# 1981 in country music

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1981.

## Events

* March 14 — The final showing of Live From The Grand Ole Opry on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) occurs on this night. The show actually went beyond the televised segment, but the show was ended with a clip of Marty Robbins singing "El Paso" (a song he used to close out his Opry segment at midnight) from the year before. Because of cost over-runs and other technicalities, this was the final run for the annual show on PBS that featured the music of Tom T. Hall, Del Reeves, Hank Snow, Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl, and many other performers.
* October — The Weekly Country Music Countdown, a three-hour weekly countdown program, debuts. The syndicated program, hosted by radio personality Chris Charles, features the top 30 country hits of the week as reported by Radio & Records magazine. The program is a success and the first country music-oriented countdown program to successfully rival the 8-year-old American Country Countdown show.

### No dates

* The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Country Music, an eight-volume, 143-track collection, is released. The box set is considered one of the first important retrospectives of the genre and contains extensive liner notes, depicting the importance of each song or artist included. Songs included range from 1922's "Sally Gooden" to 1975's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" by Willie Nelson. Specifically, each volume is titled as follows: "1920's," "1930's Southeast," "1930's Southwest," "1941–1953" (two records), "1953–1963," "Bluegrass" and "1963–1975."
** Also during the year, the Franklin Mint, as part of its volume series of significant musical recordings, begins issuing a series of country music-focused two-record sets. "The Greatest Country Music Recordings of All Time" will eventually spawn 50 different album sets through 1986 (each new volume issued roughly every other month), with each two-album set focusing on a different era, performer or style, topic and so forth, and each volume will have extensive liner notes and vintage photographs.

## Top hits of the year
### Singles released by American artists

| US | CAN | Single | Artist |
| 7 | 4 | 1959 | John Anderson |
| 16 | — | Acapulco | Johnny Duncan |
| 20 | 41 | Alice Doesn't Love Here Anymore | Bobby Goldsboro |
| 1 | 1 | All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down) | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| 1 | 19 | All Roads Lead to You | Steve Wariner |
| 1 | 1 | Am I Losing You | Ronnie Milsap |
| 1 | 1 | Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground | Willie Nelson |
| 10 | 10 | Any Which Way You Can | Glen Campbell |
| 1 | — | Are You Happy Baby? | Dottie West |
| 10 | 6 | The Baron | Johnny Cash |
| 3 | 27 | Beautiful You | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 1 | 5 | Bet Your Heart on Me | Johnny Lee |
| 17 | 8 | Between This Time and the Next Time | Gene Watson |
| 3 | 6 | A Bridge That Just Won't Burn | Conway Twitty |
| 1 | 2 | But You Know I Love You | Dolly Parton |
| 6 | 50 | By Now | Steve Wariner |
| 4 | 4 | Can I See You Tonight | Tanya Tucker |
| 44 | 20 | Carolina (I Remember You) | Charlie Daniels |
| 16 | — | Cheatin's a Two Way Street | Sammi Smith |
| 8 | — | Chicken Truck | John Anderson |
| 6 | 1 | Crying | Don McLean |
| 18 | 11 | Crying in the Rain | Tammy Wynette |
| 12 | — | Cup of Tea | Rex Allen, Jr. and Margo Smith |
| 19 | — | Darlin' | Tom Jones |
| 1 | 41 | Dixie on My Mind | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| 18 | 29 | Do I Have to Draw a Picture | Billy Swan |
| 1 | 4 | Do You Love as Good as You Look | The Bellamy Brothers |
| 20 | — | Does She Wish She Was Single Again | The Burrito Brothers |
| 13 | 48 | Don't Bother to Knock | Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius |
| 13 | — | Don't Forget Yourself | The Statler Brothers |
| 16 | 47 | Don't Get Above Your Raisin' | Ricky Skaggs |
| 11 | — | Don't Look Now (But We Just Fell in Love) | Eddy Arnold |
| 5 | 36 | Don't Wait on Me | The Statler Brothers |
| 11 | 18 | Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me) | Willie Nelson & Ray Price |
| 16 | 14 | Down and Out | George Strait |
| 2 | 2 | Down to My Last Broken Heart | Janie Fricke |
| 7 | — | Dream of Me | Vern Gosdin |
| 1 | 13 | Drifter | Sylvia |
| 1 | 1 | Elvira | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 6 | 3 | Falling Again | Don Williams |
| 16 | — | Feedin' the Fire | Zella Lehr |
| 1 | 5 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| 1 | — | Fire and Smoke | Earl Thomas Conley |
| 10 | — | Following the Feeling | Moe Bandy & Judy Bailey |
| 6 | — | Fool by Your Side | Dave & Sugar |
| 1 | 9 | Friends | Razzy Bailey |
| 14 | — | Girls, Women and Ladies | Ed Bruce |
| 5 | — | Giving Up Easy | Leon Everette |
| 13 | — | Good Ol' Girls | Sonny Curtis |
| 25 | 9 | Good Times | Willie Nelson |
| 17 | — | Goodbye Marie | Bobby Goldsboro |
| 9 | 17 | Grandma's Song | Gail Davies |
| 1 | 1 | Guitar Man | Elvis Presley |
| 1 | 1 | A Headache Tomorrow (Or a Heartache Tonight) | Mickey Gilley |
| 8 | 22 | Headed for a Heartache | Gary Morris |
| 8 | 11 | Heart on the Mend | Sylvia |
| 10 | 8 | Hey Joe (Hey Moe) | Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley |
| 8 | 10 | Hillbilly Girl with the Blues | Lacy J. Dalton |
| 12 | 11 | Honky Tonk Queen | Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley |
| 2 | 30 | Hooked on Music | Mac Davis |
| 14 | 20 | The House of the Rising Sun | Dolly Parton |
| 4 | 3 | Hurricane | Leon Everette |
| 16 | 38 | Husbands and Wives | David Frizzell and Shelly West |
| 1 | 1 | I Don't Need You | Kenny Rogers |
| 13 | — | I Don't Think Love Ought to Be That Way | Reba McEntire |
| 1 | 3 | I Feel Like Loving You Again | T. G. Sheppard |
| 17 | — | I Have a Dream | Cristy Lane |
| 11 | 20 | I Just Need You for Tonight | Billy Crash Craddock |
| 1 | 3 | I Keep Coming Back | Razzy Bailey |
| 1 | 4 | I Love a Rainy Night | Eddie Rabbitt |
| 15 | 39 | I Love My Truck | Glen Campbell |
| 54 | 11 | I Love You a Thousand Ways | John Anderson |
| 1 | 3 | I Loved 'Em Every One | T. G. Sheppard |
| 13 | — | I Should've Called | Eddy Raven |
| 2 | 3 | I Still Believe in Waltzes | Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn |
| 1 | 29 | I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink | Merle Haggard |
| 1 | 14 | I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool | Barbara Mandrell |
| 4 | 8 | I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) | Gail Davies |
| 4 | 1 | I'll Need Someone to Hold Me (When I Cry) | Janie Fricke |
| 9 | — | I'm Gonna Love You Back to Lovin' Me Again | Joe Stampley |
| 16 | 22 | (I'm Gonna) Put You Back on the Rack | Dottie West |
| 18 | 28 | I'm Into Lovin' You | Billy Swan |
| 4 | 2 | I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday) | John Anderson |
| 1 | 2 | (I'm Settin') Fancy Free | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 8 | 25 | If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will) | George Jones |
| 11 | 16 | If I Keep on Going Crazy | Leon Everette |
| 3 | 1 | If I Needed You | Emmylou Harris and Don Williams |
| 12 | — | If You Go, I'll Follow You | Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton |
| 6 | — | It Don't Hurt Me Half as Bad | Ray Price |
| 5 | 11 | It's a Lovely, Lovely World | Gail Davies |
| 4 | 7 | It's Now or Never | John Schneider |
| 16 | — | Just Like Me | Terry Gregory |
| 17 | — | Just One Time | Tompall & the Glaser Brothers |
| 10 | 39 | Killin' Time | Fred Knoblock and Susan Anton |
| 9 | 7 | Leonard | Merle Haggard |
| 7 | 21 | Louisiana Saturday Night | Mel McDaniel |
| 19 | 33 | Love Ain't Never Hurt Nobody | Bobby Goldsboro |
| 13 | — | Love Dies Hard | Randy Barlow |
| 1 | 1 | Love in the First Degree | Alabama |
| 13 | 7 | Love Is Fair | Barbara Mandrell |
| 8 | 10 | Lovin' Arms | Elvis Presley |
| 2 | 2 | Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) | Tompall & the Glaser Brothers |
| 7 | 5 | Lovin' What Your Lovin' Does to Me | Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty |
| 7 | 8 | The Matador | Sylvia |
| 23 | 12 | Maybe I Should Have Been Listening | Gene Watson |
| 10 | 12 | Memphis | Fred Knoblock |
| 1 | 1 | Midnight Hauler | Razzy Bailey |
| 8 | 10 | A Million Old Goodbyes | Mel Tillis |
| 4 | 2 | Miracles | Don Williams |
| 2 | 7 | Miss Emily's Picture | John Conlee |
| 11 | 7 | Mona Lisa | Willie Nelson |
| 10 | 1 | Mr. Sandman | Emmylou Harris |
| 1 | 4 | My Baby Thinks He's a Train | Rosanne Cash |
| 1 | 3 | My Favorite Memory | Merle Haggard |
| 15 | 25 | My Woman Loves the Devil Out of Me | Moe Bandy |
| 1 | 1 | Never Been So Loved (In All My Life) | Charley Pride |
| 1 | 1 | 9 to 5 | Dolly Parton |
| 1 | 1 | Old Flame | Alabama |
| 1 | 1 | Older Women | Ronnie McDowell |
| 10 | — | One-Night Fever | Mel Tillis |
| 1 | 2 | Party Time | T. G. Sheppard |
| 23 | 20 | Perfect Fool | Debby Boone |
| 3 | 4 | Pickin' Up Strangers | Johnny Lee |
| 12 | 1 | Pride | Janie Fricke |
| 3 | 4 | Prisoner of Hope | Johnny Lee |
| 14 | 6 | Queen of Hearts | Juice Newton |
| 4 | 17 | Rainbow Stew | Merle Haggard |
| 43 | 19 | Ready for the Times to Get Better | Joe Sun |
| 1 | 9 | Rest Your Love on Me | Conway Twitty |
| 19 | 29 | Rich Man | Terri Gibbs |
| 10 | 17 | Right in the Palm of Your Hand | Mel McDaniel |
| 7 | 2 | Roll On Mississippi | Charley Pride |
| 8 | — | Scratch My Back (And Whisper in My Ear) | Razzy Bailey |
| 1 | 6 | Seven Year Ache | Rosanne Cash |
| 5 | 2 | Share Your Love with Me | Kenny Rogers |
| 16 | — | She Belongs to Everyone but Me | The Burrito Brothers |
| 17 | — | She's Steppin' Out | Con Hunley |
| 50 | 16 | Should I Do It | Tanya Tucker |
| 7 | — | Silent Treatment | Earl Thomas Conley |
| 4 | 2 | Sleepin' with the Radio On | Charly McClain |
| 10 | 1 | Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone) | John Denver |
| 20 | 38 | Somebody Led Me Away | Loretta Lynn |
| 8 | 2 | Somebody's Knockin' | Terri Gibbs |
| 13 | — | Somethin' on the Radio | Jacky Ward |
| 1 | 1 | Southern Rains | Mel Tillis |
| 1 | 1 | Step by Step | Eddie Rabbitt |
| 1 | 2 | Still Doin' Time | George Jones |
| 17 | 11 | Storms Never Last | Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings |
| 5 | 13 | Surround Me with Love | Charly McClain |
| 17 | 3 | Take It Easy | Crystal Gayle |
| 2 | 2 | Takin' It Easy | Lacy J. Dalton |
| 7 | 42 | Teach Me to Cheat | The Kendalls |
| 9 | — | A Texas State of Mind | David Frizzell and Shelly West |
| 1 | 22 | Texas Women | Hank Williams, Jr. |
| 13 | 12 | Them Good Old Boys Are Bad | John Schneider |
| 1 | 1 | (There's) No Gettin' Over Me | Ronnie Milsap |
| 12 | — | They Could Put Me in Jail | The Bellamy Brothers |
| 4 | 6 | Thirty-Nine and Holdin' | Jerry Lee Lewis |
| 1 | 8 | Tight Fittin' Jeans | Conway Twitty |
| 5 | 8 | Today All Over Again | Reba McEntire |
| 1 | 1 | Too Many Lovers | Crystal Gayle |
| 6 | — | Unwound | George Strait |
| 2 | 27 | Wandering Eyes | Ronnie McDowell |
| 1 | 3 | What Are We Doin' in Love | Dottie West |
| 4 | 28 | What Are We Doin' Lonesome | Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers |
| 12 | 15 | What I Had with You | John Conlee |
| 11 | — | What's New with You | Con Hunley |
| 14 | 12 | (When You Fall in Love) Everything's a Waltz | Ed Bruce |
| 18 | 21 | Whiskey Chasin' | Joe Stampley |
| 10 | 12 | Whisper | Lacy J. Dalton |
| 1 | 2 | Who's Cheatin' Who | Charly McClain |
| 10 | 6 | The Wild Side of Life/ It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels | Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings |
| 19 | 15 | Willie Jones | Bobby Bare |
| 20 | — | Wind Is Bound to Change | Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers |
| 2 | 11 | Wish You Were Here | Barbara Mandrell |
| 3 | 2 | The Woman in Me | Crystal Gayle |
| 18 | 25 | You Better Move On | George Jones and Johnny Paycheck |
| 1 | 1 | You Don't Know Me | Mickey Gilley |
| 20 | — | You (Make Me Wonder Why) | Deborah Allen |
| 9 | 16 | You May See Me Walkin' | Ricky Skaggs |
| 7 | 16 | You're My Favorite Star | The Bellamy Brothers |
| 14 | — | You're the Best | Kieran Kane |
| 1 | 13 | You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma | David Frizzell and Shelly West |
| 13 | — | Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad | Billie Jo Spears |
| 7 | — | Your Memory | Steve Wariner |

### Singles released by Canadian artists

| US | CAN | Single | Artist |
| — | 10 | Another Broken Hearted Melody | Family Brown |
| 1 | 1 | Blessed Are the Believers | Anne Murray |
| — | 15 | Breaking and Entering | Carroll Baker |
| — | 11 | Crazy Heart | Laura Vinson |
| — | 19 | Every Story in the Book | Ronnie Prophet |
| — | 14 | Four High Cards | Peter Chipman |
| — | 8 | High and Dry | C-Weed Band |
| — | 14 | Honky Tonk Fever | Harold MacIntyre |
| — | 18 | How Deep in Love Am I | Eddie Eastman |
| — | 1 | I Never Figured on This | David Thompson |
| — | 15 | I'm Leanin' on the Devil Tonight | John Winters |
| 9 | 1 | It's All I Can Do | Anne Murray |
| 57 | 7 | It's Really Love This Time | Family Brown |
| — | 16 | Joanne | Lee Marlow |
| — | 5 | King of Fools | Wayne Rostad |
| — | 10 | Lovin' Thru the Early Hours | Lee Marlow |
| 82 | 12 | Mama What Does Cheatin' Mean | Carroll Baker |
| — | 19 | The Moondancer | Ian Tyson |
| — | 3 | Nashville Just Wrote (Another Cheatin' Song) | Midnite Rodeo Band |
| — | 9 | Not Living, Not Dying | Jerry Palmer |
| — | 17 | Ode to an Outlaw's Lady | Terry Carisse |
| — | 18 | Ribbon of Gold | Family Brown |
| — | 19 | Satisfied Mind | Bill Hersh |
| — | 8 | Shoppin' Bag Lady | Gurney Anderson |
| — | 8 | (Stuck In) Lodi | Ronnie Hawkins |
| — | 20 | Sweet Harmony | Mercey Brothers |
| — | 12 | The Time It Takes to Leave | Canadian Zephyr |
| 84 | 14 | Too Much, Too Little, Too Late | Mary Bailey |
| 45 | 9 | Wasn't That a Party | The Rovers |
| — | 16 | Watching It Die | Canadian Zephyr |
| 16 | 5 | We Don't Have to Hold Out | Anne Murray |
| — | 15 | Where the Water Meets the Sky | Coyote |
| — | 7 | Windship | Terry Carisse |
| — | 8 | Wonderin' If Willy | Marie Bottrell |

## Top new album releases

| US | Album | Artist | Record Label |
| 4 | Barbara Mandrell Live | Barbara Mandrell | MCA |
| 24 | The Baron | Johnny Cash | Columbia |
| 9 | Bet Your Heart on Me | Johnny Lee | Full Moon |
| 3 | Big City | Merle Haggard | Epic |
| 6 | Carryin' on the Family Names | David Frizzell & Shelly West | Warner Bros./Viva |
| 10 | Christmas | Kenny Rogers | Liberty |
| 6 | Cimarron | Emmylou Harris | Warner Bros. |
| 19 | Darlin' | Tom Jones | Mercury |
| 10 | Drifter | Sylvia | RCA |
| 5 | Especially for You | Don Williams | MCA |
| 5 | Evangeline | Emmylou Harris | Warner Bros. |
| 1 | Fancy Free | The Oak Ridge Boys | MCA |
| 1 | Feels So Right | Alabama | RCA |
| 19 | Fire & Smoke | Earl Thomas Conley | RCA |
| 6 | Good Time Lovin' Man | Ronnie McDowell | Epic |
| 8 | Greatest Hits | Charley Pride | RCA |
| 8 | Greatest Hits | Jim Reeves & Patsy Cline | RCA |
| 1 | Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be) | Willie Nelson | Columbia |
| 6 | Guitar Man | Elvis Presley | RCA |
| 23 | Hey Joe! Hey Moe! | Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley | Columbia |
| 5 | Hollywood, Tennessee | Crystal Gayle | Columbia |
| 7 | I Love 'Em All | T. G. Sheppard | Warner Bros./Curb |
| 24 | I'm Countryfied | Mel McDaniel | Capitol |
| 25 | John Anderson 2 | John Anderson | Warner Bros. |
| 4 | Juice | Juice Newton | Capitol |
| 11 | Leather and Lace | Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter | RCA |
| 8 | Makin' Friends | Razzy Bailey | RCA |
| 20 | Me and My R.C. | Louise Mandrell & R. C. Bannon | RCA |
| 19 | Midnight Crazy | Mac Davis | Casablanca |
| 5 | Mr. T | Conway Twitty | MCA |
| 10 | Not Guilty | Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers | Columbia |
| 8 | Now or Never | John Schneider | Scotti Brothers |
| 6 | Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing | Ronnie Milsap | RCA |
| 5 | The Pressure Is On | Hank Williams, Jr. | Elektra/Curb |
| 20 | Rainbow Stew: Live at Anaheim Stadium | Merle Haggard | MCA |
| 17 | Roll On Mississippi | Charley Pride | RCA |
| 2 | Rowdy | Hank Williams Jr. | Elektra/Curb |
| 1 | Seven Year Ache | Rosanne Cash | Columbia |
| 1 | Share Your Love | Kenny Rogers | Liberty |
| 7 | Some Days Are Diamonds | John Denver | RCA |
| 6 | Somebody's Knockin' | Terri Gibbs | MCA |
| 1 | Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Willie Nelson | Columbia |
| 1 | Step by Step | Eddie Rabbitt | Elektra |
| 3 | Still the Same Ole Me | George Jones | Epic |
| 9 | Surround Me with Love | Charly McClain | Epic |
| 12 | Takin' It Easy | Lacy J. Dalton | Columbia |
| 1 | There's No Gettin' Over Me | Ronnie Milsap | RCA |
| 17 | Town & Country | Ray Price | Dimension |
| 23 | Urban Chipmunk | The Chipmunks | RCA |
| 2 | Waitin' for the Sun to Shine | Ricky Skaggs | Epic |
| 4 | Where Do You Go When You Dream | Anne Murray | Capitol |
| 22 | With Love | John Conlee | MCA |
| 5 | Wild West | Dottie West | Liberty |
| 9 | Years Ago | The Statler Brothers | Mercury |
| 19 | You Don't Know Me | Mickey Gilley | Epic |

### Other top albums

| US | Album | Artist | Record Label |
| 43 | As Is | Bobby Bare | Columbia |
| 59 | Ask Any Woman | Con Hunley | Warner Bros. |
| 49 | The Best of Jerry Lee Lewis | Jerry Lee Lewis | Elektra |
| 38 | Between This Time and the Next Time | Gene Watson | MCA |
| 54 | Bobby Goldsboro | Bobby Goldsboro | Curb |
| 41 | Christmas Country | Various Artists | Elektra |
| 34 | Christmas at Gilley's | Mickey Gilley | Epic |
| 34 | Christmas Wishes | Anne Murray | Capitol |
| 52 | Concrete Cowboys | The Concrete Cowboys Band | Excelsoir |
| 45 | Dakota | Stephanie Winslow | Warner Bros./Curb |
| 26 | Desperate Dreams | Eddy Raven | Elektra |
| 47 | Elvis-Greatest Hits, Volume One | Elvis Presley | RCA |
| 43 | Encore | George Jones | Epic |
| 52 | Encore | Charly McClain | Epic |
| 44 | Encore | Tammy Wynette | Epic |
| 43 | Fragile – Handle with Care | Cristy Lane | Liberty |
| 47 | Greatest Hits | Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius | RCA |
| 35 | Greatest Hits | Dave & Sugar | RCA |
| 42 | Heart to Heart | Reba McEntire | Mercury |
| 43 | High Time | Dottie West | Liberty |
| 30 | Hurricane | Leon Everette | RCA |
| 28 | I Ain't Honky Tonkin' No More | Joe Sun | Elektra |
| 35 | I Have a Dream | Cristy Lane | Liberty |
| 40 | I Just Came Home to Count the Memories | John Anderson | Warner Bros. |
| 33 | I Lie | Loretta Lynn | MCA |
| 40 | I'm a Lady | Terri Gibbs | MCA |
| 33 | I'm Gonna Love You Back to Loving Me Again | Joe Stampley | Epic |
| 56 | If I Keep On Going Crazy | Leon Everette | RCA |
| 67 | Invictus (Means) Unconquered | David Allan Coe | Columbia |
| 49 | It's the World Gone Crazy | Glen Campbell | Capitol |
| 52 | Just Like Me | Terry Gregory | Handshake |
| 54 | King of the Road | Boxcar Willie | Main Street |
| 42 | Lettin' You In on a Feelin' | The Kendalls | Mercury |
| 30 | Live! | Hoyt Axton | Jeremiah |
| 36 | Lovin' Her Was Easier | Tompall & the Glaser Brothers | Elektra |
| 56 | Mel & Nancy | Mel Tillis & Nancy Sinatra | Elektra |
| 39 | Minstrel Man | Willie Nelson | RCA |
| 43 | More Good 'Uns | Jerry Clower | MCA |
| 40 | Mr. Hag Told My Story | Johnny Paycheck | Columbia |
| 42 | Mundo Earwood | Mundo Earwood | Excelsoir |
| 64 | My Turn | Donna Hazard | Excelsoir |
| 33 | The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (Soundtrack) | Various Artists | Mirage |
| 57 | Old Loves Never Die | Gene Watson | MCA |
| 50 | Once You Were Mine | Dottie West | RCA |
| 29 | One to One | Ed Bruce | MCA |
| 31 | Pleasure | Dave Rowland & Sugar | Elektra |
| 48 | Rodeo Romeo | Moe Bandy | Columbia |
| 47 | Rodney Crowell | Rodney Crowell | Warner Bros. |
| 49 | Savin' It Up | Debby Boone | Warner Bros./Curb |
| 48 | Should I Do It | Tanya Tucker | MCA |
| 42 | Sleeping with Your Memory | Janie Fricke | Columbia |
| 46 | Songs for the Mama That Tried | Merle Haggard | MCA |
| 26 | Strait Country | George Strait | MCA |
| 33 | Take This Job and Shove It! (Soundtrack) | Various Artists | Epic |
| 59 | A Tribute to Kris | Ray Price | Columbia |
| 28 | Two's a Party | Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn | MCA |
| 30 | Urban Cowboy II (Soundtrack) | Various Artists | Full Moon |
| 38 | Wasn't That a Party | The Rovers | Cleveland Int'l. |
| 39 | White Christmas | John Schneider | Scotti Brothers |
| 40 | A Woman's Heart | Crystal Gayle | Liberty |

## On television
### Regular series

* Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (1980–1982, NBC)
* Hee Haw (1969–1993, syndicated)
* Pop! Goes the Country (1974–1982, syndicated)
* The Porter Wagoner Show (1960–1981, syndicated)
* That Nashville Music (1970–1985, syndicated)

### Specials

* June — Country Top 20 – Host Dennis Weaver presented the top 20 songs from January–June 1981. Performances from Alabama, The Gatlin Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, John Schneider, T. G. Sheppard, Dottie West and Shelly West. (syndicated)
* October — Country Galaxy of Stars – A two-hour special featuring performances by country music's top stars. (syndicated)
* December — Country Top 20 – A review of the top 20 songs from July–December 1981, with hosts Charly McClain and Roger Miller. Performers included John Conlee, Gail Davies, Crystal Gayle, Johnny Lee, Eddie Rabbitt, Eddy Raven, Joe Stampley, Sylvia and Hank Williams, Jr. (syndicated)

## Births

* March 23 — Brett Young, country pop singer. Best known for his string of hits in the mid-to-late 2010s.
* August 28 — Jake Owen, singer-songwriter of the 2000s.
* September 4 — Tom Gossin, member of Gloriana.
* September 11 — Charles Kelley, member of Lady Antebellum.
* December 4 — Lila McCann, teenage singer of the 1990s.

## Deaths

* January 31 – Scotty (born Scott Greene Wiseman), 72, one-half of the 1930s–1940s husband-and-wife duo Lulu Belle and Scotty.
* November 24 – Mother of Country Legends Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle dies at a Nashville hospital aged 69.

## Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

* Vernon Dalhart (1883–1948)
* Grant Turner (1912–1991)

## Major awards
### Grammy Awards

* Best Female Country Vocal Performance — "9 to 5", Dolly Parton
* Best Male Country Vocal Performance — "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me", Ronnie Milsap
* Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — "Elvira", The Oak Ridge Boys
* Best Country Instrumental Performance — "Country After All These Years", Chet Atkins
* Best Country Song — "9 to 5", Dolly Parton (Performer: Dolly Parton)

### Juno Awards

* Country Male Vocalist of the Year — Eddie Eastman
* Country Female Vocalist of the Year — Anne Murray
* Country Group or Duo of the Year — The Good Brothers

### Academy of Country Music

* Entertainer of the Year — Alabama
* Song of the Year — "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma", Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant, Larry Collins, Sandy Pinkard (Performer: David Frizzell and Shelly West)
* Single of the Year — "Elvira", The Oak Ridge Boys
* Album of the Year — Feels So Right, Alabama
* Top Male Vocalist — Merle Haggard
* Top Female Vocalist — Barbara Mandrell
* Top Vocal Duo — David Frizzell and Shelly West
* Top New Male Vocalist — Ricky Skaggs
* Top New Female Vocalist — Juice Newton

### Country Music Association

* Entertainer of the Year — Barbara Mandrell
* Song of the Year — "He Stopped Loving Her Today", Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman (Performer: George Jones)
* Single of the Year — "Elvira", The Oak Ridge Boys
* Album of the Year — I Believe in You, Don Williams
* Male Vocalist of the Year — George Jones
* Female Vocalist of the Year — Barbara Mandrell
* Vocal Duo of the Year — David Frizzell and Shelly West
* Vocal Group of the Year — Alabama
* Horizon Award — Terri Gibbs
* Instrumentalist of the Year — Chet Atkins
* Instrumental Group of the Year — Alabama