The23rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1981, atRadio City Music Hall inNew York City and were broadcast live onAmerican television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1980.^[1][2]

Album of the Year went toMichael Omartian andChristopher Cross forChristopher Cross, Record and Song of the Year went toChristopher Cross for "Sailing". Cross was the first artist in Grammy history to win all four General Field awards in a single ceremony, bringing homeRecord of the Year,Album of the Year,Song of the Year, andBest New Artist.

• Irene Cara - "Fame"
• The Manhattan Transfer &Chuck Mangione - "Birdland" and "Give It All You Got"
• Aretha Franklin - "I Can't Turn You Loose"
• Barbara Mandrell - "The Best of Strangers"
• George Jones - "He Stopped Loving Her Today"
• The Oak Ridge Boys - "Heart of Mine"
• Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band - "Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown"
• The Archers,Cynthia Clawson,Andraé Crouch,Tramaine Hawkins,Walter Hawkins, Dony McGuire,Reba Rambo McGuire, andB. J. Thomas - "The Lord's Prayer" (medley)
• Paul Simon - "Late in the Evening"
• Lionel Richie - "Lady"
• Amanda McBroom - "The Rose"
• Christopher Cross - "Sailing"
• Fred Ebb &John Kander - "Theme fromNew York, New York"

• Harry Belafonte &Herb Alpert - Best New Artist
• Al Jarreau &Woody Herman - Best Jazz Fusion Performance Vocal or Instrumental
• The Commodores - Best R&B Female Performance
• Charley Pride &Conway Twitty - Best Country Performance Male and Female; Best Vocal Country Performance Duo or Group
• Rev. James Cleveland &James Blackwood - Best Gospel Performance
• Judy Collins &Harry Chapin - Announced winners in previous categories
• Andy Gibb &Dionne Warwick - Best Pop Male Performance
• Donna Summer &Michael McDonald - Album of the Year
• Placido Domingo - Announced winners in the Classical category
• Olivia Newton-John &Peter Allen - Song of the Year
• Diana Ross &Kris Kristofferson - Record of the Year
• Paul Simon - Paid tribute toJohn Lennon
• Rodney Dangerfield &Anne Murray - Best Pop Vocal Performance Female

• Record of the Year
  • Michael Omartian (producer) &Christopher Cross for "Sailing"
• Album of the Year
  • Michael Omartian (producer) &Christopher Cross forChristopher Cross
• Song of the Year
  • Christopher Cross for "Sailing"
• Best New Artist
  • Christopher Cross

• Best Recording for Children
  • David Levine &Lucy Simon (producers) forIn Harmony: A Sesame Street Record performed by various artists

• Best Classical Orchestral Recording
  • Raymond Minshull (producer),Georg Solti (conductor) & theChicago Symphony Orchestra forBruckner:Symphony No. 6 in A
• Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance
  • Henry Lewis (conductor),Leontyne Price & thePhilharmonia Orchestra forPrima Donna, Vol. 5 - Great Soprano Arias From Handel to Britten
• Best Opera Recording
  • Gunther Breest,Michael Horwath (producers),Pierre Boulez (conductor),Toni Blankenheim,Franz Mazura,Yvonne Minton,Teresa Stratas & theOrchestre de l'Opera de Paris forBerg:Lulu
• Best Choral Performance, Classical
  • Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor),Norbert Balatsch (chorus master) & thePhilharmonia Orchestra & Chorus forMozart:Requiem
• Best Classical Performance- Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with orchestra)
  • Bernard Haitink (conductor),Itzhak Perlman,Mstislav Rostropovich & theConcertgebouw Orchestra forBrahms:Violin and Cello Concerto in A Minor (Double Concerto)
  • Seiji Ozawa (conductor),Itzhak Perlman & theBoston Symphony Orchestra forBerg:Violin Concerto/Stravinsky:Violin Concerto in D
• Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (without orchestra)
  • Itzhak Perlman forThe Spanish Album
• Best Chamber Music Performance
  • Itzhak Perlman &Pinchas Zukerman forMusic for Two Violins (Moszkowski: Suite For Two Violins/Shostakovich: Duets/Prokofiev: Sonata for Two Violins)
• Best Classical Album
  • Gunther Breest,Michael Horwath (producers),Pierre Boulez (conductor),Toni Blankenheim,Franz Mazura,Yvonne Minton,Teresa Stratas, & theOrchestre de l'Opera de Paris forBerg:Lulu

• Best Comedy Recording
  • Rodney Dangerfield forNo Respect

• Best Instrumental Composition
  • John Williams (composer) forThe Empire Strikes Back
• Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
  • John Williams (composer) forThe Empire Strikes Back
• Best Instrumental Arrangement
  • Jerry Hey &Quincy Jones (arrangers) for "Dinorah, Dinorah" performed byGeorge Benson
• Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
  • Christopher Cross &Michael Omartian (arrangers) for "Sailing" performed by Christopher Cross
• Best Arrangement for Voices
  • Janis Siegel (arranger) for "Birdland" performed byThe Manhattan Transfer

• Best Country Vocal Performance, Female
  • Anne Murray for "Could I Have This Dance?"
• Best Country Vocal Performance, Male
  • George Jones for "He Stopped Loving Her Today"
• Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
  • Emmylou Harris &Roy Orbison for "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again"
• Best Country Instrumental Performance
  • Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band for "Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown"
• Best Country Song
  • Willie Nelson (songwriter) for "On the Road Again"

• Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording
  • Norman Dayron (producer) forRare Blues performed by various artists

• Best Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • Blackwood Brothers forWe Come to Worship
• Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational
  • The Archers,Cynthia Clawson,Andrae Crouch,Tramaine Hawkins,Walter Hawkins,Dony McGuire,Reba Rambo &B.J. Thomas forThe Lord's Prayer
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • James Cleveland & theCharles Fold Singers forLord, Let Me Be an Instrument
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary
  • Shirley Caesar forRejoice
• Best Inspirational Performance
  • Debby Boone forWith My Song I Will Praise Him

• Best Historical Reissue Album
  • Keith Hardwick (producer) forSegovia - The EMI Recordings 1927-39

• Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
  • Ella Fitzgerald forA Perfect Match
• Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
  • George Benson for "Moody's Mood"
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
  • Bill Evans forI Will Say Goodbye
• Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Group
  • Bill Evans forWe Will Meet Again
• Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Big Band
  • Count Basie forOn the Road
• Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
  • The Manhattan Transfer for "Birdland"

• Best Latin Recording
  • Cal Tjader forLa Onda Va Bien

• Best Cast Show Album
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber (producer and composer),Tim Rice (producer and lyricist) & the original cast withPatti Lupone &Mandy Patinkin forEvita - Premier American Recording

• Best Album Package
  • Roy Kohara (art director) forAgainst the Wind performed byBob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
• Best Album Notes
  • David McClintick (notes writer) forTrilogy: Past, Present and Future performed byFrank Sinatra

• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
  • Bette Midler forThe Rose
• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
  • Kenny Loggins forThis Is It
• Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Barbra Streisand &Barry Gibb forGuilty
• Best Pop Instrumental Performance
  • Bob James &Earl Klugh forOne on One

• Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical
  • James Guthrie (engineer) forThe Wall performed byPink Floyd
• Best Engineered Recording, Classical
  • Karl-August Naegler (engineer),Pierre Boulez (conductor) & theOrchestre de l'Opera de Paris forBerg: Lulu (Complete Version)
• Producer of the Year, (Non-Classical)
  • Phil Ramone
• Classical Producer of the Year
  • Robert Woods

• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female
  • Stephanie Mills for "Never Knew Love Like This Before"
• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male
  • George Benson forGive Me the Night
• Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • The Manhattans for "Shining Star"
• Best R&B Instrumental Performance
  • George Benson for "Off Broadway"
• Best Rhythm & Blues Song
  • James Mtume &Reggie Lucas (songwriters) for "Never Knew Love Like This Before" performed byStephanie Mills

• Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
  • Pat Benatar forCrimes of Passion
• Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male
  • Billy Joel forGlass Houses
• Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band forAgainst the Wind
• Best Rock Instrumental Performance
  • The Police for "Reggatta de Blanc"

• Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording
  • Pat Carroll forGertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein

• Christopher Cross became the first artist to win all four general-field awards in one night: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.

• 23rd Grammy Awards at the Internet Movie Database

• Grammy Awards ceremonies
• 1981 music awards
• 1981 in New York City
• Radio City Music Hall
• 1981 in American music
• 1981 awards in the United States
• February 1981 in the United States

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from February 2025