Famous Birthdays
- Maxi Rodríguez, soccer midfielder (57 caps; Atlético Madrid, Newell's Old Boys), born in Rosario, Argentina
- Pedrie Wannenburg, South African rugby union flanker (20 Tests; Bulls, Ulster, Castres, Oyonnax), born in Nelspruit, South Africa (d. 2022)
Famous Deaths
- David Lynch, American singer (Platters - "Twilight Time"; "Only You"; "The Great Pretender"), dies of cancer at 51
Died in 1981 1981 Highlights
About January 2, 1981
Day of the Week: Friday
How Long Ago? 43 years, 6 months and 10 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Millennial
Chinese Zodiac: Monkey
Star Sign: Capricorn
Holidays: Day after New Year's Day (New Zealand), New Year Holiday (United Kingdom)
Music Charts
#1 Song: (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
#1 Song: There's No One Quite Like Grandma - St Winifred's School Choir