| The CASH BOX Top 100 Black Contemporary | ||||||
| Green square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending MAY 23, 1981 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | A WOMAN NEEDS LOVE (Just Like You Do) Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio (Arista 0592) | 1 | 4 | 7 | 12 | |
| 2 | WHAT CHA’ GONNA DO FOR ME Chaka Khan (Warner Bros. 49692) | 5 | 7 | 10 | 10 | |
| 3 | WHEN LOVE CALLS Atlantic Starr (A&M 2312) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | |
| 4 | BEING WITH YOU Smokey Robinson (Tamla 54321) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 15 | |
| 5 | SUKIYAKI Taste Of Honey (Capitol 4953) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 18 | |
| 6 | YEARNING FOR YOUR LOVE Gap Band (Mercury 76101) | 8 | 12 | 15 | 9 | |
| 7 | HOW ’BOUT US Champaign (Columbia 11433) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 16 | |
| 8 | MAKE THAT MOVE Shalamar (Solar 12192) | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | |
| 9 | AI NO CORRIDA Quincy Jones (A&M 2309) | 7 | 5 | 6 | 14 | |
| 10 | JUST THE TWO OF US Grover Washington Jr. (Elektra 47103) | 10 | 8 | 3 | 16 | |
| 11 | MAGIC MAN Robert Winters & Fall (Buddah 624) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 22 | |
| 12 | GIVE IT TO ME BABY Rick James (Gordy 7197) | 18 | 23 | 28 | 9 | |
| 13 | YOUR LOVE IS ON THE ONE Lakeside (Solar 12188) | 14 | 16 | 22 | 9 | |
| 14 | PARADISE Change (Atlantic/RFC 3809) | 17 | 21 | 29 | 7 | |
| 15 | GET TOUGH Kleeer (Atlantic 3788) | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
| 16 | TWO HEARTS Stephanie Mills featuring Teddy Pendergrass (20th Century-Fox 2492) | 21 | 30 | 40 | 5 | |
| 17 | IT’S A LOVE THING Whispers (Solar 12154) | 12 | 9 | 9 | 19 | |
| 18 | SWEET BABY Stanley Clarke/George Duke (Epic 01052) | 23 | 31 | 37 | 7 | |
| 19 | HURRY UP AND WAIT Isley Brothers (T-Neck 02033) | 24 | 29 | 35 | 6 | |
| 20 | DOUBLE DUTCH BUS Frankie Smith (WMOT 5356) | 26 | 27 | 30 | 13 | |
| 21 | CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT Bill Summers & Summers Heat (MCA 51073) | 22 | 22 | 25 | 11 | |
| 22 | WHAT TWO CAN DO Deniece Williams (ARC 60504) | 15 | 15 | 16 | 12 | |
| 23 | TONIGHT WE LOVE Rufus (MCA 51070) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 12 | |
| 24 | DON’T STOP THE MUSIC Yarbrough & Peoples (Mercury 76085) | 16 | 14 | 8 | 26 | |
| 25 | PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones (Island 49697) | 38 | 44 | 50 | 7 | |
| 26 | YOU LIKE ME DON’T YOU Jermaine Jackson (Motown 1503) | 19 | 19 | 21 | 13 | |
| 27 | YOU’RE LYING Linx (Chrysalis 2461) | 27 | 26 | 26 | 13 | |
| 28 | KEEP ON IT Starpoint (Chocolate City 3223) | 25 | 25 | 27 | 13 | |
| 29 | CAN YOU FEEL IT Jacksons (Epic 01032) | 30 | 36 | 44 | 8 | |
| 30 | MAKE YOU MINE Side Effect (Elektra 47112) | 35 | 40 | 47 | 10 | |
| 31 | SUPERLOVE Skyy (Salsoul 2136) | 31 | 33 | 38 | 9 | |
| 32 | BODY MUSIC Strikers (Prelude 8025) | 40 | 48 | 56 | 7 | |
| 33 | JUST CHILLIN’ OUT Bernard Wright (Arista/GRP 2511) | 34 | 38 | 48 | 6 | |
| 34 | LATELY Stevie Wonder (Tamla 54323) | 32 | 32 | 32 | 8 | |
| 35 | RUNNING AWAY Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly (Capitol 5000) | 56 | — | — | 2 | |
| 36 | FREAKY DANCIN’ Cameo (Chocolate City 3225) | 52 | 72 | — | 3 | |
| 37 | HEARTBEAT Taana Gardner (West End 1232) | 49 | 60 | 71 | 5 | |
| 38 | BAD COMPANY Ullanda McCullough (Atlantic 3804) | 33 | 34 | 34 | 10 | |
| 39 | ’SCUSE ME, WHILE I FALL IN LOVE Donna Washington (Capitol 4991) | 47 | 57 | 66 | 5 | |
| 40 | TELL’EM THAT I HEARD IT Sandra Feva (Venture 138) | 48 | 54 | 65 | 6 | |
| 41 | NEXT TIME YOU’LL KNOW Sister Sledge (Cotillion 46012) | 46 | 55 | 62 | 6 | |
| 42 | THIGHS HIGH (Grip Your Hips And Move) Tom Browne (Arista/GRP 2510) | 28 | 17 | 13 | 18 | |
| 43 | TAKE IT TO THE TOP Kool & Gang (De-Lite 810) | 29 | 18 | 17 | 13 | |
| 44 | ONE ALONE Michael Wycoff featuring Merry Clayton (RCA 12179) | 44 | 51 | 59 | 7 | |
| 45 | IF I DON’T LOVE YOU Randy Brown (Chocolate City 3224) | 51 | 58 | 67 | 6 | |
| 46 | BON BON VIE (Gimme The Good Life) T.S. Monk (Mirage 3780) | 36 | 24 | 19 | 24 | |
| 47 | IS IT YOU Lee Ritenour (Elektra 47124) | 55 | 63 | 73 | 5 | |
| 48 | TELL ME WHERE IT HURTS Walter Jackson (Columbia 02037) | 54 | 64 | 72 | 4 | |
| 49 | LADY’S WILD Con Funk Shun (Mercury 76099) | 42 | 42 | 43 | 9 | |
| 50 | LOVE (Is Gonna Be On Your Side) Firefly (Emergency 4509) | 57 | 65 | 74 | 7 | |
| 51 | WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT Betty Wright (Epic 51009) | 41 | 39 | 39 | 10 | |
| 52 | DON’T STOP K.I.D. (SAM 5018) | 61 | 69 | 81 | 6 | |
| 53 | NIGHT (Feel Like Getting Down) Billy Ocean (Epic 02053) | 66 | 81 | — | 3 | |
| 54 | IF YOU FEEL IT Thelma Houston (RCA 12215) | 62 | 70 | 78 | 4 | |
| 55 | TAKE IT ANY WAY YOU WANT IT Fatback (Spring 3018) | 64 | 75 | — | 3 | |
| 56 | ARE YOU SINGLE Aurra (Salsoul 2139) | 68 | 79 | 89 | 4 | |
| 57 | IF YOU LOVE (The One You Lose) Brenda Russell (A&M 2326) | 60 | 68 | 77 | 5 | |
| 58 | BURN RUBBER (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) Gap Band (Mercury 76091) | 43 | 37 | 18 | 25 | |
| 59 | WATCHING YOU Slave (Cotillion 46006) | 37 | 28 | 23 | 24 | |
| 60 | WHEN I LOSE MY WAY Randy Crawford (Warner Bros. 49709) | 63 | 73 | 82 | 4 | |
| 61 | I REALLY LOVE YOU Heaven And Earth (WMOT 02028) | 69 | 77 | 93 | 4 | |
| 62 | PUSH One Way (MCA 51110) | 72 | — | — | 2 | |
| 63 | TURN UP THE MUSIC Mass Production (Cotillion 46013) | 73 | 83 | — | 3 | |
| 64 | WE CAN START TONIGHT Harvey Mason (Arista 0593) | 74 | 76 | 84 | 5 | |
| 65 | ANY TIME IS RIGHT Archie Bell (Becket 45-4) | 75 | 86 | — | 3 | |
| 66 | ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE Michael Jackson (Motown 1512) | 71 | 71 | 75 | 6 | |
| 67 | TRY IT OUT Gino Soccio (Atlantic/RFC 3813) | 76 | 78 | 87 | 4 | |
| 68 | LOVE’S DANCE Klique (MCA 51099) | 88 | — | — | 2 | |
| 69 | YOU AND I Switch (Gordy 7199) | 70 | 74 | 76 | 5 | |
| 70 | ARE WE BREAKING UP Joe Simon (Posse 5010) | 79 | 89 | — | 3 | |
| 71 | SEARCHING TO FIND THE ONE Unlimited Touch (Prelude 8029) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 72 | ALL THE REASONS WHY Noel Pointer (Liberty 1403) | 77 | 87 | 91 | 4 | |
| 73 | LET’S DANCE Tom Browne (Arista/GRP 2513) | 82 | — | — | 2 | |
| 74 | LONG LIVE SOUL MUSIC Spinners (Atlantic 3814) | 80 | 88 | — | 3 | |
| 75 | JONES VS. JONES Kool & Gang (De-Lite 813) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 76 | MY DESTINY Alton McClain & Destiny (Polydor 2164) | 78 | 82 | 86 | 4 | |
| 77 | SKINNY Ohio Players (Boardwalk 02063) | 85 | — | — | 2 | |
| 78 | FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Impressions (20th Century-Fox/Chi-Sound 2491) | 86 | — | — | 2 | |
| 79 | TURN IT OUT Jerry Knight (A&M 2336) | 87 | 91 | — | 3 | |
| 80 | BABY, I DO LOVE YOU Greg Phillinganes (Planet 47928) | 84 | 92 | — | 3 | |
| 81 | GROOVE CITY T-Connection (Capitol 4995) | 89 | — | — | 2 | |
| 82 | COME TO ME Aretha Franklin (Arista 0600) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 83 | HERE IS MY LOVE Sylvester (Fantasy/Honey 912) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 84 | I DON’T REALLY CARE L.V. Johnson (ICA 027) | 94 | — | — | 2 | |
| 85 | HEAVY LOVE AFFAIR Marvin Gaye (Tamla 54326) | 90 | — | — | 2 | |
| 86 | I CAN MAKE IT BETTER Whispers (Solar 12232) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 87 | LOC-IT-UP Leprechaun (Citation 2003) | 92 | — | — | 2 | |
| 88 | REACTION SATISFACTION (Jam Ya’ll: Funk It Up) Sun (Capitol 4981) | 53 | 53 | 54 | 8 | |
| 89 | LIVING INSIDE MYSELF Gino Vannelli (Arista 0588) | 59 | 59 | 64 | 6 | |
| 90 | VERY SPECIAL Debra Laws (Elektra 47142) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 91 | LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE Blue Magic (Capitol 4977) | 83 | 80 | 80 | 8 | |
| 92 | DREAMIN’ Heath Brothers (Columbia 02014) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 93 | ANOTHER TIME ANOTHER PLACE Persuaders Featuring Douglas Scott (Brunswick 55553) | 93 | 94 | 94 | 5 | |
| 94 | WITHOUT YOU I CRY Candi Staton (LA 0080) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 95 | THE ELECTRIC SPANKING OF WAR BABIES Funkadelic (Warner Bros. 49667) | 50 | 50 | 51 | 8 | |
| 96 | LOVE DON’T STRIKE TWICE Blackbyrds (Fantasy 910) | 45 | 45 | 53 | 8 | |
| 97 | TURN THE HANDS OF TIME Peabo Bryson (Capitol 4989) | 67 | 67 | 69 | 7 | |
| 98 | LOVE ATTACK Mighty Fire (Elektra 47108) | 81 | 66 | 70 | 8 | |
| 99 | PRAISE Marvin Gaye (Tamla 54322) | 39 | 35 | 24 | 13 | |
| 100 | EVERYTHING IS COOL T-Connection (Capitol 4968) | 65 | 43 | 33 | 17 | |
| << GO TO PREVIOUS WEEK GO TO FOLLOWING WEEK >> RETURN TO 1981 |