I've been listening to Billboard's Top 100 Hits of 1981. You might think to yourself, "wow, 100 songs, that's a lot" Well it is if you're listening to them back to back. It's not if you think of how many songs were actually written and performed somewhere that year. 100 songs is a drop in the bucket. These are the Hits, the songs that were played constantly on the radio until you just couldn't stand them any more. But, that's what makes them Hits, right?
And believe it or not, I had a blog all ready written out. And I was going to put some finishing touches on it and post it. But something was missing. I couldnt quite put my finger on it, but I really needed something to bring it all together. It didn't dawn on me until now what that was. How could I write about listening to one year in music history if I don't acknowledge those who made it? Seems fair right?
So that's when I decided what the problem was..so here they are, the top 100 Billboard artists of 1981 see how many of these songs you remember..xx
01. Bette Davis Eyes » Kim Carnes
02. Endless Love » Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
03. Lady » Kenny Rogers
04. (Just Like) Starting Over » John Lennon
05. Jessie's Girl » Rick Springfield
06. Celebration » Kool & The Gang
07. Kiss On My List » Daryl Hall & John Oates
08. I Love A Rainy Night » Eddie Rabbitt
09. 9 To 5 » Dolly Parton
10. Keep On Loving You » REO Speedwagon
11. Theme From "Greatest American Hero" » 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 » Ray Parker jr. & Raydio
17. The Tide Is High » Blondie
18. Just The Two Of Us » Grover Washington jr.
19. Slow Hand » 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. 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 » Oak Ridge Boys
32. Take It On The Run » REO Speedwagon
33. No Gettin' Over Me » Ronnie Milsap
34. Living Outside Myself » Gino Vannelli
35. Woman In Love » Barbra Streisand
36. Boy From New York City » 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 » Daryl Hall & John 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 » Greg Kihn Band
48. Time » Alan Parsons Project
49. Hungry Heart » Bruce Springsteen
50. Sweetheart » Franke & The Knockouts
51. Someone's Knockin' » Terri Gibbs
52. More Than I Can Say » Leo Sayer
53. Together » Tierra
54. Too Much Time On My Hands » Styx
55. What Are We Doin' In Love » Dottie West
56. Who's Crying Now » Journey
57. De Do Do Do, De Da Da » Police
58. This Little Girl » Gary U.S. Bonds
59. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around » Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
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 » Christopher Cross
65. Another One Bites The Dust » Queen
66. Games People Play » Alan Parsons Project
67. I Can't Stand It » Eric Clapton
68. While You See A Chance » Steve Winwood
69. Master Blaster » Stevie Wonder
70. Hello Again » Neil Diamond
71. Don't Stand So Close To Me » 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 » Stanley Clarke & George Duke
79. Same Old Lang Syne » Dan Fogelberg
80. Cool Love » Pablo Cruise
81. Hold On Tight » ELO
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' » Daryl Hall & John Oates
91. Suddenly » Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard
92. For Your Eyes Only » Sheena Easton
93. The Beach Boys Medley » 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
Rosemarie, I can honestly say that I have MP3s for all 100 of those songs. 1981 was my sophomore/junior years of high school. I listened to Top 40 radio all the time, watched American Bandstand and Solid Gold every Saturday, and listened to Casey Kaseem every Sunday. This music was a huge part of my life.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got into all these and listed them all too. It shows how diverse the charts were - there was a bit of everything there. That's why I loved that period of time so much.