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This is a list of songs that have charted in the top ten of the Billboard Adult Contemporary in 1981.
| Top ten entry date | Single | Artist(s) | Peak | Peak date | Weeks in top ten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singles from 1980 | |||||
| November 15 | "Love on the Rocks" | Neil Diamond | 3 | January 17 | 12 |
| November 22 | "Every Woman in the World" | Air Supply | 2 | January 17 | 11 |
| November 29 | "Guilty" | Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb | 5 | January 17 | 9 |
| December 20 | "I Love a Rainy Night" | Eddie Rabbitt | 1 | January 17 | 9 |
| December 27 | "I Made It Through the Rain" | Barry Manilow | 4 | January 24 | 7 |
| "The Winner Takes It All" | ABBA | 1 | February 7 | 11 | |
| Singles from 1981 | |||||
| January 17 | "Killin' Time" | Fred Knoblock & Susan Anton | 5 | February 14 | 7 |
| January 24 | "The Tide Is High" | Blondie | 3 | February 7 | 4 |
| "9 to 5" | Dolly Parton | 1 | February 28 | 8 | |
| January 31 | "My Mother's Eyes" | Bette Midler | 8 | February 7 | 3 |
| "Same Old Lang Syne" | Dan Fogelberg | 8 | February 21 | 6 | |
| February 7 | "Smoky Mountain Rain" | Ronnie Milsap | 1 | February 21 | 6 |
| "Crying" | Don McLean | 2 | March 14 | 11 | |
| February 14 | "Woman" | John Lennon | 4 | March 14 | 7 |
| February 21 | "Hello Again" | Neil Diamond | 3 | March 14 | 7 |
| "A Little in Love" | Cliff Richard | 6 | March 7 | 4 | |
| "What Kind of Fool" | Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb | 1 | March 14 | 10 | |
| March 7 | "Somebody's Knockin'" | Terri Gibbs | 3 | April 11 | 9 |
| March 14 | "Just the Two of Us" | Grover Washington Jr. | 2 | May 16 | 12 |
| "Dare to Dream Again" | Phil Everly | 9 | March 21 | 4 | |
| March 21 | "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" | Sheena Easton | 1 | May 2 | 9 |
| "Angel of the Morning" | Juice Newton | 1 | April 11 | 9 | |
| "Mr. Sandman" | Emmylou Harris | 8 | March 28 | 6 | |
| April 4 | "Her Town Too" | James Taylor & J.D. Souther | 5 | April 11 | 5 |
| April 11 | "Being with You" | Smokey Robinson | 4 | May 16 | 9 |
| "Lonely Together" | Barry Manilow | 7 | May 2 | 5 | |
| April 25 | "Sukiyaki" | A Taste of Honey | 1 | May 16 | 11 |
| May 2 | "I Loved 'Em Every One" | T.G. Sheppard | 3 | May 16 | 7 |
| "Watching the Wheels" | John Lennon | 6 | May 16 | 4 | |
| May 9 | "How 'Bout Us" | Champaign | 1 | May 30 | 9 |
| "Living Inside Myself" | Gino Vannelli | 5 | June 6 | 8 | |
| May 16 | "What Are We Doin' in Love" | Dottie West & Kenny Rogers | 7 | June 6 | 6 |
| May 23 | "Since I Don't Have You" | Don McLean | 6 | June 6 | 5 |
| "America" | Neil Diamond | 1 | June 13 | 8 | |
| May 30 | "Blessed Are the Believers" | Anne Murray | 10 | May 30 | 2 |
| June 6 | "All Those Years Ago" | George Harrison | 1 | July 4 | 8 |
| June 13 | "The One That You Love" | Air Supply | 2 | July 11 | 12 |
| "Still Right Here in My Heart" | Pure Prairie League | 4 | June 27 | 4 | |
| June 20 | "The Boy from New York City" | The Manhattan Transfer | 4 | August 1 | 8 |
| June 27 | "I Don't Need You" | Kenny Rogers | 1 | July 11 | 11 |
| "Seven Year Ache" | Rosanne Cash | 6 | July 11 | 4 | |
| July 4 | "Theme from Greatest American Hero" | Joey Scarbury | 3 | July 25 | 6 |
| July 11 | "Touch Me When We're Dancing" | The Carpenters | 1 | August 22 | 10 |
| "Promises" | Barbra Streisand | 8 | July 18 | 3 | |
| "Queen of Hearts" | Juice Newton | 2 | August 22 | 12 | |
| July 18 | "Elvira" | The Oak Ridge Boys | 8 | August 1 | 4 |
| July 25 | "It's Now or Never" | John Schneider | 5 | August 22 | 7 |
| August 1 | "Hearts" | Marty Balin | 9 | August 1 | 3 |
| "Slow Hand" | The Pointer Sisters | 6 | September 5 | 8 | |
| August 15 | "Endless Love" | Diana Ross & Lionel Richie | 1 | September 5 | 9 |
| "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" | Ronnie Milsap | 2 | September 12 | 10 | |
| "Time" | The Alan Parsons Project | 10 | August 15 | 2 | |
| August 22 | "Step by Step" | Eddie Rabbitt | 3 | September 5 | 10 |
| August 29 | "That Old Song" | Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio | 7 | September 12 | 6 |
| September 5 | "Feels So Right" | Alabama | 9 | September 12 | 3 |
| September 12 | "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" | Christopher Cross | 1 | September 26 | 9 |
| "A Heart in New York" | Art Garfunkel | 10 | September 12 | 2 | |
| September 19 | "I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)" | Lulu | 2 | October 10 | 7 |
| September 26 | "For Your Eyes Only" | Sheena Easton | 6 | October 10 | 5 |
| "Hard to Say" | Dan Fogelberg | 2 | November 7 | 10 | |
| "Share Your Love with Me" | Kenny Rogers | 1 | October 24 | 8 | |
| October 3 | "We're in This Love Together" | Al Jarreau | 6 | October 31 | 6 |
| October 10 | "Here I Am" | Air Supply | 1 | November 7 | 9 |
| October 17 | "Theme from Hill Street Blues" | Mike Post & Larry Carlton | 4 | November 14 | 7 |
| October 24 | "Just Once" | Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram | 7 | November 14 | 5 |
| October 31 | "The Old Songs" | Barry Manilow | 1 | November 28 | 8 |
| "Oh No" | Commodores | 5 | November 21 | 7 | |
| November 7 | "When She Was My Girl" | Four Tops | 9 | November 7 | 2 |
| November 14 | "Waiting for a Girl Like You" | Foreigner | 5 | December 12 | 6 |
| "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" | Diana Ross | 2 | December 5 | 9 | |
| November 21 | "Yesterday's Songs" | Neil Diamond | 1 | December 19 | 11 |
| "I Want You, I Need You" | Chris Christian | 8 | December 5 | 4 | |
| November 28 | "Castle in the Air" | Don McLean | 7 | December 26 | 7 |
| December 5 | "Comin' In and Out of Your Life" | Barbra Streisand | 2 | December 26 | 12 |
| "Turn Your Love Around" | George Benson | 9 | December 19 | 9 | |
| December 19 | "Hooked on Classics" | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | 8 | December 26 | 6 |
| December 26 | "Leather and Lace" | Stevie Nicks & Don Henley | 10 | December 26 | 2 |
| Top ten entry date | Single | Artist(s) | Peak | Peak date | Weeks in top ten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 1 | "More Than I Can Say" | Leo Sayer | 1 | December 27 | 12 |
| "Never Be the Same" | Christopher Cross | 1 | December 13 | 11 | |
| November 8 | "Suddenly" | Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard | 4 | December 27 | 12 |
| December 13 | "It's My Turn" | Diana Ross | 9 | December 20 | 6 |
| Top ten entry date | Single | Artist(s) | Peak | Peak date | Weeks in top ten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 12 | "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" | Juice Newton | 1 | January 30 | 11 |
| December 19 | "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World" | Ronnie Milsap | 3 | January 30 | 9 |
| December 26 | "Cool Night" | Paul Davis | 2 | February 7 | 10 |
"Crying" is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison's third studio album of the same name (1962). Released in 1961, it was a number 2 hit in the US for Orbison and was covered in 1980 by Don McLean, whose version went to number 1 in the UK.
The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by Billboard magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to Billboard by stations that are members of the Adult Contemporary radio panel. The chart debuted in Billboard magazine on July 17, 1961. Over the years, the chart has gone under a series of name changes, being called Easy Listening(1961–1962; 1965–1979), Middle-Road Singles(1962–1964), Pop-Standard Singles(1964–1965), Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks(1979–1982) and Adult Contemporary(1983–present).
"Waiting for a Girl Like You" is a 1981 power ballad by the British-American rock band Foreigner. The distinctive synthesizer theme was performed by the then-little-known Thomas Dolby.
"America" is a song written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond, released in 1980 on the soundtrack album of Diamond's film The Jazz Singer. The song was a hit single in the United States in 1981, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Diamond's sixth number one on the Adult Contemporary chart. Billboard also rated it as the #62 pop single overall for 1981. Although the single version was a studio recording, crowd cheering overdubs simulate the feel of a live performance.
"Through the Years" is a song written by Steve Dorff and Marty Panzer, and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in December 1981 as the fourth single from the album Share Your Love.
"Leader of the Band" is a song written by Dan Fogelberg from his 1981 album The Innocent Age. The song was written as a tribute to his father, Lawrence Fogelberg, a musician and the leader of a band, who was still alive at the time the song was released. Lawrence died in August 1982, but not before this hit song made him a celebrity with numerous media interviews interested in him as its inspiration.
"Lady" is a song written by Lionel Richie and first recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in September 1980 on the album Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits.
"Smoky Mountain Rain" is a song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in September 1980 as the first single from his Greatest Hits compilation album. The single became one of his best-known songs.
"The One That You Love" is a popular song written by Graham Russell and sung by Australian soft rock duo Air Supply from their sixth studio album of the same name. This song reached number one in the United States in 1981. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart on 25 July 1981 and remained there for one week, becoming the band's only number one hit.
"Here I Am " is the title of a popular song from 1981 by the Australian group Air Supply. It was written by Norman Sallitt and included on the group's album The One That You Love.
"Share Your Love with Me" is a song written by Alfred Braggs and Deadric Malone. It was originally recorded by blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland. Over the years, the song has been covered by various artists, most notably Aretha Franklin who won a Grammy Award for her 1969 rendition. Other artists who covered the song include The Band in 1973, Kenny Rogers in 1981, and most recently, Van Morrison in 2016.
"Don't Call It Love" is a song first released by American singer Kim Carnes on her 1981 album Mistaken Identity. The following year it was covered by Captain and Tennille and Dusty Springfield from their albums More Than Dancing and White Heat.
"I Don't Need You" is a song written by Rick Christian, and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in June 1981 as the lead single from Rogers album Share Your Love.
"I Don't Want to Live Without You" is a song from the pop rock band Foreigner. It was included on their 1987 platinum album, Inside Information.
"Yesterday's Songs" is a 1981 single by Neil Diamond from his album On the Way to the Sky. The song was a major adult contemporary radio hit, spending six weeks at #1 on the U.S. Billboard chart and four weeks atop the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at #11. On the Canadian pop charts, the song reached #15. "Yesterday's Songs" is ranked as the 77th biggest American hit of 1982.
"The Old Songs" is a song written by David Pomeranz and Buddy Kaye and recorded by Barry Manilow. The song was a track from Manilow's 1981 album, If I Should Love Again.
"Dare to Dream Again" is a song written and sung by Phil Everly, which he released as a single in 1980. The song spent 16 weeks on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at No. 9, while reaching No. 63 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.