In Retrospect

If I had the power, perhaps in an alternate timeline, the Top 40 would have been quite different...

Compact View

Filter:

Number
1

Souvenir
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
From the album: Architecture & Morality
Peak
1 (for 4 weeks)
Weeks
8
Number
2

Hold On Tight
Electric Light Orchestra
From the album: Time
Peak
2
Weeks
13
Number
3

Love Action (I Believe in Love)
The Human League
From the album: Dare
Peak
1 (for 4 weeks)
Weeks
11
Number
4

Urgent
Foreigner
From the album: 4
Peak
4
Weeks
14
Number
5

One Step Ahead
Split Enz
From the album: Waiata
Peak
1 (for 1 weeks)
Weeks
19
Number
6 Up by 1

Start Me Up
The Rolling Stones
From the album: Tattoo You
Peak
6
Weeks
8
Number
7 Up by 1

Careless Memories
Duran Duran
From the album: Duran Duran
Peak
7
Weeks
14
Number
8 Down by 2

Pretty in Pink
The Psychedelic Furs
From the album: Talk Talk Talk
Peak
4
Weeks
15
Number
9

Lawnchairs
Our Daughter's Wedding
From the album: Digital Cowboy
Peak
9
Weeks
12
Number
10

Breaking Away
Balance
Peak
10
Weeks
10
Number
11 Up by 8

Eisbär
Grauzone
Peak
11
Weeks
3
Number
12

Super Freak
Rick James
From the album: Street Songs
Peak
12
Weeks
7
Number
13 Down by 2

Ghost Town
The Specials
Peak
4
Weeks
17
Number
14 Up by 4

Working in the Coal Mine
Devo
From the album: Heavy Metal: Music From the Motion Picture
Peak
14
Weeks
6
Number
15

The Sound of the Crowd
The Human League
From the album: Dare
Peak
1 (for 2 weeks)
Weeks
25
Number
16

Tempted
Squeeze
From the album: East Side Story
Peak
16
Weeks
10
Number
17 Up by 5

Private Eyes
Daryl Hall and John Oates
From the album: Private Eyes
Peak
17
Weeks
5
Number
18 Down by 4

Stand and Deliver
Adam and the Ants
From the album: Prince Charming
Peak
1 (for 6 weeks)
Weeks
24
Number
19 Down by 2

Don't Want to Wait Anymore
The Tubes
Peak
17
Weeks
11
Number
20 Up by 1

The Voice
The Moody Blues
From the album: Long Distance Voyager
Peak
20
Weeks
7
Number
21 Down by 8

The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)
Greg Kihn Band
From the album: Rockihnroll
Peak
6
Weeks
15
Number
22 Up by 5

Just Can't Get Enough
Depeche Mode
From the album: Speak & Spell
Peak
22
Weeks
4
Number
23 Up by 2

Girls on Film
Duran Duran
From the album: Duran Duran
Peak
23
Weeks
5
Number
24 Up by 12

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Police
From the album: Ghost in the Machine
Peak
24
Weeks
2
Number
25 Down by 1

Belinda
Eurythmics
From the album: In the Garden
Peak
24
Weeks
6
Number
26 Down by 6

Sixty Second Interval
The Vapors
Peak
19
Weeks
13
Number
27 Up by 5

Our Lips Are Sealed
Go-Go's
From the album: Beauty and the Beat
Peak
27
Weeks
2
Number
28 Down by 5

Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
Prince
Peak
4
Weeks
21
Number
29

Man in a Suitcase
The Police
From the album: Zenyatta Mondatta
Peak
24
Weeks
8
Number
30

Passionate Friend
The Teardrop Explodes
From the album: Wilder
Peak
30
Weeks
6
Number
31 Down by 3

Draw of the Cards
Kim Carnes
From the album: Mistaken Identity
Peak
27
Weeks
8
Number
32 Up by 1

Burnin' For You
Blue Öyster Cult
From the album: Fire of Unknown Origin
Peak
32
Weeks
4
Number
33 Debut

Charlotte Sometimes
The Cure
Peak
33
Weeks
1
Number
34

Lunatic Fringe
Red Rider
From the album: As Far as Siam
Peak
34
Weeks
6
Number
35 Down by 4

Gemini Dream
The Moody Blues
From the album: Long Distance Voyager
Peak
9
Weeks
18
Number
36 Up by 1

Quiet Life
Japan
From the album: Quiet Life
Peak
36
Weeks
3
Number
37 Up by 1

In the Dark
Billy Squier
From the album: Don't Say No
Peak
37
Weeks
2
Number
38 Debut

Happy Birthday
Altered Images
From the album: Happy Birthday
Peak
38
Weeks
1
Number
39

The Kid Is Hot Tonite
Loverboy
From the album: Loverboy
Peak
39
Weeks
3
Number
40 Down by 14

The Model
Kraftwerk
From the album: Computer World
Peak
20
Weeks
14

Dropouts

Number
35 Dropout

In the Air Tonight
Phil Collins
From the album: Face Value
Peak
16
Weeks
15
Number
40 Dropout

Bette Davis Eyes
Kim Carnes
From the album: Mistaken Identity
Peak
1 (for 9 weeks)
Weeks
28

A chart by

Date

October 17, 1981

Songs

40

https://www.crownnote.com/charts/amsvec/in-retrospect-91

1 1 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – "Souvenir" 1(×4) 8

2 2 Electric Light Orchestra – "Hold On Tight" 2 13

3 3 The Human League – "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" 1(×4) 11

4 4 Foreigner – "Urgent" 4 14

5 5 Split Enz – "One Step Ahead" 1(×1) 19

7 6 The Rolling Stones – "Start Me Up" 6 8

8 7 Duran Duran – "Careless Memories" 7 14

6 8 The Psychedelic Furs – "Pretty in Pink" 4 15

9 9 Our Daughter's Wedding – "Lawnchairs" 9 12

10 10 Balance – "Breaking Away" 10 10

19 11 Grauzone – "Eisbär" 11 3

12 12 Rick James – "Super Freak" 12 7

11 13 The Specials – "Ghost Town" 4 17

18 14 Devo – "Working in the Coal Mine" 14 6

15 15 The Human League – "The Sound of the Crowd" 1(×2) 25

16 16 Squeeze – "Tempted" 16 10

22 17 Daryl Hall and John Oates – "Private Eyes" 17 5

14 18 Adam and the Ants – "Stand and Deliver" 1(×6) 24

17 19 The Tubes – "Don't Want to Wait Anymore" 17 11

21 20 The Moody Blues – "The Voice" 20 7

13 21 Greg Kihn Band – "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" 6 15

27 22 Depeche Mode – "Just Can't Get Enough" 22 4

25 23 Duran Duran – "Girls on Film" 23 5

36 24 The Police – "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" 24 2

24 25 Eurythmics – "Belinda" 24 6

20 26 The Vapors – "Sixty Second Interval" 19 13

32 27 Go-Go's – "Our Lips Are Sealed" 27 2

23 28 Prince – "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" 4 21

29 29 The Police – "Man in a Suitcase" 24 8

30 30 The Teardrop Explodes – "Passionate Friend" 30 6

28 31 Kim Carnes – "Draw of the Cards" 27 8

33 32 Blue Öyster Cult – "Burnin' For You" 32 4

NE 33 The Cure – "Charlotte Sometimes" 33 1

34 34 Red Rider – "Lunatic Fringe" 34 6

31 35 The Moody Blues – "Gemini Dream" 9 18

37 36 Japan – "Quiet Life" 36 3

38 37 Billy Squier – "In the Dark" 37 2

NE 38 Altered Images – "Happy Birthday" 38 1

39 39 Loverboy – "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" 39 3

26 40 Kraftwerk – "The Model" 20 14

DROPOUTS:

35 -- Phil Collins – "In the Air Tonight" 16 15

40 -- Kim Carnes – "Bette Davis Eyes" 1(×9) 28

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