1961 in music

1 Events
2 Albums released
3 Top hits on record
4 Published popular music
5 Classical music
6 Opera
7 Musical theater
8 Musical films
9 Births
10 Deaths
11 Awards
- 11.1 Grammy Awards
- 11.2 Eurovision Song Contest

Events

January 15 – Motown Records signs The Supremes
January 20 – Francis Poulenc's Gloria is premiered in Boston
February 12 – The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single
February 13 – Frank Sinatra forms his own record label, Reprise Records, which would later release recordings by The Beach Boys, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix.
February 14 – The Platters file a lawsuit against Mercury Records for breach of contract after the record company refuses to accept recordings on which Tony Williams does not sing lead. The group's lawsuit contends that their contract does not require Williams to sing lead
March 21 – The Beatles perform at the legendary Cavern Club for the first time
March 25 – Elvis Presley performs a benefit show at the Block Arena in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The show raised $62,000 for the U.S.S. Arizona memorial fund.
June 14 – Patsy Cline is hospitalized from a head-on car collision
The Rolling Stones' musical career begins
The Temptations' musical career begins
The Beach Boys' musical career begins
Gladys Knight's musical career begins
Bob Dylan's musical career begins

Albums released

All The Way – Frank Sinatra
Come Swing With Me – Frank Sinatra
Connie At The Copa – Connie Francis
Emotions – Brenda Lee
Explorations – Bill Evans Trio
Sunday at the Village Vanguard – Bill Evans Trio
Goin' Places – The Kingston Trio
Roy Orbison At The Rock House – Roy Orbison
Lonely and Blue – Roy Orbison
Ring-A-Ding Ding – Frank Sinatra
A Scottish Soldier – Andy Stewart
Sinatra Swings – Frank Sinatra
Sinatra's Swingin' Session – Frank Sinatra
Judge Not (Single) – Bob Marley
Garde-Moi la Dernière Danse – Dalida
Loin de Moi – Dalida

Top hits on record

"I Fall to Pieces" – Patsy Cline
"Crazy" – Patsy Cline
"Where the Boys Are" – Connie Francis
"Running Scared" – Roy Orbison
"Crying" – Roy Orbison
"(I Wanna) Love My Life Away" – Gene Pitney
"Town Without Pity" – Gene Pitney
"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" – The Tokens
"Runaround Sue" – Dion
"Let's Go Trippin' " – Dick Dale's first local hit, regarded as first surf rock instrumental
"Tossin' & Turnin' " – Bobby Lewis
"Runaway" – Del Shannon
"Garde-Moi la Dernière Danse" – Dalida
"Nuits d'Espagne" – Dalida
"Blue Moon" – The Marcels
"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" – The Shirelles
"There's No Other Like My Baby" – The Crystals' first hit
"Please Mr. Postman" – The Marvellettes
"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" – The Tokens
"Quarter To Three" – Gary U.S. Bonds
"Shop Around" – The Miracles
"Travelin' Man" – Ricky Nelson
"Hello Mary Lou" – Ricky Nelson
"Stand By Me" – Ben E. King
"The Wanderer" – Dion
"The Mountain's High" – Dick and Deedee
"Big River, Big Man" – Claude King
"The Commancheros" – Claude King
"Moody River" – Pat Boone
"I Love How You Love Me" – The Paris Sisters

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1961 (USA)

Published popular music

"Another Time, Another Place" w.m. Richard Adler from the musical Kwamina
"Baby Elephant Walk" m. Henry Mancini from the film Hatari!
"Big, Bad John" w.m. Jimmy Dean
"Blue Bayou" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
"Breaking In A Brand New Broken Heart" w.m. Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller
"Brotherhood Of Man" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
"The Company Way" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
"Crazy" w.m. Willie Nelson
"Crying" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
"Funny How Time Slips Away" w.m. Willie Nelson
"Hit The Road, Jack" w.m. Percy Mayfield
"I Believe In You" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
"I Love How You Love Me" w.m. Barry Mann & Larry Kolber
"Let's Get Together" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film The Parent Trap
"Let's Twist Again" w.m. Dave Appell & Kal Mann
"Little Miss Stuck-up" w.m. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance
"Mister Ed theme song" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
"Moon River" w. Johnny Mercer m. Henry Mancini from the film Breakfast At Tiffany's
"Multiplication" w.m. Bobby Darin
"My Kind Of Girl" w.m. Leslie Bricusse
"The Passenger's Always Right" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
"Pocketful Of Miracles" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen from the film Pocketful Of Miracles
"Running Scared" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
"Speedy Gonzales" w.m David Hess, Buddy Kaye & Ethel Lee
"Ten Girls Ago" w. Diane Lampert m. Sammy Fain
"A Walk On The Wild Side" w. Mack David m. Elmer Bernstein
"When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart" w.m. Roy Bennett & Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones
"Why Do The Wrong People Travel?" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
"The Young Ones" w. Roy Bennett m. Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones

Classical music

Samuel Adler – Symphony No. 3
Niels Viggo Bentson – Concerto No. 2 for violin and orchestra
Earle Brown – Available Forms I
Mario Davidovsky – Electronic Study No. 1
Mario Davidovsky – Piano 1961 for orchestra
György Ligeti – Atmosphères for Orchestra
Luigi Nono – Intolleranza
Dmitri Shostakovich – Symphony No. 12 D minor, Op. 112 "The Year 1917"
Edgar Varèse – Nocturnal

Opera

Jean Françaix – La Princesse de Clèves
Robert Ward – The Crucible
Grace Williams – The Parlour

Musical theater

Carnival! (Music and Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Michael Stewart). Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 13 and ran for 719 performances
Do-Re-Mi London production opened at the Prince Of Wales Theatre on October 12 and ran for 169 performances
The Fantasticks London production opened at the Apollo Theatre on September 7 and ran for 44 performances
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstein and Willie Gilbert) – Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on October 14 and ran for 1417 performances.
Kwamina Broadway production opened at the 54th Street Theatre on October 23 and ran for 32 performances
Milk And Honey Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 10 and ran for 543 performances
Salad Days (Julian Slade) – London revival at Prince's Theatre
Sail Away Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 3 and ran for 167n performances
The Sentimental Bloke (Music: Albert Arlen Lyrics: Nancy Brown, Albert Arlen, Lloyd Thomson and C. J. Dennis Book: Lloyd Thomson and Nancy Brown) Melbourne production opened at the Comedy Theatre on November 4.
The Sound Of Music (Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse) – London production opened at the Palace Theatre and ran for 2385 performances.
Stop The World – I Want To Get Off (Music, Lyrics and Book: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) -London production opened at the Queen's Theatre on July 20 and ran for 485 performances.
Wildest Dreams London production opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on August 3 and ran for 76 performances