In the music
- Rose Royce released their third album, entitled Rose Royce III: Strikes Again!. It features I'm In Love and Love Don't Live Here Anymore. Both singles cracked the US RnB top five.
- The Euro-disco group Boney M was at the height of its popularity with the release of their double A-sided single Rivers Of Babylon and Brown Girl In The Ring. It became the second-biggest selling single in UK chart history. The album, Nightflight To Venus, also topped the UK charts. Rasputin was another UK top ten hit, followed by the seasonal chart-topper Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord, which became the fifth-biggest selling single in UK history.
- The Commodores' Three Times A Lady became the first single to achieve the hat-trick - the No 1 spot in the US pop, RnB and adult charts.