| CASH BOX Top 100 Singles | ||||||
| Green square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending SEPTEMBER 5, 1981 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (Motown 1519) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| 2 | SLOW HAND Pointer Sisters (Planet 47929) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | QUEEN OF HEARTS Juice Newton (Capitol 4997) | 5 | 8 | 10 | 15 | |
| 4 | THEME FROM “GREATEST AMERICAN HERO” (Believe It Or Not) Joey Scarbury (Elektra 47147) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 17 | |
| 5 | JESSIE’S GIRL Rick Springfield (RCA 12201) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 24 | |
| 6 | URGENT Foreigner (Atlantic 3831) | 9 | 11 | 15 | 10 | |
| 7 | STOP DRAGGIN’ MY HEART AROUND Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty & Heartbreakers) (Modern 7336) | 10 | 16 | 22 | 7 | |
| 8 | LADY (You Bring Me Up) Commodores (Motown 1514) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | |
| 9 | WHO’S CRYING NOW Journey (Columbia 02241) | 11 | 13 | 20 | 8 | |
| 10 | (There’s) NO GETTIN’ OVER ME Ronnie Milsap (RCA 12264) | 12 | 14 | 16 | 11 | |
| 11 | ELVIRA Oak Ridge Boys (MCA 51084) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 18 | |
| 12 | I DON’T NEED YOU Kenny Rogers (Liberty 1415) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 13 | |
| 13 | THE BEACH BOYS MEDLEY Beach Boys (Capitol 5030) | 20 | 23 | 38 | 7 | |
| 14 | HOLD ON TIGHT Electric Light Orchestra (Jet 02408) | 17 | 22 | 32 | 7 | |
| 15 | FIRE AND ICE Pat Benatar (Chrysalis 2529) | 16 | 18 | 24 | 8 | |
| 16 | STEP BY STEP Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra 47174) | 21 | 25 | 33 | 7 | |
| 17 | COOL LOVE Pablo Cruise (A&M 2349) | 19 | 21 | 23 | 10 | |
| 18 | THE BREAKUP SONG (They Don’t Write ’Em) Greg Kihn Band (Beserkley 47149) | 18 | 19 | 21 | 16 | |
| 19 | FOR YOUR EYES ONLY Sheena Easton (Liberty 1418) | 22 | 26 | 40 | 7 | |
| 20 | ARTHUR’S THEME (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross (Warner Bros. 49787) | 31 | 46 | 71 | 4 | |
| 21 | THE VOICE Moody Blues (Threshold 602) | 24 | 27 | 41 | 5 | |
| 22 | START ME UP Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones 21003) | 33 | 49 | — | 3 | |
| 23 | REALLY WANNA KNOW YOU Gary Wright (Warner Bros. 49769) | 25 | 31 | 36 | 10 | |
| 24 | I COULD NEVER MISS YOU (More Than I Do) Lulu (Alfa 7006) | 27 | 32 | 42 | 6 | |
| 25 | FEELS SO RIGHT Alabama (RCA 12236) | 28 | 30 | 34 | 13 | |
| 26 | DON’T GIVE IT UP Robbie Patton (Liberty 1420) | 26 | 28 | 30 | 9 | |
| 27 | BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY Manhattan Transfer (Atlantic 3816) | 13 | 9 | 8 | 16 | |
| 28 | THAT OLD SONG Ray Parker Jr. & Radio (Arista 0616) | 30 | 33 | 37 | 9 | |
| 29 | THE NIGHT OWLS Little River Band (Capitol 5033) | 40 | 63 | — | 3 | |
| 30 | BREAKING AWAY Balance (Portrait 02177) | 34 | 40 | 45 | 9 | |
| 31 | DRAW OF THE CARDS Kim Carnes (EMI America 8087) | 35 | 42 | 53 | 5 | |
| 32 | LOVE ON A TWO WAY STREET Stacy Lattisaw (Cotillion 46015) | 23 | 24 | 28 | 12 | |
| 33 | CHLOE Elton John (Geffen 49788) | 37 | 43 | 50 | 7 | |
| 34 | HEARTS Marty Balin (EMI America 8084) | 14 | 12 | 9 | 16 | |
| 35 | SUPER FREAK (pt. 1) Rick James (Gordy 7205) | 44 | 54 | 69 | 5 | |
| 36 | IN YOUR LETTER REO Speedwagon (Epic 02457) | 43 | 50 | 66 | 5 | |
| 37 | GENERAL HOSPI-TALE Afternoon Delights (MCA 51148) | 41 | 48 | 54 | 7 | |
| 38 | YOU COULD TAKE MY HEART AWAY Silver Condor (Columbia 02268) | 42 | 47 | 52 | 7 | |
| 39 | THE STROKE Billy Squier (Capitol 5005) | 32 | 17 | 18 | 17 | |
| 40 | YOU’RE MY GIRL Franke & Knockouts (Millennium 11808) | 29 | 29 | 31 | 10 | |
| 41 | PRIVATE EYES Daryl Hall & John Oates (RCA 12296) | 64 | — | — | 2 | |
| 42 | JUST ONCE Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (A&M 2357) | 49 | 62 | 89 | 4 | |
| 43 | BACKFIRED Debbie Harry (Chrysalis 2526) | 47 | 57 | 78 | 4 | |
| 44 | STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART Allman Brothers Band (Arista 0618) | 48 | 55 | 70 | 6 | |
| 45 | WE’RE IN THIS LOVE TOGETHER Al Jarreau (Warner Bros. 49746) | 53 | 64 | 77 | 6 | |
| 46 | I’M IN LOVE Evelyn King (RCA 12243) | 55 | 61 | 67 | 7 | |
| 47 | SOME DAYS ARE DIAMONDS (Some Days Are Stone) John Denver (RCA 12246) | 51 | 56 | 61 | 7 | |
| 48 | YOU DON’T KNOW ME Mickey Gilley (Epic 02172) | 50 | 53 | 56 | 9 | |
| 49 | HARD TO SAY Dan Fogelberg (Full Moon/Epic 02488) | 74 | — | — | 2 | |
| 50 | TEMPTED Squeeze (A&M 2345) | 54 | 59 | 68 | 7 | |
| 51 | WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL Four Tops (Casablanca 2338) | 67 | 81 | — | 3 | |
| 52 | SQUARE BIZ Teena Marie (Gordy 7202) | 56 | 58 | 65 | 8 | |
| 53 | I’VE DONE EVERYTHING FOR YOU Rick Springfield (RCA 12166) | 66 | 82 | — | 3 | |
| 54 | THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE Air Supply (Arista 0604) | 15 | 7 | 7 | 17 | |
| 55 | HEAVY METAL (Takin’ A Ride) Don Felder (Full Moon/Epic 47175) | 57 | 60 | 64 | 7 | |
| 56 | FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN Michael Stanley Band (EMI America 8090) | 61 | 67 | 74 | 5 | |
| 57 | THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE Nielsen/Pearson (Capitol 5032) | 59 | 65 | 73 | 5 | |
| 58 | TOUCH ME WHEN WE’RE DANCING Carpenters (A&M 2344) | 36 | 20 | 17 | 12 | |
| 59 | SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME Kenny Rogers (Liberty 1430) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 60 | THE SENSITIVE KIND Santana (Columbia 02178) | 60 | 66 | 72 | 6 | |
| 61 | NICOLE Point Blank (MCA 51132) | 65 | 68 | 75 | 11 | |
| 62 | ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Andy Gibb & Victoria Principal (RSO 1065) | 68 | 75 | 87 | 4 | |
| 63 | BURNIN’ FOR YOU Blue Oyster Cult (Columbia 02415) | 71 | 78 | 85 | 4 | |
| 64 | SILLY Deniece Williams (ARC 02406) | 73 | 80 | 90 | 4 | |
| 65 | A HEART IN NEW YORK Art Garfunkel (Columbia 02307) | 69 | 69 | 76 | 5 | |
| 66 | SHE’S A BAD MAMA JAMA (She’s Built, She’s Stacked) Carl Carlton (20th Century Fox 2488) | 78 | 88 | — | 3 | |
| 67 | IN THE AIR TONIGHT Phil Collins (Atlantic 3824) | 39 | 35 | 19 | 15 | |
| 68 | DOUBLE DUTCH BUS Frankie Smith (WMOT 5356) | 58 | 51 | 39 | 15 | |
| 69 | SHAKE IT UP TONIGHT Cheryl Lynn (Columbia 02102) | 72 | 76 | 79 | 5 | |
| 70 | BETTE DAVIS EYES Kim Carnes (EMI America 8077) | 38 | 15 | 11 | 24 | |
| 71 | THE THEME FROM HILL STREET BLUES Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton (Elektra 47186) | 81 | 90 | — | 3 | |
| 72 | EVERLASTING LOVE Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet (Columbia 02169) | 45 | 34 | 35 | 11 | |
| 73 | GIVE IT TO ME BABY Rick James (Gordy 7197) | 63 | 52 | 47 | 16 | |
| 74 | IT’S NOW OR NEVER John Schneider (Scotti Bros. 02105) | 52 | 45 | 44 | 15 | |
| 75 | ALIEN Atlanta Rhythm Section (Columbia 02471) | 85 | — | — | 2 | |
| 76 | LOVE ALL THE HURT AWAY Aretha Franklin & George Benson (Arista 0624) | 88 | — | — | 2 | |
| 77 | ROCK AND ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH Jim Steinman (Cleveland Int’l/Epic 02111) | 46 | 36 | 29 | 15 | |
| 78 | DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE Bernadette Peters (MCA 51152) | 70 | 73 | 80 | 5 | |
| 79 | STARS ON 45 (Medley) Stars On 45 (Radio 3810) | 62 | 37 | 26 | 22 | |
| 80 | OUR LIPS ARE SEALED Go-Go’s (I.R.S. 9901) | 89 | — | — | 2 | |
| 81 | WE CAN GET TOGETHER Icehouse (Chrysalis 2530) | 75 | 77 | 81 | 5 | |
| 82 | GEMINI DREAM Moody Blues (Threshold 601) | 76 | 41 | 25 | 14 | |
| 83 | SWEET BABY Stanley Clarke & George Duke (Epic 01052) | 79 | 44 | 27 | 19 | |
| 84 | WORKING IN THE COAL MINE Devo (Full Moon/Asylum 47204) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 85 | YOU MAKE MY DREAMS Daryl Hall & John Oates (RCA 12217) | 77 | 38 | 13 | 19 | |
| 86 | A WOMAN IN LOVE (It’s Not Me) Tom Petty & Heartbreakers (Backstreet 51136) | 82 | 71 | 62 | 7 | |
| 87 | EASY TO LOVE AGAIN Carole Bayer Sager (Boardwalk 118) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 88 | NOT FADE AWAY Eric Hine (Montage 1200) | 90 | — | — | 2 | |
| 89 | AT THIS MOMENT Billy & Beaters (Alfa 7005) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 90 | STAY AWAKE Ronnie Laws (Liberty 1424) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 91 | DON’T WANT TO WAIT ANYMORE Tubes (Capitol 5007) | 83 | 70 | 46 | 12 | |
| 92 | TIME Alan Parsons Project (Arista 0598) | 80 | 39 | 14 | 21 | |
| 93 | MEDLEY II Stars On 45 (Radio 3830) | 86 | 79 | 63 | 9 | |
| 94 | TOM SAWYER Rush (Mercury 76109) | 84 | 74 | 51 | 11 | |
| 95 | JUST BE MY LADY Larry Graham (Warner Bros. 49744) | 91 | 92 | 93 | 5 | |
| 96 | NIGHTWALKER Gino Vannelli (Arista 0613) | 87 | 72 | 43 | 11 | |
| 97 | FLY AWAY Blackfoot (Atco 7331) | 92 | 87 | 57 | 11 | |
| 98 | DON’T LET HIM GO REO Speedwagon (Epic 02127) | 93 | 85 | 49 | 13 | |
| 99 | NOTHING EVER GOES AS PLANNED Styx (A&M 2348) | 95 | 89 | 59 | 9 | |
| 100 | STRANGER Jefferson Starship (Grunt 12275) | 94 | 84 | 55 | 9 | |
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