Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Released in 1981, “Physical” became one of the defining pop hits of the early 1980s. Its upbeat production and fitness-themed music video helped it remain highly visible during a period when music television was becoming increasingly influential.
The song reached No. 1 in November 1981 and remained there for 10 consecutive weeks. That run made it the longest-lasting No. 1 single of the 1980s at that point and one of Newton-John’s biggest U.S. successes.
Some listeners associate Newton-John’s name primarily with “You’re the One That I Want” or “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” both linked to Grease. “Physical,” however, was her major standalone chart landmark and her final Billboard Hot 100 No. 1.”