| The CASH BOX Top 100 Black Contemporary | ||||||
| Green square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending SEPTEMBER 5, 1981 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | SHE’S A BAD MAMA JAMA (She’s Built, She’s Stacked) Carl Carlton (20th Century-Fox 2488) | 2 | 8 | 11 | 12 | |
| 2 | ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (Motown 1519) | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |
| 3 | SQUARE BIZ Teena Marie (Gordy 7202) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | |
| 4 | I’M IN LOVE Evelyn King (RCA 12243) | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | |
| 5 | JUST BE MY LADY Larry Graham (Warner Bros. 49744) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 11 | |
| 6 | SUPER FREAK (pt. 1) Rick James (Gordy 7205) | 10 | 17 | 25 | 6 | |
| 7 | LADY (You Bring Me Up) Commodores (Motown 1514) | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 | |
| 8 | SLOW HAND Pointer Sisters (Planet 47929) | 9 | 10 | 15 | 13 | |
| 9 | SHAKE IT UP TONIGHT Cheryl Lynn (Columbia 02102) | 8 | 6 | 5 | 15 | |
| 10 | LOVE ON A TWO WAY STREET Stacy Lattisaw (Cotillion 46015) | 7 | 4 | 1 | 14 | |
| 11 | DOUBLE DUTCH BUS Frankie Smith (WMOT 5356) | 11 | 9 | 7 | 28 | |
| 12 | I’LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU Denroy Morgan (Becket 45-5) | 20 | 21 | 23 | 11 | |
| 13 | I LOVE YOU MORE Rene & Angela (Capitol 5010) | 14 | 15 | 20 | 12 | |
| 14 | THIS IS FOR THE LOVER IN YOU Shalamar (Solar 12250) | 12 | 13 | 16 | 12 | |
| 15 | WE’RE IN THIS LOVE TOGETHER Al Jarreau (Warner Bros. 49746) | 17 | 22 | 31 | 8 | |
| 16 | CAN’T WE FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Phyllis Hyman & Michael Henderson (Arista 0606) | 16 | 16 | 17 | 10 | |
| 17 | SWEAT (Til You Get Wet) Brick (Bang 02246) | 25 | 33 | 40 | 8 | |
| 18 | DO IT NOW (pt. 1) S.O.S. Band (Tabu 02125) | 21 | 28 | 33 | 9 | |
| 19 | WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL Four Tops (Casablanca 2338) | 28 | 43 | 54 | 4 | |
| 20 | ON THE BEAT B. B. & Q. Band (Capitol 4993) | 24 | 30 | 35 | 10 | |
| 21 | JUST ONE MOMENT AWAY Manhattans (Columbia 02191) | 22 | 24 | 26 | 10 | |
| 22 | THAT OLD SONG Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio (Arista 0616) | 23 | 32 | 38 | 8 | |
| 23 | SILLY Deniece Williams (ARC 02406) | 29 | 36 | 68 | 5 | |
| 24 | FUNTOWN U.S.A. Rafael Cameron (Salsoul 2144) | 26 | 27 | 30 | 11 | |
| 25 | HERE I AM Dynasty (Solar 47932) | 27 | 29 | 34 | 10 | |
| 26 | LOVE ALL THE HURT AWAY Aretha Franklin & George Benson (Arista 0624) | 32 | 52 | — | 3 | |
| 27 | VERY SPECIAL Debra Laws (Elektra 47142) | 19 | 19 | 18 | 16 | |
| 28 | THE REAL THING Brothers Johnson (A&M 2343) | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | |
| 29 | SEND FOR ME Atlantic Starr (A&M 2340) | 18 | 14 | 12 | 13 | |
| 30 | GIVE IT TO ME BABY Rick James (Gordy 7197) | 15 | 12 | 9 | 24 | |
| 31 | A LITTLE BIT OF JAZZ Nick Straker Band (Prelude 8034) | 36 | 42 | 51 | 6 | |
| 32 | NEVER TOO MUCH Luther Vandross (Epic 02409) | 40 | 47 | 56 | 5 | |
| 33 | STAY THE NIGHT LaToya Jackson (Polydor 2177) | 34 | 40 | 48 | 8 | |
| 34 | FREEWAY Peaches & Herb (Polydor/MVP 2178) | 39 | 44 | 52 | 6 | |
| 35 | YOU WERE RIGHT GIRL Natalie Cole (Capitol 5021) | 35 | 45 | 53 | 7 | |
| 36 | MAGIC MAN Herb Alpert (A&M 2356) | 42 | 51 | 60 | 6 | |
| 37 | DO YOU LOVE ME? Patti Austin (Qwest 49754) | 45 | 53 | 64 | 5 | |
| 38 | TURN IT OUT Emotions (ARC 02239) | 37 | 39 | 44 | 8 | |
| 39 | WIKKA WRAP Evasions (SAM 5020) | 44 | 50 | 62 | 6 | |
| 40 | GENERAL HOSPI-TALE Afternoon Delights (MCA 51148) | 46 | 54 | 71 | 5 | |
| 41 | IT’S YOU Afterbach (ARC 02222) | 41 | 46 | 49 | 8 | |
| 42 | I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE Teddy Pendergrass (Philadelphia Int’l 02462) | 52 | — | — | 2 | |
| 43 | STAY AWAKE Ronnie Laws (Liberty 1424) | 49 | 59 | 81 | 4 | |
| 44 | HE’S JUST A RUNAWAY (A Tribute To Bob Marley) Sister Sledge (Cotillion 46017) | 33 | 34 | 41 | 7 | |
| 45 | LOVE HAS COME AROUND Donald Byrd & 125th Street, N.Y.C. (Elektra 47168) | 51 | 58 | 66 | 5 | |
| 46 | SUMMER FUN Bill Summers & Summers Heat (MCA 51138) | 48 | 55 | 65 | 6 | |
| 47 | MIGHTY FINE TTF (Gold Coast 1100) | 53 | 60 | 70 | 5 | |
| 48 | GET IT UP The Time (Warner Bros. 49774) | 73 | 86 | — | 3 | |
| 49 | LET’S DANCE (Make Your Body Move) West Street Mob (Sugar Hill 763) | 57 | 67 | 77 | 5 | |
| 50 | CLASSY LADY Noel Pointer (Liberty 1421) | 50 | 57 | 61 | 7 | |
| 51 | SHINE YOUR LIGHT Graingers (BC 002) | 55 | 56 | 67 | 9 | |
| 52 | I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE (pt. 1) Roger (Warner Bros. 49786) | 63 | 78 | — | 3 | |
| 53 | GONNA FIND HER Tierra (Boardwalk 112) | 56 | 64 | 74 | 5 | |
| 54 | AIMING AT YOUR HEART Temptations (Gordy 7208) | 65 | 73 | 84 | 4 | |
| 55 | NIGHT GAMES Stephanie Mills (20th Century-Fox 2506) | 64 | 84 | — | 3 | |
| 56 | IF THAT’LL MAKE YOU HAPPY Gladys Knight & Pips (Columbia 02413) | 68 | 77 | 86 | 4 | |
| 57 | BEFORE I LET GO Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly (Capitol 5031) | 67 | 83 | — | 3 | |
| 58 | KNOCK! KNOCK! Dazz Band (Motown 1515) | 58 | 61 | 69 | 6 | |
| 59 | DON’T STOP THE MUSIC Bits & Pieces (Mango 109) | 60 | 68 | 76 | 5 | |
| 60 | I LIKE IT Cameo (Chocolate City 3227) | 69 | — | — | 2 | |
| 61 | I JUST WANT TO LOVE YOU Stanley Clarke/George Duke (Epic 02397) | 62 | 71 | 79 | 4 | |
| 62 | JUST ONCE Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (A&M 2357) | 70 | 81 | — | 3 | |
| 63 | JAMMIN BIG GUITAR Vaughan Mason (Brunswick 220) | 71 | 79 | 88 | 4 | |
| 64 | EVERYBODY’S BROKE Herbie Hancock (Columbia 02404) | 66 | 74 | 82 | 4 | |
| 65 | ANYBODY WANNA DANCE Ebonee Webb (Capitol 5008) | 31 | 31 | 32 | 13 | |
| 66 | TURN OUT THE NIGHTLIGHT Tavares (Capitol 5019) | 38 | 38 | 45 | 9 | |
| 67 | HEARTBEAT Taana Gardner (West End 1232) | 43 | 25 | 22 | 20 | |
| 68 | FREAKY DANCIN’ Cameo (Chocolate City 3225) | 30 | 18 | 14 | 18 | |
| 69 | FUNKY BEBOP Vin Zee (Emergency 4512) | 54 | 48 | 50 | 9 | |
| 70 | YOU GOT THE PAPERS (But I Got The Man) Jean Knight & Premium (Cotillion 46020) | 79 | — | — | 2 | |
| 71 | SHE’S GOT THE PAPERS (But I Got The Man) Barbara Mason (WMOT 02506) | 81 | — | — | 2 | |
| 72 | NIGHT (Feel Like Getting Down) Billy Ocean (Epic 02053) | 47 | 20 | 13 | 18 | |
| 73 | ARE YOU SINGLE Aurra (Salsoul 2139) | 61 | 49 | 47 | 19 | |
| 74 | WE CAN WORK IT OUT Chaka Khan (Warner Bros. 49759) | 59 | 26 | 27 | 9 | |
| 75 | YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME Carl Weathers (Mirage 3834) | 77 | 85 | 91 | 4 | |
| 76 | THIS KIND OF LOVIN’ Whispers (Solar 12295) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 77 | WHO’S BEEN KISSING YOU? Hot Cuisine (Prelude 8035) | 80 | 95 | — | 3 | |
| 78 | SATURDAY NIGHT Bobby Broom (Arista/GRP 2516) | 87 | — | — | 2 | |
| 79 | SHE DON’T LET NOBODY (But Me) Curtis Mayfield (Boardwalk 122) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 80 | CLASS (Is What You Got) Reddings (Believe In A Dream 02437) | 88 | — | — | 2 | |
| 81 | INCH BY INCH Strikers (Prelude 8033) | 86 | 91 | — | 3 | |
| 82 | SECRETS Bobby Womack (Beverly Glen 2000) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 83 | GET ON UP DO IT AGAIN Suzy Q (Atlantic/RFC 3837) | 76 | 72 | 72 | 7 | |
| 84 | TIME TO THINK Rockie Robbins (A&M 2355) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 85 | WHO’S SAD Smokey Robinson (Tamla 54332) | 85 | — | — | 2 | |
| 86 | KOOL WHIP Fatback (Spring 3020) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 87 | COOL LOVE Pablo Cruise (A&M 2349) | 89 | 89 | 93 | 4 | |
| 88 | BACKFIRED Debbie Harry (Chrysalis 2526) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 89 | PULL FANCY DANCER / PULL (pt. 2) One Way (MCA 51165) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 90 | CUTIE PIE Dayton (Liberty 1414) | 82 | 82 | 85 | 10 | |
| 91 | FUNKY SENSATION Gwen McCrae (Atlantic 3853) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 92 | BODY FEVER (Let’s Go Party) Linda Jones (Spirit 777) | 92 | — | — | 2 | |
| 93 | COME CLOSER Pure Energy (Prism 321) | 98 | — | — | 2 | |
| 94 | I’VE BEEN WATCHING YOU Midnight Star (Solar 47933) | 83 | 75 | 57 | 10 | |
| 95 | SEARCHING TO FIND THE ONE Unlimited Touch (Prelude 8029) | 84 | 65 | 37 | 16 | |
| 96 | YOU STOPPED LOVING ME Roberta Flack (MCA 51126) | 72 | 37 | 29 | 12 | |
| 97 | HOLD TIGHT Change (Atlantic/RFC 3832) | 74 | 62 | 39 | 9 | |
| 98 | RUNNING AWAY Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly (Capitol 5000) | 78 | 23 | 19 | 17 | |
| 99 | USE ME Grace Jones (Island 49776) | 93 | 93 | — | 3 | |
| 100 | PUSH One Way (MCA 51110) | 75 | 35 | 28 | 17 | |
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