1981 Number One Song Calendar |
| red # = weekly rock chartblue # = pop chart |
| 1 | (Just Like) Starting Over | 1 | 1 | 12-20-80 |
| John Lennon |
 |  |
| 2 | The Tide Is High | 5 | 1 | 1-17-81 |
| Blondie |
| | |
| 3 | Celebration | 1 | 2-07-81 |
| Kool And The Gang |
| | |
| 4 | 9 To 5 | 1 | 2-14-81 |
| Dolly Parton |
| | |
| 5 | Woman | 1 | 1 | 3-07-81 |
| John Lennon |
| | |
| 6 | The Best Of Times | 4 | 1 | 3-14-81 |
| Styx |
| | |
| 7 | Rapture | 13 | 1 | 3-21-81 |
| Blondie |
| | |
| 8 | Kiss On My List | 1 | 4-04-81 |
| Daryl Hall And John Oates |
| | |
| 9 | Just The Two Of Us | 1 | 4-11-81 |
| Grover Washington, Jr. with Bill Withers |
| | |
| 10 | Morning Train (Nine To Five) | 1 | 4-18-81 |
| Sheena Easton |
| | |
| 11 | Being With You | 1 | 5-02-81 |
| Smokey Robinson |
| | |
| 12 | Bette Davis Eyes | 12 | 1 | 5-16-81 |
| Kim Carnes |
| | |
| 13 | Medley | 1 | 6-06-81 |
| Stars On 45 |
| | |
| 14 | Sukiyaki | 1 | 6-13-81 |
| A Taste Of Honey |
| | |
| 15 | All Those Years Ago | 8 | 1 | 6-20-81 |
| George Harrison |
| | |
| 16 | The One That You Love | 1 | 7-04-81 |
| Air Supply |
| | |
| 17 | Believe It Or Not (Theme From Greatest American Hero) | 1 | 7-18-81 |
| Joey Scarbury |
| | |
| 18 | I Don't Need You | 1 | 8-01-81 |
| Kenny Rogers |
| | |
| 19 | Slow Hand | 1 | 8-08-81 |
| Pointer Sisters |
| | |
| 20 | Endless Love | 1 | 8-15-81 |
| Diana Ross & Lionel Richie |
| | |
| 21 | Lady (You Bring Me Up) | 1 | 8-29-81 |
| Commodores |
| | |
| 22 | Who's Crying Now | 2 | 1 | 9-05-81 |
| Journey |
| | |
| 23 | Stop Draggin' My Heart Around | 1 | 1 | 9-19-81 |
| Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
| | |
| 24 | Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) | 1 | 10-03-81 |
| Christopher Cross |
| | |
| 25 | Private Eyes | 1 | 10-24-81 |
| Daryl Hall And John Oates |
| | |
| 26 | Hard To Say | 19 | 1 | 10-31-81 |
| Dan Fogelberg |
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| 11-07-81 |
| Private Eyes by Daryl Hall And John Oates returns to number one |
| 27 | Waiting For A Girl Like You | 1 | 1 | 11-14-81 |
| Foreigner |
| | |
| 28 | Physical | 1 | 11-21-81 |
| Olivia Newton-John |
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| 29 | Oh No | 1 | 12-05-81 |
| Commodores |
| | |
| 12-12-81 |
| Physical by Olivia Newton-John returns to number one |
| 30 | Young Turks | 20 | 1 | 12-19-81 |
| Rod Stewart |
| | |
| 31 | I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) | 1 | 12-26-81 |
| Daryl Hall And John Oates |
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