- Jan 31 52nd Grammy Awards: "Use Somebody", Zac Brown Band win
Grammy Awards
Feb 13 Jason Mraz wins two Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ("Make It Mine") and Best Pop Collaboration ("Lucky" with Colbie Caillat)
- Feb 26 Opera "Madame White Snake", by Boston Opera composed by Zhou Long, premieres at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston (Pulitzer Prize for Music 2011)
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Mar 15 25th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: ABBA; Genesis; Jimmy Cliff; The Hollies; The Stooges; David Geffen; Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil; Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry; Jesse Stone; Mort Shuman; and Otis Blackwell
Music History
Mar 24 The World Health Organization appoints Craig David as a Goodwill Ambassador against tuberculosis on World Tuberculosis Day
Academy of Country Music Awards
Apr 18 45th Academy of Country Music Awards: Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Miranda Lambert win
Performing Arts Award
May 1 Canadian singer Bryan Adams is given the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his 30 years of contributions to the arts
Pro Wrestling
May 10 Flavor Flav guest hosts the wrestling show WWE Raw
Music Concert
May 13 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Debbie Harry, Lady Gaga, Shirley Bassey, Nile Rodgers and Chic
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)
May 28 "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" single released by Alicia Keys (Billboard Song of the Year, 2010)
- May 29 55th Eurovision Song Contest: Lena for Germany wins singing "Satellite" in Oslo
Music History
Jun 2 British singer-songwriter and musician Paul McCartney receives Library of Congress Gershwin Prize at the White House in Washington, D.C.
- Jun 9 9th CMT Video Music Awards: Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Keith Urban win
Glastonbury Festival
Jun 23 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: Gorillaz, Muse, and Stevie Wonder headline; other performers include Vampire Weekend, Snoop Dogg; Shakira, Willie Nelson, Ray Davies and The Pet Shop Boys
Music Concert
Jun 24 Ringo Starr's eleventh All-Starr Band debuts in concert; members include: Rick Derringer, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Page, Wally Palmar, and Gregg Bissonette
Incubus
Jul 6 "Incubus" singer Brandon Boyd announces the release of his debut solo album, "The Wild Trapeze"
Music History
Jul 23 One Direction is formed during the X Factor show as Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson join together
Who Is Harry Nilsson
Sep 17 Documentary film "Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?" released theatrically
The Social Network
Sep 24 "The Social Network" directed by David Fincher and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake premieres at the New York Film Festival
Farm Aid Concert
Oct 2 Farm Aid 23 held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Jeff Tweedy, Kenny Chesney, Jason Mraz, Norah Jones, Amos Lee, The BoDeans, and Jamey Johnson [1]
The Union
Oct 19 Decca Records releases "The Union", a collaborative album between Elton John and Leon Russell, in the US; it becomes the highest charting album for both artists in over 30 years
Speak Now
Oct 25 "Speak Now" 3rd studio album by Taylor Swift is released (Billboard Album of the Year 2011)
Music History
Nov 5 Keith Richards' autobiography "Life" tops New York Times bestseller list
Country Music Association Awards
Nov 10 44th Country Music Association Awards: Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton win
Disney Composer's Hollywood Star
Nov 10 Alan Menken, famous Disney composer, receives the 2,442nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Nov 13 Australian rock band Powderfinger, perform their last concert at the Brisbane River Stage
Tangled
Nov 14 Disney's 3-D computer-animated musical adventure film "Tangled" premieres at El Capitan Theatre, loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Gaga and Bieber Win
Nov 21 38th American Music Awards: Lady Gaga & Justin Bieber win
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Nov 22 Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records release American rapper and producer Kanye West's 5th studio album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"
Pink Friday
Nov 22 Universal-Motown Records releases Trinidadian-born American rapper Nicki Minaj's debut album "Pink Friday"
Isley, Baker Win
Nov 28 24th Soul Train Music Awards: Ron Isley, Anita Baker win
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem
XXXTentacion
Tupac Shakur
Nicki Minaj
Coolio