These are the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits of 1981. The longest running number-one single of 1981 is "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John which stayed at the top of the chart for six weeks in 1981 and then for four additional weeks in 1982, with a total of 10 weeks at number-one. This also makes "Physical" the longest running number-one single of the 1980s.
That year, 10 acts hit number one for the first time, such as Kool & the Gang, Dolly Parton, Eddie Rabbitt, REO Speedwagon, Sheena Easton, Kim Carnes, Stars on 45, Air Supply, and Rick Springfield. Lionel Richie, already having hit number one with The Commodores, also receives his first number one song as a solo act. Blondie and Daryl Hall and John Oates were the only acts to hit number one more than once, with both acts hitting twice.
| The yellow background indicates the No. 1 song on Billboard's 1981 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles. |
An asterisk (*) by a date indicates an unpublished, "frozen" week, due to the special double issues that Billboard published in print at the end of the year for their year-end charts.
| No. | Issue date | Song | Artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 495 | January 3* | "(Just Like) Starting Over" | John Lennon | [1] |
| January 10 | [2] | |||
| January 17 | [3] | |||
| January 24 | [4] | |||
| 496 | January 31 | "The Tide Is High" | Blondie | [5] |
| 497 | February 7 | "Celebration" | Kool & the Gang | [6] |
| February 14 | [7] | |||
| 498 | February 21 | "9 to 5" | Dolly Parton | [8] |
| 499 | February 28 | "I Love a Rainy Night" | Eddie Rabbitt | [9] |
| March 7 | [10] | |||
| re | March 14 | "9 to 5" | Dolly Parton | [11] |
| 500 | March 21 | "Keep On Loving You" | REO Speedwagon | [12] |
| 501 | March 28 | "Rapture" | Blondie | [13] |
| April 4 | [14] | |||
| 502 | April 11 | "Kiss on My List" | Daryl Hall and John Oates | [15] |
| April 18 | [16] | |||
| April 25 | [17] | |||
| 503 | May 2 | "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" | Sheena Easton | [18] |
| May 9 | [19] | |||
| 504 | May 16 | "Bette Davis Eyes" | Kim Carnes | [20] |
| May 23 | [21] | |||
| May 30 | [22] | |||
| June 6 | [23] | |||
| June 13 | [24] | |||
| 505 | June 20 | "Stars on 45" | Stars on 45 | [25] |
| re | June 27 | "Bette Davis Eyes" | Kim Carnes | [26] |
| July 4 | [27] | |||
| July 11 | [28] | |||
| July 18 | [29] | |||
| 506 | July 25 | "The One That You Love" | Air Supply | [30] |
| 507 | August 1 | "Jessie's Girl" | Rick Springfield | [31] |
| August 8 | [32] | |||
| 508 | August 15 | "Endless Love" | Diana Ross and Lionel Richie | [33] |
| August 22 | [34] | |||
| August 29 | [35] | |||
| September 5 | [36] | |||
| September 12 | [37] | |||
| September 19 | [38] | |||
| September 26 | [39] | |||
| October 3 | [40] | |||
| October 10 | [41] | |||
| 509 | October 17 | "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" | Christopher Cross | [42] |
| October 24 | [43] | |||
| October 31 | [44] | |||
| 510 | November 7 | "Private Eyes" | Daryl Hall and John Oates | [45] |
| November 14 | [46] | |||
| 511 | November 21 | "Physical" | Olivia Newton-John | [47] |
| November 28 | [48] | |||
| December 5 | [49] | |||
| December 12 | [50] | |||
| December 19 | [51] | |||
| December 26 | [52] |
| Position | Artist | Weeks at No. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kim Carnes | 9 |
| Diana Ross | ||
| Lionel Richie | ||
| 4 | Olivia Newton-John | 6 |
| 5 | Daryl Hall and John Oates | 5 |
| 6 | John Lennon | 4 |
| 7 | Blondie | 3 |
| Christopher Cross | ||
| 9 | Kool & the Gang | 2 |
| Eddie Rabbitt | ||
| Dolly Parton | ||
| Sheena Easton | ||
| Rick Springfield | ||
| 14 | REO Speedwagon | 1 |
| Stars on 45 | ||
| Air Supply |
