1981
17 different songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981, starting with (Just Like) Starting Over by John Lennon. No single song ran away with the year: Bette Davis Eyes (Kim Carnes) and Endless Love (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie) shared the longest stay at the top, 9 weeks each within 1981.
Prices rose 10.3% over 1980, a fast year for inflation. One dollar in 1981 buys about what $3.54 buys in 2025.
A gallon of regular gas averaged $1.38, up 11% from 1980. In 2025 dollars that is $4.88, against an actual 2025 average of $3.26.
Mailing a letter took a 18¢ stamp (it is 73¢ in 2025), and the federal minimum wage was $3.35 an hour.
Every #1 hit of 1981
| Song | Artist | First week at #1 | Weeks at #1 in 1981 |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Just Like) Starting Over | John Lennon | Jan 3 | 4 |
| The Tide Is High | Blondie | Jan 31 | 1 |
| Celebration | Kool & The Gang | Feb 7 | 2 |
| 9 To 5 | Dolly Parton | Feb 21 | 2 |
| I Love A Rainy Night | Eddie Rabbitt | Feb 28 | 2 |
| Keep On Loving You | REO Speedwagon | Mar 21 | 1 |
| Rapture | Blondie | Mar 28 | 2 |
| Kiss On My List | Daryl Hall John Oates | Apr 11 | 3 |
| Morning Train (Nine To Five) | Sheena Easton | May 2 | 2 |
| Bette Davis Eyes | Kim Carnes | May 16 | 9 |
| Medley | Stars On 45 | Jun 20 | 1 |
| The One That You Love | Air Supply | Jul 25 | 1 |
| Jessie's Girl | Rick Springfield | Aug 1 | 2 |
| Endless Love | Diana Ross & Lionel Richie | Aug 15 | 9 |
| Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) | Christopher Cross | Oct 17 | 3 |
| Private Eyes | Daryl Hall John Oates | Nov 7 | 2 |
| Physical | Olivia Newton-John | Nov 21 | 6 |
Weeks are counted within 1981; a song that carried over from 1980 or into 1982 shows only its 1981 weeks.
What things cost in 1981
| Item | 1981 price | In 2025 dollars | Actual 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of regular gas | $1.38 | $4.88 | $3.26 |
| Dozen large eggs | $0.90 | $3.18 | $4.25 |
| Loaf of white bread (per lb) | $0.53 | $1.86 | $1.87 |
| Whole chicken (per lb) | $0.73 | $2.59 | $2.06 |
| Bacon (per lb) | $1.67 | $5.90 | $7.02 |
| Ground coffee (per lb) | $2.53 | $8.95 | $8.18 |
| Bananas (per lb) | $0.36 | $1.28 | $0.65 |
| Sugar (per lb) | $0.40 | $1.42 | $1.02 |
| Flour (per lb) | $0.22 | $0.79 | $0.56 |
| Electricity (per kWh) | $0.07 | $0.24 | $0.18 |
| Federal minimum wage (per hour) | $3.35 | $11.86 | $7.25 |
| Median new home sale price | $68,950 | $244,135 | $415,400 |
| First-class stamp | 18¢ | 64¢ | 73¢ |
Compare 1981 prices with any amount → · Find the #1 song on any day in 1981 →
The internet in 1981
- August 12, 1981IBM releases the PC — The IBM Personal Computer, model 5150, goes on sale. Its open design makes "IBM-compatible" the standard for the next two decades. source
!['Schlitz Malt Liquor' [01] - TV commercial (1981)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vvPBhxabt2Q/hqdefault.jpg)
