Regional Hits of 1981

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Other Years: 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988

The standard page for 1981 lists the biggest hit songs across the whole World. This page compares that with the top 20 biggest hits of the year in North America and Europe. The region index explains how these results were generated and the long term trends.

The most distinctive songs of 1981 (that is the hits that only charted in one place) has been calculated.

  North America   World   Europe  
# Artist Song Title Artist Song Title Artist Song Title #
1 Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes Moves 0 Moves 0 Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes Moves 0 Moves 0 Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes 1
2 Diana Ross & Lionel Richie Endless Love Moves -2 Moves -5 Starsound Stars On 45 Moves -1 Moves -5 Phil Collins In the Air Tonight 2
3 Olivia Newton-John (Let's Get) Physical Moves 0 Moves 0 Olivia Newton-John (Let's Get) Physical Moves -16 Moves 1 Starsound Stars On 45 3
4 Dolly Parton 9 to 5 Moves -6 Moves 2 Diana Ross & Lionel Richie Endless Love Moves -71 Moves -1 Soft Cell Tainted Love 4
5 Christopher Cross Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) Moves -7 Moves -16 Soft Cell Tainted Love Moves 1 Moves -21 Aneka Japanese Boy 5
6 Kool & The Gang Celebration Moves -2 Moves -5 John Lennon Woman Moves -6 Moves -25 Abba One of Us 6
7 Starsound Stars On 45 Moves 5 Moves -24 Phil Collins In the Air Tonight Moves 5 Moves -2 Joe Dolce Shaddup You Face 7
8 REO Speedwagon Keep On Loving You Moves -8 Moves 2 Kool & The Gang Celebration Moves -57 Moves -22 Visage Fade to Grey 8
9 Foreigner Waiting For a Girl Like You Moves -9 Moves -134 Joe Dolce Shaddup You Face Moves 2 Moves -31 Bucks Fizz Making Your Mind Up 9
10 Sheena Easton Morning Train (Nine to Five) Moves -1 Moves 6 Dolly Parton 9 to 5 Moves -73 Moves -11 Kim Wilde Kids in America 10
11 John Lennon Woman Moves 5 Moves 1 Sheena Easton Morning Train (Nine to Five) Moves -63 Moves -30 Jona Lewie Stop the Cavalry 11
12 Juice Newton Angel of the Morning Moves -25 Moves 7 Christopher Cross Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) Moves -61 Moves 6 John Lennon Woman 12
13 Blondie Rapture Moves 0 Moves 0 Blondie Rapture Moves -30 Moves -11 Electric Light Orchestra Hold On Tight 13
14 The Police Every Little Thing She Does is Magic Moves -3 Moves -5 The Rolling Stones Start Me Up Moves -13 Moves -21 Ultravox Vienna 14
15 Rick Springfield Jessie's Girl Moves -14 Moves -11 Sheena Easton For Your Eyes Only Moves 0 Moves 0 Sheena Easton For Your Eyes Only 15
16 Hall & Oates Kiss On My List Moves -17 Moves 8 REO Speedwagon Keep On Loving You Moves -55 Moves -37 Ottawan Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart) 16
17 Foreigner Urgent Moves -15 Moves 3 The Police Every Little Thing She Does is Magic Moves -11 Moves -26 Kim Wilde Chequered Love 17
18 Hall & Oates Private Eyes Moves -27 Moves 9 Foreigner Waiting For a Girl Like You Moves -62 Moves -66 Frank Duval Angel of Mine 18
19 The Rolling Stones Start Me Up Moves 5 Moves -3 Smokey Robinson Being With You Moves -77 Moves 16 Olivia Newton-John (Let's Get) Physical 19
20 Air Supply The One that You Love Moves -36 Moves -19 Earth, Wind & Fire Let's Groove Moves -37 Moves -35 Starsound Stars On 45 Vol 2 20

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5 Jul 2011

Regional hits - 1981

In the U.S.A., "I Love A Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbitt was one of the biggest hits of this year. No 1 hit for 2 weeks, 27 weeks in the chart, gold certification...

Why isn't it here?

It is listed in the full year chart (in version 1.10.032) as the 99th most successful song of the year.

By our calculation method it was not in the top 20 North American songs of 1981.