List of number-one country albums of 1981 (U.S.)
Encyclopedia
These are the U.S. number-one country albums of 1981
, per the Billboard
Top Country Albums chart.
Note that Billboard publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7-10 days in advance.
1981 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1981.-Events:*March 14 — The final showing of Live From The Grand Ole Opry on the Public Broadcasting System occurs on this night...
, per the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Country Albums chart.
Note that Billboard publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7-10 days in advance.
| Issue Date | Album | Artist |
| January 3 | Greatest Hits | Kenny Rogers Kenny Rogers Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur... |
| January 10 | Greatest Hits | Kenny Rogers |
| January 17 | Greatest Hits | Kenny Rogers |
| January 24 | Greatest Hits Greatest Hits (Ronnie Milsap album) Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits collection by American country music artist Ronnie Milsap. It was released in 1980 by RCA Records. The album's only single, "Smoky Mountain Rain," reached Number One on both the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Easy Listening charts... |
Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s... |
| January 31 | Greatest Hits | Kenny Rogers |
| February 7 | Greatest Hits | Kenny Rogers |
| February 14 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs Allmusic rated 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs four-and-a-half out of five stars. William Ruhlmann, who reviewed the album, stated that "most of Parton's albums are hard to recommend", but that "[the songs are] enough to put it a notch above most of Parton's RCA catalog." Critic Robert Christgau rated the... |
Dolly Parton Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk... |
| February 21 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| February 28 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| March 7 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| March 14 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| March 21 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| March 28 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| April 4 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| April 11 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| April 18 | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs | Dolly Parton |
| April 25 | Horizon Horizon (Eddie Rabbitt album) Horizon was the sixth studio album of Country music artist Eddie Rabbitt. It was released in 1980 under the Elektra Records label. The album produced two singles, both of which reached number one on country charts. The lead-off single "Drivin' My Life Away" reached number 5 on the Billboard 100 and... |
Eddie Rabbitt Eddie Rabbitt Edward Thomas "Eddie" Rabbitt was an American singer-songwriter and musician. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974... |
| May 2 | Somewhere Over the Rainbow Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Willie Nelson album) Somewhere Over the Rainbow is an album by country music singer Willie Nelson, released in 1981.The album features 40's pop standards arranged by the singer... |
Willie Nelson Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized... |
| May 9 | Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Willie Nelson |
| May 16 | Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Willie Nelson |
| May 23 | Feels So Right Feels So Right Feels So Right is the second studio album released by country music band Alabama. Released in 1981 on RCA Records, the album went on to achieve greater success than its predecessor, My Home's In Alabama.... |
Alabama Alabama (band) Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook... |
| May 30 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| June 6 | Seven Year Ache Seven Year Ache Seven Year Ache was Rosanne Cash's second album, released in 1981. It was produced by her then-husband Rodney Crowell and reached number one on the Billboard country album chart. Three of its tracks were also number one in the U.S. country singles category: "Seven Year Ache" Seven Year Ache was... |
Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin.... |
| June 13 | Seven Year Ache | Rosanne Cash |
| June 20 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| June 27 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| July 4 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| July 11 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| July 18 | Fancy Free | The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s... |
| July 25 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| August 1 | Fancy Free | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| August 8 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| August 15 | Fancy Free | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| August 22 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| August 29 | Share Your Love Share Your Love Share Your Love is an album by country singer Kenny Rogers and his first with Liberty Records besides his Greatest Hits album. This album has sold 9 million copies world-wide.- Overview :... |
Kenny Rogers |
| September 5 | Share Your Love | Kenny Rogers |
| September 12 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| September 19 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| September 26 | Step by Step Step by Step (Eddie Rabbitt album) Step by Step was the seventh studio album of Country music artist Eddie Rabbitt. It was originally released in 1981 under the Elektra Records label but the rights to the album were later sold to Liberty Records. The album continued the crossover success established in the singer's two previous albums... |
Eddie Rabbitt |
| October 3 | Step by Step | Eddie Rabbitt |
| October 10 | Step by Step | Eddie Rabbitt |
| October 17 | There's No Gettin' Over Me There's No Gettin' Over Me (album) There's No Gettin' Over Me was the thirteenth studio album of Country music artist Ronnie Milsap. It was released in 1981 under the RCA Records label. The album produced two #1 hits for Milsap, including the title track, which peaked at #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #5 on the Billboard 100... |
Ronnie Milsap |
| October 24 | There's No Gettin' Over Me | Ronnie Milsap |
| October 31 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| November 7 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| November 14 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| November 21 | There's No Gettin' Over Me | Ronnie Milsap |
| November 28 | Feels So Right | Alabama |
| December 5 | Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be) Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be) Greatest Hits is a compilation album by country artist Willie Nelson. It was released in 1981 as a double-LP. It has sold 6 million copies world-wide.-Side A:# "Railroad Lady" – 2:38# "Heartaches Of A Fool" – 2:28... |
Willie Nelson |
| December 12 | Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be) | Willie Nelson |
| December 19 | Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be) | Willie Nelson |
| December 26 | Feels So Right | Alabama |