List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 1981

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Two long-haired men, one with a beard, and two women, one with dark curly hair and one with blonde hair, standing together and all smiling
Swedish group ABBA topped the chart with "The Winner Takes It All"

Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 1981, 20 songs topped the chart, based on playlists submitted by radio stations.[1]

In the year's first issue of Billboard the number one position was held by British singer Leo Sayer with "More Than I Can Say", which retained the top spot from the last week of 1980.[2] It remained atop the chart for two weeks in 1981 before being replaced by "I Love a Rainy Night" by country singer Eddie Rabbitt, which also topped Billboard's all-genres chart, the Hot 100. Rabbitt's song was one of two tracks which reached the number one spot on both the AC and country charts as well as on the Hot 100 during the early part of 1981, along with Dolly Parton's "9 to 5". The two songs were among just four country songs to top the Hot 100 during the 1980s, and the only two to do so consecutively.[3] Soon after Parton's song exited the number one position on the AC listing, Scottish singer Sheena Easton topped the chart with "Morning Train (9 to 5)". In her native United Kingdom, the song had been a top ten hit under the title "9 to 5", but it was given a new title for the U.S. market to avoid confusion with Parton's identically-titled song.[4]

Parton's song "9 to 5" was the theme song from the film of the same name, in which the singer starred,[5] and was one of three AC number ones of 1981 to be taken from film soundtracks. In September Diana Ross and Lionel Richie topped the chart with their duet "Endless Love" from the film of the same name,[6] and this was immediately followed into the number one position by "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" by Christopher Cross, from the film Arthur.[7] The longest-running number one of the year was "I Don't Need You" by Kenny Rogers, which spent six weeks in the top spot. Rogers was one of only two artists to have more than one AC number one in 1981, and his eight weeks atop the chart was the most by any artist. The only other act with multiple number ones during the year was Neil Diamond, who had the final number one of 1981 with "Yesterday's Songs", which held the top spot for the last two weeks of the year.

Chart history[edit]

Two women, one with blonde hair and one with dark hair, both smiling broadly
Dolly Parton (left) topped the chart with "9 to 5", the theme song from the film of the same name, in which she starred.
British-Australian soft rock duo Air Supply's song "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)" spent a total of three weeks at number one.
A brown-haired woman standing at a microphone and looking to her right
Sheena Easton reached number one with "Morning Train (9 to 5)". The song had been titled simply "9 to 5" in her native United Kingdom, but was re-titled for the American market to avoid confusion with Parton's song.
A man with grey hair and beard
Kenny Rogers spent six weeks at number one with "I Don't Need You", the longest-running chart-topper of the year.
Key
† Indicates best-performing AC song of 1981[8]


Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 "More Than I Can Say" Leo Sayer [2]
January 10 [9]
January 17 "I Love a Rainy Night" Eddie Rabbitt [10]
January 24 [11]
January 31 [12]
February 7 "The Winner Takes It All" ABBA [13]
February 14 [14]
February 21 "Smoky Mountain Rain" Ronnie Milsap [15]
February 28 "9 to 5" Dolly Parton [16]
March 7 [17]
March 14 "What Kind of Fool" Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb [18]
March 21 [19]
March 28 [20]
April 4 [21]
April 11 "Angel of the Morning" Juice Newton [22]
April 18 [23]
April 25 [24]
May 2 "Morning Train (9 to 5)" Sheena Easton [25]
May 9 [26]
May 16 "Sukiyaki" A Taste of Honey [27]
May 23 [28]
May 30 "How 'Bout Us" Champaign [29]
June 6 [30]
June 13 "America" Neil Diamond [31]
June 20 [32]
June 27 [33]
July 4 "All Those Years Ago" George Harrison [34]
July 11 "I Don't Need You" † Kenny Rogers [35]
July 18 [36]
July 25 [37]
August 1 [38]
August 8 [39]
August 15 [40]
August 22 "Touch Me When We're Dancing" The Carpenters [41]
August 29 [42]
September 5 "Endless Love" Diana Ross and Lionel Richie [43]
September 12 [44]
September 19 [45]
September 26 "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" Christopher Cross [46]
October 3 [47]
October 10 [48]
October 17 [49]
October 24 "Share Your Love with Me" Kenny Rogers [50]
October 31 [51]
November 7 "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)" Air Supply [52]
November 14 [53]
November 21 [54]
November 28 "The Old Songs" Barry Manilow [55]
December 5 [56]
December 12 [57]
December 19 "Yesterday's Songs" Neil Diamond [58]
December 26 [59]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Incorporated. p. vi. ISBN 9780898201697.
  2. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary chart for January 3, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  3. ^ Garner, Kelly K. (2016). So You Want to Sing Country: A Guide for Performers. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 31. ISBN 9781442246416.
  4. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Sheena Easton Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (November 15, 2018). "9 to 5 review – Dolly Parton's quietly radical office revenge satire". The Guardian. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  6. ^ Hogan, Ed. "Endless Love – Lional Richie, Diana Ross". AllMusic. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  7. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Christopher Cross Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  8. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 10, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  10. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 17, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  11. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 24, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  12. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 31, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 7, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 21, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 28, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 7, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 21, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 28, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 4, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 11, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 18, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 2, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 9, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 16, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 23, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 30, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 6, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 13, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 20, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 27, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 4, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 11, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 18, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 1, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 8, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 15, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 22, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 29, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 5, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 12, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 19, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 26, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 3, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 10, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 17, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 24, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 31, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 7, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 21, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 28, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 5, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 12, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 19, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 26, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.

See also[edit]

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