Every Number One Song in 1981 in Pop Music in Tunetimeline® Chronological Order

1981 included number one songs by the recently assassinated former The Beatles member John Lennon, and other songs by Blondie, Kool And The Gang, Eddie Rabbitt, sleeper group REO Speedwagon, Dolly Parton, Styx, Daryl Hall And John Oates, Grover Washington, Jr., Bill Withers, newcomer Sheena Easton, Smokey Robinson, Kim Carnes, newcomer Stars On 45, A Taste Of Honey, George Harrison, Air Supply, long-absent singer Rick Springfield, Joey Scarbury, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Commodores, Journey, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Dan Fogelberg, Foreigner, Olivia Newton-John, and Rod Stewart.

Tunecaster® presents this EVERY NUMBER ONE SONG IN 1981 chronological discography. Hear music samples by clicking on the speaker icons. See the pop or rock top 20 where a song peaked by clicking on an underlined peak. See all Weekly Top 20 Countdowns for 1980s pop, 1980s rock, 1990s pop, and 1990s rock. Find an artist discography. View the Tunecaster homepage. Search the site for something more specific at the bottom of this page.

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early play

peak play

hear

US

NY

Rock

#

title

artist

Nov 1980

Dec 1980

1

1

1

1

(Just Like) Starting Over

John Lennon

Nov 1980

Jan 1981

1

1

6

2

The Tide Is High

Blondie

Oct 1980

Feb 1981

1

1

3

Celebration

Kool And The Gang

Nov 1980

Feb 1981

1

2

4

I Love A Rainy Night

Eddie Rabbitt

Dec 1980

Feb 1981

1

2

1

5

Keep On Loving You

REO Speedwagon

Dec 1980

Feb 1981

1

1

6

9 To 5

Dolly Parton

Jan 1981

Mar 1981

2

1

1

7

Woman

John Lennon

Jan 1981

Mar 1981

3

1

4

8

The Best Of Times

Styx

Feb 1981

Mar 1981

1

1

13

9

Rapture

Blondie

Jan 1981

Apr 1981

1

1

10

Kiss On My List

Daryl Hall And John Oates

Feb 1981

Apr 1981

2

1

11

Just The Two Of Us

Grover Washington, Jr./Bill Withers

Feb 1981

Apr 1981

1

1

12

Morning Train (Nine To Five)

Sheena Easton

Feb 1981

May 1981

2

1

13

Being With You

Smokey Robinson

Apr 1981

May 1981

1

1

12

14

Bette Davis Eyes

Kim Carnes

Apr 1981

Jun 1981

1

1

15

Stars On 45

Stars On 45

Mar 1981

Jun 1981

3

1

16

Sukiyaki

A Taste Of Honey

May 1981

Jun 1981

2

1

8

17

All Those Years Ago

George Harrison

May 1981

Jul 1981

1

1

18

The One That You Love

Air Supply

Apr 1981

Jul 1981

1

2

17

19

Jessie's Girl

Rick Springfield

May 1981

Jul 1981

2

1

20

Theme From Greatest American Hero (Believe It Or Not)

Joey Scarbury

Jun 1981

Aug 1981

3

1

21

I Don't Need You

Kenny Rogers

Jun 1981

Aug 1981

2

1

22

Slow Hand

Pointer Sisters

Jul 1981

Aug 1981

1

1

23

Endless Love

Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

Jun 1981

Sep 1981

8

1

24

Lady (You Bring Me Up)

Commodores

Jul 1981

Sep 1981

4

1

2

25

Who's Crying Now

Journey

Jul 1981

Sep 1981

3

1

1

26

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around

Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Aug 1981

Oct 1981

1

1

27

Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)

Christopher Cross

Sep 1981

Oct 1981

1

1

28

Private Eyes

Daryl Hall And John Oates

Sep 1981

Nov 1981

7

1

19

29

Hard To Say

Dan Fogelberg

Oct 1981

Nov 1981