Billboard Hot 100 #1 Hits of 1981

There were 17 different songs that reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981. Given the artist and their respective issue dates, can you name every song?

The weeks are listed as "issue date," meaning the song was at #1 when the list was published on that Saturday

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Last updated: May 14, 2026

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First submitted	May 9, 2026
Times taken	17
Average score	61.5%
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Issue Date	#1 Hit	Artist
January 3	(Just Like) Starting Over	John Lennon
January 10
January 17
January 24
January 31	The Tide Is High	Blondie
February 7	Celebration	Kool & the Gang
February 14	Celebration	Kool & the Gang
February 21	9 To 5	Dolly Parton
February 28	I Love A Rainy Night	Eddie Rabbitt
March 7	I Love A Rainy Night	Eddie Rabbitt
March 14	9 To 5	Dolly Parton
March 21	Keep On Loving You	REO Speedwagon
March 28	Rapture	Blondie
April 4	Rapture	Blondie
April 11	Kiss On My List	Daryl Hall and John Oates
April 18
April 25
May 2	Morning Train (Nine To Five)	Sheena Easton
May 9	Morning Train (Nine To Five)	Sheena Easton
May 16	Bette Davis Eyes	Kim Carnes
May 23
May 30
June 6
June 13
June 20	Stars On 45	Stars On 45
June 27	Bette Davis Eyes	Kim Carnes
July 4
July 11
July 18
July 25	The One That You Love	Air Supply
August 1	Jessie's Girl	Rick Springfield
August 8	Jessie's Girl	Rick Springfield
August 15	Endless Love	Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
August 22
August 29
September 5
September 12
September 19
September 26
October 3
October 10
October 17	Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)	Christopher Cross
October 24
October 31
November 7	Private Eyes	Daryl Hall and John Oates
November 14	Private Eyes	Daryl Hall and John Oates
November 21	Physical	Olivia Newton-John
November 28
December 5
December 12
December 19
December 26