Billboard Hot 100 — December 12, 1981
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 12, 1981. "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John held #1 for a 4th straight week, on its way to 10 weeks on top. 8 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Sweet Dreams" by Air Supply at #74, which would go on to peak at #5. The biggest climber was "Waiting On A Friend" by The Rolling Stones, up 34 places from #70 to #36.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John — 4 weeks at the top so far, 11 weeks on the chart since debuting October 3, 1981.
- New in the top 10: "Harden My Heart" by Quarterflash (up from #14 to #9); "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey (up from #11 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "Atlanta Lady (Something About Your Love)" by Marty Balin, down 36 places from #60 to #96.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie, 23 weeks and counting (peak #1).
- Gone from the chart: "Who's Crying Now" by Journey after 21 weeks (peak #4); "Urgent" by Foreigner after 23 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 | 11 | Physical Olivia Newton-John |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | Waiting For A Girl Like You Foreigner |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic The Police |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | Oh No Commodores |
| 5 | 7 | 5 | 11 | Let's Groove Earth, Wind & Fire |
| 6 | 8 | 6 | 9 | Young Turks Rod Stewart |
| 7 | 5 | 5 | 12 | Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You) Air Supply |
| 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | Why Do Fools Fall In Love Diana Ross |
| 9 | 14 | 9 | 9 | Harden My Heart Quarterflash |
| 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 | Don't Stop Believin' Journey |
| 11 | 12 | 11 | 8 | Leather And Lace Stevie Nicks With Don Henley |
| 12 | 13 | 12 | 8 | Trouble Lindsey Buckingham |
| 13 | 18 | 13 | 5 | I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 14 | 16 | 14 | 6 | Yesterday's Songs Neil Diamond |
| 15 | 19 | 15 | 5 | Comin' In And Out Of Your Life Barbra Streisand |
| 16 | 23 | 16 | 8 | Turn Your Love Around George Benson |
| 17 | 20 | 17 | 9 | The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known) Juice Newton |
| 18 | 6 | 1 | 16 | Private Eyes Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 19 | 22 | 19 | 9 | Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It) Kool & The Gang |
| 20 | 21 | 20 | 16 | Our Lips Are Sealed Go-Go's |
| 21 | 25 | 21 | 6 | Cool Night Paul Davis |
| 22 | 24 | 22 | 12 | My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) Chilliwack |
| 23 | 27 | 23 | 7 | Hooked On Classics Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| 24 | 26 | 24 | 7 | Heart Like A Wheel The Steve Miller Band |
| 25 | 30 | 25 | 6 | Centerfold The J. Geils Band |
| 26 | 28 | 26 | 14 | Steal The Night Stevie Woods |
| 27 | 32 | 27 | 5 | Someone Could Lose A Heart Tonight Eddie Rabbitt |
| 28 | 10 | 2 | 17 | Start Me Up The Rolling Stones |
| 29 | 15 | 15 | 10 | The Old Songs Barry Manilow |
| 30 | 36 | 30 | 8 | I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World Ronnie Milsap |
| 31 | 17 | 1 | 18 | Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross |
| 32 | 43 | 32 | 4 | Shake It Up The Cars |
| 33 | 34 | 33 | 9 | Poor Man's Son Survivor |
| 34 | 29 | 29 | 12 | No Reply At All Genesis |
| 35 | 40 | 35 | 6 | Under Pressure Queen & David Bowie |
| 36 | 70 | 36 | 2 | Waiting On A Friend The Rolling Stones |
| 37 | 52 | 37 | 4 | She's Got A Way Billy Joel |
| 38 | 39 | 38 | 6 | Wrack My Brain Ringo Starr |
| 39 | 31 | 5 | 14 | Tryin' To Live My Life Without You Bob Seger |
| 40 | 44 | 40 | 7 | Castles In The Air Don McLean |
| 41 | 62 | 41 | 4 | Come Go With Me The Beach Boys |
| 42 | 46 | 42 | 7 | More Than Just The Two Of Us Sneaker |
| 43 | 33 | 33 | 10 | Never Too Much Luther Vandross |
| 44 | 37 | 10 | 17 | The Theme From Hill Street Blues Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton |
| 45 | 45 | 45 | 6 | Living Eyes Bee Gees |
| 46 | 42 | 17 | 18 | Just Once Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram |
| 47 | 41 | 8 | 17 | I've Done Everything For You Rick Springfield |
| 48 | 69 | 48 | 3 | You Could Have Been With Me Sheena Easton |
| 49 | 82 | 49 | 2 | Take It Easy On Me Little River Band |
| 50 | 55 | 50 | 5 | Working For The Weekend Loverboy |
| 51 | 35 | 6 | 17 | The Night Owls Little River Band |
| 52 | 48 | 11 | 18 | When She Was My Girl Four Tops |
| 53 | 71 | 53 | 3 | Leader Of The Band Dan Fogelberg |
| 54 | 50 | 25 | 14 | Sausalito Summernight Diesel |
| 55 | 49 | 15 | 20 | We're In This Love Together Al Jarreau |
| 56 | 63 | 56 | 5 | Love In The First Degree Alabama |
| 57 | 64 | 57 | 5 | Key Largo Bertie Higgins |
| 58 | 66 | 58 | 4 | Let Me Love You Once Greg Lake |
| 59 | 67 | 59 | 4 | If I Were You Lulu |
| 60 | 84 | 60 | 2 | Love Is Alright Tonite Rick Springfield |
| 61 | 51 | 4 | 21 | For Your Eyes Only Sheena Easton |
| 62 | 54 | 1 | 23 | Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie |
| 63 | 73 | 63 | 3 | My Kinda Lover Billy Squier |
| 64 | 56 | 16 | 19 | Super Freak (Part I) Rick James |
| 65 | 58 | 22 | 17 | She's A Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) Carl Carlton |
| 66 | 68 | 66 | 4 | Blaze Of Glory Kenny Rogers |
| 67 | 72 | 67 | 4 | Falling In Love Balance |
| 68 | 47 | 37 | 11 | I Want You, I Need You Chris Christian |
| 69 | 38 | 38 | 8 | Twilight Electric Light Orchestra |
| 70 | 53 | 7 | 16 | Hard To Say Dan Fogelberg |
| 71 | 81 | 71 | 2 | Breakin' Away Al Jarreau |
| 72 | 80 | 72 | 3 | Anyone Can See Irene Cara |
| 73 | 59 | 5 | 21 | Step By Step Eddie Rabbitt |
| 74 | NEW | 74 | 1 | Sweet Dreams Air Supply |
| 75 | 57 | 17 | 14 | Say Goodbye To Hollywood Billy Joel |
| 76 | 76 | 70 | 8 | Controversy Prince |
| 77 | 87 | 77 | 2 | The Woman In Me Crystal Gayle |
| 78 | 88 | 78 | 2 | Could It Be Love Jennifer Warnes |
| 79 | 89 | 79 | 2 | Little Darlin' Sheila |
| 80 | NEW | 80 | 1 | All Our Tomorrows Eddie Schwartz |
| 81 | NEW | 81 | 1 | Sea Of Love Del Shannon |
| 82 | 85 | 82 | 4 | Wkrp In Cincinnati Steve Carlisle |
| 83 | 79 | 79 | 6 | I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Part 1) Roger |
| 84 | 86 | 84 | 5 | Walking Into Sunshine Central Line |
| 85 | 90 | 85 | 2 | Runaway Rita Leif Garrett |
| 86 | 65 | 65 | 6 | Talking Out Of Turn The Moody Blues |
| 87 | 61 | 60 | 7 | I'm Just Too Shy Jermaine Jackson |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Keeping Our Love Alive Henry Paul Band |
| 89 | 75 | 14 | 15 | Share Your Love With Me Kenny Rogers |
| 90 | NEW | 76 | 5 | Closer To The Heart Rush |
| 91 | 92 | 91 | 2 | Sharing The Love Rufus With Chaka Khan |
| 92 | NEW | 92 | 1 | A World Without Heroes KISS |
| 93 | NEW | 93 | 1 | Every Home Should Have One Patti Austin |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | Chariots Of Fire - Titles Vangelis |
| 95 | 97 | 95 | 3 | Better Things The Kinks |
| 96 | 60 | 27 | 13 | Atlanta Lady (Something About Your Love) Marty Balin |
| 97 | 74 | 38 | 11 | Promises In The Dark Pat Benatar |
| 98 | 78 | 66 | 7 | The Cowboy And The Lady John Denver |
| 99 | 83 | 51 | 11 | Magic Power Triumph |
| 100 | 77 | 3 | 21 | Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
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