Billboard Hot 100 — September 12, 1981
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of September 12, 1981. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie held #1 for a 5th straight week, on its way to 9 weeks on top. 10 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Tryin' To Live My Life Without You" by Bob Seger at #61, which would go on to peak at #5. The biggest climber was "Private Eyes" by Daryl Hall John Oates, up 20 places from #54 to #34.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie — 5 weeks at the top so far, 10 weeks on the chart since debuting July 11, 1981.
- New in the top 10: "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross (up from #24 to #9); "Step By Step" by Eddie Rabbitt (up from #12 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "Boy From New York City" by The Manhattan Transfer, down 32 places from #14 to #46.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield, 25 weeks and counting (peak #1).
- Gone from the chart: "All Those Years Ago" by George Harrison after 16 weeks (peak #2); "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" by Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio after 27 weeks (peak #4).
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 | 10 | Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 16 | Slow Hand The Pointer Sisters |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 11 | Urgent Foreigner |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 12 | (There's) No Gettin' Over Me Ronnie Milsap |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 16 | Queen Of Hearts Juice Newton |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | Who's Crying Now Journey |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 13 | Lady (You Bring Me Up) Commodores |
| 9 | 24 | 9 | 5 | Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross |
| 10 | 12 | 10 | 8 | Step By Step Eddie Rabbitt |
| 11 | 9 | 1 | 25 | Jessie's Girl Rick Springfield |
| 12 | 10 | 2 | 19 | Theme From "Greatest American Hero" (Believe It or Not) Joey Scarbury |
| 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | Cool Love Pablo Cruise |
| 14 | 18 | 14 | 8 | Hold On Tight Electric Light Orchestra |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) Greg Kihn Band |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 11 | Really Wanna Know You Gary Wright |
| 17 | 17 | 17 | 9 | Fire And Ice Pat Benatar |
| 18 | 19 | 18 | 8 | The Beach Boys Medley The Beach Boys |
| 19 | 29 | 19 | 4 | Start Me Up The Rolling Stones |
| 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | Feels So Right Alabama |
| 21 | 21 | 21 | 10 | That Old Song Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio |
| 22 | 22 | 22 | 6 | The Voice The Moody Blues |
| 23 | 23 | 23 | 8 | For Your Eyes Only Sheena Easton |
| 24 | 25 | 24 | 7 | I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do) Lulu |
| 25 | 28 | 25 | 6 | In Your Letter REO Speedwagon |
| 26 | 26 | 26 | 13 | Love On A Two Way Street Stacy Lattisaw |
| 27 | 30 | 27 | 10 | Breaking Away Balance |
| 28 | 40 | 28 | 4 | The Night Owls Little River Band |
| 29 | 33 | 29 | 6 | Super Freak (Part I) Rick James |
| 30 | 32 | 30 | 6 | Draw Of The Cards Kim Carnes |
| 31 | 11 | 3 | 14 | I Don't Need You Kenny Rogers |
| 32 | 47 | 32 | 2 | Share Your Love With Me Kenny Rogers |
| 33 | 37 | 33 | 8 | You Could Take My Heart Away Silver Condor |
| 34 | 54 | 34 | 3 | Private Eyes Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 35 | 36 | 35 | 8 | Chloe Elton John |
| 36 | 43 | 36 | 4 | I've Done Everything For You Rick Springfield |
| 37 | 38 | 37 | 14 | Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone) John Denver |
| 38 | 42 | 38 | 8 | General Hospi-tale The Afternoon Delights |
| 39 | 44 | 39 | 7 | We're In This Love Together Al Jarreau |
| 40 | 45 | 40 | 8 | I'm In Love Evelyn King |
| 41 | 49 | 41 | 5 | Just Once Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram |
| 42 | 46 | 42 | 6 | Straight From The Heart The Allman Brothers Band |
| 43 | 50 | 43 | 5 | When She Was My Girl Four Tops |
| 44 | 48 | 44 | 5 | Backfired Debbie Harry |
| 45 | 58 | 45 | 3 | Hard To Say Dan Fogelberg |
| 46 | 14 | 7 | 17 | Boy From New York City The Manhattan Transfer |
| 47 | 27 | 8 | 17 | Hearts Marty Balin |
| 48 | 64 | 48 | 4 | She's A Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) Carl Carlton |
| 49 | 51 | 49 | 7 | Tempted Squeeze |
| 50 | 52 | 50 | 8 | Square Biz Teena Marie |
| 51 | 55 | 51 | 5 | All I Have To Do Is Dream Andy Gibb & Victoria Principal |
| 52 | 60 | 52 | 5 | Burnin' For You Blue Oyster Cult |
| 53 | 31 | 5 | 18 | Elvira The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 54 | 61 | 54 | 5 | Silly Deniece Williams |
| 55 | 57 | 55 | 8 | Heavy Metal (Takin' A Ride) Don Felder |
| 56 | 56 | 56 | 6 | The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Nielsen/Pearson |
| 57 | 63 | 57 | 4 | The Theme From Hill Street Blues Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton |
| 58 | 69 | 58 | 3 | Love All The Hurt Away Aretha Franklin And George Benson |
| 59 | 34 | 14 | 16 | It's Now Or Never John Schneider |
| 60 | 35 | 26 | 10 | Don't Give It Up Robbie Patton |
| 61 | NEW | 61 | 1 | Tryin' To Live My Life Without You Bob Seger |
| 62 | 62 | 17 | 18 | The Stroke Billy Squier |
| 63 | 75 | 63 | 3 | Alien Atlanta Rhythm Section |
| 64 | 66 | 64 | 6 | Falling In Love Again Michael Stanley Band |
| 65 | 67 | 65 | 6 | Dedicated To The One I Love Bernadette Peters |
| 66 | 80 | 66 | 3 | Our Lips Are Sealed Go-Go's |
| 67 | 39 | 39 | 12 | Nicole Point Blank |
| 68 | 68 | 68 | 6 | A Heart In New York Art Garfunkel |
| 69 | 79 | 69 | 2 | Just Be My Lady Larry Graham |
| 70 | NEW | 70 | 1 | Say Goodbye To Hollywood Billy Joel |
| 71 | 41 | 27 | 11 | You're My Girl Franke & The Knockouts |
| 72 | 53 | 32 | 12 | Everlasting Love Rex Smith/Rachel Sweet |
| 73 | 76 | 73 | 4 | Not Fade Away Eric Hine |
| 74 | 59 | 19 | 16 | In The Air Tonight Phil Collins |
| 75 | 77 | 55 | 10 | You Don't Know Me Mickey Gilley |
| 76 | 65 | 16 | 13 | Touch Me When We're Dancing Carpenters |
| 77 | 87 | 77 | 2 | Working In The Coal Mine Devo |
| 78 | 70 | 70 | 6 | Shake It Up Tonight Cheryl Lynn |
| 79 | 71 | 1 | 18 | The One That You Love Air Supply |
| 80 | 84 | 80 | 2 | Magic Man Herb Alpert |
| 81 | 72 | 30 | 18 | Double Dutch Bus Frankie Smith |
| 82 | NEW | 82 | 1 | Steal The Night Stevie Woods |
| 83 | NEW | 83 | 1 | You Saved My Soul Burton Cummings |
| 84 | 73 | 15 | 22 | Time The Alan Parsons Project |
| 85 | NEW | 85 | 1 | In The Dark Billy Squier |
| 86 | NEW | 86 | 1 | Sausalito Summernight Diesel |
| 87 | 74 | 56 | 7 | The Sensitive Kind Santana |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | (Want You) Back In My Life Again Carpenters |
| 89 | NEW | 89 | 1 | You've Got A Good Love Coming Van Stephenson |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | Stay Awake Ronnie Laws |
| 91 | NEW | 91 | 1 | Let's Dance (Make Your Body Move) West Street Mob |
| 92 | 92 | 48 | 10 | Stranger Jefferson Starship |
| 93 | 78 | 1 | 25 | Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes |
| 94 | 81 | 5 | 20 | You Make My Dreams Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 95 | 82 | 62 | 7 | We Can Get Together Icehouse |
| 96 | 83 | 19 | 20 | Sweet Baby Stanley Clarke/George Duke |
| 97 | 85 | 32 | 16 | Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through Jim Steinman |
| 98 | 89 | 12 | 15 | Gemini Dream The Moody Blues |
| 99 | 90 | 90 | 5 | Very Special Debra Laws |
| 100 | 91 | 24 | 14 | Don't Let Him Go REO Speedwagon |
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