Best Selling Singles and Albums of 1981

This was the original chart that was published at the time with Soft Cell as the best selling record of the year however in March 2021 the Official Chart Company reassessed the chart and The Human League were then given the title for best selling single of the year:

	TITLE	ARTIST	PEAK
1	Don’t You Want Me	Human League	1
2	Tainted Love	Soft Cell	1
3	Stand & Deliver	Adam & The Ants	1
4	Prince Charming	Adam & The Ants	1
5	This Ole House	Shakin' Stevens	1
6	Vienna	Ultravox	2
7	One Day In Your Life	Michael Jackson	1
8	Making Your Mind Up	Bucks Fizz	1
9	Shaddup You Face	Joe Dolce Music Theatre	1
10	Birdie Song	Tweets	2
11	You Drive Me Crazy	Shakin' Stevens	2
12	Ghost Town	Specials	1
13	It's My Party	Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin	1
14	Being With You	Smokey Robinson	1
15	Happy Birthday	Altered Images	2
16	Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)	Ottawan	3
17	Woman	John Lennon	1
18	Stars On 45	Star Sound	2
19	Begin The Beguine	Julio Iglesias	1
20	Green Door	Shakin Stevens	1
21	Imagine	John Lennon	1
22	Jealous Guy	Roxy Music	1
23	Kids In America	Kim Wilde	2
24	Japanese Boy	Aneka	1
25	Daddy's Home	Cliff Richard	2
26	Chi Mai (Lloyd George TV theme)	Ennio Morricone	2
27	Hooked On Classics	Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	2
28	Souvenir	OMD	3
29	Can Can	Bad Manners	3
30	Antmusic	Adam & The Ants	2
31	Do The Hucklebuck	Coast To Coast	5
32	Hold On Tight	ELO	4
33	More Than In Love	Kate Robbins And Beyond	2
34	Love Action (I Believe In Love)	Human League	3
35	Body Talk	Imagination	4
36	Stars On 45 (Vol 2)	Star Sound	2
37	Lately	Stevie Wonder	3
38	In the Air Tonight	Phil Collins	2
39	Under Pressure	Queen & David Bowie	1
40	Going Back To My Roots	Odyssey	4
41	Under Your Thumb	Godley & Crème	3
42	Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic	Police	1
43	Happy Birthday	Stevie Wonder	2
44	Kings Of The Wild Frontier	Adam & The Ants	2
45	I Surrender	Rainbow	3
46	Pretend	Alvin Stardust	4
47	How 'Bout Us	Champaign	5
48	Endless Love	Diana Ross & Lionel Richie	7
49	Four From Toyah (EP)	Toyah	4
50	Let's Groove	Earth Wind & Fire	3

Alphabetical List of Singles that entered the U.K. Charts in 1981

 

The U.K. and U.S. Number Ones of 1981

Top Ten 80s Movie Songs

 

10 - St Elmo's Fire - John Parr (from St Elmo's Fire) (1985)

9- Together In Electric Dream - Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder (from Electric Dreams) (1985)

8 - Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds (from The Breakfast Club) (1985)

7 - Maniac - Michael Sembello (1983)

6 - Flashdance "What A Feelin'" - Irene Cara (from Flashdance) (1983)

5 - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship (from Mannequin) (1987)

4 - Take My Breath Away - Berlin (from Top Gun) (1986)

3 - Thief of Hearts - Melissa Manchester (from Thief of Hearts) (1985)

2 - Far From Over - Frank Stallone (from Stayin' Alive) (1983)

1 - Fame - Irene Cara (from Fame) 1980

Review of the Year NME 1980

 

Review of the 80s - Sounds Magazine 1989

 

Singles & Album Charts 27th December 1981 to 2nd January 1982

No Charts printed in Record Mirror due to the Christmas break. We've taken the Top 10 U.K. Singles from the Official Chart Website.   Full U.K. Singles Chart

Olivia Newton John still Number One in  the U.S. with Physical.

U.K Number One Single

U.S. Number One Single

Review of the Year Record Mirror 1984

Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas!

Top of the Pops Christmas 1987

 

Top of the Pops Christmas 1987

Gary Davies and Mike Smith Present 

The Bee Gees

Rick Astley

Sting

U2

Tpau

Whitney Houston

Johnny Hates Jazz

Spagna

Razzamatazz Christmas Special 1985

 

Kid Jensen Presents

Phil Lynott

Madness

Spandau Ballet

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

Nick Heyward

Roy Wood

Feargal Sharkey

Slade

Jennifer Rush

Dire Straits

Fine Young Cannibals

Kim Wilde

John Parr

Rest In Peace Chris Rea

 Rest In Peace Chris Rea

BBC Obituary

Readers Poll Smash Hits 1987