1981 (MCMLXXXI) was .

Events 
 January 20 – Hostages from the Iran hostage crisis are released at the same time when Ronald Reagan is inaugurated for the first time as President of the United States.
 January 21 – The first DeLorean automotive is released in Northern Ireland.
 January 27 – The Indonesian passenger ship Tamponas 2 catches fire and capsizes in the Java Sea, killing 580.
 January 29 – Adolfo Suárez resigns as Prime Minister of Spain.
 February 4 – Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes Prime Minister of Norway.
 February 8 – Polish Prime Minister Józef Pinkowski resigns and is replaced by General Wojciech Jaruzelski.
 February 25 – Adolfo Suárez leaves his office as Prime Minister of Spain.
 March 30 - Shortly after being inaugurated, John Hinckley, Jr. tries to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. He survives the attack.
 July 29 – Lady Diana Spencer marries Charles, Prince of Wales.
 November 9 – Céline Dion's first album is released in Canada.

Births 
 January 4 – Alicia Keys, American singer
 January 28 – Elijah Wood, American actor
 January 31 – Justin Timberlake, American singer and actor
 February 11 – Kelly Rowland, American singer
 February 24 – Lleyton Hewitt, Australian tennis player
 March 3 – Justin Gabriel, South African professional wrestler
 April 28 – Jessica Alba, actress
 June 5 – Sebastien Lefebvre, Canadian Musician-Simple Plan
 June 7 – Anna Kournikova, Russian tennis player
 June 9 – Natalie Portman, Israeli actress
 July 30 – Hope Solo, American goal keeper
 August 8 – Roger Federer, Swiss tennis player
 September 4 – Beyoncé Knowles,  American singer and actress
 September 8 – Jonathan Taylor Thomas, American actor
 September 26 – Serena Williams, American tennis player
 October 31 – Frank Iero MCR
 December 2 – Britney Spears, American singer and actress
 December 27 – Patrick Sharp, Canadian professional ice hockey player

Deaths 
 May 11 - Bob Marley
 June 28 – Terry Fox
 November 25 - Jack Albertson

Movies released 
 Absence of Malice
 An American Werewolf in London
 Any Which Way You Can
 Arthur
 The Boat Is Full
 Bustin' Loose
 Chariots of Fire
 Escape to Victory
 Excalibur
 For Your Eyes Only
 The Four Seasons
 The Fox and the Hound
 The French Lieutenant's Woman
 Friday the 13th, Part 2
 The Great Muppet Caper
 Halloween II
 Heaven's Gate
 Mommie Dearest
 Omen III: The Final Conflict
 On Golden Pond
 Only When I Laugh
 Pennies From Heaven
 Pixote
 Quest For Fire
 Ragtime
 Raiders of the Lost Ark
 Reds
 Sogni d'oro
 Stevie
 Stripes
 Superman II
 Tarzan, the Ape Man
 They Don't Wear Black Tie

Hit songs 
 "The Tide Is High" – Blondie
 "Celebration" – Kool & The Gang (2)
 "9 To 5" – Dolly Parton (2)
 "I Love A Rainy Night" – Eddie Rabbitt (2)
 "Keep On Loving You" REO Speedwagon (1)
 "Rapture" – Blondie (2)
 "Kiss On My List" – Daryl Hall & John Oates (3)
 "Morning Train (9 To 5)" – Sheena Easton
 "Bette Davis Eyes" – Kim Carnes
 "Stars On 45 Medley" – Stars On 45 (1)
 "The One That You Love" – Air Supply (1)
 "Jessie's Girl" – Rick Springfield
 "Endless Love" – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (9)
 "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – Christopher Cross (3)
 "Private Eyes" – Daryl Hall & John Oates
 "Physical" – Olivia Newton-John

New books 
 Ill Seen Ill Said – Samuel Beckett
 Arabian Nights and Days – Naguib Mahfouz
 La Bicyclette Bleue (The Blue Bicycle) – Régine Deforges
 Bliss – Peter Carey
 Creation – Gore Vidal
 Cujo  –  Stephen King
 Distant Star – Samuel R. Delany
 Famous Last Words – Timothy Findley
 Flames Across the Border – Pierre Berton
 Giants of the Ottawa Valley – Joan Finnegan
 The Glitter Dome  –  Joseph Wambaugh
 The Golden Age of Science Fiction – Kingsley Amis
 Goodbye, Janette  –  Harold Robbins
 Gorky Park  –  Martin Cruz Smith
 Hotel New Hampshire  –  John Irving
 An Indecent Obsession  –  Colleen McCullough
 Licence Renewed – John Gardner
 Masquerade  –  Kit Williams
 Midnight's Children – Salman Rushdie
 No Time for Tears  –  Cynthia Freeman
 Noble House  –  James Clavell
 Other People: A Mystery Story – Martin Amis
 Red Dragon – Thomas Harris
 Strata – Terry Pratchett
 Tar Baby – Toni Morrison
 The Third Deadly Sin  –  Lawrence Sanders