1982 in music
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| By topic |
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| Years in music: | 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 |
| Centuries: | 19th century · 20th century · 21st century |
| Decades: | 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s |
| Years: | 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 |
This is a list of notable events in music from 1982, a year in which Madonna made her debut and Michael Jackson released Thriller, which still holds the title for the world's best selling album.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January–March
- January 15 – K.C. and the Sunshine Band's Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida.
- January 20 – Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a live bat thrown at him during a performance in Des Moines, Iowa. He thought it was rubber.[1]
- January 21 – B. B. King donates his personal record collection, which includes nearly 7,000 rare blues records, to the University of Mississippi's Center for the Study of Southern Culture.
- January 22 – Tommy Tucker, writer of "Hi Heel Sneakers", dies of carbon tetrachloride poisoning sustained while finishing floors in his home.
- February 13 – A 300-pound (136 kg) gravestone from the grave of Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant is stolen from an Orange Park, Florida cemetery. Police found the gravestone 2 weeks later in a dry river bed.
- February 19 – Ozzy Osbourne is arrested after urinating on The Alamo, in San Antonio, Texas.
- February 20 – Pat Benatar marries her guitarist, Neil Giraldo, on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
- February 27 – The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company gives its final performance at the Adelphi Theatre after more than 110 years.
- March 3 – The Mamas & the Papas begin a reunion tour with a show in the New York club The Other End with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty, along with Mackenzie Phillips and Spanky McFarlane replacing Michelle Gilliam and Mama Cass respectively.
- March 4 – Frank Zappa's son Dweezil and daughter Moon Unit form Fred Zeppelin.
- March 5 – Comedian and Blues Brother John Belushi is found dead of an apparent drug overdose in the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles.
- March 18 – Teddy Pendergrass is severely injured in a car accident in Philadelphia. Pendergrass's injuries result in him being paralyzed from the chest down.
- March 19 – Ozzy Osbourne's lead guitarist, Randy Rhoads, is killed in a freak accident in Leesburg, Florida when the plane in which he is riding buzzes Osbourne's tour bus and crashes into a house. The plane's pilot and a female passenger are also killed.
- March 22 – Iron Maiden release The Number of the Beast, the critically acclaimed yet controversial album often hailed as Iron Maiden's greatest.[citation needed] Christians in the United States went out and bought Iron Maiden's albums (along with those of Ozzy Osbourne's) and burned them in protest to what they thought were Satanic lyrics. This album hit number one in the UK charts.
- March 28 – In Los Angeles, David Crosby is arrested for possession of Quaaludes and drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of cocaine and carrying a concealed weapon.
April–August
- April 13 – David Crosby is arrested on drug charges for the second time in three weeks when Dallas police catch him preparing cocaine backstage before a show.
- April 15 – Billy Joel is seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Long Island, New York. Joel spends over a month in the hospital undergoing physical therapy for his hand.
- April 17 – Johnny Cash hosts Saturday Night Live with Cash and Elton John and his classic band as the musical guests. Cash sings I Walk The Line, Folsom Prison Blues, Ring of Fire and Sunday Morning Coming Down. John sings Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) and Ball and Chain. The latter would not appear on the NBC show again until 2011.
- April 24 – Germany wins the 27th annual Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Harrogate Conference Centre, North Yorkshire, with the song "Ein bißchen Frieden", sung by 17-year-old Nicole. She also records the song in English as "A Little Peace", which becomes the 500th chart-topping single in the UK.
- April 26
- Rod Stewart is mugged in Los Angeles. Stewart loses his $50,000 Porsche to the mugger, but is not hurt. The car is recovered several days later.
- Joe Strummer vanishes, forcing The Clash to postpone their U.K. tour.
- April 30 – Influential rock journalist Lester Bangs dies in his New York apartment of an apparent accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
- May 14 – The first Prince's Trust charity concert is held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. With The Prince of Wales in attendance, Status Quo, becomes the first contemporary band to play to British royalty.
- May 18 – Three weeks after disappearing, Joe Strummer and his girlfriend are found living in Paris, two days after they ran the Paris Marathon.
- May 21 – Queen release their tenth studio album, Hot Space, to immense critical outcry. The decision to make a dance-pop album with prominent disco influences at the height of American backlash against the latter genre renders the band a pariah in the United States, and their shift from traditional rock alienates their fans in the United Kingdom. Queen would not recover from the resulting backlash in the United Kingdom until after their Live Aid performance in 1985, while they would remain unpopular in the United States until after Freddie Mercury's death in 1991.
- May 23 – Pink Floyd – The Wall, a film adaptation of Pink Floyd's 1979 album The Wall, premieres at the Cannes Film Festival; the film's wide release would later begin on July 15.
- May 26 – The Rolling Stones open their European tour in Aberdeen, Scotland.
- June 11 – Grease 2, starring Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer (in her feature film debut), is released.
- June 16 – James Honeyman-Scott dies of heart failure caused by cocaine intolerance. He was 25 years old.
- June 19 – Amy Grant marries Gary Chapman.
- July 4 – Ozzy Osbourne marries his manager Sharon Arden in Maui, Hawaii.
- July 21 – A second Prince's Trust charity concert is held at the Dominion Theatre in London. Performers include Pete Townshend, Robert Plant, Madness, Phil Collins, Joan Armatrading and Kate Bush.
- August 17 – In Langenhagen near Hanover, Germany began the first mass production of the compact disc.
- August 18 – Four streets in Liverpool are named after each of The Beatles.
- August 31 – Ronnie James Dio plays his final show with Black Sabbath (until 1992).
September–December
- September 3–5 – The first US Festival is held over Labor Day Weekend near Devore, California. The Police, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead, Talking Heads and The B-52's are among the many performers.
- September 7 – The musical Cats begins its 18-year run on Broadway.
- September 22 – The Who begin their only formally announced "farewell" tour in Washington, D.C.
- October 1 – The first compact discs appear in music stores in Japan.
- October 1 – The Nightfly by Donald Fagen is released. The record has since been critically acclaimed,[citation needed] and was nominated for 7 Grammys.
- October 6 – Madonna's debut single, "Everybody", is released on Sire Records.
- November 1 – The breakup of the band Blondie is announced publicly.
- November 5 – The first edition of The Tube is broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK. Guests on the first programme include The Jam, making their last live TV appearance together.
- November 21 – Joni Mitchell marries producer and bassist Larry Klein in Malibu.
- November 25–27 – The Jamaica World Music Festival is held in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Acts over the three-day festival include Peter Tosh, Rick James, The Clash, Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin and, in their final show before disbanding, Squeeze.
- November 29 – Sena Jurinac appears on stage for the last time, with the Vienna State Opera.
- November 30 – Michael Jackson releases his sixth studio album Thriller, which would go on to be the greatest selling album of all time at 110 million units sold worldwide.
- December 3 – The most successful group of the 1970s, ABBA, release their final original single "Under Attack". A split is never officially announced.
- December 31 – The eleventh annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by The Go-Go's, Hall & Oates, Ronnie Milsap, Barry Manilow and Jermaine Jackson.
Also in 1982
- December – Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr is fired and replaced by Nicko McBrain formerly of the French band Trust.
Bands formed
Bands disbanded
Albums released
In the US, the RIAA stated that 2,630 albums, 2,710 cassettes and 2,285 singles were released.
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
Release date unknown
- Age to Age – Amy Grant
- Album – Generic Flipper – Flipper
- Ambient 4: On Land – Brian Eno
- And You Thought You Were Normal – Nash the Slash
- Arias & Symphonies – Spoons
- Back from Samoa – Angry Samoans
- Bad Brains – Bad Brains
- Barry Live in Britain – Barry Manilow – Live
- Bean-Spill – The Minutemen – EP
- Beasts (EP) – Sex Gang Children
- Before a Word is Said – Alan Gowen, Phil Miller, Richard Sinclair, Trevor Tomkins
- Black Metal – Venom
- Black Tiger – Y&T
- Boomerang – Shoes
- Breaking the Chains – Dokken – original mix
- Call of the West – Wall of Voodoo
- Cat People – Giorgio Moroder – soundtrack
- Cha – Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
- The Changeling – Toyah
- Chris Rea – Chris Rea
- Christ – The Album – Crass
- Comeback – Eric Burdon
- The Concerts in China – Jean-Michel Jarre
- Deliver Us from Evil – Budgie
- Dreamgirls: Original Broadway Cast Album – Various Artists
- D.S. al Coda – National Health
- Echoes of an Era – Chaka Khan
- Eddie Murphy – Eddie Murphy
- Electric Rendezvous – Al Di Meola
- Ella à Nice – Ella Fitzgerald
- Enter K – Peter Hammill
- Fast Women and Slow Horses – Dr. Feelgood
- Flieg' Vogel flieg – Hans-Joachim Roedelius
- Forging Ahead – Bad Manners
- Truce – Jack Bruce and Robin Trower
- Wasted Youth – Girl
- Gap Band IV – The Gap Band
- Garista – Zoviet France
- The Getaway – Chris de Burgh
- Ghost Town – Poco
- Glassworks – Philip Glass
- Good Clean Fun – Bonnie Hayes
- Groovy Decay – Robyn Hitchcock
- The Great Twenty-Eight – Chuck Berry – Compilation
- Heartbeats and Triggers – Translator
- Homotopy to Marie – Nurse With Wound
- Hour Live – Toots & The Maytals
- How Could Hell Be Any Worse? – Bad Religion
- Humans Only – Earthstar
- ...If I Die, I Die – Virgin Prunes
- In the Name of Love – Thompson Twins
- Inside – Ronnie Milsap
- Kansuigyo – Miyuki Nakajima
- Kenny G – Kenny G
- Levon Helm – Levon Helm
- Leichenschrei – SPK
- Life in the Jungle – The Shadows
- Live at Abbey Road – The Shadows
- Love Over and Over – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
- Main Attraction – Suzi Quatro
- Meat Puppets – Meat Puppets
- Metal on Metal – Anvil
- Miami – The Gun Club
- Milo Goes to College – Descendents
- Mondialement vôtre – Dalida
- Money Talks – Trooper
- Naked – Sex Gang Children
- Night Birds – Shakatak
- Night Nurse – Gregory Isaacs
- No Stranger to Danger – Payolas
- Nona – Nona Hendryx
- Nothing Can Stop Us – Robert Wyatt – Compilation
- Now Then... – Stiff Little Fingers
- Now You See Me...Now You Don't – Cliff Richard
- Objects of Desire – Michael Franks
- Off the Record – Neil Innes
- Offene Türen – Hans-Joachim Roedelius
- Offering – Axe
- One Night at Budokan – Michael Schenker Group – Live
- One Vice at a Time – Krokus
- Only Theatre of Pain – Christian Death (debut)
- Opus X – Chilliwack
- The Other Woman – Ray Parker, Jr.
- Por Amor – Menudo
- Pleasure Victim – Berlin
- Power Play – April Wine
- Prairie Serenade – Riders in the Sky
- Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape – Bauhaus – Live
- Pure and Natural – T-Connection
- Richard Clayderman – Richard Clayderman
- Ruff Cuts EP – Twisted Sister
- Select – Kim Wilde
- Sleepwalking – Gerry Rafferty
- Songs of the Free – Gang of Four
- Special Beat Service – The Beat
- Speech and Music (Parole et musique) – Pierre Schaeffer
- Spécial Dalida – Dalida
- Stand by Your Man (EP) – Motörhead & Wendy O. Williams
- 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – Midnight Oil
- Tenebrae – Simonetti-Morante-Pignatelli (Goblin) – Soundtrack
- Tough – Kurtis Blow
- Trance – Chris & Cosey
- Troops of Tomorrow – The Exploited
- Turn It Loud – Headpins
- TV Party (EP) – Black Flag
- 2x45 – Cabaret Voltaire
- Underwater Kites – The Modern Art
- The Very Best of Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan – Rufus – Compilation
- Vandenberg – Vandenberg
- Vs – Mission of Burma
- Warrior Rock: Toyah on Tour – Toyah – Live
- We Are...The League – Anti-Nowhere League
- White Heat – Dusty Springfield
- Wild in the Streets – Circle Jerks
- Windsong – Randy Crawford
- Word and Music – Hank Marvin
- Work of Heart – Roy Harper
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1982.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Survivor | Eye of the Tiger | 1982 |  |
UK 1 – Jul 1982, US BB 1 – Jun 1982, US CashBox 1 of 1982, Canada 1 – Jun 1982, Norway 1 – Aug 1982, Australia 1 of 1982, Kazakhstan 1 – Jul 1982, Ireland 1 – Sep 1982, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Aug 1983, Netherlands 2 – Sep 1982, Austria 2 – Sep 1982, South Africa 2 of 1982, Sweden (alt) 5 – Aug 1982, Switzerland 6 – Aug 1982, US BB 7 of 1982, France 7 – Jan 1983, POP 7 of 1982, Germany 18 – Jan 1983, Scrobulate 20 of 80s, Italy 23 of 1982, Poland 24 – Jul 1982, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1982, Europe 46 of the 1980s, OzNet 82 |
| 2 | Men at Work | Down Under | 1982 |  |
UK 1 – Jan 1983, US BB 1 – Nov 1982, Canada 1 – Sep 1982, Switzerland 1 – Jun 1982, Poland 1 – Jan 1983, Ireland 1 – Jan 1983, New Zealand 1 for 2 weeks Feb 1982, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Nov 1982, Netherlands 2 – Mar 1982, Norway 2 – Feb 1983, France 4 – Aug 1982, Sweden (alt) 6 – Feb 1983, US CashBox 8 of 1983, South Africa 8 of 1982, OzNet 8, Germany 10 – Mar 1983, POP 16 of 1983, US BB 21 of 1983, Australia 24 of 1982, Europe 36 of the 1980s, KROQ 70 of 1982, Scrobulate 83 of 80s, RYM 96 of 1981 |
| 3 | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts | I Love Rock 'n' Roll | 1982 | |
US BB 1 – Feb 1982, Canada 1 – Jan 1982, Netherlands 1 – Apr 1982, Sweden (alt) 1 – Jun 1982, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Jun 1982, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Mar 1983, Poland 2 – May 1982, Switzerland 3 – Mar 1982, UK 4 – Apr 1982, POP 4 of 1982, US CashBox 5 of 1982, Austria 5 – May 1982, Germany 6 – Apr 1982, Australia 7 of 1982, South Africa 7 of 1982, US BB 8 of 1982, France 10 – Mar 1982, KROQ 71 of 1982, Party 80 of 1999, RIAA 177, Acclaimed 295, Germany 348 of the 1980s, TheQ 463, Rolling Stone 484 |
| 4 | Dexys Midnight Runners | Come On Eileen | 1982 |  |
UK 1 – Jul 1982, US BB 1 – Feb 1983, Canada 1 – Nov 1982, Switzerland 1 – Nov 1982, Ireland 1 – Aug 1982, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Nov 1982, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Sep 1983, POP 2 of 1983, Netherlands 4 – Aug 1982, US BB 5 of 1983, France 5 – Jan 1983, Germany 5 – Jan 1983, Austria 9 – Nov 1982, RYM 11 of 1982, US CashBox 12 of 1983, Australia 12 of 1982, Scrobulate 15 of 80s, Party 36 of 2007, Virgin 85, OzNet 117, Germany 244 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 1040 |
| 5 | Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder | Ebony and Ivory | 1982 | |
UK 1 – Apr 1982 (10 weeks), US Billboard 1 – Apr 1982 (19 weeks), Canada 1 – Apr 1982 (14 weeks), Norway 1 – Apr 1982 (18 weeks), Belgium 1 – Apr 1982 (10 weeks), Germany 1 – May 1982 (5 months), Eire 1 for 3 weeks – Apr 1982, Canada RPM 1 for 5 weeks – May 1982, Germany 1 for 5 weeks – Jun 1982, Spain 1 for 1 week – Jun 1982, Sweden (alt) 2 – Apr 1982 (21 weeks), Switzerland 2 – Apr 1982 (12 weeks), Grammy in 1982 (Nominated), Netherlands 3 – Apr 1982 (9 weeks), Austria 3 – May 1982 (5 weeks), Springbok 3 – May 1982 (13 weeks), US CashBox 4 of 1982, Poland 4 – May 1982 (7 weeks) |
Chronological table of US and UK number one hit singles
Other significant singles
- "1999" – Prince
- "867-5309/Jenny" – Tommy Tutone
- "Theme From Harry's Game" – Clannad
- "Africa" – Rose Laurens
- "Africa" – Toto
- "All Quiet on the Western Front" – Elton John
- "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy" – Kid Creole & the Coconuts
- "Another Sleepless Night" – Anne Murray
- "Any Day Now" – Ronnie Milsap
- "Back on the Chain Gang" – The Pretenders
- "Bad to the Bone" – George Thorogood & The Destroyers
- "Ball and Chain" – Elton John
- "Being Boiled" – Human League
- "Best Years of Our Lives" – Modern Romance
- "Blue Eyes" – Elton John
- "Body + Soul" – Jo Kennedy
- "Body Language" – Queen
- "The Boiler" – Rhoda with The Special AKA
- "Break It to Me Gently" – Juice Newton
- "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" – David Bowie
- "Caught Up In You" – 38 Special
- "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" – Modern Romance
- "Child Come Away" – Kim Wilde
- "Christian" – China Crisis
- "Confidences sur la Fréquence" – Dalida
- "Countdown" – Rush
- "Crimson and Clover" – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
- "Dancing in the Street" – Van Halen
- "The Day Before You Came" – ABBA
- "Danza" – Dalida
- "Dirty Laundry" – Don Henley
- "Do You Believe in Love" – Huey Lewis and the News
- "Do Ya Wanna Funk" – Sylvester
- "Don't Leave Me Now" – Supertramp
- "Don't Stop Believin'" (1981) – Journey
- "Don't Talk" – Hank Marvin
- "Down Under" – Men At Work
- "Easier Said Than Done" – Shakatak
- "Eaten By the Monster of Love" – Sparks
- "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" – Elton John
- "Enough is Enough" – April Wine
- "European Son" – Japan
- "Everybody" – Madonna
- "Fantastic Day" – Haircut One Hundred
- "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" – Elkie Brooks
- "Forever Now" – Cold Chisel
- "Forget Me Nots" – Patrice Rushen
- "Freeze Frame" (1981) – J. Geils Band
- "Ghosts" – Japan
- "Girls On Film" (1981) – Duran Duran
- "Glittering Prize" – Simple Minds
- "Gloria" – Laura Branigan
- "Goin' Down" – Greg Guidry
- "Great Southern Land" – Icehouse
- "Gypsy" – Fleetwood Mac
- "Hand To Hold On To" – John Cougar
- "Harden My Heart" (1981) – Quarterflash
- "Head over Heels" – ABBA
- "Heart Attack" – Olivia Newton-John
- "Heart of the Night" – Juice Newton
- "Heartbreaker" – Dionne Warwick
- "Heartlight" – Neil Diamond
- "Here Is The News/Ticket To The Moon" – Electric Light Orchestra
- "Heat of the Moment" – Asia
- "Hey Little Girl" – Icehouse
- "Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do" – Huey Lewis and the News
- "Hot In The City" – Billy Idol
- "Hungry Like The Wolf" – Duran Duran
- "Hurts So Good" – John Cougar
- "I Can Make You Feel Good" – Shalamar
- "I Know What Boys Like" – The Waitresses
- "I Love It Loud" – Kiss
- "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (1981) – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- "I Melt with You" – Modern English
- "I Ran (So Far Away)" – A Flock of Seagulls
- "I Will Always Love You" – Dolly Parton
- "I Will Love You (Everytime We Are Gone)" – The Fureys
- "Iron Fist" – Motörhead
- "If You Can't Stand the Heat" – Bucks Fizz
- "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" – Deniece Williams
- "It's Raining Again" – Supertramp
- "Jack and Diane" – John Cougar
- "Jambo Bwana" – Them Mushrooms
- "Jouez Bouzouki" – Dalida
- "Landslide" – Olivia Newton-John
- "Let's Get It Up" – AC/DC
- "Listen" – Stiff Little Fingers
- "Little Town – Cliff Richard
- "Living on the Ceiling" – Blancmange
- "Love Come Down" – Evelyn "Champagne" King
- "Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)" – Donna Summer
- "Love My Way" – The Psychedelic Furs
- "Love Will Turn You Around" – Kenny Rogers
- "Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me" – Juice Newton
- "Maid Of Orleans" – OMD
- "Make a Move on Me" (1981) – Olivia Newton-John
- "Man on the Corner" (1981) – Genesis
- "Memory" – Barbra Streisand
- "Mexican Radio" – Wall of Voodoo
- "The Message" – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
- "Mickey" – Toni Basil
- "Mirror Man" – Human League
- "Mirror Mirror" – Diana Ross
- "Muscles" – Diana Ross
- "Never Give Up on a Good Thing" – George Benson
- "Never Say Never" – Romeo Void
- "New World Man" – Rush
- "Nobody" – Sylvia
- "Nova Heart" – Spoons
- "The Number of the Beast" – Iron Maiden
- "Old Town" – Phil Lynott
- "One Perfect Day" – Little Heroes
- "Only the Lonely" – The Motels
- "Only Time Will Tell" – Asia
- "The Only Way Out" – Cliff Richard
- "Party Fears Two" – The Associates
- "Personally" – Karla Bonoff
- "Planet Rock" – Afrika Bambaataa
- "Pressure" – Billy Joel
- "Pretty Woman" – Van Halen
- "Princess" – Elton John
- "Promised You a Miracle" – Simple Minds (charted in 1983 in the U.S.)
- "Restless" – Gillan
- "Right Before Your Eyes" – America
- "Rio" – Duran Duran
- "Rock the Casbah" – The Clash
- "Roll Me Away" – Bob Seger
- "Run To The Hills" – Iron Maiden
- "The Safety Dance" – Men Without Hats (charted in 1983 in the U.S.)
- "Save A Prayer" – Duran Duran
- "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" – Soft Cell
- "Senses Working Overtime" – XTC
- "She's Got a Way" – Billy Joel
- "Should I Stay or Should I Go" – The Clash
- "Shy Boy" – Bananarama
- "Since You're Gone" – The Cars
- "Situation" – Yazoo
- "Six Months In A Leaky Boat" – Split Enz
- "Sole Survivor" – Asia
- "Solid Rock" – Goanna
- "Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye" – Anne Murray
- "Somebody's Baby" – Jackson Browne
- "Southern Cross" – Crosby, Stills, and Nash
- "Spread a Little Happiness" – Sting
- "State of Independence" – Donna Summer
- "Steppin' Out" – Joe Jackson
- "Still They Ride" (1981) – Journey
- "Sube A Mi Motora" – Menudo
- "Subdivisions" – Rush
- "Sweet Dreams" (1981) – Air Supply
- "Tainted Love" (1981) – Soft Cell (in the US)
- "That Girl" – Stevie Wonder
- "Theme from Hill Street Blues" – Mike Post and Larry Carlton
- "Theme from 'Missing'" – The Shadows
- "There It Is" – Shalamar
- "3x3" (EP) – Genesis
- "Thru These Walls" – Phil Collins
- "Time (Clock of the Heart)" – Culture Club
- "Tony" – Dalida
- "Treat Me Nice" – The Shadows
- "Trouble" (1981) – Lindsey Buckingham
- "The One Thing" – Inxs
- "The Trouble With Me is You" – Hank Marvin
- "Under Pressure" – Queen and David Bowie
- "Vacation" – The Go-Go's
- "Valley Girl" – Frank Zappa
- "View from a Bridge" – Kim Wilde
- "Waiting for a Girl Like You" – Foreigner
- "What About Me" – Moving Pictures
- "When the Tigers Broke Free" – Pink Floyd
- "Where Do We Go From Here" – Cliff Richard
- "White Boy" – Culture Club
- "White Wedding" – Billy Idol
- "When The War Is Over" – Cold Chisel
- "Why" – Carly Simon
- "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" by A Flock of Seagulls
- "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)" – Franke and the Knockouts
- "Work That Body" – Diana Ross
- "Workin' For a Livin'"- Huey Lewis and the News
- "Yellow Pearl" – Phil Lynott
- "Yesterday's Songs" – Neil Diamond
- "You and I" – Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
- "You Can Do Magic" – America
- "You Can't Hurry Love" – Phil Collins
- "You Don't Want Me Anymore" – Steel Breeze
- "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" – The Gap Band
- "You Got Lucky" – Tom Petty
- "You Should Hear How She Talks About You" – Melissa Manchester
- "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" – Judas Priest
- "Young Guns (Go For It)" – Wham!
- "Young Turks" (1981) – Rod Stewart
Published popular music
- How Do You Keep the Music Playing? w. Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman m. Michel LeGrand. From the film Best Friends.
- "Key Largo" w.m. Sonny Limbo & Bertie Higgins
- "Let's Go to the Movies" w. Martin Charnin m. Charles Strouse from the film version of the musical Annie
- "Sandy (Dumb Dog)" w. Martin Charnin m. Charles Strouse from the film version of the musical Annie
- "Sign!" w. Martin Charnin w. Martin Charnin m. Charles Strouse from the film version of the musical Annie
- "St. Elsewhere theme song" m. Dave Grusin
- "Up Where We Belong" w. Will Jennings m. Buffy Sainte-Marie & Jack Nitzsche
- "We Got Annie" w. Martin Charnin m. Charles Strouse from the film version of the musical Annie
- "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" w.m. Judy Hart Angelo & Gary Portnoy, theme from the TV series Cheers
- "Without Us" w. Tom Scott m. Jeff Barry, theme from the TV series Family Ties
- Hans Abrahamsen – Nacht und Trompeten
- George Crumb
- Pastoral Drone for organ
- Trio for Strings
- Mario Davidovsky – String Trio for violin, viola, violoncello
- Ross Edwards – Piano Concerto in A
- Morton Feldman
- Three Voices
- For John Cage, for violin and piano
- Lorenzo Ferrero
- Thema 44 (ad honorem J. Haydn)
- My Blues
- Respiri
- Soleils
- Daron Hagen – Echo's Songs
- Rudolf Komorous – Serenade for Strings
- György Ligeti – Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano
- Mel Powell – String Quartet
- Poul Ruders
- Manhattan Abstraction for orchestra
- Greeting Concertino
- Piano Sonata No. 2
- Robert Simpson – String Quartet no. 9, 32 Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Haydn
- Tōru Takemitsu
- Rain Coming for chamber orchestra
- Rain Spell for flute, clarinet, harp, piano and vibraphone
- Jay Ungar – Ashokan Farewell
Ballet
See List of 1982 ballet premieres
Opera
- Nicolas Flagello – The Judgment of St Francis
- Stephen Paulus – The Postman Always Rings Twice
- Peter Sculthorpe – Quiros
- Andy Capp (Alan Price) – London production opened at the Aldwych Theatre on September 28 and ran for 99 performances
- Cats (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on October 7 and ran for 7485 performances, the longest run in the history of Broadway
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) – Broadway production opened at the Royale Theatre on January 27 and ran for 747 performances
- Little Shop of Horrors' – off-Broadway production opened at the Orpheum Theatre on July 27 and ran for 2209 performances
- Nine – Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on May 9 and ran for 729 performances
- Pirates Of Penzance – London revival
- Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (Saul Chaplin, Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer) – Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on July 8 and ran for 5 performances
- Song and Dance (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – London production opened at the Palace Theatre on April 7 and ran for 781 performances
- Alice
- Annie
- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
- Disco Dancer
- Grease 2
- One from the Heart
- Parsifal
- Patnam Vachina Pativrathalu
- Pink Floyd – The Wall
- Starstruck
- Une chambre en ville
- Victor Victoria
- Yes, Giorgio
Musical television
Births
- January 6 – Morgan Lander, Canadian musician (Kittie)
- January 9 – Isaac Delahaye, Belgian guitarist and composer
- January 11 – Ashley Taylor Dawson, English actor and singer (allSTARS*)
- January 12 – Nicole Morier, American singer-songwriter and producer
- January 14 – Caleb Followill, American musician (Kings of Leon)
- January 17 – Alex Varkatzas, Greek-American metalcore lead vocalist (Atreyu)
- January 18
- Quinn Allman, guitarist (The Used)
- Joanna Newsom, American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and actress
- January 19 – Angela Chang, Taiwanese singer and actress
- January 21 – André Lousada, Portuguese conductor
- January 24 – Daveed Diggs, American rapper, actor and singer
- January 25 – Sho Sakurai, Japanese singer
- January 28 – Ryan Sheridan, Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist
- January 29 – Adam Lambert, American singer, songwriter, stage actor, American Idol 8 finalist (Queen + Adam Lambert)
- January 31
- Elena Paparizou, Greek-Swedish singer
- Yukimi Nagano, Swedish singer and songwriter (Little Dragon)
- February 1 – Kim Jong-wook, South Korean singer
- February 3 – Jessica Harp, American singer and guitarist (The Wreckers)
- February 4 – Kimberly Wyatt, American singer, dancer (The Pussycat Dolls)
- February 9 – Ami Suzuki, Japanese singer
- February 10 – Darren McMullen, British-Australian The Voice TV host, actor, music critic and music journalist
- February 16 – Lupe Fiasco, American rapper
- February 17 – February 18 – Nervo (DJs), Australian twin sister DJs
- February 22 – Danja, American record producer and songwriter (Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Joe Jonas)
- February 25 – Bert McCracken, lead singer of American rock band The Used
- March 2 – Jessica Biel, American actress, model, voice actress, producer and singer
- March 4 – Amanda Shires, American singer-songwriter and violin player.
- March 13 – Darbuka Siva, Indian percussionist and composer
- March 14 – Kate Maberly, English actress, director, writer, producer and musician
- March 20 – Nick Wheeler, rock guitarist (The All-American Rejects)
- March 21
- Jocie Kok, Chinese-Singaporean singer
- Santino Fontana, American actor and singer
- March 22 – Pete Bennett, English rock singer (Daddy Fantastic) and television personality (Big Brother 2006)
- April 3 – Cobie Smulders, Canadian singer and actress
- April 7 – Kelli Young, English pop singer (Liberty X)
- April 8 – Keegan DeWitt, American singer-songwriter and actor (Wild Cub)
- April 18 – Marie-Élaine Thibert, Canadian singer
- April 21 – Lynn Hilary, Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist (Celtic Woman and Anúna)
- April 24 – Kelly Clarkson, American singer, songwriter, actress and author, first American Idol winner
- April 26
- Nadja Benaissa, German pop singer
- Jon Lee, English singer (S Club 7)
- April 30 – Lloyd Banks, African American/Puerto Rican rapper
- May 4 – Vera Schmidt, Hungarian singer-songwriter
- May 11 – Cory Monteith, Canadian actor and musician (d. 2013)
- May 15 – Jessica Sutta, American singer, dancer, songwriter, actres and choreographer (The Pussycat Dolls)
- May 23 – Tristan Prettyman, American singer-songwriter, musician and Foxy Model
- June 2 – Jewel Staite, Canadian actress and singer
- June 3 – Dihan Slabbert, South African singer-songwriter and producer
- June 4 – Jin Au-Yeung, Chinese-American rapper
- June 5 – Scott Speer, American filmmaker, music video director, television director and novelist.
- June 7 – Amy Nuttall, British actress and opera singer
- June 13 – Jessica Caban, American fashion model, actress, musician and muse of Bruno Mars
- June 14 – Lang Lang, Chinese concert pianist
- June 17 – Arthur Darvill, English actor and musician (Doctor Who)
- June 23 – Candice Alley, Australian singer-songwriter ("Falling", Colorblind)
- July 5 – Dave Haywood, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Lady Antebellum)
- July 6 – Tay Zonday, American musician and voice actor
- July 7 – Cassidy, American hip hop recording artist and rapper
- July 10 – Alex Arrowsmith, American rock musician
- July 12 – Mahalia Barnes, Australian singer-songwriter and manager, (Jimmy Barnes, Reece Mastin)
- July 14 – Dmitry Chaplin, Russian So You Think You Can Dance finalist
- July 15 – Haley Scarnato, American singer and American Idol finalist
- July 17 – Natasha Hamilton, English pop singer-songwriter(Atomic Kitten)
- July 18
- Ryan Cabrera, American singer-songwriter and musician (Ashlee Simpson, Lisa Origliasso, Riley Keough, Audrina Patridge)
- Priyanka Chopra, Indian actress, singer, film producer and philanthropist
- July 19 – Christopher Bear, American drummer (Grizzly Bear)
- July 23 – Claudette Ortiz, American soul singer
- July 30 – Rebecca Stephens, English singer (The Pipettes)
- August 7 – Abbie Cornish, Australian actress and rapper under the pseudonym "Dusk"
- August 10 – Vincent Rodriguez III, American actor, singer and dancer
- August 19 – Willy Denzey, French singer
- August 27 – Duke Dumont, British record producer, songwriter, musician and DJ
- August 28 – LeAnn Rimes, American singer
- September 3
- Andrew McMahon, American musician
- Kaori Natori, Japanese singer and model
- September 7 – Race Wong, Hong Kong singer/actress (2R)
- September 9 – Ai Otsuka, Japanese singer
- September 14 – Wes Carr, Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Australian Idol 8)
- September 22 – Billie Piper, British singer and actress
- September 27
- Anna Camp, American actress-singer (Pitch Perfect)
- Jon McLaughlin, American pop rock singer-songwriter, producer and pianist
- Lil Wayne, American rapper
- September 28 – St. Vincent (musician), American singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist and guitar designer
- September 29 – Stephen "tWitch" Boss, American hip hip dancer, DJ, actor and entertainer
- October 1 – Sandra Oxenryd, Swedish pop singer
- October 6 – MC Lars, American rapper
- October 7 – Lockett Pundt, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Deerhunter)
- October 15 – Paulini, Fijian-born Australian singer, songwriter and actress
- October 18 – Ne-Yo, American R&B singer
- October 27 – Keri Hilson, American singer
- November 12 – Anne Hathaway, American actress, musical star and singer
- November 13
- Michael Copon, American actor model and singer
- Kumi Koda, Japanese singer
- November 14 – Joy Williams (singer), American singer-songwriter
- November 15 – Jenifer (singer), French singer and actress
- November 18 – Aoife O'Donovan, Irish-American singer and songwriter
- November 22 – Charlene Choi, Hong Kong singer and actress
- December 3 – Jaycee Chan, Hong Kong actor and singer
- December 5 – Keri Hilson, American singer, songwriter and actress
- December 8 – Nicki Minaj, Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer, songwriter, model and actress
- December 13 – Anthony Callea, Australian singer
- December 14 – Anthony Way, British singer and actor
- December 20
- David Cook, American singer
- Jason Zhang, Chinese pop singer
- December 23 – Beatriz Luengo, Spanish singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and entrepreneur
- December 24 – Robert Carmine, vocalist (Rooney)
- December 27 – Terji Skibenæs, Faroese guitarist (Týr)
- Undated
- Guanqun Yu, Chinese operatic soprano
- Caroline Shaw, American composer, violinist and singer
Deaths
- January – Sudhin Dasgupta, music director, lyricist, and singer, 52
- January 16 – Harald Agersnap, Danish classical musician, 92
- January 17 – Tommy Tucker, songwriter, 48 (carbon tetrachloride poisoning)
- January 19 – Elis Regina, Brazilian singer, 36
- January 30
- Stanley Holloway, English actor and singer, 91
- Lightnin' Hopkins, blues singer, 69
- February 4 – Alex Harvey, rock singer and guitarist, 46
- February 17 – Thelonious Monk, jazz pianist, 64
- February 18 – Nathaniel Shilkret, composer and musician, 92
- February 21 – Murray the K, disc jockey, 60
- February 25 – Chao Yuen Ren, composer, 89
- March 5 – John Belushi, entertainer of The Blues Brothers fame, 33 (drug overdose)
- March 19 – Randy Rhoads, guitarist, 25 (plane crash)
- March 24 – Aileen Stanley, singer, 84 or 85
- March 26 – Ferdinando Garimberti, violin maker, 88
- March 29 – Carl Orff, German composer, famous for the choral work Carmina Burana, 86
- April 2 – Sam Coslow, songwriter and singer, 79
- May 1 – William Primrose, violist, 77
- May 5 – Cal Tjader, Latin jazz musician, 56
- May 8 – Neil Bogart, owner of Casablanca Records, 39 (cancer)
- May 12 – Humphrey Searle, composer, 66
- May 13 – Renzo Rossellini, film composer, 74
- May 15 – Joëlle Mogensen, French singer, 29 (drug overdose)
- May 16 – Adriano Correia de Oliveira, Portuguese composer and singer, 40
- May 26 – Nanny Larsén-Todsen, operatic soprano, 97
- May 30 – Leon René, songwriter, 80
- June 15 – Art Pepper, jazz saxophonist, 56 (brain hemorrhage)
- June 16 – James Honeyman-Scott, guitarist, 25 (heart failure from cocaine use)
- July 9 – Wingy Manone, jazz trumpeter, 82
- July 10 – Maria Jeritza, operatic soprano, 96
- July 15 – Bill Justis, American saxophonist, songwriter, and producer, 55 (cancer)
- July 15 – Lionel Daunais, Canadian baritone and composer, 80
- July 22 – Sonny Stitt, jazz saxophonist, 58
- July 28 – Keith Green, gospel singer, 28 (plane crash)
- August 13 – Joe Tex, Southern soul singer, 49
- September 1 – Clifford Curzon, pianist, 75
- September 12 – Federico Moreno Torroba, composer, 91
- September 14 – Christian Ferras, French violinist, 49 (suicide)
- September 17 – Manos Loïzos, Greek composer, 44
- September 29 – A. L. Lloyd, folk song collector, 74
- October 4 – Glenn Gould, pianist, 50 (stroke)
- October 16
- Jakov Gotovac, composer and conductor, 87
- Mario del Monaco, operatic tenor, 67
- October 21 – Radka Toneff, Norwegian jazz singer, 30
- October 29 – William Lloyd Webber, British organist and composer, 68
- November 16 – Al Haig, jazz pianist, 58
- December 2 – David Blue, folk singer, 41
- December 8 – Marty Robbins, country singer, 57
- December 10 – Roy Webb, film composer, 94
Awards
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
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