1981 in heavy metal music

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This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1981.

Newly formed bands

Albums & EPs

AC/DC – For Those About to Rock We Salute You
Accept – Breaker
The Angels, aka Angel City – Night Attack
Anvil – Hard 'n' Heavy
April Wine – The Nature of the Beast
August Redmoon – Fools Are Never Alone (EP)
Barón Rojo – Larga vida al Rock and Roll
Black Angels – Hell Machine
Blackfoot – Marauder
Black Sabbath – Mob Rules
Blue Öyster Cult – Fire of Unknown Origin
Bow Wow – Hard Dog
Budgie – Nightflight
Bullet (Ger) – Execution
Bodine – Bodine
Graham Bonnet – Line-Up
Chinatown - Play it to Death (live)
Cirith Ungol – Frost and Fire
Clientelle – Destination Unknown
Alice Cooper – Special Forces
Danger (Bel) - Danger
Dark Star – Dark Star
Dedringer – Direct Line
Def Leppard – High 'n' Dry
Demon – Night of the Demon
Doc Holliday – Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday – Doc Holliday Rides Again
Dokken – Breakin' the Chains (Europe release)
E.F. Band – Last Laugh Is on You
Electric Sun – Fire Wind
Fargo – Frontpage Lover
Fist (Can) – Fleet Street, aka Thunder in Rock United
The Friday Rock Show - From BBC Radio 1 – (Compilation, various artists)
Gaskin – End of the World
Gillan – Future Shock
Gillan – Double Trouble
Girlschool – Hit and Run
Sammy Hagar – Standing Hampton
The Handsome Beasts – Beastiality
Hanoi Rocks – Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks
Heavy Metal (soundtrack, various artists)
Heavy Load – Metal Conquest (EP)
Helix – White Lace & Black Leather
Holocaust – The Nightcomers
Iron Maiden – Killers
Iron Maiden – Maiden Japan (live EP)
Joan Jett – Bad Reputation
Judas Priest – Point of Entry
Killer – Ladykiller
KISS – Music from "The Elder"
KIX – Kix
Krokus – Hardware
Legend – Legend
Lips (Anvil) – Hard 'n' Heavy
Loosely Tight – Fightin' Society
Loudness – The Birthday Eve
Frank Marino – The Power of Rock'n'Roll
Mass (Ger) - Swiss Connection
Molly Hatchet – Take No Prisoners
More – Warhead
Mother's Finest – Iron Age
Mötley Crüe – Too Fast for Love
Motörhead – No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead & Girlschool – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (EP)
Nightwing – Something in the Air
No Bros – Heavy Metal Party
Ted Nugent – Intensities in 10 Cities (live)
Obús – Prepárate
Ocean – Ocean
Ozzy Osbourne – Diary of a Madman
Overdrive (Swe) – Reflexions (EP)
Picture – Picture
Picture – Heavy Metal Ears
Pat Benatar – Precious Time
Plasmatics – Beyond the Valley of 1984
Plasmatics – Metal Priestess (EP)
Praying Mantis – Time Tells No Lies
Rage (UK) – Out of Control
Rainbow – Difficult to Cure
Raven – Rock Until You Drop
Revolver – First Shot
Riot – Fire Down Under
The Rods – The Rods
Rose Tattoo – Assault & Battery
Rush – Moving Pictures
Rush – Exit...Stage Left (Live)
Samson – Shock Tactics
Santers – Shot Down in Flames
Saracen – Heroes, Saints & Fools
Saxon – Denim and Leather
Michael Schenker Group – MSG
707 – The Second Album
Billy Squier – Don't Say No
Starfighters – Starfighters
Taipan – Taipan (EP)
Thin Lizzy – Renegade
38 Special – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys
Triumph – Allied Forces
Trust – Marche Ou Crève
Tygers of Pan Tang – Spellbound
Tygers of Pan Tang – Crazy Nights
UFO – The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent
Van Halen – Fair Warning
Vardis – The World's Insane
Venom – Welcome to Hell
Vic Vergat – Down to the Bone
Viva – What the Hell Is Going On
Warning – Warning
Wild Horses – Stand Your Ground
Whitesnake – Come an' Get It
Wishbone Ash - Number the Brave
Y&T – Earthshaker

Events

September: Iron Maiden's lead singer Paul Di'Anno leaves the band due to his heavy drinking, and is replaced by Bruce Dickinson.^[1]
November: AC/DC's album For Those About to Rock We Salute You is released.^[2]

Preceded by 1980	Heavy Metal Timeline 1981	Succeeded by 1982

References

^ DiVita, Joe (2023-10-04). "How Did Iron Maiden Find Bruce Dickinson To Replace Paul Di'Anno?". Loudwire. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
^ AC/DC - For Those About to Rock We Salute You Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-11-06

[1] DiVita, Joe (2023-10-04). "How Did Iron Maiden Find Bruce Dickinson To Replace Paul Di'Anno?". Loudwire. Retrieved 2023-11-06.

[2] AC/DC - For Those About to Rock We Salute You Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-11-06

[1]

[2]

v t e Timeline of heavy metal and hard rock music
Heavy metal music before 1970
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