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