Global InformationList of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1981 information
Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1981, 48 different singles topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[2]
Alabama, Razzy Bailey, T. G. Sheppard and Hank Williams Jr. tied for the most number ones of the year, with three chart-toppers each. As Alabama's "Feels So Right" was one of the few songs to spend a second week at number one, the band had the highest total number of weeks in the top spot, with four. Ten other acts achieved more than one number one in 1981. Several acts topped the chart for the first time in 1981: Charly McClain with "Who's Cheatin' Who",[3] Sylvia with "Drifter",[4] Rosanne Cash with "Seven Year Ache",[5] Earl Thomas Conley with "Fire and Smoke",[6] Ronnie McDowell with "Older Women",[7][8] Steve Wariner with "All Roads Lead to You",[9] and the duo of David Frizzell and Shelly West with "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma".[10][11] Shelly West's appearance at number one fell between two chart-toppers achieved in 1981 by her mother, Dottie West.[12]
"King of Rock and Roll" Elvis Presley, who had died in 1977,[13] achieved a posthumous number one in March with the single "Guitar Man". Upon its original release in 1967, the song had been a minor hit on Billboard's all-genres chart, the Hot 100. More than three years after his death, however, the song was re-released to promote a similarly-titled album which combined existing Presley vocals with new instrumental backing tracks created in Nashville by producer Felton Jarvis, and this time became a country number one.[14][15] Two songs which topped the country chart consecutively in January also topped the Hot 100, albeit several weeks later. Eddie Rabbitt's "I Love a Rainy Night" topped the country chart in the issue of Billboard dated January 10, and was replaced the following week by Dolly Parton's "9 to 5". On the Hot 100, Parton's song reached the top in the issue dated February 21,[16] was replaced by Rabbitt's song the following week,[17] but then returned to the top spot in the issue dated March 14.[18] The two songs were among just four country songs which topped the Hot 100 during the 1980s, and the only two to do so consecutively.[19] Both songs, along with "I Don't Need You" by Kenny Rogers, also crossed over to adult contemporary radio with sufficient impact to top Billboard's Adult Contemporary airplay chart,[20] reflecting increasing pop and soft rock influences on mainstream country music.[21]
- ^ Betts, Stephen L. (February 5, 2016). "See Miranda Lambert Sing Barbara Mandrell's 'I Was Country'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
- ^ Bufwack, Mary A. (2003). Finding Her Voice: Women in Country Music, 1800-2000. Country Music Foundation Press. p. 346. ISBN 9780826514325.
- ^ Fitzharris, Dustin (October 11, 2016). "Country Music's Sylvia Returns With New Music And A New Outlook On Life". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ Thompson, Gayle (May 23, 2017). "36 Years Ago: Rosanne Cash Earns First No. 1 Single with 'Seven Year Ache'". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ Kingsbury, Paul; McCall, Michael; Rumble, Paul, eds. (2004). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. p. 108. ISBN 9780199770557.
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Ronnie McDowell Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Ronnie McDowell Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ Nolan-Wilson, Donna (May 22, 2015). "10 best Steve Wariner songs". AXS TV. Archived from the original on 2018-03-09. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Shelly West Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ Kingsbury, Paul; McCall, Michael; Rumble, Paul, eds. (2004). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780199770557.
- ^ Carlin, Richard (2014). Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary. Routledge. p. 424. ISBN 9781135361044.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Elvis Presley Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
- ^ Collins, Ace (2005). Untold Gold: The Stories Behind Elvis's #1 Hits. Chicago Review Press. p. 251. ISBN 9781569765074.
guitar man elvis country number one.
- ^ Stefano, Angela (February 17, 2019). "Blake Shelton Sings 'Guitar Man' With Elvis Presley During 'All-Star Tribute'". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ "Hot 100 chart for February 21, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Hot 100 chart for February 28, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Hot 100 chart for March 14, 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ Garner, Kelly K. (2016). So You Want to Sing Country: A Guide for Performers. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 31. ISBN 9781442246416.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary - 1981 Archive". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ^ "Country-Pop Music Genre Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.