Billboard Hot 100 — August 15, 1981
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of August 15, 1981. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie climbed from #2 to take over the #1 spot from "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield, which had held it for 2 weeks, on its way to 9 weeks on top. 9 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross at #71, which would go on to peak at #1. The biggest climber was "Draw Of The Cards" by Kim Carnes, up 19 places from #72 to #53.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie — 1 week at the top so far, 6 weeks on the chart since debuting July 11, 1981.
- New in the top 10: "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" by Ronnie Milsap (up from #11 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "America" by Neil Diamond, down 38 places from #55 to #93.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "I Love You" by Climax Blues Band, 26 weeks and counting (peak #12).
- Stories that mention this week: Once and Done: The Acts Whose Only Hot 100 Hit Went to Number One · Hitsville, Counted: Motown by the Numbers, 1961–1990.
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 | 2 | 1 | 6 | Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 15 | Theme From "Greatest American Hero" (Believe It or Not) Joey Scarbury |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | I Don't Need You Kenny Rogers |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 21 | Jessie's Girl Rick Springfield |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 14 | Elvira The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | Slow Hand The Pointer Sisters |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 13 | Boy From New York City The Manhattan Transfer |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 13 | Hearts Marty Balin |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | Queen Of Hearts Juice Newton |
| 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | (There's) No Gettin' Over Me Ronnie Milsap |
| 11 | 14 | 11 | 9 | Lady (You Bring Me Up) Commodores |
| 12 | 10 | 1 | 14 | The One That You Love Air Supply |
| 13 | 22 | 13 | 5 | Who's Crying Now Journey |
| 14 | 17 | 14 | 12 | It's Now Or Never John Schneider |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | 18 | Time The Alan Parsons Project |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 9 | Touch Me When We're Dancing Carpenters |
| 17 | 18 | 17 | 14 | The Stroke Billy Squier |
| 18 | 20 | 18 | 7 | Urgent Foreigner |
| 19 | 21 | 19 | 12 | In The Air Tonight Phil Collins |
| 20 | 23 | 20 | 7 | Cool Love Pablo Cruise |
| 21 | 25 | 21 | 4 | Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
| 22 | 12 | 1 | 21 | Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes |
| 23 | 29 | 23 | 7 | Really Wanna Know You Gary Wright |
| 24 | 26 | 24 | 5 | Fire And Ice Pat Benatar |
| 25 | 27 | 25 | 13 | The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) Greg Kihn Band |
| 26 | 30 | 26 | 11 | Feels So Right Alabama |
| 27 | 38 | 27 | 4 | Step By Step Eddie Rabbitt |
| 28 | 32 | 28 | 6 | Don't Give It Up Robbie Patton |
| 29 | 36 | 29 | 7 | You're My Girl Franke & The Knockouts |
| 30 | 31 | 30 | 14 | Double Dutch Bus Frankie Smith |
| 31 | 34 | 31 | 9 | Love On A Two Way Street Stacy Lattisaw |
| 32 | 33 | 32 | 12 | Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through Jim Steinman |
| 33 | 39 | 33 | 4 | Hold On Tight Electric Light Orchestra |
| 34 | 37 | 34 | 8 | Everlasting Love Rex Smith/Rachel Sweet |
| 35 | 35 | 35 | 9 | Don't Want To Wait Anymore The Tubes |
| 36 | 40 | 36 | 6 | That Old Song Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio |
| 37 | 45 | 37 | 4 | The Beach Boys Medley The Beach Boys |
| 38 | 13 | 5 | 16 | You Make My Dreams Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 39 | 56 | 39 | 2 | The Voice The Moody Blues |
| 40 | 46 | 40 | 6 | Breaking Away Balance |
| 41 | 41 | 41 | 7 | Nightwalker Gino Vannelli |
| 42 | 43 | 42 | 9 | Fly Away Blackfoot |
| 43 | 19 | 19 | 16 | Sweet Baby Stanley Clarke/George Duke |
| 44 | 24 | 24 | 10 | Don't Let Him Go REO Speedwagon |
| 45 | 47 | 45 | 8 | Nicole Point Blank |
| 46 | 59 | 46 | 3 | I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do) Lulu |
| 47 | 61 | 47 | 4 | For Your Eyes Only Sheena Easton |
| 48 | 48 | 48 | 6 | Stranger Jefferson Starship |
| 49 | 58 | 49 | 4 | You Could Take My Heart Away Silver Condor |
| 50 | 28 | 12 | 11 | Gemini Dream The Moody Blues |
| 51 | 42 | 2 | 13 | All Those Years Ago George Harrison |
| 52 | 44 | 1 | 19 | Medley Stars On 45 |
| 53 | 72 | 53 | 2 | Draw Of The Cards Kim Carnes |
| 54 | 69 | 54 | 10 | Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone) John Denver |
| 55 | 66 | 55 | 4 | Chloe Elton John |
| 56 | 63 | 56 | 4 | General Hospi-tale The Afternoon Delights |
| 57 | 60 | 57 | 6 | You Don't Know Me Mickey Gilley |
| 58 | 62 | 58 | 4 | Square Biz Teena Marie |
| 59 | 64 | 59 | 4 | Heavy Metal (Takin' A Ride) Don Felder |
| 60 | 49 | 18 | 15 | Modern Girl Sheena Easton |
| 61 | 71 | 61 | 4 | I'm In Love Evelyn King |
| 62 | 50 | 4 | 24 | A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio |
| 63 | 73 | 63 | 3 | Tempted Squeeze |
| 64 | 74 | 64 | 2 | Super Freak (Part I) Rick James |
| 65 | 75 | 65 | 3 | The Sensitive Kind Santana |
| 66 | 82 | 66 | 2 | In Your Letter REO Speedwagon |
| 67 | 79 | 67 | 2 | Straight From The Heart The Allman Brothers Band |
| 68 | 68 | 68 | 4 | You're Mine Tonight Pure Prairie League |
| 69 | 77 | 69 | 3 | We Can Get Together Icehouse |
| 70 | 78 | 70 | 3 | We're In This Love Together Al Jarreau |
| 71 | NEW | 71 | 1 | Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross |
| 72 | 51 | 22 | 17 | Seven Year Ache Rosanne Cash |
| 73 | 83 | 73 | 2 | A Heart In New York Art Garfunkel |
| 74 | 52 | 11 | 17 | This Little Girl Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 75 | NEW | 75 | 1 | Backfired Debbie Harry |
| 76 | 84 | 76 | 2 | Falling In Love Again Michael Stanley Band |
| 77 | 87 | 77 | 2 | Dedicated To The One I Love Bernadette Peters |
| 78 | 88 | 78 | 2 | Shake It Up Tonight Cheryl Lynn |
| 79 | 80 | 79 | 3 | A Woman In Love (It's Not Me) Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
| 80 | 90 | 80 | 2 | The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Nielsen/Pearson |
| 81 | NEW | 81 | 1 | All I Have To Do Is Dream Andy Gibb & Victoria Principal |
| 82 | 53 | 44 | 11 | Tom Sawyer Rush |
| 83 | 85 | 83 | 2 | It's Just The Sun Don McLean |
| 84 | NEW | 84 | 1 | Just Once Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram |
| 85 | NEW | 85 | 1 | When She Was My Girl Four Tops |
| 86 | 86 | 86 | 2 | Just Like Paradise Larry John McNally |
| 87 | NEW | 87 | 1 | Burnin' For You Blue Oyster Cult |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Silly Deniece Williams |
| 89 | 89 | 89 | 2 | Hold Tight Change |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | La-Di-Da Sad Cafe |
| 91 | 54 | 54 | 6 | Nothing Ever Goes As Planned Styx |
| 92 | 93 | 40 | 12 | Give It To Me Baby Rick James |
| 93 | 55 | 8 | 17 | America Neil Diamond |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | Very Special Debra Laws |
| 95 | 57 | 12 | 26 | I Love You Climax Blues Band |
| 96 | 65 | 65 | 5 | Jolé Blon Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 97 | 67 | 67 | 5 | Medley II Stars On 45 |
| 98 | 70 | 70 | 5 | Pay You Back With Interest Gary O' |
| 99 | 76 | 76 | 6 | Secrets Mac Davis |
| 100 | 91 | 3 | 24 | Sukiyaki A Taste Of Honey |
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