BestOfDate

March 31, 1980

March 31, 1980, was a Monday. It was 44 years and 16 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Aries.

On This Day

Events

Notable events that occurred on March 31, 1980:

  • The "Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad" closes due to financial difficulties.
Song charts

Popular songs

On March 31, 1980, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd
  • United Kingdom: "Going Underground / Dreams Of Children" by Jam

The music charts on March 31, 1980

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Another Brick In The Wall (Part II) - Pink Floyd
  • Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me, Girl - The Spinners
  • Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
  • Desire - Andy Gibb
  • Call Me - Blondie
Play the top singles from 1980
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1980. Take a trip back to the days of Kool & The Gang, ABBA, Air Supply, Blondie and Queen.
Kramer vs. Kramer

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Kramer vs. Kramer".

Facts

This date occurred 16,087 days ago. Approximately 536 months have passed. It was the 91st day of 1980, in week 14. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on March 31, 1980, are now 44 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 1980 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. 179 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to March 31, 1980

Let's go back to the eighties.

The date is March 31, 1980, and it's a Monday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Aries. The weekend has just passed, so some people are feeling a bit down. Others are tired after partying too much.

Spring has arrived, and the days are starting to get longer. In America, the song "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd is at the top of the singles charts, while "Going Underground / Dreams Of Children" by Jam is the number-one song in the UK. Jimmy Carter is the President of the United States, and the movie Kramer vs. Kramer is at the top of the box office.

Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Columbo", "Barnaby Jones", "Laverne & Shirley", and "The Incredible Hulk". Because it's 1980, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, John Lennon, Lipps Inc, Diana Ross, Blondie and Kenny Rogers.

In fashion, women are wearing jelly shoes, turtleneck sweaters, loose high-waist pants, crop tops, and puffer jackets lined with fur. Meanwhile, men have been ditching the disco look of the 1970s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Alfred Hitchcock, Ian Curtis, Dorothy Stratten, and Steve McQueen would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Breakout", "Space Invaders", "Lunar Lander", and "Asteroids".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "The Muppet Show", "Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels", and "Diff'rent Strokes". Children are playing with toys such as Water Ring Toss, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Speak & Spell, and Rubik's Cube.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on March 31, 1980.

  • 1980 in music.

    1980 in music

    Popular music artists in 1980 included Blondie, Pink Floyd, Billy Joel, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson, Captain & Tennille, Queen, Paul McCartney and Lipps Inc.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    The best NBA players in 1980 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, George Gervin and Paul Westphal.
  • Early 1980s fashion.

    Early 1980s fashion

    The early 1980s saw a minimalist approach to fashion, with some trends carrying over from the late 1970s. Sweaters, fur-lined puffer jackets, tunics, ripped jeans, leotards, velour tracksuits, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted pants, and embroidered jeans were all popular. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet, and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.
  • 1980 in movies.

    1980 in movies

    Movies released in 1980 included The Empire Strikes Back, 9 to 5, Friday the 13th, Stir Crazy, Airplane!, Any Which Way You Can, Caddyshack, Private Benjamin, Coal Miner's Daughter, Smokey and the Bandit II, The Blue Lagoon, The Blues Brothers, The Shining and The Fog.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1980, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Wilfried Van Moer, Jan Ceulemans, Horst Hrubesch, Herbert Prohaska, Hansi Müller, Liam Brady, Manfred Kaltz and Erwin Vandenbergh.
  • Ordinary People.

    Ordinary People

    The film "Ordinary People" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980.
  • Ronald Reagan.

    Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Reagan was named the Time Person of the Year in 1980 after he defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 United States presidential election.
  • Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    The song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross won a Grammy for 1980's Song of the Year.
  • Computers are replacing typewriters.

    Computers are replacing typewriters

    Desktop computers were beginning to replace typewriters in offices.
  • TV remotes.

    TV remotes

    Although TV remotes existed, many homes didn't have one. Infrared technology was still relatively new.
  • The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600

    The Atari 2600 was the dominant video game system.
  • The Iran hostage crisis.

    The Iran hostage crisis

    The Iran hostage crisis was ongoing. Between November 4th, 1979, and January 20th, 1981, 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in Iran. The hostages were taken into captivity after a group of Iranian college students stormed the US embassy in Tehran.
  • The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981.

    The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981

    During this time, the Atlanta murders of 1979–1981 were taking place. At least 28 children and young adults were murdered before Wayne Williams was eventually arrested and convicted.
  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman

    In the late 1970s and 1980s, portable cassette players such as the "Sony Walkman" were becoming more common.
  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on March 31, 1980.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around March 31, 1980.

  • March 3, 1980: Liberal Party leader Pierre Trudeau becomes the new Prime Minister of Canada for the second time.
  • March 12, 1980: Serial killer John Wayne Gacy is found guilty and sentenced to death.
  • March 13, 1980: Serial killer John Wayne Gacy is sentenced to death.
  • March 16, 1980: Alfred Hitchcock makes his final public appearance at an awards ceremony.
  • March 21, 1980:
    • US President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
    • The mysterious shooting of J.R. Ewing occurs in the Dallas episode "A House Divided".
  • This date: March 31, 1980
  • April 15, 1980: French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre passes away at the age of 84.
  • April 24, 1980: Operation Eagle Claw: U.S. President Jimmy Carter aborts an attempt to rescue 52 hostages in Iran.
  • April 25, 1980: Dan-Air Flight 1008 crashes in Tenerife, killing 146 people.
  • April 26, 1980: 14-year-old Laureen Rahn goes missing from her apartment in Manchester, New Hampshire.
  • April 29, 1980: English film director Alfred Hitchcock passes away at the age of 80.
  • April 30, 1980: Six Iranian-born terrorists take over the Iranian embassy in London.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on March 31, 1980, will have the star sign Aries.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1980 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: March 31, 1980 falls under the Falcon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of March will have the birthstone Aquamarine.
  • Birth flower (March): The Daffodil and the Jonqui.

Early 1980s fashion

Photographs of early 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Early 1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in March 1980

In March 1980, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from March 1980.

Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
Taxi
Taxi
Dallas
Dallas
The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk
The Love Boat
The Love Boat
Chips
Chips

Cars in 1980

1980 saw the introduction of cars such as the Audi Coupé, the Dodge Mirada, the North American variant of the Ford Escort, the Fiat Panda, the Nissan Leopard, and the Lincoln Town Car.

Cars in 1980.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in March 1980

If you were a kid on March 31, 1980, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
Casper and the Angels
Casper and the Angels
Rickety Rocket
Rickety Rocket

Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Mork & Mindy
Mork & Mindy
Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets
The All New Popeye Hour
The All New Popeye Hour
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
Happy Days
Happy Days
Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!
Toys

Toys in 1980

If you were a child on this date, then you may have had some of the following toys:

Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
Intellivision (games console)
Intellivision (games console)
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids
Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell
Simon (memory game)
Simon (memory game)
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss
The Atari 2600
The Atari 2600
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in March 1980.

Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Lunar Lander 1979
Lunar Lander
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Breakout 1976
Breakout

Were you born on March 31, 1980?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1980.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out March 31, 1986, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on March 31.

Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes

Philosopher Deceased
Born on March 31, 1596
He was not alive on this date.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach

Composer Deceased
Born on March 31, 1685
He was not alive on this date.

William Daniels

William Daniels

Actor
Born on March 31, 1927
He turned 53 on this day in 1980.

Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken

Actor
Born on March 31, 1943
He turned 37 on this day in 1980.

Rhea Perlman

Rhea Perlman

Actress
Born on March 31, 1948
She turned 32 on this day in 1980.

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor

Actor
Born on March 31, 1971
He turned 9 on this day in 1980.

USA

US President

Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States on March 31, 1980.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Charles Haughey was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on March 31, 1980 was most likely conceived around July 9, 1979.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on March 31, 1980 is close to December 22, 1980.

Write a comment about this date

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated. Our system may automatically edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on March 31, 1980, by entering your DOB below.
This information is not saved on our server.

Stats for March 31, 1980

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about March 31, 1980:

  • 16,087 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,298 weeks have passed.
  • 1,389,916,800 seconds have passed since March 31, 1980.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,621,569,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 717,197,068,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 231,652,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 119,532,845 steps. That's roughly 53,126 miles.
  • 16,679,002 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1980?

Search

It looks like you have reached the end. Try searching for another date.

Random

Random dates

Check out some of these random dates.