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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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List Of Hot Soul Singles Number Ones Of 1981
Billboard published a weekly chart in 1981 ranking the top-performing singles in the United States in soul music and related African American-oriented genres; the chart has undergone various name changes over the decades to reflect the evolution of black music and has been published as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since 2005. In 1981, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles, and 17 different singles reached number one.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang spent its third week in the top spot. The song's run at number one extended to six weeks before it was displaced by "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside, the first chart-topper for the group. It was the first of three consecutive debut number ones, as it was followed into the top spot by "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" by the Gap Band and "Don't Stop the Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples, each act's first single to reach the peak position. A number of other artists also reached number one for the first time later in the year. In May, Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio topped the chart for the first time with "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)", and Frankie Smith reached number one two months later with "Double Dutch Bus", the only charting single of his career. Smith's single was followed into the top spot by "I'm in Love", the first number one for Evelyn King, who for that single was not credited with her usual nickname of "Champagne". In October, "Never Too Much" was the debut number one for Luther Vandross, who would go on to become one of the most successful black artists of the 1980s. Finally, Roger, front man of the band Zapp, reached number one with his first solo chart entry, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Part 1)".

The longest-running number one of 1981 was "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, which spent seven consecutive weeks in the top spot beginning in August. It was the second of the year's soul number ones to also top Billboard's pop singles chart, the Hot 100, following "Celebration" earlier in the year. Ross and Richie also had the highest total number of weeks at number one during 1981, ahead of five acts who each spent five weeks in the top spot. "Endless Love" was displaced from the top spot by "When She Was My Girl" by the Four Tops, former labelmates of Ross with the Motown label. It was the first number one since 1966 for the Tops, whose chart placings had declined after they left Motown in the early 1970s, with only one of their singles having made the top ten in the preceding seven years. Kool & the Gang were the only act with multiple soul number ones in 1981, spending a single week atop the chart with "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)" in November to add to the four weeks spent at number one in January by "Celebration". The year's final number one was "Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind & Fire.

Chart history

Singers The Four Tops
The Four Tops achieved their first chart-topper since 1966 with "When She Was My Girl".
Singer Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan spent two weeks at number one with "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me".
Singer Evelyn "Champagne" King
Evelyn King reached number one for the first time with "I'm in Love".
Key
† Indicates number 1 on Billboard's year-end soul chart
Chart history
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 "Celebration" Kool & the Gang
January 10
January 17
January 24
January 31 "Fantastic Voyage" Lakeside
February 7
February 14 "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" Gap Band
February 21
February 28 "Don't Stop the Music" Yarbrough and Peoples
March 7
March 14
March 21
March 28
April 4 "Being with You" Smokey Robinson
April 11
April 18
April 25
May 2
May 9 "Sukiyaki" A Taste of Honey
May 16 "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio
May 23
May 30 "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me" Chaka Khan
June 6
June 13 "Give It to Me Baby" Rick James
June 20
June 27
July 4
July 11
July 18 "Double Dutch Bus" Frankie Smith
July 25
August 1
August 8
August 15 "I'm in Love" Evelyn King
August 22 "Endless Love" † Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
August 29
September 5
September 12
September 19
September 26
October 3
October 10 "When She Was My Girl" The Four Tops
October 17
October 24 "Never Too Much" Luther Vandross
October 31
November 7 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Part 1)" Roger
November 14
November 21 "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)" Kool & the Gang
November 28 "Let's Groove" Earth, Wind & Fire
December 5
December 12
December 19
December 26

References

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  58. ^ "R & B Chart for October 24, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  59. ^ "R & B Chart for October 31, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  60. ^ "R & B Chart for November 7, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  61. ^ "R & B Chart for November 14, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  62. ^ "R & B Chart for November 21, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  63. ^ "R & B Chart for November 28, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  64. ^ "R & B Chart for December 5, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  65. ^ "R & B Chart for December 12, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  66. ^ "R & B Chart for December 19, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  67. ^ "R & B Chart for December 26, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.

Works cited

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