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Billboard Hot 100 Charts of 1981

Browse every weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart from 1981 — 52 charts in all. 17 different songs reached #1 during the year. The song that spent the most weeks at #1 during 1981 was "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes (9 weeks on top). Kim Carnes held the #1 spot for the most weeks of any artist that year.

52weekly charts
17different #1 songs
9weeks at #1 for the year's biggest song
32weeks on the chart for the year's longest-running debut

Number-one songs of 1981

Reached #1Weeks at #1SongArtist
December 27, 1980 (continued from 1980)5(Just Like) Starting OverJohn Lennon
January 31, 19811The Tide Is HighBlondie
February 7, 19812CelebrationKool & The Gang
February 21, 198119 To 5Dolly Parton
February 28, 19812I Love A Rainy NightEddie Rabbitt
March 14, 198119 To 5Dolly Parton
March 21, 19811Keep On Loving YouREO Speedwagon
March 28, 19812RaptureBlondie
April 11, 19813Kiss On My ListDaryl Hall John Oates
May 2, 19812Morning Train (Nine To Five)Sheena Easton
May 16, 19815Bette Davis EyesKim Carnes
June 20, 19811MedleyStars On 45
June 27, 19814Bette Davis EyesKim Carnes
July 25, 19811The One That You LoveAir Supply
August 1, 19812Jessie's GirlRick Springfield
August 15, 19819Endless LoveDiana Ross & Lionel Richie
October 17, 19813Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)Christopher Cross
November 7, 19812Private EyesDaryl Hall John Oates
November 21, 198110PhysicalOlivia Newton-John

Artists with the most weeks at #1 in 1981

  1. Kim Carnes — 9 weeks
  2. Diana Ross & Lionel Richie — 9 weeks
  3. Olivia Newton-John — 6 weeks
  4. Daryl Hall John Oates — 5 weeks
  5. John Lennon — 4 weeks

Longest-running hits that debuted in 1981

Weeks on chartPeakSongArtistDebuted
32#1Jessie's GirlRick SpringfieldMarch 28, 1981
30#20Our Lips Are SealedGo-Go'sAugust 29, 1981
29#8Key LargoBertie HigginsNovember 14, 1981
28#1Chariots Of Fire - TitlesVangelisDecember 12, 1981
27#1Endless LoveDiana Ross & Lionel RichieJuly 11, 1981
27#2Queen Of HeartsJuice NewtonMay 30, 1981
27#4A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)Ray Parker Jr. & RaydioMarch 7, 1981
27#12I Love YouClimax Blues BandFebruary 21, 1981
26#1Bette Davis EyesKim CarnesMarch 28, 1981
26#1PhysicalOlivia Newton-JohnOctober 3, 1981

Every chart from 1981

January 3, 1981 January 10, 1981 January 17, 1981 January 24, 1981 January 31, 1981 February 7, 1981 February 14, 1981 February 21, 1981 February 28, 1981 March 7, 1981 March 14, 1981 March 21, 1981 March 28, 1981 April 4, 1981 April 11, 1981 April 18, 1981 April 25, 1981 May 2, 1981 May 9, 1981 May 16, 1981 May 23, 1981 May 30, 1981 June 6, 1981 June 13, 1981 June 20, 1981 June 27, 1981 July 4, 1981 July 11, 1981 July 18, 1981 July 25, 1981 August 1, 1981 August 8, 1981 August 15, 1981 August 22, 1981 August 29, 1981 September 5, 1981 September 12, 1981 September 19, 1981 September 26, 1981 October 3, 1981 October 10, 1981 October 17, 1981 October 24, 1981 October 31, 1981 November 7, 1981 November 14, 1981 November 21, 1981 November 28, 1981 December 5, 1981 December 12, 1981 December 19, 1981 December 26, 1981
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