The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1981, as well as singles which peaked in 1980 and 1982 but were in the top 10 in 1981. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
One-hundred and forty-five singles were in the top ten in 1981. Ten singles from 1980 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "Ant Rap" by Adam and the Ants, "I'll Find My Way Home" by Jon and Vangelis, "It Must Be Love" by Madness, "The Land of Make Believe" by Bucks Fizz and "Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour)" by Dollar were released in 1981 but did not reach their peak until 1982. "Antmusic" by Adam and the Ants, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, the Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Center Choir and "Imagine" by John Lennon were the singles from 1980 to reach their peak in 1981. Thirty artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1981. Duran Duran, The Human League, Kim Wilde, Shakin' Stevens and Ultravox were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1981.
The 1980 Christmas number-one, "There's No One Quite Like Grandma" by St. Winifred's School Choir, remained at number-one for the first week of 1981. The first new number-one single of the year was "Imagine" by the late former Beatles singer John Lennon. Overall, twenty different singles peaked at number-one in 1981, with Adam and the Ants, John Lennon and Shakin' Stevens (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.
Background Multiple entries One-hundred and forty-five singles charted in the top 10 in 1981, with one-hundred and thirty-three singles reaching their peak this year.
Thirty artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1981. Adam and the Ants secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1981 with six hit singles.
Soft Cell were one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "Tainted Love". Bucks Fizz, Diana Ross, Kim Wilde, Queen and Ultravox were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1981.
Chart debuts Forty-eight artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1981, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, six went on to record another hit single that year: Bucks Fizz, Chas & Dave, Kim Wilde, Soft Cell, Starsound and Ultravox. The Human League and Toyah both had two more entries in 1981. Shakin' Stevens had three other entries in his breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single. Artist Number of top 10s First entry Chart position Other entriesChas & Dave2"Rabbit"8"Ossie's Dream (Spurs Are on Their Way to Wembley)" (5)1"I Am the Beat"6—Yarbrough and Peoples1"Don't Stop the Music"7—Ultravox2"Vienna"2"All Stood Still" (8)Visage1"Fade to Grey"8—Joe Dolce Music Theatre1"Shaddap You Face"1—Fred Wedlock1"The Oldest Swinger in Town"6—Girlschool1"St. Valentine's Day Massacre (EP)"5—Headgirl1—Coast to Coast1"(Do) The Hucklebuck"5—Freeez1"Southern Freeez"8—Kim Wilde2"Kids in America"2"Chequered Love" (4)Shakin' Stevens4"This Ole House"1"You Drive Me Crazy" (2), "Green Door" (1), "It's Raining" (10)1"Reward"6—Toyah3"Four from Toyah (EP)"4"I Want to Be Free" (8), "Thunder in the Mountains" (4)Tony Capstick1"The Sheffield Grinder"/"Capstick Comes Home"3—Carlton Main Frickley Colliery BandBucks Fizz2"Making Your Mind Up"1"The Land of Make Believe" (1) Landscape1"Einstein a Go-Go"5—Linx1"Intuition"7—Ennio Morricone1"Chi mai"2—Starsound2"Stars on 45"2"Stars on 45 Vol. 2" (2)REO Speedwagon1"Keep On Loving You"7—Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup Final Squad1"Ossie's Dream (Spurs Are on Their Way to Wembley)"5—Kim Carnes1"Bette Davis Eyes"10—Champaign1"How 'Bout Us"5—Kate Robbins1"More Than in Love"2—BeyondRed Sovine1"Teddy Bear"4—Elaine Paige1"Memory"6—Imagination1"Body Talk"4—Tom Tom Club1"Wordy Rappinghood"7—Royal Philharmonic Orchestra1"Hooked on Classics"2—Tight Fit1"Back to the Sixties"4—Duran Duran1"Girls on Film"5—3"Love Action (I Believe in Love)"3"Don't You Want Me" (1), "Open Your Heart" (6)Aneka1"Japanese Boy"1—Soft Cell2"Tainted Love"1"Bedsitter" (4)The Tweets1"The Birdie Song (Birdie Dance)"2—1"Slow Hand"10—Dave Stewart1"It's My Party"1—Barbara GaskinDepeche Mode1"Just Can't Get Enough"8 —Laurie Anderson1"O Superman"2—Altered Images1"Happy Birthday"2—Julio Iglesias1"Begin the Beguine (Volver a Empezar)"1 —Haircut One Hundred1"Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)"4—Modern Romance1"Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey" 10—
Notes Phil Collins had his first solo credit independent of Genesis with "In the Air Tonight", peaking at number two. Headgirl was a collaboration between Motörhead and Girlschool, the former having recorded a top 10 single previously, "The Golden Years (EP)", with the latter making their top ten debut.
Graham Bonnet's only top 10 single as a solo artist, "Night Games", reached number 6 in 1981. He had scored hit singles as a member of Rainbow and in the duo The Marbles with Trevor Gordon. Lionel Richie's official chart debut on his own came this year when "Endless Love" peaked at number 7. He had previously made an impression on the top 10 with the group Commodores.
Godley & Creme had scored top 10 hits in the 1970s as members of the groups Hotlegs and 10cc. They achieved their first top 10 as a duo in 1981 with "Under Your Thumb", which peaked at number three.
Songs from films Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Flash" (Flash Gordon), "Chi Mai" (The Professional) and "For Your Eyes Only" (For Your Eyes Only).
Best-selling singles The Human League had the best-selling single of the year with "Don't You Want Me". The single spent nine weeks in the top 10 (including five weeks at number one), sold over 1.15 million copies and was certified platinum by the BPI. "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell came in second place, selling more than 1.04 million copies. Adam and the Ants' "Stand and Deliver", "Prince Charming" by Adam and the Ants and Shakin' Stevens' "This Ole House" made up the top five. Singles by Ultravox, Michael Jackson, Bucks Fizz, Joe Dolce Music Theatre and The Tweets were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.
Top-ten singles Key SymbolMeaning‡Single peaked in 1980 but still in chart in 1981.♦Single released in 1981 but peaked in 1982.(#)Year-end top-ten single position and rankEnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.