TOP ACT OVERALL Hall & Oates
TOP MALE ARTIST Rick Springfield
TOP FEMALE ARTIST Barbra Streisand
TOP GROUP Daryl Hall & John Oates
TOP NEW ACT Sheena Easton
24 songs reached #1 on UU-BRU in 1981
Rick Springfield made a solid comeback in 1981 with the year's biggest hit, "Jessie's Girl". The singer had some success in the earlies seventies, but his role on TV's General Hospital exposed him to a new generation of fans. Screen and stage legend Barbra Streisand placed four singles in the top ten during 1981 including two duets with Barry Gibb. Streisand barely edged out 1981's most successful new act, Sheena Easton, for the top female artist of the year. Sheena Easton also placed her first four singles in the top ten including the number one single from James Bond's For Your Eyes Only. Four artists reached number one more than once during 1981. John Lennon, Blondie, Sheena Easton and Foreigner all had two chart toppers. Several artists from established groups spread their wings during the year and released solo projects. Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac), Marty Balin (Jefferson Starship), Lionel Richie (Commodores), Barry Gibb (Bee Gees), Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), Don Henley (Eagles) and Deborah Harry (Blondie) all reached the top ten with their first solo singles.
