1981 in heavy metal music
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1981.
Newly formed bands
Albums
- AC/DC - For Those About to Rock We Salute You
- Accept - Breaker
- Alice Cooper - Special Forces
- Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
- Blue Öyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin
- Def Leppard - High 'n' Dry
- Iron Maiden - Killers
- Judas Priest - Point of Entry
- KISS - Music from "The Elder"
- Mercyful Fate - Nuns Have No Fun
- Mötley Crüe - Too Fast For Love
- Motörhead - No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (live)
- Rush - Moving Pictures
- Van Halen - Fair Warning
- Venom - Welcome to Hell
- Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman
- Saxon - Denim and Leather
Events
- April: AC/DC's album "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is finally released in the United States.
- Iron Maiden comp guitarist Dennis Stratton leaves and is replaced by Adrian Smith
- Eric Carr joins KISS on drums and makes his songwriting debut with "Under the Rose".