatta Mondatta World Tour.
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09 Jan 1981 Terry Hall and Jerry Dammers from The Specials were both fined £400 ($680) after being found guilty of using threatening words during a gig in Cambridge, England.
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10 Jan 1981 John Lennon's 'Imagine' started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart, 10 years after it was recorded. Lennon had two other songs in the Top 5 this week, 'Happy Christmas, (War Is Over') and '(Just Like) Starting Over.' 'Imagine' was voted by the viewers of BBC TV as the best lyrics of all time in a poll broadcast in Oct 1999. Also on this day John and Yoko's 'Double Fantasy' album started an eight-week run at No.1 on the US chart. 'Just Like Starting Over' was at No.1 on the US singles chart.
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10 Jan 1981 listen to ‘This Day in Music Jan 10th’ on Audioboo
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11 Jan 1981 birth Thomas Meighan, lead singer, Kasabian, (2005 UK No.8 single 'Cutt Off', 2006 UK No.1 album 'Empire').
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11 Jan 1981 birth Chris Edwards, Kasabian, (2005 UK No.8 single 'Cutt Off', 2006 UK No.1 album 'Empire').
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11 Jan 1981 birth Jamelia, UK R&B singer, (2003, UK No.4 album 'Thank You').
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12 Jan 1981 It was reported that the White House had expanded its record library by including albums by Bob Dylan, Kiss and The Sex Pistols.
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16 Jan 1981 birth Nick Valensi, guitarist with The Strokes who had the 2001 UK #14 single 'Last Nite' and the 2001 UK #2 album Is This It?' Valensi is married to TV presenter Amanda de Cadenet (who was formally married to Duran Duran bassist John Taylor).  
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17 Jan 1981 Motley Crue formed when bass guitarist Nikki Sixx left the band London and began rehearsing with drummer Tommy Lee and vocalist, guitarist Greg Leon, (who later left). Sixx and Lee then added guitarist Bob "Mick Mars" Deal. Vince Neil accepted an offer to join (after turning them down) in April of this year.
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18 Jan 1981 Wendy O. Williams of The Plasmatics was arrested on stage at Milwaukee and was charged with the offence of simulating sex with a sledgehammer. Williams later filed a multimillion dollar civil suit against the Milwaukee Police, claming they sexually assaulted and beat her during the arrest, but a jury rejected her claims.
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20 Jan 1981 birth Nathan Connolly, Snow Patrol, (2006 UK No.1 album 'Eyes Open', 2006 UK No.6 single 'Chasing Cars').
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24 Jan 1981 Adam And The Ants started a 10-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their debut album 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier'.
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24 Jan 1981 Steve Tyler of Aerosmith was hospitalised after being involved in a crash on his motorbike.
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25 Jan 1981 birth Alicia Keys, American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, (born Alicia J. Augello-Cook). Scored the 2001 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Fallin' and the 2001 US No.1 & UK No.7 album 'Songs In A Minor'. Keys has sold over 25 million albums and singles worldwide and won numerous awards, including nine Grammys.
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30 Jan 1981 Toyah appeared at the newly opened Rock City in Nottingham, England. Forthcoming acts included, Alex Harvey, Bad Manners, The Stranglers, After The Fire, Gillan and Frankie Valli.
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31 Jan 1981 Blondie went to No.1 on the US singles hart with 'The Tide Is High', the group's third US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.
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31 Jan 1981 birth Justin Timberlake, singer with *NSYNC who had the 2000 US No.1 single 'It's Gonna Be Me' and the 1999 UK No.5 single 'I Want You Back'. As a solo artist scored the 2003 UK No.2 & US No.3 single 'Cry Me A River'. His second solo album 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' was released in 2006 with the US No.1 hit singles 'SexyBack', 'My Love' and 'What Goes Around... Comes Around.' With his first two albums, Timberlake has sold over fourteen million albums worldwide. Timberlake has his own record label called Tennman Records. He also has an acting career, having starred in films such as The Social Network, Bad Teacher and Friends with Benefits.
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06 Feb 1981 Composer Hugo Montenegro died in California. Had the 1968 UK No.1 & US No.2 single 'The Good The Bad And The Ugly' from the soundtrack to the Clint Eastwood spaghetti western film. Worked for RCA records, producing a series of albums and soundtracks and television themes, including two volumes of Music From The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
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07 Feb 1981 Kool & The Gang started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Celebration' the group's first No.1 and 8th top 40 hit, a No.7 hit in the UK.
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07 Feb 1981 John Lennon was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Woman', an ode to his wife Yoko Ono. It was Lennon's third No.1 in seven weeks after his death on December 8, 1980.
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08 Feb 1981 R.E.M. made their first ever-recording sessions at Bombay Studios Smyrna, Georgia. Tracks included 'Gardening At Night', 'Radio Free Europe' and '(Don't Go Back To) Rockville.'
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09 Feb 1981 American singer Bill Haley was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlingen, Texas from a heart attack, Haley had sold over 60 million records during his career. Scored the 1955 UK & US No.1 single 'Rock Around The Clock', and became known as the first Rock 'n' Roll star. Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation and later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye.
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11 Feb 1981 birth Kelly Rowland, singer with Destiny's Child who had the 2000 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Say My Name', and the 2001 US & UK No.1 single & album 'Survivor'. as a solo artist had the 2003 UK No.2 single 'Stole', and the 2002 US & UK No.1 single with Nelly 'Dilemma'. Rowland joined the judging panel on the eighth series of the British reality television competition The X Factor in 2011.
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12 Feb 1981 birth Lisa Hannigan, Irish singer with Damien Rice. Appeared on his 2003 album 'O' featuring the single 'Cannonball.'
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13 Feb 1981 Island Records launched 'One Plus One' cassettes, one side had one of their artist's albums and the other was blank so you could record on it!
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15 Feb 1981 American guitarist Mike Bloomfield was found dead in his car in San Francisco from an accidental heroin overdose. He was a member of the Paul Butterfield band and Electric Flag and had played on Bob Dylan's album 'Highway 61 Revisited'. In 2003 he was ranked at number 22 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
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15 Feb 1981 birth Olivia Theresa Longott, US R&B singer, and member of G-Unit, who had the 2005 US No.1 & UK No.4 single 'Candy Shop' with 50 Cent.
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17 Feb 1981 birth John Hassall, bassist with English group The Libertines who had the 2004 UK No.1 album 'The Libertines'.
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17 Feb 1981 birth Paris Hilton, American socialite, singer, actress and fashion model. Heiress to a share of the Hilton Hotel fortune, featured in the reality TV series, The Simple Life. Had the UK No.5 and US No.18 single ‘Stars Are Blind’, from her debut album ‘Paris’ released in 2006.
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21 Feb 1981 Dolly Parton started a two week run at No.1 on the US charts with '9 to 5', the singers first No.1, a No.47 hit in the UK.
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22 Feb 1981 One hit wonder Joe Dolce was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Shaddap You Face,' famously keeping the legendary Ultravox song, Vienna, off the UK No.1 slot. 'Shaddap You Face' was Number 1 in 11 countries with over 35 different foreign language cover versions, selling over 4 million copies.
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25 Feb 1981 Winners at this year's Grammy Awards included Bob Seger who won Best Rock performance for 'Against The Wind', Pat Benatar won Best female performance for 'Crimes Of Passion' and Christopher Cross won Best new artist and Best song for 'Sailing.'
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27 Feb 1981 birth Josh Groban, US singer, who had the 2002 US No.7 & UK No.28 album ‘Josh Groban’ and the 2004 US No.1 album 'Closer'. Groban was America's top selling artist of 2007.
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28 Feb 1981 Country music star Eddie Rabbitt crossed over to the Pop chart to score a US No.1 hit with 'I Love a Rainy Night'. He had earlier written the Elvis Presley smash 'Kentucky Rain' before having a No.5 hit with 'Drivin' My Life Away'. Although it sounds like he made up a stage name, his real name is Edward Thomas Rabbitt.
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09 Mar 1981 Robert Plant played a secret gig at Keele University, England with his new band The Honey Drippers.
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11 Mar 1981 birth LeToya Nicole Luckett, American singer, Destiny's Child (2000 US No.1 and worldwide hit single 'Independent Woman Part 1'). Quit the group in 2000, had the 2006 US No.1 self-titled debut solo album.
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11 Mar 1981 birth Paul Wall, US rapper, features on the US No.1 single ‘Grillz’ by Nelly with Ali & Gipp.
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12 Mar 1981 Bow Wow Wow were forced to cancel the first dates of a UK tour after Greater London Council stated that singer Annabella Lwin aged 15 would be guilty of truancy.
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14 Mar 1981 Eric Clapton was hospitalised with bleeding ulcers causing a US tour to be cancelled. He was back in hospital five weeks later after being involved in a car crash.
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19 Mar 1981 The J Geils Band were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Centrefold', Roxy Music had the UK No.1 single with 'Jealous Guy.'
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21 Mar 1981 REO Speedwagon went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Keep On Loving You', the group's first top 40 hit and first No.1, a No.7 hit in the UK.
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22 Mar 1981 birth Shawn Mims, American rapper, (2007 US No.1 single 'This Is Why I'm Hot').
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26 Mar 1981 birth Jay Sean, British producer, 2009 US No.1 single 'Down' with Lil Wayne.
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28 Mar 1981 Blondie started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Rapture', the group's fourth US No.1, a No.5 hit in the UK.
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28 Mar 1981 Elton John's version of The Beatles 'I Saw Her Standing There' was released as a tribute to John Lennon.
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29 Mar 1981 Shakin' Stevens was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the Rosemary Clooney hit 'This Ole House', the Welsh singers first of four UK No.1's.
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29 Mar 1981 birth PJ Morton, American R&B singer, musician, producer and one of the keyboardists in Maroon 5.
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01 Apr 1981 birth Hannah Louise Spearitt, vocals, S Club 7, (1999 UK No.1 single 'Bring It All Back'). 2000 UK No.1 album '7' spent over a year on the UK chart.
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02 Apr 1981 CBS records launched the 'Nice Price' series of back catalogue albums in the UK. The first batch priced at £2.99 included early albums by Bob Dylan, Santana, Billy Joel, Abba, Janis Joplin and Simon and Garfunkel.
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02 Apr 1981 birth Scott Cain, Australian singer and winner of the third Australian Popstars competition. (2002 Australian No.1 single 'I'm Moving On').
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04 Apr 1981 Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision Song Contest held in Dublin, Ireland with the UK entry 'Making Your Mind Up'.
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05 Apr 1981 Canned Heat singer Bob "The Bear" Hite died of a heart attack aged 36. (1970 UK No.2 & US No.26 single 'Let's Work Together'). Played at both the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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07 Apr 1981 Producer and manager, Kit Lambert died of a cerebral hemorrhage after falling down a flight of stairs at his mother's home in London, England. Lambert managed The Who from 1964-1967 and produced the 'Tommy' album. Also produced Arthur Brown's 1968 hit 'Fire'.
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07 Apr 1981 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off their first full-scale tour in Hamburg, Germany. This was Springsteen's first tour outside North America, which would take in 10 countries.
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10 Apr 1981 birth Elizabeth Margaret, vocals, Atomic Kitten, (2000 UK No.1 single 'Whole Again').
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11 Apr 1981 Eddie Van Halen married actress Valerie Bertinelli, co-star of the 1980's television hit, One Day at a Time. The two had met eight months earlier when Bertinelli's brother took her to a Van Halen concert in Shreveport, Louisiana.
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11 Apr 1981 Hall and Oates started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Kiss On My List', the duo's second US No.1, a No.33 hit in the UK.
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18 Apr 1981 This year's Eurovision Song contest winners Bucks Fizz were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their first No.1 single 'Making Your Mind Up.'
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20 Apr 1981 John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to drug possession charges; the sentence was suspended after 30 days. Phillips started touring the US lecturing against the dangers of taking drugs.
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24 Apr 1981 New Order started work on their first album at Strawberry studios in Stockport, England.
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26 Apr 1981 birth Ms Dynamite, (Niomi McLean Daley), UK rapper, singer, (2002 UK No. 7 single 'It Takes More').
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27 Apr 1981 Ringo Starr married actress and one time 'Bond girl' Barbara Bach. The pair met while filming the movie, Caveman, with Dennis Quaid and Shelley Long. In attendance at the wedding were George Harrison and Paul McCartney.
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28 Apr 1981 Former member of T Rex, Steve Currie was killed in a car crash returning to his home near Vale de Parra, Algarve, Portugal, he was 33 years old. Joined T. Rex (recently renamed from Tyrannosaurus Rex) as bass guitarist in late 1970, also worked as a session player, played on 'Motorbikin' by Chris Spedding.
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29 Apr 1981 Elton John paid £14,000 for 232 'Goon Show' scripts broadcast during the 50's at an auction held at Christies, London.
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29 Apr 1981 birth Tom Smith, bass guitarist, Editors, (2007 UK No.1 album 'An End Has A Start').
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30 Apr 1981 birth Justin Vernon, American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer best known as the frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver.
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02 May 1981 Scottish singer Sheena Easton started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Morning Train (9 to 5)'. The title of the song was changed to avoid any confusion with the Dolly Parton hit '9 to 5', in the same year.
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03 May 1981 birth Farrah Franklin, singer, actress and model. Joined Destiny's Child in 2000, along with Michelle Williams, replacing original members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. Left Destiny's Child after five months.
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05 May 1981 birth Craig David, UK singer, (2000 UK No.1 single, 'Fill Me In', 2000 UK No.1 album 'Born To Do It' spent 50 weeks on the chart.
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05 May 1981 birth Jesse Colburn, guitarist. Closet Monster and Avril Lavigne's band from 2002 to 2003.
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09 May 1981 Adam and the Ants were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Stand And Deliver.' The song enjoyed a five-week run at No.1.
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11 May 1981 Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley died of lung cancer and a brain tumour aged 36. Had the 1981 single 'No Woman No Cry', plus over ten other UK Top 40 singles. In 1990, the 6th February was proclaimed a national holiday in Jamaica to commemorate his birth. The compilation album, Legend, released in 1984, is the best-selling reggae album ever with sales of more than 20 million copies. Time magazine chose Bob Marley & The Wailers' Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century.
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12 May 1981 Meat Loaf filed for bankruptcy with debts of over $1 million.
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12 May 1981 Van Halen kicked off their 82 date North American Fair Warning Tour at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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15 May 1981 Former Sex Pistol John Lydon's band Public Image Ltd performed a show at New York's Ritz Club posing behind a video screen while the music was played from tapes. They were showered with missiles and eventually booed off stage.
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16 May 1981 Former New Christy Minstrels member (with Kenny Rogers), Kim Carnes started a nine week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Bette Davis Eyes', the singers only US No.1 and a No.10 hit in the UK.
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19 May 1981 Sting was named songwriter of the year at the 26th Ivor Novello Awards.
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20 May 1981 Bruce Springsteen appeared at Bingley Hall, Stafford, England during a European tour.
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20 May 1981 Born on this day Sean Conlon, vocals, Five, (1998 UK No.2 single 'Everybody Get Up', 1999 UK No.1 single 'Keep On Movin').
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22 May 1981 birth Su- Elise Nash, (Mis-Teeq), (2001 UK No.2 single 'All I Want').
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26 May 1981 birth Isaac Slade, lead singer and pianist, The Fray, (2005 US Top 3 single ‘How to Save a Life’).
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28 May 1981 birth Mark Feehily, vocals, Westlife, (Irish boy band, scored 12 UK No.1 singles, first UK No.1 1999 'Swear It Again' plus four UK No.1 albums).
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01 Jun 1981 The first issue of the Heavy Metal magazine Kerrang! was published as a special pull-out by UK weekly music paper Sounds. AC/DC had the front cover plus features on Motorhead, Girlschool and Saxon.
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02 Jun 1981 Prince made his live British debut at The Lyceum Ballroom, London, (he would not play the UK again for five years).
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13 Jun 1981 Smokey Robinson was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with a song he wrote in the late 60's. 'Being With You', the American singers first solo No.1.
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13 Jun 1981 birth Kymberley Marsh, singer, Hear'Say, (2001 UK No.1 single 'Pure And Simple'). Quit the group in 2002. Now an actress.
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15 Jun 1981 birth Billy Martin, guitarist, Good Charlotte, (2002 US No.7 album, ‘The Young And The Hopeless’, 2003 UK No.6 single ‘Girls and Boys’).
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20 Jun 1981 Stars on 45 went to No.1 on the US singles chart, a medley of Beatles songs set to a disco beat. It was the start of a flood of 'Stars On' hits including Stars on Stevie Wonder, punk songs, Status Quo and Chas & Dave.
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21 Jun 1981 birth Brandon Flowers, vocals, keyboards, The Killers, who scored the 2005 UK No.1 with their debut album 'Hot Fuss'. In 2010, Flowers released a solo album, entitled Flamingo which peaked at No.1 on the UK charts.
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22 Jun 1981 Mark Chapman pleaded guilty to the charge of murdering John Lennon in 1980. He was later sentenced to 20 years to life.
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22 Jun 1981 birth Chris Urbanowicz, guitarist, Editors, (2007 UK No.1 album ‘An End Has a Start’).
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23 Jun 1981 birth Anthony Costa, singer, Blue, (2002 UK No.1 single 'If You Come Back').
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27 Jun 1981 Michael Jackson had his first solo UK No.1 with 'One Day In Your Life' a song recorded by Jackson for his 1975 album, Forever, Michael.
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27 Jun 1981 Motorhead scored their only UK No.1 album with 'No Sleep Til Hammersmith'. The live album was recorded at Leeds and Newcastle shows during their Short, Sharp Pain In The Neck tour in 1981. The name of the tour was a reference to the injury sustained by Phil Taylor when he was dropped on his head during some after-show horseplay. Despite the title of the album, the London venue the Hammersmith Odeon was not played on the tour.
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01 Jul 1981 Rushton Moreve bassist with Steppenwolf, was killed in motorcycle accident in Santa Barbara, California, aged 32. He co-wrote their hit 'Magic Carpet Ride' with lead singer John Kay; Steppenwolf also had the 1968 US No.2 single 'Born To Be Wild'. Moreve left the band in late 1968 when he refused to fly back to California at that time, fearing it would sink into the Pacific Ocean after an imminent earthquake.
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02 Jul 1981 Bruce Springsteen played the first of six nights at the new Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey.
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07 Jul 1981 birth Synyster Gates (Brian Elwin Haner, Jr.), American guitarist, songwriter of Avenged Sevenfold, who had the 2010 US No.1 album Nightmare and the 2013 US No.1 album Hail to the King.
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11 Jul 1981 The Specials had their second and final UK No.1 single with 'Ghost Town'. Despite being a song about Coventry, the band chose to film the video of themselves driving a Vauxhall Cresta around some empty London streets.
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16 Jul 1981 US singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, who had success in the 70s with 'Taxi’, ‘W-O-L-D’ and a No. 1 ‘Cat’s In The Cradle’, was killed aged 38 suffering a cardiac arrest while driving on a New York expressway. His car was hit from behind by a tractor-trailer, causing the gas tank to explode.
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19 Jul 1981 It was Roy Orbison Day in Odessa, Texas. Orbison was given the keys to the city, and performed for the crowd, the first time in Odessa in 15 years.
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21 Jul 1981 birth Paloma Faith, British singer-songwriter and actress. Her 2009 debut album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?, featured the top twenty singles 'Stone Cold Sober' and 'New York'.
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25 Jul 1981 Air Supply went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The One That I Love', the group's only US No.1 and the first Australian band to top the US singles chart.
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29 Jul 1981 On the day of the wedding between Prince Charles and Lady Diana, a bunch of records were released relating to the event, 'Lady D', by Typically Tropical, 'Charlies Angles', by Mini & The Metros and 'Diana', from Mike Berry. They all failed to reach the charts.
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31 Jul 1981 birth M. Shadows American vocalist, songwriter and founding member of Avenged Sevenfold who had the 2010 US No.1 album Nightmare and the 2013 US No.1 album Hail to the King.
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01 Aug 1981 Australian singer Rick Springfield started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Jessie's Girl', which later won the singer a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. The song was at No.1 when MTV launched on 1 August 1981. Rick had played Noah Drake in the TV show General Hospital.
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01 Aug 1981 Welsh singer Shakin' Stevens had his second UK No.1 single with his version of
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01 Aug 1981 birth Ashley Parker, O-Town, winners of US TV show 'Making The Band' (2001 US No.3 single 'All Or Nothing' 2001 UK No.3 single 'Liquid Dreams').
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06 Aug 1981 Stevie Nicks released her first solo album Bella Donna which contained four top 40 US hits. ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’, (with Tom Petty), ‘Leather and Lace’, (with Don Henley), ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘After the Glitter Fades.’
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08 Aug 1981 MTV broadcast its first stereo concert with REO Speedwagon who performed in Denver, Colorado, having just released the album Hi Infidelity and the hit singles, ‘Keep On Loving You,’ ‘Take It On the Run’ and ‘Don’t Let Him Go.’
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08 Aug 1981 birth Bradley McIntosh, S Club 7, singer, (1999 UK No.1 single 'Bring It All Back'). 2000 UK No.1 album '7' spent over a year on the UK chart.
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08 Aug 1981 birth Vanessa Joy Amorosi, Australian singer, 2009 Australian No.1 single ‘This Is Who I Am?’.
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11 Aug 1981 birth Sandi Thom, Scottish singer /songwriter, 2006 UK and Australian No.1 single ‘I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in My Hair)’
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15 Aug 1981 Diana Ross and Lionel Richie started a nine week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Endless Love', a No.7 in the UK. The song was the title from a film starring Brooke Shields.
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23 Aug 1981 birth Natalie Horler, singer, Cascada, German dance group. 2007 hit ‘Everytime We Touch’ won them a World Music Award in 2007. 2009 UK No.1 single ‘Evacuate the Dancefloor’.
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24 Aug 1981 Mark Chapman was given a 20 year jail sentence for the murder of John Lennon. The 25 year old had shot Lennon five times at close range on December 8th, 1980 in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. Over the next few months, Chapman would claim many times to have been beaten by fellow inmates, some of whom allegedly tried to kill him.
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25 Aug 1981 R.E.M. appeared at The Scorpio, Charlotte, North Carolina. This show was billed as "Charlotte's First Gay New Wave Disco and Costume Party", with the $3 tickets benefitting various gay-lesbian charities.
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26 Aug 1981 Ottawa City Council named 'Paul Anka Day' to celebrate his 25th anniversary in show-business. The council also named a street in Ottawa 'Paul Anka Drive' in his honour. The Canadian singer songwriter had written over 900 songs including the classic 'My Way'.
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28 Aug 1981 Producer Guy Stevens died at the age of 38 years old, having overdosed on prescription drugs he was taking to reduce his alcohol dependency. Worked with Mott The Hoople, Free and The Clash. He was the president of the Chuck Berry Appreciation Society and it was Stevens who brought Berry to the UK for his first tour. He gave Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their distinctive names.
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29 Aug 1981 Aneka was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Japanese Boy', the Scottish folk singer Mary Sandeman's only Top 40 hit sold over 5 million copies around the world.
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29 Aug 1981 The two day Rock on the Tyne festival began in Gateshead, England, featuring Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, U2, Rory Gallagher, Doll By Doll, Wang Chung, Becket, Dr Feelgood, The Gingers Nutters (featuring Ginger Baker), Trimmer and Jenkins and Lindisfarne.
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04 Sep 1981 birth Beyonce, singer with Destiny’s Child who had the 2000 US No.1 single with ‘Say My Name’ and the 2001 US & UK No.1 single and album 'Survivor' and a 2003 US & UK No.1 single with ‘Crazy In Love’ from the world-wide No.1 album 'Dangerously In Love'.
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05 Sep 1981 Bananarama released their first ever single 'Ai A Mwana', it failed to make the UK top 75 charts.
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05 Sep 1981 Soft Cell were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of 'Tainted Love.' The song had been a hit for Gloria Jones in 1964. (Jones who became Marc Bolan's girlfriend was the driver of the car, that crashed and killed Bolan on 16 September 1977. Jones nearly died in the accident).
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05 Sep 1981 Stevie Nicks went to No.1 on the US album with Bella Donna, featuring the tracks ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’ (the Tom Petty duet), ‘Leather and Lace’ (with Don Henley), ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘After the Glitter Fades.’
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11 Sep 1981 birth American country music singer-songwriter and founding member of Lady Antebellum, Charles Kelley. Their debut album included the trio's debut hit, 'Love Don't Live Here', along with the singles, 'Lookin' for a Good Time' and 'I Run to You'.
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12 Sep 1981 birth Jennifer Hudson, Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. One of the finalists on the third season of American Idol, she went on to star as Effie White in the 2006 motion picture musical Dreamgirls.
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14 Sep 1981 The Rolling Stones played a secret pre-tour warm-up show at the Sir Morgan's Cove club in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Billed as Little Boy Blue & The Cockroaches, a local radio station announced that the Stones were in town, resulting in the club being besieged by over 4,000 fans attempted to get into the 350-person venue. Police were drafted in to control the crowds, which resulted in eleven fans being arrested.
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14 Sep 1981 birth Ashley Roberts, singer, The Pussycat Dolls, (2005, US No.2 & UK No.1 with their debut single ‘Don't Cha’ featuring Busta Rhymes). The Pussycat Dolls became only the fourth ever girl band to enter the UK charts at No.1 with their debut single. (The other’s being the Spice Girls, B*Witched and Girls Aloud).
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18 Sep 1981 Gary Numan took off on a round the world trip in a single engine Cessna plane. The attempt ended after he was forced to land in India, where local police arrested him.
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19 Sep 1981 Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park. Over 400,000 fans attend the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.
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19 Sep 1981 The Rolling Stones album 'Tattoo You' started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US chart, the band's ninth US No.1.
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20 Sep 1981 birth Keith Semple, One True Voice, (2002 UK No.2 single 'Sacred Trust/After You're Gone').
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21 Sep 1981 Adam And The Ants were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their second No.1 'Prince Charming'.
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22 Sep 1981 American composer Harry Warren died aged 88. He wrote over 800 songs including 'I Only Have Eyes For You', (a hit for The Flamingos and Art Garfunkel), ‘You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby’, ‘Jeepers Creepers’, ‘That's Amore’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’. Warren's songs have been featured in over 300 films.
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26 Sep 1981 Bruce Dickinson joined UK rock band Iron Maiden, (Dickinson had been the vocalist with Samson).
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26 Sep 1981 The Go-Go's started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Beauty And The Beat.'
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26 Sep 1981 birth Christina Milian, US singer, (2002 UK No. 3 single 'AM To PM').
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29 Sep 1981 birth Suzanne Shaw, vocals, Hear'Say, (2001 UK No.1 single, 'Pure and Simple).
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01 Oct 1981 The Pretenders were forced to cancel the last leg of a US tour after drummer Martin Chambers put his hand through a windowpane, cutting tendons and arteries.
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09 Oct 1981 During a North American tour The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Support act was Prince, who dressed in his controversial bikini briefs and trench coat ran off stage after 15 minutes due to the crowd booing and throwing beer cans at him.
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10 Oct 1981 The Police went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Ghost In The Machine', the bands third No.1 LP.
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10 Oct 1981 birth Irish singer-songwriter and musician, Una Healy, best known for being a member of girl group The Saturdays who scored the 2013 UK No.1 hit single 'What About Us' featuring Sean Paul.
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11 Oct 1981 The Rolling Stones performed at the Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, USA, as part of a 50-date North American tour. 95 fans were arrested after trouble broke out at the venue. The tour became the largest grossing of 1981, with $50 million in ticket sales.
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17 Oct 1981 Christopher Cross started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Arthur's Theme, (Best That You Can Do)', his second US No.1. and a No.7 hit in the UK.
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18 Oct 1981 Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Quincy Jones produced 1963 Lesley Gore hit 'It's My Party.'
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26 Oct 1981 birth Guy Sebastian, Australian singer-songwriter, winner of the first Australian Idol series. (2003 Australian No.1 single, ‘Angels Brought Me Here’).
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31 Oct 1981 birth Frank Anthony Iero, rhythm guitarist, My Chemical Romance, (2006 UK No.1 single ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, 2006 US No.2 album ‘The Black Parade’).
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01 Nov 1981 birth LaTavia Roberson, Destiny's Child, (2000 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Say My Name'). Quit the group in 2000.
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07 Nov 1981 Hall and Oates started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Private Eyes', the duo's third US No.1, a No.32 hit in the UK.
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07 Nov 1981 Hall and Oates started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Private Eyes', the duo's third US No.1, a No.32 hit in the UK.
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13 Nov 1981 U2 kicked off a 23 date North American 'October' tour at JB Scott's in Albany, New York.
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13 Nov 1981 U2 kicked off a 23 date North American 'October' tour at JB Scott's in Albany, New York.
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14 Nov 1981 The Police had their fourth UK No.1 single with 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', a No.3 hit in the US.
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14 Nov 1981 The Police had their fourth UK No.1 single with 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', a No.3 hit in the US.
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26 Nov 1981 birth Natash Bedingfield, singer, (2004 UK No.1 single 'These Words').
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27 Nov 1981 The British Phonographic industry placed advertisements in the press claiming that 'home taping was wiping out music'. The Boomtown Rats, 10cc, Elton John and Cliff Richard all backed the campaign.
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02 Dec 1981 birth Britney Spears, US singer, (1999 US & UK No.1 single ''Baby One More Time', 1999 album 'Baby One More Time', spent 82 weeks on the UK chart. Biggest selling teenage act in the world with album sales over 40m).
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05 Dec 1981 Julio Iglesias was at No.1 in the UK singles chart with 'Begin The Beguine.' A Cole Porter song from 1935 with Spanish lyrics it was the singers only UK chart topper.
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11 Dec 1981 birth Zacky Vengeance (Zachary James Baker), American guitarist, songwriter of Avenged Sevenfold, who had the 2010 US No.1 album Nightmare and the 2013 US No.1 album Hail to the King.
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12 Dec 1981 The Human League had their only UK No.1 single with 'Don't You Want Me.' The Christmas hit of 81, the biggest seller of 1981 and Virgin Records first No.1 UK single. The group's singer Phil Oakey disliked the song so much that it was relegated to the last track on their latest album' Dare'.
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13 Dec 1981 birth Amy Lynn Lee, vocals, Evanescence, (2003 UK No.1 & US No.5 single ‘Bring Me To Life’, 2003 UK No.1 & US No.3 album ‘Fallen’).
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14 Dec 1981 During their Ghost In The Machine World Tour The Police played the first of three sold out nights at Wembley Arena, London, England.
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19 Dec 1981 Abba scored their seventh UK No.1 album with 'The Visitors', the Swedish pop group's eighth and final studio album. It was one of the first records to be recorded and mixed digitally, and was the first in history to be manufactured on the new CD format in 1982 on Atlantic.
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22 Dec 1981 At a rock & roll memorabilia auction in London, a stage suit worn by John Lennon sold for £2,300, a letter from Paul McCartney to a fan sold for £2,200 and a Perspex sculpture of John & Yoko was bought by singer Kate Bush for £4,200.
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25 Dec 1981 Michael Jackson phoned Paul McCartney and suggested they write and record together, the first result being ‘The Girl Is Mine’. The song was a US No.2 & UK No.8 in 1982.
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26 Dec 1981 AC/DC started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'For Those About To Rock We Salute You' the follow-up to their highly successful album 'Back In Black'. The name of the album was inspired by a book Angus Young read, entitled 'For Those About to Die, We Salute You', about Roman gladiators.
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27 Dec 1981 American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader Hoagy Carmichael died aged 82. Composer of 'Georgia On My Mind', (covered by many acts including Ray Charles), 'Star Dust' and 'Lazy River'.
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