Billboard Hot 100 — May 16, 1981
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of May 16, 1981. "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes climbed from #5 to take over the #1 spot from "Morning Train (Nine To Five)" by Sheena Easton, which had held it for 2 weeks, on its way to 5 weeks on top (it would total 9 weeks at #1 across 2 separate runs). 9 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "The One That You Love" by Air Supply at #59, which would go on to peak at #1. The biggest climber was "You Make My Dreams" by Daryl Hall John Oates, up 29 places from #67 to #38.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes — 1 week at the top so far, 8 weeks on the chart since debuting March 28, 1981.
- New in the top 10: "Too Much Time On My Hands" by Styx (up from #12 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)" by Journey, down 32 places from #53 to #85.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang, 30 weeks and counting (peak #1).
- Gone from the chart: "The Tide Is High" by Blondie after 26 weeks (peak #1).
- Stories that mention this week: Gone Sixteen Months: How "The Twist" Reached Number One Twice.
TW = this week, LW = last week (NEW = first week on the chart), Peak = highest position reached up to this week, Wks = weeks on the chart up to this week.
| TW | LW | Peak | Wks | Song / Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 | Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | Just The Two Of Us Grover Washington, Jr. With Bill Withers |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | Being With You Smokey Robinson |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | Angel Of The Morning Juice Newton |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | Morning Train (Nine To Five) Sheena Easton |
| 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | Take It On The Run REO Speedwagon |
| 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | Living Inside Myself Gino Vannelli |
| 8 | 9 | 8 | 11 | Sukiyaki A Taste Of Honey |
| 9 | 6 | 1 | 17 | Kiss On My List Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | Too Much Time On My Hands Styx |
| 11 | 13 | 11 | 8 | Watching The Wheels John Lennon |
| 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | I Can't Stand It Eric Clapton And His Band |
| 13 | 16 | 13 | 11 | Sweetheart Franke & The Knockouts |
| 14 | 21 | 14 | 6 | Medley Stars On 45 |
| 15 | 20 | 15 | 11 | A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio |
| 16 | 19 | 16 | 14 | How 'bout Us Champaign |
| 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | Ain't Even Done With The Night John Cougar |
| 18 | 18 | 18 | 9 | You Better You Bet The Who |
| 19 | 22 | 19 | 13 | I Love You Climax Blues Band |
| 20 | 27 | 20 | 4 | America Neil Diamond |
| 21 | 23 | 21 | 9 | I Missed Again Phil Collins |
| 22 | 24 | 22 | 8 | Say You'll Be Mine Christopher Cross |
| 23 | 25 | 23 | 8 | What Are We Doin' In Love Dottie West with Kenny Rogers |
| 24 | 26 | 24 | 8 | Love You Like I Never Loved Before John O'Banion |
| 25 | 31 | 25 | 4 | This Little Girl Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 26 | 30 | 26 | 6 | Since I Don't Have You Don McLean |
| 27 | 28 | 27 | 12 | Hold On Loosely 38 Special |
| 28 | 29 | 13 | 18 | Somebody's Knockin' Terri Gibbs |
| 29 | 11 | 11 | 10 | Her Town Too James Taylor & J.D. Souther |
| 30 | 32 | 30 | 7 | Find Your Way Back Jefferson Starship |
| 31 | 14 | 1 | 16 | Rapture Blondie |
| 32 | 39 | 32 | 6 | Ai No Corrida (I-No-Ko-ree-da) Quincy Jones |
| 33 | 38 | 33 | 8 | Jessie's Girl Rick Springfield |
| 34 | 36 | 34 | 8 | Blessed Are The Believers Anne Murray |
| 35 | 15 | 7 | 15 | While You See A Chance Steve Winwood |
| 36 | 33 | 10 | 15 | Don't Stand So Close To Me The Police |
| 37 | 41 | 37 | 10 | I Loved 'em Every One T.G. Sheppard |
| 38 | 67 | 38 | 3 | You Make My Dreams Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 39 | 48 | 39 | 3 | The Waiting Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
| 40 | 45 | 40 | 6 | Winning Santana |
| 41 | 43 | 41 | 7 | But You Know I Love You Dolly Parton |
| 42 | 35 | 1 | 25 | Keep On Loving You REO Speedwagon |
| 43 | 57 | 43 | 4 | Just So Lonely Get Wet |
| 44 | 55 | 44 | 5 | Still Right Here In My Heart Pure Prairie League |
| 45 | 54 | 45 | 5 | Fool In Love With You Jim Photoglo |
| 46 | 46 | 46 | 7 | Super Trouper ABBA |
| 47 | 56 | 47 | 5 | Time The Alan Parsons Project |
| 48 | 65 | 48 | 4 | Is It You Lee Ritenour |
| 49 | 59 | 49 | 5 | I've Been Waiting For You All Of My Life Paul Anka |
| 50 | 60 | 50 | 4 | Give A Little Bit More Cliff Richard |
| 51 | 34 | 2 | 18 | Woman John Lennon |
| 52 | 62 | 52 | 4 | I Can Take Care Of Myself Billy & The Beaters |
| 53 | 66 | 53 | 4 | Say What Jesse Winchester |
| 54 | 37 | 37 | 13 | Wasn't That A Party The Rovers |
| 55 | 58 | 55 | 5 | One Day In Your Life Michael Jackson |
| 56 | 68 | 56 | 4 | Seven Year Ache Rosanne Cash |
| 57 | 71 | 57 | 2 | Nobody Wins Elton John |
| 58 | 63 | 58 | 5 | Hurry Up And Wait The Isley Brothers |
| 59 | NEW | 59 | 1 | The One That You Love Air Supply |
| 60 | 70 | 60 | 5 | You Like Me Don't You Jermaine Jackson |
| 61 | 42 | 3 | 17 | The Best Of Times Styx |
| 62 | 44 | 5 | 17 | Crying Don McLean |
| 63 | 47 | 21 | 15 | Just Between You And Me April Wine |
| 64 | 64 | 64 | 6 | Lately Stevie Wonder |
| 65 | 69 | 65 | 4 | Make That Move Shalamar |
| 66 | 73 | 66 | 3 | Sweet Baby Stanley Clarke/George Duke |
| 67 | 81 | 67 | 2 | Modern Girl Sheena Easton |
| 68 | 40 | 22 | 10 | Time Out Of Mind Steely Dan |
| 69 | 50 | 19 | 15 | Don't Stop The Music Yarbrough & Peoples |
| 70 | 80 | 70 | 3 | Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Phoebe Snow |
| 71 | 82 | 71 | 2 | Arc Of A Diver Steve Winwood |
| 72 | 49 | 28 | 14 | It's A Love Thing The Whispers |
| 73 | 85 | 73 | 2 | Theme From "Greatest American Hero" (Believe It or Not) Joey Scarbury |
| 74 | 51 | 35 | 16 | Turn Me Loose Loverboy |
| 75 | 52 | 37 | 12 | Mister Sandman Emmylou Harris |
| 76 | 86 | 76 | 2 | You're So Easy To Love Tommy James |
| 77 | 79 | 77 | 3 | Can You Feel It The Jacksons |
| 78 | NEW | 78 | 1 | Elvira The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 79 | 87 | 79 | 2 | Almost Saturday Night Dave Edmunds |
| 80 | 88 | 80 | 2 | Lovin' The Night Away The Dillman Band |
| 81 | 89 | 81 | 3 | Shaddap You Face Joe Dolce |
| 82 | 90 | 82 | 2 | Next Time You'll Know Sister Sledge |
| 83 | NEW | 83 | 1 | Stronger Than Before Carole Bayer Sager |
| 84 | NEW | 84 | 1 | The Stroke Billy Squier |
| 85 | 53 | 34 | 12 | The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love) Journey |
| 86 | NEW | 86 | 1 | Double Dutch Bus Frankie Smith |
| 87 | NEW | 87 | 1 | What Cha' Gonna Do For Me Chaka Khan |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Two Hearts Stephanie Mills Featuring Teddy Pendergrass |
| 89 | NEW | 89 | 1 | Jones Vs. Jones Kool & The Gang |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | Rain In May Max Werner |
| 91 | 61 | 1 | 25 | 9 To 5 Dolly Parton |
| 92 | 72 | 1 | 30 | Celebration Kool & The Gang |
| 93 | 74 | 10 | 16 | What Kind Of Fool Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb |
| 94 | 76 | 6 | 16 | Hello Again Neil Diamond |
| 95 | 75 | 1 | 28 | I Love A Rainy Night Eddie Rabbitt |
| 96 | 84 | 18 | 18 | Treat Me Right Pat Benatar |
| 97 | 83 | 45 | 10 | Lonely Together Barry Manilow |
| 98 | 77 | 56 | 7 | I Don't Need You Rupert Holmes |
| 99 | 92 | 8 | 26 | The Winner Takes It All ABBA |
| 100 | 91 | 72 | 6 | Seduced Leon Redbone |
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