Every #1 Song of 1981: The Gen X Soundtrack
The year MTV was born, new wave took over, and the 80s really found their groove. Whether you were roller skating in Jordache or slow dancing in your basement, these were the hits that defined your cassette collection.
📅 January 3–10: “(Just Like) Starting Over” – John Lennon
Poignant and powerful. John Lennon’s return to music after a five-year break was tragically cut short. This track, equal parts hope and heartbreak, hit #1 just weeks after his death and carried us into the new year with tears in our eyes.
📅 January 17–31: “The Tide Is High” – Blondie
Debbie Harry kept her crown with this reggae-tinged bop. A cool detour from punk and new wave, it had us all swaying like we were on a beach in our tube socks and Walkmans.
📅 February 7–14: “Celebration” – Kool & the Gang
Instant party starter. Every roller rink, birthday party, and middle school dance was legally required to play this. Gen Xers didn’t just celebrate — we soul clapped to it.
📅 February 21: “9 to 5” – Dolly Parton
Country crossed over in a big way. Dolly wasn’t just working — she was dominating the airwaves with sass, sequins, and a message every overworked kid’s mom understood deep in her bones.
📅 February 28 – March 7: “I Love a Rainy Night” – Eddie Rabbitt
Part rock, part country, all radio gold. It was the rare weather-related bop that made getting caught in the rain kind of awesome. Not to mention that finger snap beat.
📅 March 14–21: “Keep on Loving You” – REO Speedwagon
The ultimate Gen X power ballad. Equal parts heartbreak and hair. You heard this one while slow dancing under streamers and wondering why love was so complicated at 15.
📅 March 28 – April 4: “Rapture” – Blondie
Debbie Harry again — this time with a side of rap. Yes, rap. The first rap verse to top the Billboard chart, courtesy of a bleach-blonde punk goddess and some very trippy lyrics about a man from Mars.
📅 April 11–18: “Kiss on My List” – Hall & Oates
Smooth, synthy, and suspiciously charming. Hall & Oates could make even a passive-aggressive love song sound like a bop. This was peak yacht-pop Gen X energy.
📅 April 25: “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” – Sheena Easton
The other “9 to 5” hit of the year. A bubbly British import about a woman waiting around for her man. Less feminist than Dolly’s version, but catchy as hell — and that sax riff? Fire.
📅 May 2–9: “Being With You” – Smokey Robinson
Smokey came through with the silky vocals and grown-up emotions. This was the slow jam for Gen Xers who’d just discovered heartbreak… and radio dedications.
📅 May 16–23: “Bette Davis Eyes” – Kim Carnes
Sultry, synth-heavy, and smoky as a Virginia Slim. Carnes rasped her way to one of the most iconic #1s of the decade. This wasn’t just a song — it was a whole Gen X vibe.
📅 May 30 – July 18: “Bette Davis Eyes” (continued)
That’s right — it stayed on top for nine weeks. Nobody could touch it. It was the soundtrack to early summer in 1981: hair feathered, lips glossy, and mystery in the air.
📅 July 25: “The One That You Love” – Air Supply
Soft rock at its most emotionally fragile. Air Supply specialized in love songs that sounded like breakups — this one made you want to clutch a pillow and cry dramatically.
📅 August 1–8: “Jessie’s Girl” – Rick Springfield
Every Gen X dude suddenly wanted a guitar. And a best friend named Jessie. And Jessie’s girl. The hook is still stuck in our collective heads over 40 years later.
📅 August 15–29: “Endless Love” – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
The prom song of a generation. Diana and Lionel delivered the slowest, most passionate duet ever — and we swayed like we were floating. Perfect for crying into your corsage.
📅 September 5: “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” – Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty
Two legends. One bluesy breakup anthem. Stevie’s voice could break you, and Petty’s drawl sealed the deal. A raw, raspy rollercoaster of a rock ballad.
📅 September 12: “Private Eyes” – Hall & Oates
Clap. Clap. This song made paranoia funky. Whether you were sneaking snacks or hiding notes in class, you felt watched. But in a good, catchy way.
📅 September 19–26: “Endless Love” (returns to #1)
Yep, it came back. Because when a song hits that hard, you don’t let go. Gen Xers held on to this one like it was their middle school relationship.
📅 October 3: “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” – Christopher Cross
Soft, jazzy, and weirdly about New York and the moon. This song made us all feel classy for no reason. Also: “caught between the moon and New York City” still slaps.
📅 October 10: “Start Me Up” – The Rolling Stones
Classic rock gods proving they could still own the charts. It’s impossible to hear this riff without wanting to strut — or launch a Windows 95 startup.
📅 October 17–24: “Arthur’s Theme” (back again!)
Apparently, Gen Xers were caught between the moon and NYC a lot. This one had serious staying power — must’ve been the yacht vibes.
📅 October 31–November 7: “Private Eyes” (back again too!)
Like your creepy neighbor, Hall & Oates returned to watch you again. This time with more claps and mullets.
📅 November 14–21: “Physical” – Olivia Newton-John
Pure aerobic pop. Olivia ditched her good-girl image and went all-in on spandex and innuendo. Gen X may not have fully understood it, but the video was unforgettable.
📅 November 28 – December 26: “Physical” (still)
The sweatband hit that just kept going. It topped the chart for 10 weeks, closing out 1981 with neon-lit energy and Olivia in total command.
1981 was wild — soft rock, synth-pop, country crossover, and the birth of MTV. Gen X grew up on a mixtape of heartbreak, rebellion, and absolute earworms. Whether you were in the backseat of a station wagon or dancing in your living room, this was your soundtrack.