1981

Bands Formed

Anthrax

New York, New York, USA
Heavy Metal

Beastie Boys

New York, New York, USA
Punk / Hip Hop

Butthole Surfers

San Antonio, Texas, USA
Noise Rock

Dead Can Dance

Melbourne, Australia
Darkwave

Metallica

Los Angeles, California
Thrash Metal

Ministry

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Industrial

Mötley Crüe

Los Angeles, California, USA
Heavy Metal

Napalm Death

Meriden, England
Death Metal

Pantera

Arlington, Texas
Heavy Metal

Run D.M.C.

Queensbridge, New York, USA
Hip Hop

Slayer

Huntington Park, California, USA
Thrash Metal

Sonic Youth

New York, New York, USA
Noise Rock

Swans

New York, New York, USA
Experimental Rock

Talk Talk

London, England
Post Rock

Throwing Muses

Newport, Rhode Island
Alternative Rock

January 18th

Punk band, The Plasmatics, have their singer arrested after she simulates sex with a sledgehammer on stage.

January 24th

Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith, nearly dies after crashing his motorbike.

February 25th - Grammy Awards

Album of the Year: Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross

Song of the Year: Christopher Cross - Sailing

March 27th

Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a dove at a meeting with executives of CBS.

May 10th

Kraftwerk - Computerwelt is released.

May 11th

Bob Marley dies of cancer at 32.

May 14th

RCA Records poach Diana Ross from Motown in a $20m deal. It was the largest recording contract ever signed at the time.

June 6th

Kerrang! Magazine releases its first issue.

Siouxsie and The Banshees - Juju is released.

June 22nd

Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin is released.

August 1st

The launch of MTV.

September 26th

Singer Bruce Dickinson joins Iron Maiden.

November 3rd

Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman is released.

November 16th

Black Flag - Damaged is released.