This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1980.
Events January 25 — At age 84, octogenarian comedian George Burns becomes by far the oldest performer (to that time) to have a single in the top 40 of Billboards Hot Country Singles chart with "I Wish I Was 18 Again." The song peaks at No. 15 in March. March 2 — The Public Broadcasting Company (PBS) telecasts the Grand Ole Opry for the third time, and this telecast lasts longer than any of the other telecasts. The telecast featured Tom T. Hall, Ronnie Milsap, Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Minnie Pearl, Porter Wagoner, Billy Grammer, George Hamilton IV, Marty Robbins, and many others. Sissy Spacek also appeared on this telecast with Loretta Lynn, promoting the new movie Coal Miner's Daughter, which opened the next week. March — Alabama, a southern rock-influenced band from Fort Payne, Alabama, signs a recording contract with RCA Records, and records its first album, My Home's in Alabama. The album is released in May, and by late in the year, the band was on its way to superstardom. April 19 — For the first time in chart history, the top 5 positions on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart are held (or co-held) by female artists. The list: "It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" by Crystal Gayle "A Lesson in Leavin'" by Dottie West "Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again" by Debby Boone "Beneath Still Waters" by Emmylou Harris "Two Story House" by Tammy Wynette (Duet with George Jones) July 5 — George Jones' classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today" reaches #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. November 18 — The country-variety TV series, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, debuts.
Country music goes Hollywood Country music had a major impact on the motion picture industry throughout the year, with no less than four major box office hits released during the year: March 7 — Coal Miner's Daughter, the biography of Loretta Lynn told in film, opens. Sissy Spacek wins that year's Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn; Tommy Lee Jones and Beverly D'Angelo also play leading roles. The movie is a huge success with critics and at the box office, and briefly sparks Spacek's singing career. June 6 — The movie Urban Cowboy, starring John Travolta and Debra Winger, opens in American theaters. The movie — which showcases Mickey Gilley's nightclub, Gilley's — is a huge success at the box office ($54 million), and its soundtrack includes several major hits and makes stars out of several of the artists (most notably Johnny Lee), and will have a major impact on the direction of country music of the early 1980s. July 18 — Honeysuckle Rose, starring Willie Nelson, opens. Nelson also had a starring role in The Electric Horseman, which opened in December 1979 and continued to be a major box office hit into 1980. Both films' soundtracks featured Nelson songs that became major hits on both the country and (in some cases) pop charts. December 19 — 9 to 5 – with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles – opens. The title song from the movie becomes a No. 1 hit on both the country and pop charts and is a milestone in Parton's acting career. Additionally, Clint Eastwood continues to cement his association with country music through two films released during the year: Bronco Billy, released in June, and Any Which Way You Can, debuting in December. One of the songs on the Bronco Billy soundtrack was a duet by Merle Haggard and Eastwood, one of three major hits from the movie. Any Which Way You Can also had a soundtrack that spawned several successful hits in late 1980 into early 1981, including the breakthrough hit by David Frizzell and Shelly West.
Top hits of the year
Singles released by American artists USCANSingleArtist1759After HoursJoe Stampley1821AlwaysPatsy Cline120Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me AgainDebby Boone77Baby, You're SomethingJohn Conlee6—Back to BackJeanne Pruett11Bar Room BuddiesMerle Haggard and Clint Eastwood1843Bedroom BalladGene Watson12Beneath Still WatersEmmylou Harris69The Best of StrangersBarbara Mandrell749Blue HeartacheGail Davies84The Blue SideCrystal Gayle218Bombed, Boozed and BustedJoe Sun138The BoxerEmmylou Harris20—Bring It on HomeBig Al Downing914Broken TrustBrenda Lee with The Oak Ridge Boys2214The ChampMoe Bandy527Charlotte's WebThe Statler Brothers2021Cheatin' on a CheaterLoretta Lynn71ClydeWaylon Jennings247Coal Miner's DaughterSissy Spacek1635Come to My LoveCristy Lane1526Couldn't Do Nothin' RightRosanne Cash11Coward of the CountyKenny Rogers110Cowboys and ClownsRonnie Milsap108The Cowgirl and the DandyBrenda Lee36CrackersBarbara Mandrell1453CryingStephanie Winslow328DallasFloyd Cramer14Dancin' CowboysThe Bellamy Brothers115Do You Wanna Go to HeavenT. G. Sheppard31Don't Fall in Love with a DreamerKenny Rogers with Kim Carnes17—Drinkin' and Drivin'Johnny Paycheck12Drivin' My Life AwayEddie Rabbitt33Faded LoveWillie Nelson and Ray Price14—Free to Be Lonely AgainDebby Boone23Friday Night BluesJohn Conlee17Gone Too FarEddie Rabbitt23Good Ole Boys Like MeDon Williams716Hard TimesLacy J. Dalton12He Stopped Loving Her TodayGeorge Jones1728He Was There (When I Needed You)Tammy Wynette1720He's Out of My LifeJohnny Duncan with Janie Fricke33Heart of MineThe Oak Ridge Boys41Help Me Make It Through the NightWillie Nelson77Holding the BagMoe Bandy and Joe Stampley11Honky Tonk BluesCharley Pride11I Ain't Living Long Like ThisWaylon Jennings11I Believe in YouDon Williams1833I Can See Forever in Your EyesReba McEntire5—I Can't Get Enough of YouRazzy Bailey20—I Don't Want to Lose YouCon Hunley158I Wish I Was Eighteen AgainGeorge Burns11I'd Love to Lay You DownConway Twitty123I'll Be Coming Back for MoreT. G. Sheppard88I'll Even Love You (Better Than I Did Then)The Statler Brothers525I'm Already BlueThe Kendalls1748I'm Gonna Love You Tonight (In My Dreams)Johnny Duncan24I'm Not Ready YetGeorge Jones67I've Never Seen the Likes of YouConway Twitty13If You Ever Change Your MindCrystal Gayle1362In AmericaCharlie Daniels104It's Hard to Be HumbleMac Davis11It's Like We Never Said GoodbyeCrystal Gayle1435It's OverRex Allen, Jr.9—It's Too LateJeanne Pruett52It's True LoveLoretta Lynn and Conway Twitty128Kaw-LigaHank Williams Jr.12LadyKenny Rogers1239The Last Cowboy SongEd Bruce13—Lay Back in the Arms of SomeoneRandy Barlow13—Leavin's for UnbelieversDottie West11Leaving Louisiana in the Broad DaylightThe Oak Ridge Boys123A Lesson in Leavin'Dottie West617Let's Get It While the Getting's GoodEddy Arnold1015Let's Keep it That WayMac Davis17—A Little Getting Used ToMickey Gilley2716Long Haired Country BoyCharlie Daniels118Lookin' for LoveJohnny Lee1457Losing Kind of LoveLacy J. Datlon11Love Me Over AgainDon Williams41Love the World AwayKenny Rogers330Lovers Live LongerThe Bellamy Brothers110Loving Up a StormRazzy Bailey612Lying Time AgainMel Tillis238Making PlansPorter Wagoner and Dolly Parton12—Man Just Doesn't Know What a Woman Goes ThroughCharlie Rich712MenCharly McClain61Midnight RiderWillie Nelson34Misery and GinMerle Haggard22Missin' YouCharley Pride546Morning Comes Too EarlyJim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius113My HeartRonnie Milsap11My Heroes Have Always Been CowboysWillie Nelson17—My Home's in AlabamaAlabama3011Naked in the RainLoretta Lynn1810New York Wine and Tennessee ShineDave & Sugar2011Night GamesRay Stevens209Night LifeWillie Nelson with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass1322No One Will Ever KnowGene Watson1716North of the BorderJohnny Rodriguez43Nothing Sure Looked Good on YouGene Watson1126NumbersBobby Bare640Oh, How I Miss You TonightJim Reeves and Deborah Allen12Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to YouDolly Parton658Old HabitsHank Williams Jr.99The Old Side of TownTom T. Hall12On the Road AgainWillie Nelson110One Day at a TimeCristy Lane18One in a MillionJohnny Lee13—One of a KindMoe Bandy10—OverLeon Everette1018Over the RainbowJerry Lee Lewis1959A Pair of Old SneakersGeorge Jones and Tammy Wynette2212Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)Janie Fricke107Pecos PromenadeTanya Tucker1731Play Another Slow SongJohnny Duncan53Pour Me Another TequilaEddie Rabbitt3513Pregnant AgainLoretta Lynn95Put It Off Until TomorrowThe Kendalls2118Rainy Days and Stormy NightsBillie Jo Spears15—Raisin' Cane in TexasGene Watson3820The Real Buddy Holly StorySonny Curtis2017Real Cowboy (You Say You're)Billy Crash Craddock8—Save Your Heart for MeJacky Ward211She Can't Say That AnymoreJohn Conlee1360She Just Started Liking Cheatin' SongsJohn Anderson2313Shotgun RiderJoe Sun72Shriner's ConventionRay Stevens1321The Shuffle SongMargo Smith18Smoky Mountain RainRonnie Milsap67Smooth Sailin'T. G. Sheppard13Stand by MeMickey Gilley159Standing TallBillie Jo Spears1741Starting OverTammy Wynette12Starting Over AgainDolly Parton9—Steppin' OutMel Tillis12Sugar DaddyThe Bellamy Brothers1213Sugarfoot RagJerry Reed15—Sure ThingFreddie Hart816Sweet Sexy EyesCristy Lane10—Take Me in Your Arms and Hold MeJim Reeves and Deborah Allen512Take Me to Your Lovin' PlaceLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers1215Taking Somebody with Me When I FallLarry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers1115Tell Ole I Ain't Here, He Better Get on HomeMoe Bandy and Joe Stampley525Temporarily YoursJeanne Pruett11Tennessee RiverAlabama1843The Tennessee WaltzLacy J. Dalton940Texas in My Rear View MirrorMac Davis63That Lovin' You Feelin' AgainRoy Orbison and Emmylou Harris19That's All That MattersMickey Gilley7—That's the Way a Cowboy Rocks and RollsJacky Ward1050That's What I Get for Loving YouEddy Arnold12Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)Waylon Jennings1836There's Another WomanJoe Stampley19—They Never Lost YouCon Hunley13—Too Old to Play CowboyRazzy Bailey11True Love WaysMickey Gilley11Trying to Love Two WomenThe Oak Ridge Boys10—TumbleweedSylvia21Two Story HouseGeorge Jones & Tammy Wynette21The Way I AmMerle Haggard71Wayfaring StrangerEmmylou Harris1815We're Number OneLarry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers1933What'll I Tell VirginiaJohnny Rodriguez1517WhenSlim Whitman1115When Two Worlds CollideJerry Lee Lewis12Why Don't You Spend the NightRonnie Milsap13Why Lady WhyAlabama1823Women Get LonelyCharly McClain59Women I've Never HadHank Williams Jr.11YearsBarbara Mandrell106Yesterday Once MoreMoe Bandy45You Almost Slipped My MindCharley Pride95You Know Just What I'd DoLoretta Lynn and Conway Twitty1919You Lay a Whole Lot of Love on MeCon Hunley822(You Lift Me) Up to HeavenReba McEntire12You Win AgainCharley Pride517You'd Make an Angel Wanna CheatThe Kendalls228You're Gonna Love YourselfCharlie Rich6012You're Only LonelyJD Souther332Your Body Is an OutlawMel Tillis1539Your Lying Blue EyesJohn Anderson55Your Old Cold ShoulderCrystal Gayle
Singles released by Canadian artists