Best Albums
Discover
New Releases
Lists
Genres
News
Community
Sign In
Albums
Songs
Critics
Users
Best Singles of 1981 by User Score
1980s
All
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
Single
Featured
LP
EP
Mixtape
Single
Compilation
Live
Soundtrack
DJ Mix
Music Video
Genre
1980s
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1
.
高中正義 [Masayoshi Takanaka] - YOU CAN NEVER COME TO THIS PLACE
1981
USER SCORE
98
38 ratings
Amazon
2
.
Willie Colón - Oh, Qué Será?
1981
Salsa
USER SCORE
98
16 ratings
Amazon
3
.
New Order - Ceremony
September 1981
Post-Punk
USER SCORE
97
35 ratings
Amazon
4
.
Grover Washington, Jr. - Just the Two of Us
February 1981
Smooth Soul
,
Smooth Jazz
USER SCORE
96
243 ratings
Amazon
5
.
Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
January 1981
New Wave
,
Post-Punk
USER SCORE
96
506 ratings
Amazon
6
.
New Order - Ceremony
March 6, 1981
Post-Punk
USER SCORE
95
140 ratings
Amazon
7
.
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
October 1981
Smooth Soul
USER SCORE
95
51 ratings
Amazon
8
.
Dead Kennedys - Nazi Punks Fuck Off!
November 1981
Hardcore Punk
,
Anarcho-Punk
USER SCORE
95
127 ratings
Amazon
9
.
The Stranglers - Golden Brown
December 28, 1981
Baroque Pop
USER SCORE
95
103 ratings
Amazon
10
.
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound
May 22, 1981
Gothic Rock
,
Post-Punk
USER SCORE
94
64 ratings
Amazon
11
.
David Bowie - Wild Is the Wind
November 1981
USER SCORE
94
31 ratings
Amazon
12
.
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
September 1981
Synth Funk
,
Disco
USER SCORE
94
96 ratings
Amazon
13
.
Electric Light Orchestra - Twilight
October 10, 1981
Synthpop
USER SCORE
94
28 ratings
Amazon
14
.
Queen - Under Pressure
October 26, 1981
Pop Rock
,
Glam Rock
USER SCORE
94
416 ratings
Amazon
15
.
Kraftwerk - Computer Love
July 1981
Synthpop
,
Minimal Synth
USER SCORE
93
59 ratings
Amazon
16
.
泰葉 [Yasuha] - Fly-Day Chinatown
September 21, 1981
City Pop
,
J-Pop
USER SCORE
93
74 ratings
Amazon
17
.
Kate Bush - Sat in Your Lap
June 21, 1981
Art Pop
,
Progressive Pop
,
Art Rock
USER SCORE
93
115 ratings
Amazon
18
.
King Crimson - Matte kudasai / Elephant Talk
November 1981
Art Rock
,
Soft Rock
,
New Wave
,
Art Pop
USER SCORE
93
45 ratings
Amazon
19
.
Prince - Controversy
September 2, 1981
Synth Funk
,
Minneapolis Sound
USER SCORE
93
48 ratings
Amazon
20
.
The Specials - Ghost Town
June 12, 1981
Ska
,
Reggae
,
2 Tone
USER SCORE
92
61 ratings
Amazon
21
.
John Lennon - Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)
April 11, 1981
Pop Rock
,
Tropical Rock
USER SCORE
92
39 ratings
Amazon
22
.
ABBA - Lay All Your Love on Me
July 1981
Europop
,
Pop
,
Disco
,
Euro-Disco
USER SCORE
92
80 ratings
Amazon
23
.
The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
September 15, 1981
New Wave
,
Pop Rock
USER SCORE
92
44 ratings
Amazon
24
.
Kool & The Gang - Get Down on It
November 24, 1981
Disco
USER SCORE
92
34 ratings
Amazon
25
.
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
January 9, 1981
Pop Rock
USER SCORE
92
25 ratings
Amazon
1
2
3
4
...
5
Releases must have
15
ratings to chart. Last updated
2d
ago.
Create an account
to have a say in this list.
You May Also Like
All 1981 Releases
Become a Subscriber
Subscriber badge, no ads + more benefits.
Critic Score
User Score
Advertisement
Hide Ads
Recent Best Music
View More
![高中正義 [Masayoshi Takanaka] - YOU CAN NEVER COME TO THIS PLACE](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/200x0/album/1283748-you-can-never-come-to-this-placesoon_152506.jpg)
![泰葉 [Yasuha] - Fly-Day Chinatown](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/200x0/album/286988-fly-day-chinatown.jpg)
