In 1981 (Shōwa 56), Japanese music was released on records and performed in concerts, and there were charts, awards, contests and festivals.

During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world,Tokita and Hughes. The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. 2008. p 355.Gronow and Saunio. International History of the Recording Industry. 1998. Reprinted 1999.p 209. eleven percent of all record sales took place in that country,Howard Smith (ed). Inside Japan. BBC. 1981. p 65. and the value of tapes and records made there was $1.15 billion.Billboard. 29 May 1982. pp J-1.

Awards, contests and festivals The 10th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 29 March 1981.The Nolans on stage At 10th Tokyo Music Festival 1981. Getty Images."7.00 - 10th Tokyo Music Festival" in "MBS ". The Japan Times. 29 March 1981. No 29533. p 7. col 2."Nolans Win Grand Prize At Tokyo Music Festival". The Japan Times. 31 March 1981. No 29535. p 2. The 23rd Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 28 April 1981.1981年度のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation. The 21st Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 10 May 1981.第21回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation. The 22nd Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 4 October 1981.第22回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation. The 12th World Popular Song Festival was held on 1 November 1981."Winners Chosen For 12th Pop Song Fest In Tokyo". Billboard. 14 November 1981. p 112."23 Entries in Yamaha World Festival". Billboard. 3 October 1981. p 59. The 12th Japan Music Awards were held on 12 November 1981.波瀾万丈 山川豊歌い続けて40年. ZAKZAK from the Sankei Shimbun. 5 May 2020. The final of the 10th FNS Music Festival was held on 15 December 1981.(1981) 朝日新聞縮刷版 (Asahi Shimbun shukusatsuban). Issue 726. p 24 headed "1981 年(昭和 56 年) 12 月 15 日閉.""FNS Song Festival '81". The Japan Times. 15 December 1981. No 29789. The 23rd Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1981.第23回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association. The 32nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1981.第32回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK.

The 30th Otaka prize was won by Toshi Ichiyanagi and Atsutada Otaka.尾高賞 in "Archive". NHK Symphony Orchestra.

Concerts The economic recession adversely affected concerts."Japanese Promoters Gear Up For International Acts". Billboard. 22 May 1982. pp 38 & 65. Pioneer Live Special concerts were held in 1981."Monterey Japan Shows Pull Crowds, Most SRO". Billboard. 14 November 1981. p 99.

Number one singles Oricon

The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:1981年3月9日 シャネルズの「街角トワイライト」がオリコン・シングル・チャート1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 9 March 2018.See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine Issue dateSongArtist(s)5 January""Masahiko Kondō12 January19 January26 January""Toshihiko Tahara2 February9 February""Seiko Matsuda16 February23 February2 March9 March""Chanels16 March23 March30 March""Akira Terao6 April13 April20 April27 April4 May11 May18 May25 May1 June8 June""Seiko Matsuda15 June22 June""Masahiko Kondō29 June6 July13 July""Chiharu Matsuyama20 July27 July3 August""Seiko Matsuda10 August17 August24 August""31 August7 September14 September21 September28 September5 October12 October""Masahiko Kondō19 October26 October""Seiko Matsuda2 November"Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku"Masahiko Kondō9 November16 November23 November30 November""Miyuki Nakajima7 December14 December21 December""Hiroko Yakushimaru28 December

The Best Ten

The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart: 27 August: "" - Seiko Matsuda1981年8月27日、松田聖子「白いパラソル」がザ・ベストテンの1位を獲得～松田聖子の第一期と二期を結ぶ重要曲. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 27 August 2018.

Music Labo

The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart: 15 June and 22 June: by ChanelsBillboard. 20 June 1981, p 74. 27 June 1981, p 68. 10 August, 17 August and 24 August: Mamotte Agetai by Yumi MatsutoyaBillboard. 22 August 1981, p 57. 29 August 1981, p 69. 5 September 1981, p 61.

Number one albums and LPs Oricon

The following reached number 1 on the Oricon chart: 12 October, 19 October and 26 October: Tsukasa - 1981年の本日、10月19日、伊藤つかさ『つかさ』がオリコン・アルバムチャートの1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 19 October 2018.

Music Labo

The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart: 5 January, 2 February, 9 February and 16 February: - Off Course"Japan" in "Hits of the World". Billboard. 17 January 1981, p 53. 7 February 1981, p 68. 14 February 1981, p 60. 21 February 1981, p 66. 12 January, 19 January and 26 January: "Happy Date with the Nolans" or "Koi No Happy Date" (Japanese: 恋のハッピー・デート) - The NolansBillboard. 17 January 1981, p 53. 24 January 1981, p 98. 31 January 1981, p 60. 23 February, 2 March and 9 March: Bucchigiri Part II (Japanese: ぶっちぎりII) - Billboard. 28 February 1981, p 55. 7 March 1981, p 72. 14 March 1981, p 67. 16 March: - Chage and AskaBillboard. 21 March 1981, p 91. 23 March, 30 March, 6 April and 13 April: Ringetsu - Miyuki NakajimaBillboard. 28 March 1981, p 59. 4 April 1981, p 86. 11 April 1981, p 64. 18 April 1981, p 128. 20 April, 27 April, 4 May, 11 May, 18 May, 25 May, 1 June, 8 June, 15 June, 22 June and 6 July: Reflections - Akira TeraoBillboard. 25 April 1981, p 64. 2 May 1981, p 69. 9 May 1981, p 63. 23 May 1981, p 78. 30 May 1981, p 65. 6 June 1981, p 87. 13 June 1981, p 67. 20 June 1981, p 74. 27 June 1981, p 68. 11 July 1981, p 61. 29 June: - Chiharu MatsuyamaBillboard. 4 July 1981, p 77. 13 July and 20 July: - Masashi SadaBillboard. 1 August 1981, p 63. 25 July 1981, p 65. 18 July 1981, p 73. 27 July and 3 August: - ChanelsBillboard. 15 August 1981, p 79. 8 August 1981, p 61. 10 August, 17 August, 24 August and 31 August: - Southern All StarsBillboard. 12 September 1981, p 73. 5 September 1981, p 61. 29 August 1981, p 69. 22 August 1981, p 57. 7 September, 14 September, 21 September, 28 September, 5 October and 12 October: - Off CourseBillboard. 17 October 1981, p 73. 10 October 1981, p 87. 3 October 1981, p 64. 26 September 1981, p 68. 19 September 1981, p 76. 19 October and 26 October: Tsukasa - Billboard. 7 November 1981, p 75. 31 October 1981, p 101. 24 October 1981, p 73. 2 November and 9 November: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 14 November 1981, p 101. 7 November 1981, p 75. 16 November, 23 November and 30 November: - Yumi MatsutoyaBillboard. 5 December 1981, p 69. 28 November 1981, p 70. 21 November 1981, p 87. 7 December and 14 December: - Chiharu MatsuyamaBillboard. 19 December 1981, p 74. 12 December 1981, p 53. 21 December: - Off CourseBillboard. 26 December 1981, p 82.

Cash Box of Japan

The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box of Japan chart: 10 January, 7 February and 14 February: - Chiharu MatsuyamaCash Box. 10 January 1981, p 37. 7 February 1981, p 33. 14 February 1981, p 39. 31 January: Double Fantasy - John Lennon and Yoko OnoCash Box. 31 January 1981, p 31. 21 February, 7 March and 21 March: - Off CourseCash Box. 21 February 1981, p 31. 7 March 1981, p 37. 21 March 1981, p 37. 28 March and 4 April: Bucchigiri II (Japanese: ぶっちぎりII) - Cash Box. 28 March 1981, p 43. 4 April 1981, p 35. See 7 March 1981, p 37 for this spelling. 11 April, 18 April, 25 April and 2 May: Ringetsu - Miyuki NakajimaCash Box. 11 April 1981, p 33. 18 April 1981, p 76. 25 April 1981, p 35. 2 May 1981, p 38. 9 May: - ChanelsCash Box. 9 May 1981, p 36. 23 May, 30 May, 6 June, 20 June, 27 June and 4 July: Reflections - Akira TeraoCash Box. 23 May 1981, p 35. 30 May 1981, p 37. 6 June 1981, p 35. 20 June 1981, p 35. 27 June 1981, p 35. 4 July 1981, p 32. 11 July 1981, p 39. 18 July 1981, p 35. 8 August: - Masashi SadaCash Box. 8 August 1981, p 33. 15 August: Bucchigiri/Third (仏恥義理蹉䵷怒) (ぶっちぎりさあど) - Cash Box. 15 August 1981, p 32. 22 August: - ChanelsCash Box. 22 August 1981, p 35. 5 September and 3 October: - Southern All StarsCash Box. 5 September 1981, p 40. 3 October 1981, p 24. 10 October, 24 October and 31 October: - Off CourseCash Box. 10 October 1981, p 35. 24 October 1981, p 32. 31 October 1981, p 42. 14 November: Tsukasa - Cash Box. 14 November 1981, p 30. 12 December: - Seiko MatsudaCash Box. 12 December 1981, p 24.

Annual charts Akira Terao's was number 1 in the Oricon annual singles chart.シングル年度別のヒット曲 TOP 1. Jipang, from Oricon.

Film and television The music of Station (1981), by Ryudo Uzaki, won the 36th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music (awarded in 1981),第36回 日本映画大賞 and the 5th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1982).Prizes.

Idol Punch was first broadcast on 4 April 1981."Idol Punch". The Japan Times. 4 April 1981. No 29539. p 9. was first broadcast on 7 April 1981."8:00-**NHK Pops Hall". The Japan Times. 7 April 1981. No 29542. p 10. col 1.NHK歌謡ホール. NHK.歌謡番組. NHK. (Also translated "NHK Song Hall" and "NHK Kayo Hall").TV Guide. Los Angeles Metropolitan Edition. 16 July 1982. p A-101.

The music of Urusei Yatsura includes Lum's Love Song.令和のラムちゃん上坂すみれが「ラムのラブソング」をカバー. natalie. 23 December 2022.

Compositions First version of Toward the Sea by Tōru TakemitsuStacy and Henderson (eds). Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century. p 625.

Overseas Eyes of the Mind, by Casiopea, reached number 33 on the Billboard Jazz LPs chart.Billboard. 11 July 1981. p 57.

Debuts Yuko Machida (Japanese: 街田祐子)Yūwaku Summer (誘惑SUMMER), Victor catalogue number SV-7142. See further, Goro, 13 August 1981 (No 16); and CDJournal. Kataomoi Shōkōgun (片想い症候群), number SV-7177, was composed by Kenji Sawada.

Groups disbanded Pink Lady disbanded on 31 March 1981.昭和56年3月31日、ピンクレディー解散. Showa Mainichi (昭和毎日), from the Mainichi Shimbun. March 2008.

Other singles released Last Pretender and Oh! by Pink Lady Suzume by Keiko Masuda Orange Airmail Special and Lens Eye by Saki Kubota 15 October: by Yoshie Kashiwabara1981年の今日10月15日、柏原よしえ（芳恵）の「ハロー・グッバイ」が発売～初出はアグネス・チャンのB面曲だった. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 15 October 2018.

Other albums released A Long Vacation by Eiichi Ohtaki Pink Lady and Sayonara Pink Lady by Pink Lady I My Mie by Mie BGM and Technodelic by Yellow Magic Orchestra Neuromantic by Yukihiro Takahashi Airmail Special by Saki Kubota Cross Point by Casiopea Potpourri by P-Model The Birthday Eve by Loudness Magic by T-Square The Rainbow Goblins and Alone by Masayoshi Takanaka

History The song by the was recorded on 14 November 1981.1981年11月14日、大瀧詠一プロデュース「うなずきマーチ」がレコーディング～歌うのは紳助・竜介、ツービート、B&Bのうなずき役によって結成されたうなずきトリオ. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 14 November 2018.

The Sayonara Nichigeki Western Carnival (Japanese: サヨナラ日劇ウエスタン・カーニバル 〜 俺たちは走り続けている!) event took place in 1981.『サヨナラ日劇ウエスタンカーニバル』リハーサルでの出来事. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 22 January 2018. Cf. (1958 to 1977).Toru Mitsui. Made in Japan: Studies in Popular Music. p 143.

See also Timeline of Japanese music 1981 in Japan 1981 in music w:ja:1981年の音楽

References "Music in Japan: Industry Views 1981 With Quiet Optimism". Billboard. 30 May 1981. pp J-1 to J-18. (A Billboard Spotlight). J-POPの歴史「1980年と1981年、劇的だった80年代の幕開け」. Rolling Stone Japan. 23 December 2019. オリコン Weekly magazine Music Labo magazine ミュージック・リサーチ Music Research magazine 新譜ジャーナル magazine 1981 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report. 1982 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report Oricon No. 1 Hits 500. Clubhouse (Japanese: クラブハウス). 1998. ISBN 9784906496129. vol 1 (1968~1985). "Japan" in "International Dateline". Cash Box. 5 December 1981, p 34. 19 December 1981, p 35. 「マクロス」「ガンダム」...アニソンの歴史を振り返ろう！1980年～1984年編. USEN encore, from USEN. 29 April 2025.