This 1981 Rock Classic Became the First No. 1 Song on Billboard's Rock Chart
In 1981, Billboard launched a brand-new chart dedicated entirely to rock radio, helping define a new era for album-oriented rock stations across America.
The very first song to top the chart was Eric Clapton's "I Can't Stand It."
Released as the lead single from Clapton's Another Ticket album, the song became the first No. 1 hit on Billboard's newly created Top Tracks chart on March 21, 1981. The chart would later evolve into today's Mainstream Rock chart.
At the time, album rock radio was booming in popularity, but Billboard had never created a chart specifically measuring what rock stations were actually playing.
Unlike pop radio, many rock stations focused less on singles and more on entire albums, often spinning deep cuts alongside major hits. Billboard launched the Top Tracks chart to better track the songs dominating rock radio playlists.
"I Can't Stand It" immediately made history.
The song held the No. 1 spot for two weeks and also became a major crossover hit, reaching No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Driven by a tight blues-rock groove, sharp guitar riffs and Clapton's simmering vocal performance, the track helped define the polished rock sound dominating FM radio in the early 1980s.
Record World praised the song upon release, calling it a "dark, driving rocker" featuring Clapton's "vocal lurking ominously around drum spanks and keyboard textures."
AllMusic critic Matthew Greenwald later described the song as "a solid, soul-oriented rocker" and praised Clapton's "venomous jealousy" lyrics along with the song's Booker T. & the M.G.'s-inspired groove.
The recording also arrived during a turbulent period in Clapton's life and career.
According to AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann, Clapton collapsed during the album's promotional tour after suffering severe health complications tied to alcoholism. Ruhlmann also noted that Another Ticket ultimately became the final studio album in Clapton's long relationship with Polydor Records.
Despite those challenges, the album still reached the Top 10 and produced one of Clapton's biggest hits of the era.
The song featured Clapton alongside an all-British backing band that included guitarist Albert Lee, keyboardist Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, bassist Dave Markee and drummer Henry Spinetti.
More than 40 years later, "I Can't Stand It" remains a key piece of rock-radio history, not only as a hit song, but as the track that officially launched Billboard's rock chart era.
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 4:07 PM.