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.^[1] In 1981, it was published under the title Hot Soul Singles,^[2] and 17 different singles reached number one.

Luther Vandross (left) gained his first number one with "Never Too Much". Diana Ross (right) collaborated with Lionel Richie on "Endless Love", the year's longest-running number one.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang spent its third week in the top spot.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5] 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)",^[6] and Frankie Smith reached number one two months later with "Double Dutch Bus", the only charting single of his career.^[7] 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".^[8] 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.^[9][10] 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)".^[11]

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,^[12] following "Celebration" earlier in the year.^[13] 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.^[14][15] 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

The Four Tops achieved their first chart-topper since 1966 with "When She Was My Girl".

Chaka Khan spent two weeks at number one with "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me".

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[16]

Chart history

Issue date	Title	Artist(s)	Ref.
January 3	"Celebration"	Kool & the Gang	[3]
January 10			[17]
January 17			[18]
January 24			[19]
January 31	"Fantastic Voyage"	Lakeside	[20]
February 7			[21]
February 14	"Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)"	Gap Band	[22]
February 21			[23]
February 28	"Don't Stop the Music"	Yarbrough and Peoples	[24]
March 7			[25]
March 14			[26]
March 21			[27]
March 28			[28]
April 4	"Being with You"	Smokey Robinson	[29]
April 11			[30]
April 18			[31]
April 25			[32]
May 2			[33]
May 9	"Sukiyaki"	A Taste of Honey	[34]
May 16	"A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)"	Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio	[35]
May 23			[36]
May 30	"What Cha' Gonna Do for Me"	Chaka Khan	[37]
June 6			[38]
June 13	"Give It to Me Baby"	Rick James	[39]
June 20			[40]
June 27			[41]
July 4			[42]
July 11			[43]
July 18	"Double Dutch Bus"	Frankie Smith	[44]
July 25			[45]
August 1			[46]
August 8			[47]
August 15	"I'm in Love"	Evelyn King	[48]
August 22	"Endless Love" †	Diana Ross and Lionel Richie	[49]
August 29			[50]
September 5			[51]
September 12			[52]
September 19			[53]
September 26			[54]
October 3			[55]
October 10	"When She Was My Girl"	The Four Tops	[56]
October 17			[57]
October 24	"Never Too Much"	Luther Vandross	[58]
October 31			[59]
November 7	"I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Part 1)"	Roger	[60]
November 14			[61]
November 21	"Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)"	Kool & the Gang	[62]
November 28	"Let's Groove"	Earth, Wind & Fire	[63]
December 5			[64]
December 12			[65]
December 19			[66]
December 26			[67]

References

1. Molanphy, Chris (April 14, 2014). "I Know You Got Soul: The Trouble With Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Chart". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
2. Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
3. "R & B Chart for January 3, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
4. Whitburn 2004, p. 339.
5. Whitburn 2004, pp. 223, 642.
6. Whitburn 2004, p. 449.
7. Whitburn 2004, p. 535.
8. Whitburn 2004, p. 326.
9. Whitburn 2004, pp. 600, 782.
10. Cartwright, Garth (July 4, 2005). "Luther Vandross". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
11. Whitburn 2004, p. 499.
12. Whitburn 1983, p. 5.
13. Whitburn 2004, pp. 333, 502.
14. Whitburn 2004, pp. 212–213.
15. Nelson, Valerie J. (October 19, 2008). "Levi Stubbs, 72, Four Tops lead: A "great soul voice" is lost". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
16. "Billboard.com – Year End Charts – Year-end Singles – Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. December 11, 2007. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
17. "R & B Chart for January 10, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
18. "R & B Chart for January 17, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
19. "R & B Chart for January 24, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
20. "R & B Chart for January 31, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
21. "R & B Chart for February 7, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
22. "R & B Chart for February 14, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
23. "R & B Chart for February 21, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
24. "R & B Chart for February 28, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
25. "R & B Chart for March 7, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
26. "R & B Chart for March 14, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
27. "R & B Chart for March 21, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
28. "R & B Chart for March 28, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
29. "R & B Chart for April 4, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
30. "R & B Chart for April 11, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
31. "R & B Chart for April 18, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
32. "R & B Chart for April 25, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
33. "R & B Chart for May 2, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
34. "R & B Chart for May 9, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
35. "R & B Chart for May 16, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
36. "R & B Chart for May 23, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
37. "R & B Chart for May 30, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
38. "R & B Chart for June 6, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
39. "R & B Chart for June 13, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
40. "R & B Chart for June 20, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
41. "R & B Chart for June 27, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
42. "R & B Chart for July 4, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
43. "R & B Chart for July 11, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
44. "R & B Chart for July 18, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
45. "R & B Chart for July 25, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
46. "R & B Chart for August 1, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
47. "R & B Chart for August 8, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
48. "R & B Chart for August 15, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
49. "R & B Chart for August 22, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
50. "R & B Chart for August 29, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
51. "R & B Chart for September 5, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
52. "R & B Chart for September 12, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
53. "R & B Chart for September 19, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
54. "R & B Chart for September 26, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
55. "R & B Chart for October 3, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
56. "R & B Chart for October 10, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
57. "R & B Chart for October 17, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
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

• Whitburn, Joel (1983). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop, 1955–1982. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-051-5.
• Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942–1995. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-115-4.
• Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-89820-160-4.