These are the top 100 songs of 1981. Within the top 100 there are a total of 79 different bands or artists.
There are five acts with the most entries. Each of these acts has a total of three entries in the top songs of 1981:
- Barbra Streisand (including two duets with Barry Gibb)
- Hall & Oates
- John Lennon
- Neil Diamond
- Sheena Easton
The song title is at the top in gray with the artist below in red.
You can find links to more 80’s content at the bottom of the page.
Top Songs of 1981
| 1 | Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes |
| 2 | Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie |
| 3 | Lady Kenny Rogers |
| 4 | (Just Like) Starting Over John Lennon |
| 5 | Jessie’s Girl Rick Springfield |
| 6 | Celebration Kool & the Gang |
| 7 | Kiss on My List Hall & Oates |
| 8 | I Love a Rainy Night Eddie Rabbitt |
| 9 | 9 to 5 Dolly Parton |
| 10 | Keep on Loving You REO Speedwagon |
| 11 | Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not) Joey Scarbury |
| 12 | Morning Train (Nine to Five) Sheena Easton |
| 13 | Being with You Smokey Robinson |
| 14 | Queen of Hearts Juice Newton |
| 15 | Rapture Blondie |
| 16 | A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) Raydio |
| 17 | The Tide Is High Blondie |
| 18 | Just the Two of Us Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers |
| 19 | Slow Hand The Pointer Sisters |
| 20 | I Love You Climax Blues Band |
| 21 | Woman John Lennon |
| 22 | Sukiyaki A Taste of Honey |
| 23 | The Winner Takes It All ABBA |
| 24 | Stars on 45 Medley Stars on 45 |
| 25 | Angel of the Morning Juice Newton |
| 26 | Love on the Rocks Neil Diamond |
| 27 | Every Woman in the World Air Supply |
| 28 | The One That You Love Air Supply |
| 29 | Guilty Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb |
| 30 | The Best of Times Styx |
| 31 | Elvira The Oak Ridge Boys |
| 32 | Take It on the Run REO Speedwagon |
| 33 | (There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me Ronnie Milsap |
| 34 | Living Inside Myself Gino Vannelli |
| 35 | Woman in Love Barbra Streisand |
| 36 | The Boy from New York City The Manhattan Transfer |
| 37 | Urgent Foreigner |
| 38 | Passion Rod Stewart |
| 39 | Lady (You Bring Me Up) Commodores |
| 40 | Crying Don McLean |
| 41 | Hearts Marty Balin |
| 42 | It’s My Turn Diana Ross |
| 43 | You Make My Dreams Hall & Oates |
| 44 | I Don’t Need You Kenny Rogers |
| 45 | How ‘Bout Us Champaign |
| 46 | Hit Me with Your Best Shot Pat Benatar |
| 47 | The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em) The Greg Kihn Band |
| 48 | Time The Alan Parsons Project |
| 49 | Hungry Heart Bruce Springsteen |
| 50 | Sweetheart Franke and the Knockouts |
| 51 | More Than I Can Say Leo Sayer |
| 52 | Somebody’s Knockin’ Terri Gibbs |
| 53 | Together Tierra |
| 54 | Too Much Time on My Hands Styx |
| 55 | What Are We Doin’ in Love Dottie West & Kenny Rogers |
| 56 | Who’s Crying Now Journey |
| 57 | De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da The Police |
| 58 | This Little Girl Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 59 | Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty |
| 60 | Giving It Up for Your Love Delbert McClinton |
| 61 | A Little in Love Cliff Richard |
| 62 | America Neil Diamond |
| 63 | Ain’t Even Done With The Night John Cougar |
| 64 | Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross |
| 65 | Another One Bites the Dust Queen |
| 66 | Games People Play The Alan Parsons Project |
| 67 | I Can’t Stand It Eric Clapton |
| 68 | While You See a Chance Steve Winwood |
| 69 | Master Blaster (Jammin’) Stevie Wonder |
| 70 | Hello Again Neil Diamond |
| 71 | Don’t Stand So Close to Me The Police |
| 72 | Hey Nineteen Steely Dan |
| 73 | I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It Stevie Wonder |
| 74 | All Those Years Ago George Harrison |
| 75 | Step By Step Eddie Rabbitt |
| 76 | The Stroke Billy Squier |
| 77 | Feels So Right Alabama |
| 78 | Sweet Baby George Duke & Stanley Clarke |
| 79 | Same Old Lang Syne Dan Fogelberg |
| 80 | Cool Love Pablo Cruise |
| 81 | Hold On Tight Electric Light Orchestra |
| 82 | It’s Now or Never John Schneider |
| 83 | Treat Me Right Pat Benatar |
| 84 | Winning Santana |
| 85 | What Kind of Fool Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb |
| 86 | Watching the Wheels John Lennon |
| 87 | Tell It Like It Is Heart |
| 88 | Smoky Mountain Rain Ronnie Milsap |
| 89 | I Made It Through the Rain Barry Manilow |
| 90 | You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ Hall & Oates |
| 91 | Suddenly Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard |
| 92 | For Your Eyes Only Sheena Easton |
| 93 | The Beach Boys Medley The Beach Boys |
| 94 | Whip It Devo |
| 95 | Modern Girl Sheena Easton |
| 96 | Really Wanna Know You Gary Wright |
| 97 | Seven Year Ache Rosanne Cash |
| 98 | I’m Coming Out Diana Ross |
| 99 | Miss Sun Boz Scaggs |
| 100 | Time Is Time Andy Gibb |