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