The 1st Golden Raspberry Awards were held on March 31, 1981, at founder John J. B. Wilson's living room alcove to recognize the worst the film industry had to offer in 1980. For it was a double feature of Can't Stop the Music, winner of Worst Picture, and Xanadu that inspired Wilson to start the Razzies. Each category included as many as ten nominees; the maximum was lowered to five the following year to mirror the Oscars. "There was a fake stage in John's apartment," remembers Maureen Murphy, who was a presenter.

John J. B. Wilson is an American copywriter and publicist. He majored in film and television at University of California, Los Angeles, and after graduation worked on film marketing campaigns.