Aretha Franklin 1st Female
Jan 3 Aretha Franklin is the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Jan 3 Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman's musical "Smile", loosely based on the 1975 film of the same name, closes at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, NYC, after 48 performances
Musical Finale
Jan 3 Musical revue "Oh, Coward!" featuring the songs of Noël Coward, closes at the Helen Hayes Theater, NYC, after 56 performances
- Jan 20 Rhino Records 1st #1, Billy Vera & Beaters' "At This Moment"
Second Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jan 21 Second Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: The Coasters; Eddie Cochran; Bo Diddley; Aretha Franklin; Marvin Gaye; Bill Haley; B.B. King; Clyde McPhatter; Ricky Nelson; Roy Orbison; Carl Perkins; Smokey Robinson; Joe Turner; Muddy Waters; Jackie Wilson; Louis Jordan; T-Bone Walker; Hank Williams; Leonard Chess; Ahmet Ertegun; Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller; and Jerry Wexler
14th American Music Awards
Jan 26 14th American Music Awards: Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie & Alabama win
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers