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List of Top Country LPs number ones of 1981

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Singer Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash topped the chart for the first time in 1981. Her father Johnny Cash had been at number one on the first country albums chart published by Billboard in 1964.[1]

Top Country Albums is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music albums in the United States, published by Billboard. In 1981, 12 different albums topped the chart, which was at the time published under the title Top Country LPs, based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of stores nationwide.[2]

In the issue of Billboard dated January 3, Kenny Rogers was at number one with his album Greatest Hits, its seventh week in the top spot.[3] Rogers returned to the top of the chart in August with Share Your Love and was one of four artists to achieve two number ones in 1981, along with Ronnie Milsap, Willie Nelson and Eddie Rabbitt. Rogers had achieved great success since 1978, with the smooth production of his records appealing to both country and pop audiences.[4] In less than four years he had achieved eight number one albums, but his chart placings would begin to decline in the 1980s and, even though he would continue to record well into the 21st century, he would only gain two more number ones.[5][4]

In May the band Alabama gained its first number one with the album Feels So Right. After an initial spell of two weeks in the top spot, the album would go on to make repeated returns to number one for the remainder of the year. By the end of 1981 it had spent a total of 17 weeks atop the chart, the most by any album during the year. It would continue to return to number one in the first half of 1982 and would achieve a final total of 28 weeks at number one, a new record for the country albums chart.[6] The first band to achieve stardom in country music, a genre traditionally dominated by solo artists, Alabama would go on to become the most successful country act of the 1980s, with more than 25 chart-topping singles.[7] Feels So Right was the first of ten number-one albums which the group achieved in the 1980s, a run interrupted only by the seasonal album Christmas in 1985.[8] The Oak Ridge Boys also topped the chart for the first time in 1981.[9] The group had originated as a gospel act which first recorded in 1947 before switching to country music in the 1970s and reaching its commercial peak in the first half of the 1980s.[10] Fancy Free was the first of three chart-topping albums which the group achieved in this period and the biggest-selling of its career.[11]

Chart history

[edit]
Singer Dolly Parton with actress Carol Burnett
Dolly Parton (left) had the year's longest unbroken run at number one with 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs.
Singer Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap had two number ones in 1981.
Fancy Free was the first number one for the Oak Ridge Boys (group members William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban pictured).
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 3 Greatest Hits Kenny Rogers [3]
January 10 [12]
January 17 [13]
January 24 Greatest Hits Ronnie Milsap [14]
January 31 Greatest Hits Kenny Rogers [15]
February 7 [16]
February 14 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs Dolly Parton [17]
February 21 [18]
February 28 [19]
March 7 [20]
March 14 [21]
March 21 [22]
March 28 [23]
April 4 [24]
April 11 [25]
April 18 [26]
April 25 Horizon Eddie Rabbitt [27]
May 2 Somewhere Over the Rainbow Willie Nelson [28]
May 9 [29]
May 16 [30]
May 23 Feels So Right Alabama [31]
May 30 [32]
June 6 Seven Year Ache Rosanne Cash [33]
June 13 [34]
June 20 Feels So Right Alabama [35]
June 27 [36]
July 4 [37]
July 11 [38]
July 18 Fancy Free The Oak Ridge Boys [39]
July 25 Feels So Right Alabama [40]
August 1 Fancy Free The Oak Ridge Boys [41]
August 8 Feels So Right Alabama [42]
August 15 [43]
August 22 [44]
August 29 Share Your Love Kenny Rogers [45]
September 5 [46]
September 12 Feels So Right Alabama [47]
September 19 [48]
September 26 Step by Step Eddie Rabbitt [49]
October 3 [50]
October 10 [51]
October 17 There's No Gettin' Over Me Ronnie Milsap [52]
October 24 [53]
October 31 Feels So Right Alabama [54]
November 7 [55]
November 14 [56]
November 21 There's No Gettin' Over Me Ronnie Milsap [57]
November 28 Feels So Right Alabama [58]
December 5 Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be) Willie Nelson [59]
December 12 [60]
December 19 [61]
December 26 Feels So Right Alabama [62]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 333. ISBN 9780898201734.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
  3. ^ a b "Country Albums chart for January 3, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Vinopal, David. "Kenny Rogers Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 216–217. ISBN 9780898201734.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. pp. 333–335. ISBN 9780898201734.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Alabama Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  8. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 6. ISBN 9780898201734.
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 181. ISBN 9780898201734.
  10. ^ Huey, Steve. "The Oak Ridge Boys Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  11. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums: Billboard 1964 to 2007. Record Research, Incorporated. p. 181. ISBN 9780898201734.
  12. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 10, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  13. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 17, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  14. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 24, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  15. ^ "Country Albums chart for January 31, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  16. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 7, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  17. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  18. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 21, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  19. ^ "Country Albums chart for February 28, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  20. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 7, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  21. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  22. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 21, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  23. ^ "Country Albums chart for March 28, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  24. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 4, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  25. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 11, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  26. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 18, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  27. ^ "Country Albums chart for April 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  28. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 2, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  29. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 9, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  30. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 16, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  31. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 23, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  32. ^ "Country Albums chart for May 30, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  33. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 6, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  34. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 13, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  35. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 20, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  36. ^ "Country Albums chart for June 27, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  37. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 4, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  38. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 11, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  39. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 18, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  40. ^ "Country Albums chart for July 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  41. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 1, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  42. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 8, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  43. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 15, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  44. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 22, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  45. ^ "Country Albums chart for August 29, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  46. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 5, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  47. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 12, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  48. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 19, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  49. ^ "Country Albums chart for September 26, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  50. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 3, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  51. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 10, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  52. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 17, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  53. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 24, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  54. ^ "Country Albums chart for October 31, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  55. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 7, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  56. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 14, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  57. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 21, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  58. ^ "Country Albums chart for November 28, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  59. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 5, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  60. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 12, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  61. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 19, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  62. ^ "Country Albums chart for December 26, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
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