List of UK top-ten singles in 1981
Entries Artist Country of origin Weeks Singles
6 Adam and the Ants United Kingdom 29 Antmusic , Ant Rap , Kings of the Wild Frontier , Prince Charming Stand and Deliver , Young Parisians
5 Madness United Kingdom 15 Embarrassment , Grey Day , It Must Be Love , Shut Up , The Return of the Los Palmas 7
4 John Lennon United Kingdom 18 Happy Xmas ( War is Over ) , Imagine , ( Just Like ) Starting Over , Woman
4 Shakin ' Stevens United Kingdom 23 Green Door , It 's Raining , This Ole House , You Drive Me Crazy
3 ABBA Sweden 6 Lay All Your Love on Me , One of Us , Super Trouper
3 The Human League United Kingdom 13 Do n't You Want Me , Love Action ( I Believe in Love ) , Open Your Heart
3 Michael Jackson United States 12 Can You Feel It , One Day in Your Life , Walk Right Now
3 The Police United Kingdom 12 De Do Do Do , De Da Da Da , Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic , Invisible Sun
3 Stevie Wonder United States 12 Happy Birthday , I Ai n't Gon na Stand for It , Lately
3 Toyah United Kingdom 10 Four from Toyah ( EP ) , I Want to Be Free , Thunder in the Mountains
2 Bad Manners United Kingdom 7 Can Can , Walkin ' in the Sunshine
2 Bucks Fizz United Kingdom 9 Making Your Mind Up , The Land of Make Believe
2 Chas & Dave United Kingdom 4 Ossie 's Dream ( Spurs Are on Their Way to Wembley ) , Rabbit
2 Cliff Richard United Kingdom 7 Daddy 's Home , Wired for Sound
2 Diana Ross United States 7 Endless Love , Why Do Fools Fall in Love
2 Godley and Creme United Kingdom 7 Under Your Thumb , Wedding Bells
2 Hazel O'Connor United Kingdom 5 D-Days , Will You ?
2 The Jacksons United States 6 Can You Feel It , Walk Right Now
2 The Jam United Kingdom 5 Absolute Beginners , Funeral Pyre
2 Kim Wilde United Kingdom 9 Chequered Love , Kids in America
Entries by artist
Legendary Spanish pop star Julio Iglesias made the UK top 10 for the first time in 1981 with his cover version of the Cole Porter composition `` Begin the Beguine '' , which reached number-one for one week . World-renowned Italian composer Ennio Morricone ( pictured in 2007 ) scored his only UK chart hit in April this year with the instrumental piece `` Chi Mai '' , which was used as the theme tune for the BBC television series The Life and Times of David Lloyd George . The record spent six weeks in the top 10 , peaking at number two . Joe Lynn Turner ( pictured in 2010 ) was Rainbow 's vocalist when the band achieved their highest charting UK single this year with `` I Surrender '' , which reached number three in February . See also : List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s § 1981 The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1981 , including singles that reached their peak in 1980 or 1982 . The figures include both main artists and featured artists , while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist . The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1981 is also shown .
The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1981, as well as singles which peaked in 1980 and 1982 but were in the top 10 in 1981. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced). One-hundred and forty-five singles were in the top ten in 1981. Ten singles from 1980 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while Ant Rap by Adam and the Ants, I'll Find My Way Home by Jon and Vangelis, It Must Be Love by Madness, The Land of Make Believe by Bucks Fizz and Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour) by Dollar were released in 1981 but did not reach their peak until 1982. Antmusic by Adam and the Ants, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, the Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Center Choir and Imagine by John Lennon were the singles from 1980 to reach their peak in 1981. Thirty artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1981. Duran Duran, The Human League, Kim Wilde, Shakin' Stevens and Ultravox were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1981. The 1980 Christmas number-one, There's No One Quite Like Grandma by St. Winifred's School Choir remained at number-one for the first week of 1981. The first new number-one single of the year was Imagine by the late former Beatles singer John Lennon. Overall, twenty different singles peaked at number-one in 1981, with Adam and the Ants, John Lennon and Shakin' Stevens (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.