Send us a text

Ready to drop into a very specific moment when radio ruled and MTV was just learning to crawl? We spin the clock back to November 1, 1981 and walk through the Billboard Top 40, blending chart facts with the stories, studio secrets, and memories that make these songs glow again.
We start by setting the ground rules—Hot 100 vs Top 40 vs AC—then dive straight into the countdown. Expect a wide-angle view: the Go-Go’s shaking up pop with Our Lips Are Sealed, Pat Benatar powering early MTV, and Earth, Wind & Fire bringing the funk with Let’s Groove. We unpack why ELO slipped French into Hold On Tight, how Foreigner’s Urgent turned a Junior Walker sax break into legend, and why Rod Stewart’s Young Turks signaled a synth-driven pivot from his 70s sound. Along the way, we pull on threads that connect the charts to real life: concerts, car stereos, and the way a single track can stamp a season.
The middle stretch leans into giants. Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty turn a Heartbreakers tune into a career-defining duet. Olivia Newton-John’s Physical holds the summit for ten weeks, reshaping her image with a laser-focused pop move. James Ingram’s velvet voice on Just Once and The Police’s bright pulse on Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic show how R&B and new wave shared space on mainstream radio. We highlight the unsung heroes too—session players like Steve Lukather and the Toto crew—whose fingerprints are all over this chart from Christopher Cross to Quincy Jones.
We close by climbing through the top ten: Eddie Rabbitt’s smooth country crossover, Rick Springfield’s Hagar-penned rocker, Little River Band’s late-night anthem, and Dan Fogelberg’s heart-on-sleeve songwriting. Then it’s stadium fuel with Start Me Up at number two and a movie moment at number one, as Arthur’s Theme floats on Bacharach’s craft and pristine studio work. It’s a love letter to a week where pop, rock, R&B, and country sat shoulder to shoulder—and to the memories these songs unlock the moment the first bar hits.
If this trip through 1981 hit the nostalgia nerve, tap follow, share the show with a friend who loves the 80s, and leave a quick review. What’s your favorite track from this chart, and which one deserved to climb higher? Tell us—we might feature your take next time.

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram
and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAM
I also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]