1961 in music
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See also: 1960 in music, other events of 1961, 1962 in music, 1960s in music and the list of 'years in music'
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Events
- January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes
- January 20 - Francis Poulenc's Gloria is premiered in Boston
- February 12 - The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single
- February 13 - Frank Sinatra forms his own record label, Reprise Records, which would later release recordings by The Beach Boys, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix.
- February 14 - The Platters file a lawsuit against Mercury Records for breach of contract after the record company refuses to accept recordings on which Tony Williams does not sing lead. The group's lawsuit contends that their contract does not require Williams to sing lead
- March 21 - The Beatles perform at the legendary Cavern Club for the first time
- March 25 - Elvis Presley performs a benefit show at the Block Arena in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The show raised $62,000 for the U.S.S. Arizona memorial fund.
- June 14 - Patsy Cline is hospitalized from a head-on car collision
- The Rolling Stones' musical career begins
- The Temptations' musical career begins
- The Beach Boys' musical career begins
- Gladys Knight's musical career begins
- Bob Dylan's musical career begins
Albums released
- All The Way - Frank Sinatra
- Come Swing With Me - Frank Sinatra
- Connie At The Copa - Connie Francis
- Emotions - Brenda Lee
- Explorations - Bill Evans Trio
- Sunday at the Village Vanguard - Bill Evans Trio
- Goin' Places - The Kingston Trio
- Roy Orbison At The Rock House - Roy Orbison
- Lonely and Blue - Roy Orbison
- Ring-A-Ding Ding - Frank Sinatra
- A Scottish Soldier - Andy Stewart
- Sinatra Swings - Frank Sinatra
- Sinatra's Swingin' Session - Frank Sinatra
- Judge Not (Single) - Bob Marley
- Garde-Moi la Dernière Danse - Dalida
- Loin de Moi - Dalida
Top hits on record
- "I Fall to Pieces" - Patsy Cline
- "Crazy" - Patsy Cline
- "Where the Boys Are" - Connie Francis
- "Running Scared" - Roy Orbison
- "Crying" - Roy Orbison
- "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away" - Gene Pitney
- "Town Without Pity" - Gene Pitney
- "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - The Tokens
- "Runaround Sue" - Dion
- "Let's Go Trippin' " - Dick Dale's first local hit, regarded as first surf rock instrumental
- "Tossin' & Turnin' " - Bobby Lewis
- "Runaway" - Del Shannon
- "Garde-Moi la Dernière Danse" - Dalida
- "Nuits d'Espagne" - Dalida
- "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
- "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - The Shirelles
- "There's No Other Like My Baby" - The Crystals' first hit
- "Please Mr. Postman" - The Marvellettes
- "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - The Tokens
- "Quarter To Three" - Gary U.S. Bonds
- "Shop Around" - The Miracles
- "Travelin' Man" - Ricky Nelson
- "Hello Mary Lou" - Ricky Nelson
- "Stand By Me" - Ben E. King
- "The Wanderer" - Dion
- "The Mountain's High" - Dick and Deedee
- "Big River, Big Man" - Claude King
- "The Commancheros" - Claude King
- "Moody River" - Pat Boone
- "I Love How You Love Me" - The Paris Sisters
- See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1961 (USA)
Published popular music
- "Another Time, Another Place" w.m. Richard Adler from the musical Kwamina
- "Baby Elephant Walk" m. Henry Mancini from the film Hatari!
- "Big, Bad John" w.m. Jimmy Dean
- "Blue Bayou" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
- "Breaking In A Brand New Broken Heart" w.m. Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller
- "Brotherhood Of Man" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
- "The Company Way" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
- "Crazy" w.m. Willie Nelson
- "Crying" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
- "Funny How Time Slips Away" w.m. Willie Nelson
- "Hit The Road, Jack" w.m. Percy Mayfield
- "I Believe In You" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
- "I Love How You Love Me" w.m. Barry Mann & Larry Kolber
- "Let's Get Together" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film The Parent Trap
- "Let's Twist Again" w.m. Dave Appell & Kal Mann
- "Little Miss Stuck-up" w.m. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance
- "Mister Ed theme song" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
- "Moon River" w. Johnny Mercer m. Henry Mancini from the film Breakfast At Tiffany's
- "Multiplication" w.m. Bobby Darin
- "My Kind Of Girl" w.m. Leslie Bricusse
- "The Passenger's Always Right" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
- "Pocketful Of Miracles" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen from the film Pocketful Of Miracles
- "Running Scared" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
- "Speedy Gonzales" w.m David Hess, Buddy Kaye & Ethel Lee
- "Ten Girls Ago" w. Diane Lampert m. Sammy Fain
- "A Walk On The Wild Side" w. Mack David m. Elmer Bernstein
- "When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart" w.m. Roy Bennett & Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones
- "Why Do The Wrong People Travel?" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
- "The Young Ones" w. Roy Bennett m. Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones
Classical music
- Samuel Adler - Symphony No. 3
- Niels Viggo Bentson - Concerto No. 2 for violin and orchestra
- Earle Brown - Available Forms I
- Mario Davidovsky - Electronic Study No. 1
- Mario Davidovsky - Piano 1961 for orchestra
- György Ligeti - Atmosphères for Orchestra
- Luigi Nono - Intolleranza
- Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 12 D minor, Op. 112 "The Year 1917"
- Edgar Varèse - Nocturnal
Opera
- Jean Françaix - La Princesse de Clèves
- Robert Ward - The Crucible
- Grace Williams - The Parlour
Musical theater
- Carnival! (Music and Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Michael Stewart). Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 13 and ran for 719 performances
- Do-Re-Mi London production opened at the Prince Of Wales Theatre on October 12 and ran for 169 performances
- The Fantasticks London production opened at the Apollo Theatre on September 7 and ran for 44 performances
- How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstein and Willie Gilbert) - Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on October 14 and ran for 1417 performances.
- Kwamina Broadway production opened at the 54th Street Theatre on October 23 and ran for 32 performances
- Milk And Honey Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 10 and ran for 543 performances
- Salad Days (Julian Slade) - London revival at Prince's Theatre
- Sail Away Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 3 and ran for 167n performances
- The Sentimental Bloke (Music: Albert Arlen Lyrics: Nancy Brown, Albert Arlen, Lloyd Thomson and C. J. Dennis Book: Lloyd Thomson and Nancy Brown) Melbourne production opened at the Comedy Theatre on November 4.
- The Sound Of Music (Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse) - London production opened at the Palace Theatre and ran for 2385 performances.
- Stop The World - I Want To Get Off (Music, Lyrics and Book: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) -London production opened at the Queen's Theatre on July 20 and ran for 485 performances.
- Wildest Dreams London production opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on August 3 and ran for 76 performances
Musical films
Births
- January 13 - Suggs, Madness
- January 14 - Mike Tramp, White Lion
- January 27 - Gillian Gilbert, New Order
- January 29 - Eddie Jackson, Queensrÿche
- January 31 - Lloyd Cole
- February 8 - Vince Neil, Mötley Crüe
- February 10 - Robbie Neville
- February 13 - Henry Rollins, punk/rock vocalist and spoken word performer
- February 13 - cEvin Key, musician
- February 16 - Andy Taylor, Duran Duran
- March 20 - Slim Jim Phantom, The Stray Cats
- April 1 - Mark White, ABC
- April 2 - Keren Woodward, Bananarama
- April 6 - Gene Eugene, actor, lead singer of Adam Again
- May 17 - Enya Eithne Ni Bhraonain
- May 29 - Melissa Etheridge
- June 4 - Eldra DeBarge, DeBarge
- June 6 - Tom Araya, Slayer
- June 14 - Boy George, Culture Club
- June 18 - Alison Moyet
- June 22 - Jimmy Somerville
- June 24 - Curt Smith, Tears For Fears
- June 26 - Terri Nunn, Berlin
- June 27 - Margo Timmons, Cowboy Junkies
- June 29 - Greg Hetson, Bad Religion
- July 2 - Paul Geary, Extreme
- July 22 - Keith Sweat, R&B/Soul singer
- July 24 - Gary Cherone, Extreme
- August 2 - Apollina
- August 8 - Rikki Rockett, Poison
- August 8 - The Edge, guitarist for the rock band U2
- August 10 - Jon Fariss, INXS
- August 22 - Roland Orzabal, Tears for Fears
- August 23 - Dean DeLeo, Stone Temple Pilots
- September 6 - Pål Waaktaar, a-ha
- September 13 - Dave Mustaine, Megadeth
- October 9 - Kurt Neumann, The BoDeans
- October 10 - Martin Kemp, Spandau Ballet
- October 18 - Wynton Marsalis
- October 29 - Randy Jackson, The Jacksons
- October 31 - Larry Mullen, drummer for the rock band U2
- November 2 - k.d. lang
- November 5 - David Bryson, Counting Crows
- November 8 - Leif Garrett
- December 17 - Sarah Dallin, Bananarama
Deaths
- January 13 - Blanche Ring, US singer and actress
- February 20 - Percy Grainger, pianist and composer
- March 3 - Paul Wittgenstein, pianist
- March 6 - George Formby, English Music hall comedian, singer & songwriter and ukulele player extraordinaire
- March 9 - Wilber Sweatman
- August 24 - Clarice Vance, "the Southern singer"