The Top 200 Hits of 1981

[List555644] | +3

I created these lists by combining data from the respective singles charts of Billboard, Cash Box, and Music Vendor/Record World magazines. I determined the rankings through a point system based on a single's peak position and weeks on the chart.

For songs that peaked in December and January, I decided on what year to put them in by when they dropped from their peak position. For example, the Monkees' "I'm A Believer" hit #1 the final week of 1966 and stayed there for the first six weeks of 1967. As such, "I'm A Believer' appears on my 1967 year-end survey.

All entries are for the "A" side only, unless otherwise indicated.

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1		1.Diana Ross & Lionel Richie Endless Love (1981) [Single]
2		2.Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes / Miss You Tonite (1981) [Single]
3		3.John Lennon / Yoko Ono (Just Like) Starting Over / Kiss, Kiss, Kiss (1980) [Single]
4		4.Christopher Cross Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) / Minstrel Gigolo (1981) [Single]
5		5.Juice Newton Queen of Hearts / River of Love (1981) [Single]
6		6.Sheena Easton Morning Train (Nine to Five) / Calm Before the Storm (1981) [Single]
7		7.Rick Springfield Jessie's Girl / Carry Me Away (1981) [Single]
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8		8.Dolly Parton 9 to 5 / Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You (1980) [Single]
9		9.Kool & The Gang Celebration / Morning Star (1980) [Single]
10		10.Eddie Rabbitt I Love a Rainy Night / Short Road to Love (1980) [Single]
11		11.Blondie The Tide Is High / Susie and Jeffrey (1980) [Single]
12		12.REO Speedwagon Keep On Loving You / Follow My Heart (1980) [Single]
13		13.Daryl Hall & John Oates Private Eyes / Tell Me What You Want (1981) [Single]
14		14.Blondie Rapture / Walk Like Me (1981) [Single]
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15		15.Daryl Hall & John Oates Kiss on My List / Africa (1981) [Single]
16		16.Joey Scarbury Theme From "Greatest American Hero" (Believe It or Not) / Little Bit of Us (1981) [Single]
17		17.The Pointer Sisters Slow Hand / Holdin' Out for Love (1981) [Single]
18		18.John Lennon / Yoko Ono Woman / Beautiful Boys (1981) [Single]
19		19.Stars on 45 Medley / Stars on 45 (1981) [Single]
20		20.Smokey Robinson Being With You / What's in Your Life for Me (1981) [Single]
21		21.Sheena Easton For Your Eyes Only / For Your Eyes Only (Instrumental) (1981) [Single]
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22		22.Neil Diamond Love on the Rocks / Acapulco (1980) [Single]
23		23.Juice Newton Angel of the Morning / Headin' for a Heartache (1981) [Single]
24		24.The Rolling Stones Start Me Up / No Use in Crying (1981) [Single]
25		25.Air Supply The One That You Love / I Want to Give It All (1981) [Single]
26		26.The Oak Ridge Boys Elvira / A Woman Like You (1981) [Single]
27		27.Grover Washington, Jr. Just the Two of Us / Make Me a Memory (Sad Samba) (1980) [Single]
28		28.Journey Who's Crying Now / Mother, Father (1981) [Single]
29		29.A Taste of Honey Sukiyaki / Don't You Lead Me On (1981) [Single]
30		30.Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio Ray Parker Jr. Raydio A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) / So Into You (1981) [Single]
31		31.Stevie Nicks Stop Draggin' My Heart Around / Kind of Woman (1981) [Single]
32		32.Foreigner Urgent / Girl on the Moon (1981) [Single]
33		33.REO Speedwagon Take It on the Run / Someone Tonight (1981) [Single]
34		34.George Harrison All Those Years Ago / Writing's on the Wall (1981) [Single]
35		35.Styx The Best of Times / Miss America (1981) [Single]
36		36.Barbra Streisand Guilty / Life Story (1980) [Single]
37		37.Eddie Rabbitt Step by Step / My Only Wish (1981) [Single]
38		38.Commodores Oh No / Lovin' You (1981) [Single]
39		39.Climax Blues Band I Love You / Horizontalized (1980) [Single]
40		40.The Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic / Flexible Strategies (1981) [Single]
41		41.Air Supply Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You) / Don't Turn Me Away (1981) [Single]
42		42.Kenny Rogers I Don't Need You / Without You in My Life (1981) [Single]
43		43.Rick Springfield I've Done Everything for You / Red Hot & Blue Love (1981) [Single]
44		44.Rod Stewart Passion / Better Off Dead (1980) [Single]
45		45.Daryl Hall & John Oates You Make My Dreams / Gotta Lotta Nerve (Perfect Perfect) (1981) [Single]
46		46.Little River Band The Night Owls / Suicide Boulevard (1981) [Single]
47		47.The Manhattan Transfer Boy From New York City / (The Word of) Confirmation (1981) [Single]
48		48.Commodores Lady (You Bring Me Up) / Gettin' It (1981) [Single]
49		49.Air Supply Every Woman in the World / My Best Friend (1980) [Single]
50		50.Ronnie Milsap (There's) No Gettin' Over Me / I Live My Whole Life at Night (1981) [Single]
51		51.ABBA The Winner Takes It All / Elaine (1980) [Single]
52		52.Diana Ross Why Do Fools Fall in Love / Think I'm in Love (1981) [Single]
53		53.Bruce Springsteen Hungry Heart / Held Up Without a Gun (1980) [Single]
54		54.Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Tryin' to Live My Life Without You / Brave Strangers (1981) [Single]
55		55.Terri Gibbs Somebody's Knockin' / Some Days It Rains All Night Long (1980) [Single]
56		56.Styx Too Much Time on My Hands / Queen of Spades (1981) [Single]
57		57.Champaign How 'Bout Us / Spinnin' (1981) [Single]
58		58.Don McLean Crying / Genesis (In the Beginning) (1979) [Single]
59		59.Gino Vannelli Living Inside Myself / Stay With Me (1981) [Single]
60		60.Dan Fogelberg Hard to Say / The Innocent Age (1981) [Single]
61		61.Four Tops When She Was My Girl / Something to Remember (1981) [Single]
62		62.Marty Balin Hearts / Freeway (1981) [Single]
63		63.Dan Fogelberg Same Old Lang Syne / Hearts and Crafts (1980) [Single]
64		64.The Beach Boys The Beach Boys Medley / God Only Knows (1981) [Single]
65		65.Steve Winwood While You See a Chance / Vacant Chair (1981) [Single]
66		66.Electric Light Orchestra Hold On Tight / When Time Stood Still (1981) [Single]
67		67.Steely Dan Hey Nineteen / Bodhisattva (Live) (1980) [Single]
68		68.Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram Just Once / The Dude (1981) [Single]
69		69.Delbert McClinton Giving It Up for Your Love / My Sweet Baby (1980) [Single]
70		70.The Alan Parsons Project Time / The Gold Bug (1981) [Single]
71		71.The Police De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (1980) [Single]
72		72.Rick James Super Freak (1981) [Single]
73		73.Al Jarreau We're in This Love Together / Easy (1981) [Single]
74		74.Billy Squier The Stroke / Too Daze Gone (1981) [Single]
75		75.Neil Diamond Hello Again / Amazed and Confused (1981) [Single]
76		76.The Police Don't Stand So Close to Me / Friends (1980) [Single]
77		77.Neil Diamond America / Songs of Life (1981) [Single]
78		78.Gary U.S. Bonds This Little Girl / Way Back When (1981) [Single]
79		79.Franke & The Knockouts Sweetheart / Don't Stop (1981) [Single]
80		80.Cliff Richard A Little in Love / Everyman (1981) [Single]
81		81.The Alan Parsons Project Games People Play / The Ace of Swords (1980) [Single]
82		82.Stevie Wonder I Ain't Gonna Stand for It / Knocks Me Off My Feet (1980) [Single]
83		83.Diana Ross It's My Turn / Together (1980) [Single]
84		84.Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb What Kind of Fool / The Love Inside (1981) [Single]
85		85.John Lennon / Yoko Ono Watching the Wheels / Yes, I'm Your Angel (1981) [Single]
86		86.Santana Winning / Brightest Star (1981) [Single]
87		87.Barry Manilow I Made It Through the Rain / Only in Chicago (1980) [Single]
88		88.Pat Benatar Treat Me Right / Never Wanna Leave You (1981) [Single]
89		89.Mike Post Theme From Hill Street Blues / Aaron's Tune (1981) [Single]
90		90.Heart Tell It Like It Is / Strange Euphoria (1980) [Single]
91		91.Eric Clapton and His Band I Can't Stand It / Black Rose (1981) [Single]
92		92.John Cougar Ain't Even Done With the Night / Make Me Feel (1981) [Single]
93		93.Dottie West What Are We Doin' in Love / Choosin' Means Losin' (1981) [Single]
94		94.Greg Kihn Band The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) / When the Music Starts (1981) [Single]
95		95.The Moody Blues Gemini Dream / Painted Smile (1981) [Single]
96		96.Tierra Together / Zoot Suit Boogie "In the Mood Theme" (1980) [Single]
97		97.Barry Manilow The Old Songs / Don't Fall in Love With Me (1981) [Single]
98		98.Ronnie Milsap Smoky Mountain Rain / Crystal Fallin' Rain (1980) [Single]
99		99.Lulu I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do) / Dance to the Feeling in Your Heart (1981) [Single]
100		100.James Taylor Her Town Too / Believe It or Not (1981) [Single]
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