| The CASH BOX Top 100 Black Contemporary | ||||||
| Green square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending OCTOBER 31, 1981 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | NEVER TOO MUCH Luther Vandross (Epic 02409) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13 | |
| 2 | WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL Four Tops (Casablanca 2338) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 12 | |
| 3 | I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE (pt. 1) Roger (Warner Bros. 49786) | 4 | 8 | 12 | 11 | |
| 4 | ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (Motown 1519) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 17 | |
| 5 | SUPER FREAK (pt. 1) Rick James (Gordy 7205) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 14 | |
| 6 | TAKE MY HEART (You Can Have It If You Want It) Kool & Gang (De-Lite 815) | 9 | 17 | 27 | 5 | |
| 7 | GET IT UP The Time (Warner Bros. 49774) | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | |
| 8 | SHE’S A BAD MAMA JAMA (She’s Built, She’s Stacked) Carl Carlton (20th Century-Fox 2488) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 20 | |
| 9 | LOVE ALL THE HURT AWAY Aretha Franklin & George Benson (Arista 0624) | 8 | 7 | 8 | 11 | |
| 10 | SNAP SHOT Slave (Cotillion 46022) | 12 | 19 | 24 | 8 | |
| 11 | LET’S GROOVE Earth, Wind & Fire (ARC 02536) | 16 | 28 | 50 | 4 | |
| 12 | I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE Teddy Pendergrass (Philadelphia Int’l 02462) | 13 | 14 | 16 | 10 | |
| 13 | BEFORE I LET GO Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly (Capitol 5031) | 14 | 16 | 19 | 11 | |
| 14 | CONTROVERSY Prince (Warner Bros. 49808) | 17 | 24 | 32 | 6 | |
| 15 | WE’RE IN THIS LOVE TOGETHER Al Jarreau (Warner Bros. 49746) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 16 | |
| 16 | JUST ONCE Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (A&M 2357) | 18 | 20 | 23 | 11 | |
| 17 | LOVE HAS COME AROUND Donald Byrd & 125th Street, N.Y.C. (Elektra 47168) | 15 | 15 | 18 | 13 | |
| 18 | THIS KIND OF LOVIN’ Whispers (Solar 12295) | 20 | 23 | 31 | 9 | |
| 19 | OH NO Commodores (Motown 1527) | 24 | 30 | 34 | 6 | |
| 20 | SILLY Deniece Williams (ARC 02406) | 11 | 10 | 10 | 13 | |
| 21 | STAY AWAKE Ronnie Laws (Liberty 1424) | 22 | 26 | 26 | 12 | |
| 22 | PULL FANCY DANCER / PULL (pt. 2) One Way (MCA 51165) | 25 | 32 | 39 | 9 | |
| 23 | INSIDE YOU (pt. 1) Isley Brothers (T-Neck 02531) | 28 | 36 | 48 | 5 | |
| 24 | I’LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU Denroy Morgan (Becket 45-5) | 21 | 18 | 15 | 19 | |
| 25 | SHE DON’T LET NOBODY (But Me) Curtis Mayfield (Boardwalk 122) | 30 | 35 | 37 | 9 | |
| 26 | TAKE MY LOVE Melba Moore (EMI America 8092) | 31 | 37 | 46 | 8 | |
| 27 | SWEAT (Til You Get Wet) Brick (Bang 02246) | 27 | 12 | 11 | 16 | |
| 28 | ON THE BEAT B. B. & Q. Band (Capitol 4993) | 19 | 9 | 9 | 18 | |
| 29 | JUST BE MY LADY Larry Graham (Warner Bros. 49744) | 23 | 13 | 7 | 19 | |
| 30 | SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Ebonee Webb (Capitol 5044) | 38 | 48 | 58 | 6 | |
| 31 | LET’S DANCE (Make Your Body Move) West Street Mob (Sugar Hill 763) | 26 | 22 | 21 | 13 | |
| 32 | TIME TO THINK Rockie Robbins (A&M 2355) | 32 | 33 | 38 | 9 | |
| 33 | DO YOU LOVE ME? Patti Austin (Qwest 49754) | 29 | 25 | 25 | 13 | |
| 34 | WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE Diana Ross (RCA 12349) | 45 | — | — | 2 | |
| 35 | SHE’S GOT THE PAPERS (But I Got The Man) Barbara Mason (WMOT 02506) | 33 | 29 | 29 | 10 | |
| 36 | SECRETS Bobby Womack (Beverly Glen 2000) | 36 | 38 | 43 | 9 | |
| 37 | IT SHOWS IN THE EYES Ashford & Simpson (Warner Bros. 49805) | 37 | 39 | 44 | 7 | |
| 38 | LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY (pt. 1) Jean Carn (TSOP 02501) | 40 | 46 | 54 | 6 | |
| 39 | AIMING AT YOUR HEART Temptations (Gordy 7208) | 39 | 34 | 33 | 12 | |
| 40 | FUNKY SENSATION Gwen McCrae (Atlantic 3853) | 52 | 63 | 72 | 9 | |
| 41 | BLUE JEANS Chocolate Milk (RCA 12335) | 48 | 58 | 74 | 4 | |
| 42 | TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND George Benson (Warner Bros. 49846) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 43 | I’VE GOT TO LEARN TO SAY NO! Richard “Dimples” Fields (Boardwalk 124) | 43 | 45 | 51 | 8 | |
| 44 | NOTHIN’ BUT A FOOL Natalie Cole (Capitol 5045) | 46 | 57 | 71 | 5 | |
| 45 | MIDDLE OF A SLOW DANCE Klique (MCA 51158) | 47 | 51 | 61 | 7 | |
| 46 | WARM WEATHER Pieces Of A Dream (Elektra 47181) | 49 | 55 | 63 | 8 | |
| 47 | TONIGHT YOU AND ME Phyllis Hyman (Arista 0637) | 62 | 88 | — | 3 | |
| 48 | MEANT FOR YOU Debra Laws (Elektra 47198) | 50 | 52 | 62 | 6 | |
| 49 | YOU GO YOUR WAY (I’ll Go Mine) Spinners (Atlantic 3865) | 57 | 78 | — | 3 | |
| 50 | STEAL THE NIGHT Stevie Woods (Cotillion 46016) | 58 | 67 | 77 | 5 | |
| 51 | LET’S START II DANCE AGAIN Bohannon featuring Dr. Perri Johnson (Phase II 02573) | 51 | 54 | 56 | 8 | |
| 52 | FREEFALL (Into Love) Lenny Williams (MCA 51179) | 60 | 68 | 76 | 6 | |
| 53 | ZULU The Quick (Pavillion 02455) | 53 | 60 | 68 | 8 | |
| 54 | HANG ON IN THERE Harold Melvin & Blue Notes (MCA 51190) | 64 | 74 | 82 | 4 | |
| 55 | JUST MY LUCK Tyrone Davis (Columbia 02269) | 55 | 59 | 59 | 8 | |
| 56 | LET THE FEELING FLOW Peabo Bryson (Capitol 5065) | 80 | — | — | 2 | |
| 57 | LET’S GET CRACKIN’ Shock (Fantasy 916) | 59 | 62 | 64 | 7 | |
| 58 | IT MUST BE MAGIC Teena Marie (Gordy 7212) | 71 | 81 | — | 3 | |
| 59 | SHARING THE LOVE Rufus With Chaka Khan (MCA 51203) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 60 | SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY Shalamar (Solar 12329) | 72 | — | — | 2 | |
| 61 | LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU Tierra (Boardwalk 129) | 75 | — | — | 2 | |
| 62 | DISCO DREAM Mean Machine (Sugar Hill 768) | 65 | 73 | 81 | 5 | |
| 63 | DON’T HIDE OUR LOVE Evelyn King (RCA 12322) | 74 | — | — | 2 | |
| 64 | ALL I WANT Twennynine With Lenny White (Elektra 47208) | 73 | 84 | — | 3 | |
| 65 | WALKING INTO SUNSHINE Central Line (Mercury 76126) | 79 | 90 | — | 3 | |
| 66 | REGGAE ON BROADWAY Bob Marley (Cotillion 46023) | 70 | 72 | 75 | 5 | |
| 67 | HIT AND RUN Bar-Kays (Mercury 76123) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 68 | BABY NOT TONIGHT Madagascar (Arista 0625) | 68 | 76 | 93 | 4 | |
| 69 | I’M SO GLAD I’M STANDING HERE TODAY Crusaders featuring Joe Cocker (MCA 51177) | 69 | 77 | 85 | 4 | |
| 70 | BOOGIE’S GONNA GET YA’ Rafael Cameron (Salsoul 2151) | 77 | 89 | — | 3 | |
| 71 | WALL TO WALL Rene & Angela (Capitol 5052) | 78 | 86 | — | 3 | |
| 72 | WHAT A SURPRISE Pointer Sisters (Planet 47937) | 81 | — | — | 2 | |
| 73 | I WILL FIGHT Gladys Knight & Pips (Columbia 02549) | 89 | — | — | 2 | |
| 74 | NIGHTLIFE Kwick (EMI America 8091) | 88 | 93 | — | 3 | |
| 75 | IT’S YOUR NIGHT Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio (Arista 0641) | 84 | — | — | 2 | |
| 76 | HEART HEART Geraldine Hunt with Charles Marotta (Prism 412) | 76 | 80 | 88 | 4 | |
| 77 | GOODBYE HIM HELLO YOU Betty Wright (Epic 02521) | 67 | 70 | 80 | 4 | |
| 78 | I WANT YOU Booker T. (A&M 2374) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 79 | WANTING YOU Starpoint (Chocolate City 3229) | 87 | — | — | 2 | |
| 80 | CALL ME Skyy (Salsoul 2152) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 81 | GUESS WHO Larry Graham (Warner Bros. 49833) | 90 | — | — | 2 | |
| 82 | I’M JUST TOO SHY Jermaine Jackson (Motown 1525) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 83 | 96 TEARS Thelma Houston (RCA 12285) | 83 | 91 | 91 | 4 | |
| 84 | SATURDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT Zoom (Polydor 2186) | 93 | — | — | 2 | |
| 85 | SCHOOL DAZE Funn (Magic 93000) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 86 | IN THE NIGHT Cheryl Lynn (Columbia 02511) | 86 | — | — | 2 | |
| 87 | FIRST TRUE LOVE AFFAIR Jimmy Ross (RFC/Quality 7002) | 91 | — | — | 2 | |
| 88 | LOVELINE Tavares (Capitol 5043) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 89 | SLOW HAND Pointer Sisters (Planet 47929) | 35 | 21 | 14 | 21 | |
| 90 | LET YOUR LOVE COME DOWN Manhattans (Columbia 02548) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 91 | FUNKY SOUND (Tear The Roof Off) Sequence (Sugar Hill 767) | 82 | 82 | 92 | 5 | |
| 92 | A LITTLE BIT OF JAZZ Nick Straker Band (Prelude 8034) | 54 | 47 | 42 | 14 | |
| 93 | YOU’LL BE DANCING ALL NIGHT Sheree Brown (Capitol 5026) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 94 | LOVIN’ YOU (Is Such An Easy Thang To Do) Roberta Flack (MCA 51173) | 85 | 85 | — | 3 | |
| 95 | SQUARE BIZ Teena Marie (Gordy 7202) | 34 | 27 | 17 | 20 | |
| 96 | WIKKA WRAP Evasions (SAM 5020) | 41 | 40 | 20 | 14 | |
| 97 | DANCIN’ FREE Brothers Johnson (A&M 2368) | 42 | 42 | 45 | 8 | |
| 98 | HERE I AM Dynasty (Solar 47932) | 56 | 31 | 28 | 18 | |
| 99 | IT WAS SO EASY Stacy Lattisaw (Cotillion 46024) | 63 | 64 | 69 | 6 | |
| 100 | I LIKE IT Cameo (Chocolate City 3227) | 44 | 44 | 36 | 10 | |
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