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.
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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Whitburn 1996, p. xii.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
J7was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 339.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 223, 642.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 449.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 535.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 326.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 600, 782.
- ^ Cartwright, Garth (July 4, 2005). "Luther Vandross". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 499.
- ^ Whitburn 1983, p. 5.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 333, 502.
- ^ Whitburn 2004, pp. 212–213.
- ^ 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.