1961 in music

See also:

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
• Dalida receives the Music Oscar for Best Song with Charles Aznavour.
• 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