RADIO AND RECORDS (USA) MAGAZINE'S (BARRY KOWAL) TOP POP SINGLES OF 1981
No. Song-Artist-Peak Month 1 WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU-FOREIGNER-NOVEMBER 824 2 BETTE DAVIS EYES-KIM CARNES-May 700 3 ENDLESS LOVE-DIANA ROSS & LIONEL RICHIE-August 694 4 THE TIDE IS HIGH-BLONDIE-January 688 5 THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE-AIR SUPPLY-July 662 6 ARTHUR'S THEME (BEST THAT YOU CAN DO)-CHRISTOPHER CROSS-September 630 7 WHO'S CRYING NOW-JOURNEY-September 614 8 THE BEST OF TIMES-Styx-March 610 9 WOMAN-John Lennon-February 584 10 KEEP ON LOVING YOU-REO Speedwagon-February 574 11 Physical-Olivia Newton-John-November 570 12 Leather And Lace-Stevie Nicks-December 564 13 Private Eyes-Hall & Oates-October 556 14 Slow Hand-Pointer Sisters-July 540 15 Just The Two Of Us-Grover Washington Jr.-April 540 16 I Don't Need You-Kenny Rogers-July 506 17 Theme From "Greatest American Hero"-Joey Scarbury-July 504 18 Being With You-Smokey Robinson-May 492 19 Kiss On My List-Daryl Hall & John Oates-March 486 20 Hey Nineteen-Steely Dan-January 482 21 Young Turks-Rod Stewart-December 476 22 Every Woman In The World-Air Supply-January 474 23 All Those Years Ago-George Harrison-June 464 24 Passion-Rod Stewart-January 460 25 Hard To Say-Dan Fogelberg-October 458 26 9 To 5-Dolly Parton-February 450 27 Living Inside Myself-Gino Vannelli-May 450 28 Morning Train (Nine To Five)-Sheena Easton-April 450 29 Take It On The Run-REO Speedwagon-May 444 30 Watching The Wheels-John Lennon-May 436 31 Lady (You Bring Me Up)-Commodores-August 428 32 While You See A Chance-Steve Winwood-April 424 33 The Night Owls-Little River Band-October 420 34 Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)-Air Supply-November 400 35 Hearts-Marty Balin-July 396 36 Hello Again-Neil Diamond-March 392 37 Step By Step-Eddie Rabbitt-September 382 38 Stop Draggin' My Heart Around-Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty-September 380 39 For Your Eyes Only-Sheena Easton-October 376 40 Celebration-Kool & The Gang-January 360 41 Angel Of The Morning-Juice Newton-April 358 42 Stars On 45-Stars On 45-June 352 43 Why Do Fools Fall In Love-Diana Ross-December 352 44 Rapture-Blondie-February 348 45 Her Town Too-James Taylor & J.D. Souther-April 340 46 (There's) No Gettin' Over Me-Ronnie Milsap-August 340 47 Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic-Police-November 338 48 You Make My Dreams-Daryl Hall & John Oates-June 338 49 Oh No-Commodores-November 334 50 Don't Stop Believin'-Journey-December 332 51 I Love A Rainy Night-Eddie Rabbitt-January 330 52 I Love You-Climax Blues Band-May 330 53 Queen Of Hearts-Juice Newton-August 322 54 A Woman Needs Love-Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio-May 322 55 Start Me Up-Rolling Stones-September 320 56 The Voice-Moody Blues-September 312 57 America-Neil Diamond-June 310 58 Tell It Like It Is-Heart-January 304 59 Yesterday's Songs-Neil Diamond-December 288 60 Crying-Don McLean-February 286 61 Cool Love-Pablo Cruise-August 278 62 Tryin' To Live My Life Without You-Bob Seger/Silver Bullet Band-November 274 63 What Kind Of Fool-Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb-March 270 64 Hold On Tight-Electric Light Orchestra-September 260 65 A Little In Love-Cliff Richard-February 258 66 This Little Girl-Gary U.S. Bonds-June 254 67 Jessie's Girl-Rick Springfield-June 246 68 Urgent-Foreigner-August 246 69 Boy From New York City-Manhattan Transfer-July 246 70 Too Much Time On My Hands-Styx-May 234 71 Gemini Dream-Moody Blues-July 224 72 Time-Alan Parsons Project-July 220 73 Sukiyaki-A Taste Of Honey-May 220 74 I've Done Everything For You-Rick Springfield-October 208 75 We're In This Love Together-Al Jarreau-October 208 76 Same Old Lang Syne-Dan Fogelberg-January 200 77 Really Wanna Know You-Gary Wright-August 192 78 I Made It Through The Rain-Barry Manilow-January 186 79 Games People Play-Alan Parsons Project-February 180 80 Share Your Love With Me-Kenny Rogers-October 166 81 Don't Stand So Close To Me-Police-April 166 82 I Can't Stand It-Eric Clapton-April 162 83 Giving It Up For Your Love-Delbert McClinton-February 160 84 Is It You-Lee Ritenour-June 158 85 Miss Sun-Boz Scaggs-January 154 86 In The Air Tonight-Phil Collins-July 150 87 Just Once-Quincy Jones & James Ingram-October 148 88 Sweetheart-Frankie & The Knockouts-May 148 89 The Old Songs-Barry Manilow-November 128 90 Elvira-Oak Ridge Boys-July 110 91 Hearts On Fire-Randy Meisner-March 108 92 Treat Me Right-Pat Benatar-March 108 93 I Missed Again-Phil Collins-May 108 94 Somebody's Knockin'-Terri Gibbs-April 106 95 Winning-Santana-June 76 96 I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)-Lulu-September 72 97 Living In A Fantasy-Leo Sayer-March 72 98 No Reply At All-Genesis-November 70 99 The Waiting-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers-June 68 100 Touch Me When We're Dancing-Carpenters-July 68 101 Fire And Ice-Pat Benatar-August 68 102 Just Between You And Me-April Wine-April 68 103 Modern Girl-Sheena Easton-July 68 104 When She Was My Girl-Four Tops-October 40 105 Let's Groove-Earth,Wind and Fire-December 36 106 Sweet Baby-Stanley Clarke/George Duke-July 36 107 Time Out Of Mind-Steely Dan-April 36 108 De,Do,Do,Do,De,Da,Da,Da-Police-January 34 109 Say Goodbye To Hollywood-Billy Joel-October 34