Music timeline
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Glastonbury Festival 1981
The name was changed to Glastonbury Festival and Michael Eavis took the helm running the event again. This was the first “Campaign for Nuclear... Read more
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Def Leppard release High 'n' Dry
High 'n' Dry is the second studio album by British heavy metal band Def Leppard, released on 11 July 1981. Its title song, "High 'n' Dry (Saturday... Read more
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Alice Cooper releases Special Forces
Special Forces is an album by Alice Cooper, released in 1981, and was produced by Richard Podolor. Singles included "You Want It, You Got It", "Who... Read more
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Rush release Exit...Stage Left
Exit...Stage Left is a live album by Canadian band Rush, released in 1981. A video release with the same name, with slightly different content, was... Read more
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The Police release Ghost in the Machine
Ghost in the Machine is the fourth album by The Police, released in 1981. Much of the material in this album was inspired by Arthur Koestler's The... Read more
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U2 releases second studio album, "October"
I remember the pressure it was made under, I remember writing lyrics on the microphone, and at £50 an hour that's quite a pressure. Lillywhite was... Read more
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Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield form Metallica
Metallica was formed in Los Angeles, California, in early 1981 when drummer Lars Ulrich placed an advertisement in a Los Angeles newspaper—The... Read more
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Mötley Crüe release Too Fast for Love
Too Fast For Love is the debut record of American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe; 900 copies were released in November 1981 on the band's Leathür... Read more
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AC/DC releases For Those About to Rock We Salute You
For Those About to Rock We Salute You is the eighth album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in 1981. The album was a follow-up to their... Read more
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Venom release Welcome to Hell
Welcome to Hell is the December 1981 debut album by the English heavy metal band Venom. The sound of the album was very noisy and rough, perhaps in... Read more
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Bad Brains release their self-titled debut album
Bad Brains is the first full-length studio album recorded by Bad Brains. Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys has been quoted as saying that this album is... Read more
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Deep Purple release Live in London
Live in London is a live album from Deep Purple. It was recorded on 22 May 1974 at Gaumont State in Kilburn by the BBC for radio broadcast, but was... Read more
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Queensrÿche release their self-titled EP
Queensrÿche is an EP by the American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1982 and again one year later. It was originally released... Read more
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The Vandals release Peace Thru Vandalism
Peace thru Vandalism is the debut EP by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1982 by Epitaph Records. It was one of the... Read more
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Bad Religion releases How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
How Could Hell Be Any Worse? is the first full-length album released by influential punk band Bad Religion. It was financed by a $1,000 loan by... Read more
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Wasalu Muhammad Jaco is born
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 17, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco (pronounced [ˈluːpeɪ], LOO-pay), is an American recording... Read more
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Metallica plays their first show
Metallica played its first live show on March 14, 1982, at Radio City in Anaheim, California with newly recruited bassist Ron McGovney. Read more
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Blue Öyster Cult releases Extraterrestrial Live
Extraterrestrial Live is a Blue Öyster Cult live album released in 1982. It documents their 1981 tour in support of Fire of Unknown Origin. Midway... Read more
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The Clash release Combat Rock
Combat Rock is the fifth studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released on 14 May 1982 through Epic Records. It was the last... Read more
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Rainbow release Straight Between the Eyes
Straight Between the Eyes is the sixth studio album by Rainbow, released in 1982. A remastered CD reissue, with packaging duplicating the original... Read more
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Metallica releases its first original song "Hit the Lights"
In early 1982, Metallica recorded its first original song "Hit the Lights" for the Metal Massacre I compilation. Hetfield played bass on the song... Read more
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Glastonbury Festival 1982
Again, there was CND involvement and it was this year that Western Region CND took control of the entrance gates and Mid Somerset CND took... Read more
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Judas Priest release Screaming for Vengeance
Screaming for Vengeance is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was recorded at Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain... Read more
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Aerosmith releases Rock in a Hard Place
Rock in a Hard Place is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Aerosmith and was released in 1982. This is the only Aerosmith album to... Read more
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Alice Cooper releases Zipper Catches Skin
Zipper Catches Skin is an album by Alice Cooper, released in 1982. Produced by Cooper and his bassist at the time, Erik Scott, Zipper Catches... Read more