Hot Country Songs is a
chart that ranks the top-performing
country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1981, 48 different singles topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[2]
"King of Rock and Roll"
Elvis Presley, who had died in 1977,[13] achieved a posthumous number one in March with the single "
Guitar Man". Upon its original release in 1967, the song had been a minor hit on Billboard's all-genres chart, the
Hot 100. More than three years after his death, however, the song was re-released to promote a similarly-titled album which combined existing Presley vocals with new instrumental backing tracks created in
Nashville by producer
Felton Jarvis, and this time became a country number one.[14][15] Two songs which topped the country chart consecutively in January also topped the Hot 100, albeit several weeks later.
Eddie Rabbitt's "
I Love a Rainy Night" topped the country chart in the issue of Billboard dated January 10, and was replaced the following week by
Dolly Parton's "
9 to 5". On the Hot 100, Parton's song reached the top in the issue dated February 21,[16] was replaced by Rabbitt's song the following week,[17] but then returned to the top spot in the issue dated March 14.[18] The two songs were among just four country songs which topped the Hot 100 during the 1980s, and the only two to do so consecutively.[19] Both songs, along with "
I Don't Need You" by Kenny Rogers, also crossed over to
adult contemporary radio with sufficient impact to top Billboard's
Adult Contemporary airplay chart,[20] reflecting increasing pop and
soft rock influences on mainstream country music.[21]
Hot Country Songs is a
chart that ranks the top-performing
country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1981, 48 different singles topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 52 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports submitted by stores.[2]
"King of Rock and Roll"
Elvis Presley, who had died in 1977,[13] achieved a posthumous number one in March with the single "
Guitar Man". Upon its original release in 1967, the song had been a minor hit on Billboard's all-genres chart, the
Hot 100. More than three years after his death, however, the song was re-released to promote a similarly-titled album which combined existing Presley vocals with new instrumental backing tracks created in
Nashville by producer
Felton Jarvis, and this time became a country number one.[14][15] Two songs which topped the country chart consecutively in January also topped the Hot 100, albeit several weeks later.
Eddie Rabbitt's "
I Love a Rainy Night" topped the country chart in the issue of Billboard dated January 10, and was replaced the following week by
Dolly Parton's "
9 to 5". On the Hot 100, Parton's song reached the top in the issue dated February 21,[16] was replaced by Rabbitt's song the following week,[17] but then returned to the top spot in the issue dated March 14.[18] The two songs were among just four country songs which topped the Hot 100 during the 1980s, and the only two to do so consecutively.[19] Both songs, along with "
I Don't Need You" by Kenny Rogers, also crossed over to
adult contemporary radio with sufficient impact to top Billboard's
Adult Contemporary airplay chart,[20] reflecting increasing pop and
soft rock influences on mainstream country music.[21]