Billboard's Top 200 Album Sales
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The #1 album on the Billboard chart for the week of December 13, 1980 was Greatest Hits by Kenny Rogers.
The album dominated during a transitional moment in music, as 1970s sounds overlapped with the emerging direction of the 1980s.
Key Takeaway
Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits was the #1 album in America on December 13, 1980
Rock, new wave, soul, and country-pop all shared space on the same chart
This week captured the moment when the 1970s sound had not fully faded, but the 1980s were beginning to form
My Thoughts on Billboard Chart History December 1980
What can you say? December 1980—an exciting time to be alive.
We had just had a major election in the United States in early November, when Ronald Reagan was swept into power, starting January 20, 1981, which turned out to be the day after our first daughter was born.
The #1 album was Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits, which entered the charts on Nov 1.
It was unusual to see 3 all‑time classic albums occupying the top 10 simultaneously:
- Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits
- Barbra Streisand – Guilty "The White album" (as I call it)
- Back in Black by AC/DC
All 3 of these albums became classics as time went on, and it was rare for 3 classics to dominate a 1‑week or a month’s charts in December 1980.
In December 1980, the hit songs that were prominent on the charts were:
- “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” – Pat Benatar
- “Every Woman in the World” – Air Supply
- “The Tide Is High” – Blondie (their first huge hit)
- “Passion” – Rod Stewart
- “Another One Bites the Dust” – Queen (with the famous hit “We Are the Champions” on the flip side of the 45)
I remember the month started with a shocking Monday evening.
I had just gotten home from work and settled in to watch Monday Night Football when the broadcast was suddenly interrupted.
Howard Cosell, the famous sports announcer, came on to deliver devastating news to the nation.
He announced that John Lennon had been gunned down outside his apartment building, the Dakota, and that he had been pronounced dead at the hospital within half an hour
It was a major, big‑time story at the time. That was really big for us.
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Album of the Week Spotlight
Greatest Hits – Kenny Rogers!
Greatest Hits 1980- Kenny Rogers
Album of the Week Spotlight
Greatest Hits – Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers reached the peak of his commercial power in December 1980.
His ability to blend country storytelling with polished pop production made him accessible to a massive audience, and this compilation captured that crossover moment perfectly.
The album covered his most successful years, from “Lucille” through “The Gambler,” while introducing “Lady,” a new single written and produced by Lionel Richie that was dominating radio at the time.
Rather than feeling like a simple collection, the album told the story of Rogers’ rise and range as an artist.
Notable Tracks:
Lady
The Gambler
Lucille
AMERICA’S TOP TEN ALBUMS – WEEK OF DECEMBER 13, 1980
Kenny Rogers – Greatest Hits (“Lady”)
Barbra Streisand – Guilty (“Woman in Love”)
Stevie Wonder – Hotter Than July (“Master Blaster”)
Bruce Springsteen – The River (“Hungry Heart”)
AC/DC – Back in Black (“You Shook Me All Night Long”)
Pat Benatar – Crimes of Passion (“Hit Me with Your Best Shot”)
Eagles – Eagles Live (“Hotel California” – live)
The Police – Zenyatta Mondatta (“Don’t Stand So Close to Me”)
Queen – The Game (“Another One Bites the Dust”)
Earth, Wind & Fire – Faces (“Let Me Talk”)
number one album December 1980
A Great Album Storage Unit- Protect Your Records From Warping
A SNAPSHOT IN TIME – WEEK OF MARCH 20, 1982
News & Politics
The United States imposed an embargo on Libyan oil imports, while tensions escalated in the South Atlantic after events on South Georgia Island set the stage for the Falklands War.
Television & Entertainment
Walter Cronkite signed off from the CBS Evening News for the final time, ending a defining era in broadcast journalism.
Just days earlier, Chariots of Fire captured Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Technology & Culture
The Commodore 64 was introduced, beginning its run as the best-selling home computer of all time.
USA Today also announced plans to launch a new national daily newspaper later that year.
As global events shifted and technology advanced, these albums formed the soundtrack of everyday American life.
WHY THIS WEEK STILL MATTERS
The December 13, 1980 chart shows how broad American music tastes had become. Hard rock, new wave, soul, country, and pop all coexisted without clear boundaries.
This was a pause between eras. The raw edge of the 1970s was softening, while the hyper-produced sound of the 1980s had not yet taken over.
Artists were experimenting, genres were overlapping, and audiences were open to all of it.
FROM THE RECORD STORE FLOOR
In December 1980, I was managing a Camelot Music store at Eastview Mall, watching this chart come to life across the counter every day.
Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits became our most-played in-store album of the season. “Lady” was the current #1 hit, and customers recognized it immediately.
Once the album was placed near the register and in the large Plexiglas storefront display, it sold itself.
That Christmas season, it outsold every other title we carried.
We didn’t need elaborate promotions or special signage.
Familiar songs, perfect timing, and nonstop radio airplay created retail magic.
In my years at Camelot Music, it became the single best-selling album we ever had during a Christmas season.
Straight From the Music Store Days
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What was the #1 album on December 13, 1980?
Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits topped the Billboard album chart that week.
Why was Kenny Rogers so popular in 1980?
He successfully crossed from country into mainstream pop without losing credibility, helped by the massive success of “Lady.”
What other albums were popular that week?
Bruce Springsteen’s The River, AC/DC’s Back in Black, and The Police’s Zenyatta Mondatta were all in the Top 10.
Why is December 1980 considered a transitional moment in music?
Disco was fading, new wave was emerging, and MTV was weeks away from launching, reshaping how music would be marketed and consumed.
Join The Conversation
What were you listening to this week in history? Did you buy one of these albums when it was new?
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