3 March - Disgraced glam rock singer Gary Glitter is convicted of sexually abusing two young girls at his villa in Vietnam and is sentenced to three years in jail.
30 July – The last weekly edition of the British television chart show, Top of the Pops, is broadcast.
2 August – Anthony Payne's reconstruction of Pomp and Circumstance March No. 6 by Edward Elgar from the composer's sketches, gets its world premiere at the Proms.
26 October – Duran Duran lead guitarist Andy Taylor once again leaves the band after a series of disagreements surrounding their latest album, which was still incomplete by the year's end. Reasons given are his disapproval of the usage of both Timbaland and Justin Timberlake in the creation of the band's album. The band hires an interim guitarist to supplant Taylor, with no real replacement being announced.
31 October – The Who release Endless Wire, their first studio album for 24 years.