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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z OtherTop 1000

Top Rock Songs of 1981

1980 <-1981-> 1982

Video playlist


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1.
12/1981
455

✫1
US




3
dance


4
rock
✫1
UK
2.
01/1981
408

2
US
4
AC






26
rock
✫1
UK
[Geffen]
written by John Lennon
3.
11/1981
398

✫1
US




12
dance


✫1
rock
3
UK
charted as Centerfold / Flamethrower in US dance charts
[EMI America 8102]
written by Seth Justman
4.
09/1981
384

3
US








✫1
rock
✫1
UK
written by Sting
5.
12/1981
383

✫1
US




31
dance


✫1
rock
4
UK
as Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #484]
[Boardwalk 7-11-135]
written by Alan Merrill & Jake Hooker
6.
11/1981
376

✫1
US
12
AC


✫1
dance
✫1
R&B
28
rock
8
UK
[RCA 12357]
written by Daryl Hall, John Oates & Sara Allen
7.
01/1981
370

✫1
US




✫1
dance
33
R&B
35
rock
5
UK
charted as Rapture / The Tide Is High in US dance charts
[Chrysalis 2485]
written by Debbie Harry & Chris Stein
8.
08/1981
352

✫1
US
✫1
AC






13
rock
7
UK
[Academy Award for Best Original Song 1981]
[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song 1981]
[Warner 49787]
written by Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager & Peter Allen
9.
08/1981
332

8
US




4
dance


12
rock
✫1
UK
written by Ed Cobb, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Eddie Holland Jr. (as Eddie Holland)
10.
03/1981
325

✫1
US
15
AC


26
dance


5
rock
10
UK
[Grammy Award for Song of the Year 1982]
[Grammy Award for Record of the Year 1982]
[EMI America 8077]
written by Donna Weiss & Jackie DeShannon
11.
08/1981
324

2
US




14
dance


✫1
rock
7
UK
[Rolling Stones 21003]
written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
12.
10/1981
322

2
US
5
AC






✫1
rock
8
UK
[Atlantic 3868]
written by Mick Jones [Foreigner] & Lou Gramm
13.
05/1981
293

2
US
✫1
AC






6
rock
13
UK
[Dark Horse 49725]
written by George Harrison
14.
01/1981
252

19
US








2
rock
2
UK
[Atlantic 3824]
written by Phil Collins
15.
11/1981
249

29
US








7
rock
✫1
UK
16.
07/1981
247

10
US








2
rock
4
UK
[Columbia 02408 (Jet)]
written by Jeff Lynne
17.
08/1981
246

✫1
US
33
AC






33
rock
32
UK
[RCA 12296]
written by Daryl Hall, Sara Allen, Janna Allen & Warren Pash
18.
03/1981
242

✫1
US








10
rock
43
UK
[RCA 12201]
written by Rick Springfield
19.
04/1981
232

3
US




78
dance


41
rock
11
UK
produced by Dave Edmunds
[EMI America 8122]
written by Brian Setzer
20.
02/1981
218

25
US








29
rock
2
UK
21.
10/1981
215

5
US




63
dance


23
rock
11
UK
22.
10/1981
202

3
US
41
AC






✫1
rock
49
UK
[Geffen 49824]
written by Marv Ross
23.
02/1981
200

9
US




35
dance


4
rock
9
UK
produced by Dave Edmunds; charted as Rock This Town/Runaway Boys in US dance charts
[EMI America 8132]
written by Brian Setzer
24.
11/1981
199

4
US






25
R&B
8
rock
27
UK
charted as Flamethrower / Freeze-Frame in US R&B charts
[EMI America 8108]
written by Seth Justman & Peter Wolf
25.
03/1981
199

5
US








6
rock
19
UK
[Epic 19-01054]
written by Gary Richrath
26.
07/1981
194

3
US








2
rock
50
UK
27.
07/1981

Urgent by Foreigner

from 4   4
192

4
US




32
dance


✫1
rock
54
UK
featuring Jr. Walker
[Atlantic 3831]
written by Mick Jones [Foreigner]
28.
01/1981
186

3
US
26
AC






16
rock
42
UK
[A&M 2300]
written by Dennis DeYoung
29.
07/1981
182

4
US
14
AC






4
rock
76
UK
[Columbia 02241 A]
written by Jonathan Cain & Steve Perry
30.
02/1981
181

4
US
✫1
AC
22
country




57
rock


[Capitol 4976]
written by Chip Taylor
31.
11/1981
180

4
US




14
dance


2
rock


charted as Shake It Up/Cruiser in US dance charts
[Elektra 47250]
written by Ric Ocasek
32.
11/1981
175

4
US








✫1
rock


written by Alex Call & Jim Keller
33.
03/1981
170

18
US








✫1
rock
9
UK
written by Pete Townshend
34.
12/1981
164

11
US








7
rock
12
UK
written by Sting
35.
01/1981
159

7
US
17
AC






2
rock
45
UK
[Island 49656]
written by Steve Winwood & Will Jennings
36.
09/1981
157

5
US








2
rock


[live]
written by Eugene Williams
37.
01/1981
156

105
US








19
rock
3
UK
[Polydor 2163]
written by Russ Ballard
38.
10/1981
147

20
US








29
rock
8
UK
39.
08/1981

Abacab by Genesis

from Abacab   Abacab
147

26
US




43
dance


4
rock
9
UK
40.
10/1981
145

101
US




41
dance


50
rock
4
UK
[Arista 0708]
written by Nick Heyward
41.
08/1981
143

7
US
2
AC






14
rock


[Full Moon 02488]
written by Dan Fogelberg
42.
10/1981
138

9
US
14
AC






12
rock
31
UK
[Asylum 47223]
written by Lindsey Buckingham
43.
10/1981
137

6
US
10
AC






26
rock


with Don Henley
[Modern 7341]
written by Stevie Nicks
44.
07/1981
136







26
dance


19
rock
5
UK
charted as Planet Earth/Girls On Film in US dance charts
[Capitol 5070 (Harvest)]
written by Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor [Roger Meddows-Taylor] & Andy Taylor
45.
05/1981
136

5
US








35
rock


46.
03/1981
136

10
US
6
AC






25
rock
30
UK
[Geffen 49695]
written by John Lennon
47.
08/1981
136

6
US
33
AC






9
rock


produced by George Martin
[Capitol 5033]
written by Graeham Goble (as Graham Goble)
48.
06/1981
134

105
US




✫1
dance




7
UK
charted as Wordy Rappinghood / Genius of Love in US dance charts [novelty]
[Sire 50067]
written by Adrian Belew, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Monte Browne, Tyrone Downie & Uziah "Sticky" Thompson
49.
03/1981
131

19
US








8
rock
14
UK
[Atlantic 3790]
written by Phil Collins
50.
05/1981

Hearts by Marty Balin

from Balin   Balin
118

8
US
9
AC






20
rock


[EMI America 8084]
written by Jesse Barish
51.
03/1981
116

9
US








2
rock


[A&M 2323]
written by Tommy Shaw
52.
04/1981
115

11
US








5
rock
43
UK
[EMI America 8079]
written by Bruce Springsteen
53.
02/1981
114

10
US








✫1
rock


as Eric Clapton & His Band
[RSO 1060]
written by Eric Clapton
54.
06/1981
111

15
US
16
AC






✫1
rock
76
UK
[Threshold 602]
written by Justin Hayward
55.
08/1981
104

9
US








8
rock


[Columbia 02567 B]
written by Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry & Neal Schon
56.
03/1981
103

11
US
5
AC






21
rock


[Columbia 60514]
written by J.D. Souther, James Taylor & Waddy Wachtel
57.
11/1981
99

13
US








8
rock
50
UK
[Rolling Stones 21004]
written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
58.
12/1981
98

44
US








9
rock
13
UK
59.
02/1981
95







44
dance


5
rock
11
UK
written by Chrissie Hynde
60.
05/1981
93

17
US








3
rock
52
UK
[Capitol 5005]
written by Billy Squier
61.
03/1981
93

10
US
40
AC






27
rock


[Millennium 11801]
written by Billy Elworthy (as William Elworthy) & Franke Previte
62.
10/1981
93

31
US




✫1
dance
2
R&B


65
UK
charted as Wordy Rappinghood / Genius of Love in US dance charts
[Sire 49882]
written by Adrian Belew, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Monte Browne, Tyrone Downie & Uziah "Sticky" Thompson
63.
07/1981
91

17
US








2
rock
76
UK
[Chrysalis 2529]
written by Pat Benatar, Tom Kelly & Scott Sheets
64.
06/1981
88

12
US




36
dance


13
rock


[Threshold]
written by Justin Hayward & John Lodge
65.
07/1981
88

13
US
14
AC




78
R&B
23
rock


[A&M 2349]
written by David Jenkins, Cory Lerios & John Pierce
66.
08/1981
87

20
US




10
dance


15
rock
47
UK
[I.R.S. 9901]
written by Jane Wiedlin & Terry Hall
67.
05/1981
84

15
US








5
rock


[Beserkley 47149]
written by Greg Kihn, Gary Phillips (as Gary Philippet) & Steve Wright
68.
05/1981
83

19
US








✫1
rock


written by Tom Petty
69.
04/1981

Winning by Santana

from Zebop!   Zebop!
83

17
US








2
rock


[Columbia 01050]
written by Russ Ballard
70.
12/1981
82











4
rock
15
UK
71.
08/1981
77











53
rock
11
UK
72.
07/1981
76

26
US








3
rock
48
UK
73.
09/1981
75

20
US








2
rock


74.
07/1981
74

16
US
32
AC






17
rock


[Warner 49769]
written by Ali Thomson & Gary Wright
75.
09/1981
72

17
US
35
AC






11
rock


(originally released on Turnstiles May 1976) [live]
[Columbia 02518]
written by Billy Joel
76.
11/1981
72

16
US








12
rock


[Geffen 50006]
written by Marv Ross
77.
03/1981
70

44
US








8
rock
25
UK
[Mercury 76109]
written by Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart & Pye Dubois
78.
03/1981
66

22
US
13
AC






13
rock


[MCA 51082]
written by Donald Fagen & Walter Becker
79.
01/1981
63

19
US








14
rock


[Epic 50964]
written by Eric Kaz & Randy Meisner
80.
01/1981
61

17
US








44
rock


as John Cougar
written by John Mellencamp
81.
01/1981
60

18
US








31
rock


[Chrysalis 2487]
written by Doug Lubahn & Pat Benatar
82.
02/1981
59

20
US








14
rock


[Columbia 11431]
written by Bruce Springsteen
83.
02/1981
59

21
US








11
rock


[Capitol 4975]
written by Myles Goodwyn
84.
11/1981
59

29
US








2
rock


[Columbia 02589]
written by Paul Dean, Matt Frenette & Mike Reno
85.
07/1981
58

40
US








✫1
rock
76
UK
written by Buck Dharma (as Donald Roeser) & Richard Meltzer
86.
09/1981
58

29
US








2
rock


[Atlantic 3858]
written by Tony Banks, Phil Collins & Mike Rutherford
87.
02/1981
58

27
US








3
rock


[A&M 2316]
written by Don Barnes, Jeff Carlisi & Jim Peterik
88.
03/1981
57

20
US








21
rock


89.
09/1981
56

22
US








16
rock


[RCA 11813 (Millenium)]
written by Bill Henderson & Brian MacLeod
90.
05/1981
55

34
US








✫1
rock


[Asylum 47144]
written by Kenny Passarelli & Joe Walsh
91.
04/1981
54

29
US








3
rock


as Jefferson Starship
[Grunt]
written by Craig Chaquico & Thos Borsdorf
92.
03/1981
54

24
US








11
rock


[Epic 19-02127]
written by Kevin Cronin
93.
01/1981
53

22
US
34
AC






34
rock


[Boardwalk 5703]
written by Phil Seymour
94.
12/1981
53

20
US








40
rock


written by Rick Springfield
95.
02/1981
51

34
US








2
rock


[Columbia 60505]
written by Steve Perry
96.
10/1981
51

24
US








17
rock


[Capitol 5068]
written by Steve Miller
97.
08/1981
49

29
US
16
AC






18
rock


[Columbia 02471]
written by Buddy Buie, Randy Lewis & Steve McRay
98.
06/1981
49

49
US








8
rock
41
UK
[A&M 2345]
written by Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook
99.
07/1981
46

25
US








27
rock


[Regency 7339]
written by Mark Boon & Rob Vunderink
100.
06/1981
44

35
US








22
rock
60
UK
[Capitol 5007]
written by The Tubes & David Foster

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