Events in Music History in 1980

Jan 16 Paul McCartney is arrested at Tokyo International Airport for possession of marijuana; he is sent to jail for nine days before being deported

Jan 17 Roger Sessions' 9th Symphony, his last, premieres in Syracuse, New York with Christopher Keene conducting the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra

Jan 26 175,000 pay to hear Frank Sinatra sing in Rio de Janeiro

Feb 18 Bassist Bill Wyman says he will leave Rolling Stones in 1983 (Sure!)

Feb 27 22nd Grammy Awards: Song of the Year - Kenny Loggins' "What A Fool Believes"; Best Album - Billy Joel's "52nd Street"

Mar 27 Burt Shevelove's musical "Happy New Year", adapted from Phillip Barry's comic play "Holiday" using music and lyrics of Cole Porter, opens at the Morosco Theater, NYC; runs for 17 performances

May 1 15th Academy of Country Music Awards: Larry Gatlin and Crystal Gayle win

May 16 Brian May of rock band Queen collapses on stage with hepatitis

May 17 Paul & Linda McCartney appear in remote segment from England, after being awakened by Father Guido Sarducci, on "Saturday Night Live"

Jun 1 Barbra Streisand appears at an ACLU Benefit in California

Jun 9 14th Music City News Country Awards: Statler Brothers & Loretta Lynn win

Jun 13 Deborah Harry and Meat Loaf film "Roadie" premieres

Jun 17 Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen's fifth studio album "The River"; the 2-record set becomes a global smash, going top five in 8 countries

Jul 25 Atlantic Records/ and Albert Productions release "Back in Black", the seventh studio album by AC/DC; their first featuring lead singer Brian Johnson is a worldwide smash, selling over 50 million copies,

Jul 29 David Bowie stars in dramatic stage play "The Elephant Man" at the Auditorium Theater in Denver, Colorado

Aug 12 Warner Bros, Records releases "One-Trick Pony", the fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon; it features the song "Late in the Evening" and was accompanied by a dramatic film of the same name, written by and starring Simon

Aug 25 Stage adaptation of Harry Warren and Al Dubin's film musical "42nd Street", directed and choreographed by Gower Champion, with additional songs by Warren and Johnny Mercer, opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 3486 performances and 2 Tony Award wins

Sep 5 Philip Glass and Constance DeJong's opera "Satyagraha", loosely based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, premieres the Schouwburg, in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Sep 17 Bette Midler's concert film "Divine Madness", directed by Michael Ritchie, premieres

Sep 20 "Blizzard of Ozz", the debut solo album by English rock musician Ozzy Osbourne, is released in the United Kingdom

Sep 21 Reggae singer Bob Marley collapses while jogging in New York City's Central Park; medical exam finds his cancer had spread to his brain, lungs, and liver

Oct 6 John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) sentenced to 3 months imprisonment on assault charges

Oct 16 Revival of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical "Brigadoon" opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 133 performances

Oct 20 Geffen Records release their first album, Donna Summer's "The Wanderer"

Nov 17 RCA-Victor Records releases "9 to 5 and Odd Jobs", the 23rd studio album by country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton

Nov 30 Musical revue "Perfectly Frank", featuring songs by Frank Loesser, opens at Helen Hayes Theater, NYC; runs for 16 performances

Dec 4 Two months after death of drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin announces they will disband