List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one Singles of 1981 - wikipedia List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one Singles of 1981 These are the Billboard Hot 100 number - one hits of 1981. The longest running number - one single of 1981 is `` Physical '' by Olivia Newton - John which stayed at the top of the chart for six weeks in 1981 and then for four additional weeks in 1982, with a total of 10 weeks at number - one. This also makes `` Physical '' the longest running number - one single of the 1980s. Key The yellow background indicates the # 1 song on Billboard 's 1981 Year - End Chart of Pop Singles. Issue Date Song Artist ( s ) Reference January 3 `` ( Just Like ) Starting Over '' John Lennon January 10 January 17 January 24 January 31 `` The Tide Is High '' Blondie February 7 `` Celebration '' Kool & the Gang February 14 February 21 `` 9 to 5 '' Dolly Parton February 28 `` I Love a Rainy Night '' Eddie Rabbitt March 7 March 14 `` 9 to 5 '' Dolly Parton March 21 `` Keep On Loving You '' REO Speedwagon March 28 `` Rapture '' Blondie April 4 April 11 `` Kiss on My List '' Daryl Hall and John Oates April 18 April 25 May 2 `` Morning Train ( Nine to Five ) '' Sheena Easton May 9 May 16 `` Bette Davis Eyes '' Kim Carnes May 23 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 20 `` Stars on 45 Medley '' Stars on 45 June 27 `` Bette Davis Eyes '' Kim Carnes July 4 July 11 July 18 July 25 `` The One That You Love '' Air Supply August 1 `` Jessie 's Girl '' Rick Springfield August 8 August 15 `` Endless Love '' Diana Ross and Lionel Richie August 22 August 29 September 5 September 12 September 19 September 26 October 3 October 10 October 17 `` Arthur 's Theme ( Best That You Can Do ) '' Christopher Cross October 24 October 31 November 7 `` Private Eyes '' Daryl Hall and John Oates November 14 November 21 `` Physical '' Olivia Newton - John November 28 December 5 December 12 December 19 December 26 References Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. 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Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart ''. 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Sources Fred Bronson 's Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition ( ISBN 0 - 8230 - 7677 - 6 ) Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 2008, 12 Edition ( ISBN 0 - 89820 - 180 - 2 ) Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts : The Eighties ( ISBN 0 - 89820 - 079 - 2 ) Additional information obtained can be verified within Billboard 's online archive services and print editions of the magazine. See also 1981 in music Cashbox Top 100 number - one singles of 1981 List of number - one hits ( United States ) List of number - one albums of 1981 ( U.S. ) Lists of Billboard number - one singles 1940 -- 1959 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 -- 1979 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 -- 1999 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 2000 -- present 2017 2018 By decade 1930s 1940s 1950 -- 1958 1958 -- 1969 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s See also Top - ten singles Hot 100 Year - end List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_number-one_singles_of_1981&oldid=850693607 '' Categories : 1981 record charts Lists of Billboard Hot 100 number - one songs Talk About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español Français Italiano Nederlands Polski Русский Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 17 July 2018, at 13 : 49 ( UTC ). 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Question: what was the number one song on may 5 1981
Answer: "Morning Train (Nine to Five)"