On this day in 1981: Stevie Nicks went to #1 on the U.S. album chart with ‘Bella Donna’, her debut solo album, which featured the tracks ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’ (the Tom Petty duet), ‘Leather and Lace’ (with Don Henley), ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘After the Glitter Fades.’ The album is included on the “Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums” chart

Though Bella Donna’s personnel list includes some 20 musicians, the album is very much Nicks’ own work, with all but one of the songs on the record written by her. The album also marked the first recording featuring Nicks’ backing vocalists, Sharon Celani and Lori Perry, who still record and tour with Nicks today.

Also on this day in 1981: Soft Cell were at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with their version of ‘Tainted Love.’ The song had been a hit for Gloria Jones in 1964. 

Let’s take a look at what was happening on the U.S. singles chart on this day in 1981:

1 1 ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (Motown)-9 (4 weeks at #1)
2 2 SLOW HAND –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-15 (2)
3 4 STOP DRAGGIN’ MY HEART AROUND –•– Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) (Modern)-7 (3)
4 8 URGENT –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-10 (4)
5 7 (There’s) NO GETTIN’ OVER ME –•– Ronnie Milsap (RCA)-11 (5)
6 6 QUEEN OF HEARTS –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-15 (6)
7 10 WHO’S CRYING NOW –•– Journey (Columbia)-8 (7)
8 9 LADY (You Bring Me Up) –•– The Commodores (Motown)-12 (8)
9 5 JESSIE’S GIRL –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-24 (1)
10 3 THEME FROM “GREATEST AMERICAN HERO” (Believe It Or Not) –•– Joey Scarbury (Elektra)-18 (2)

11 11 I DON’T NEED YOU –•– Kenny Rogers (Liberty)-13 (3)
12 16 STEP BY STEP –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-7 (12)
13 15 COOL LOVE –•– Pablo Cruise (A&M)-10 (13)
14 12 BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY –•– The Manhattan Transfer (Atlantic)-16 (7)
15 17 THE BREAKUP SONG (They Don’t Write ‘Em) –•– The Greg Kihn Band (Beserkley)-16 (15)
16 18 REALLY WANNA KNOW YOU –•Gary Wright (Warner Brothers)-10 (16)
17 19 FIRE AND ICE –•– Pat Benatar (Chrysalis)-8 (17)
18 21 HOLD ON TIGHT –•– ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) (Jet)-7 (18)
19 24 THE BEACH BOYS MEDLEY –•– The Beach Boys (Capitol)-7 (19)
20 22 FEELS SO RIGHT –•– Alabama (RCA)-14 (20)