BestOfDate

January 31, 1986

January 31, 1986, was a Friday. It was 38 years, 1 month, and 28 days ago. The zodiac sign for this date is Aquarius.

Song charts

Popular songs

On January 31, 1986, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends
  • United Kingdom: "The Sun Always Shines On Tv" by A-Ha

The music charts on January 31, 1986

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • That's What Friends Are For - Dionne & Friends
  • Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
  • Burning Heart - Survivor
  • Talk To Me - Stevie Nicks
  • I'm Your Man - Wham!
Play the top singles from 1986
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1986. Take a trip back to the days of Lionel Richie, Genesis, Bon Jovi, Berlin and Madonna.
The Color Purple

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "The Color Purple".

Facts

This date occurred 13,936 days ago. Approximately 465 months have passed. It was the 31st day of 1986, in week 05. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on January 31, 1986, are now 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 155 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to January 31, 1986

Let's go back to the eighties.

The date is January 31, 1986, and it's a Friday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Aquarius. Many people have "that Friday feeling" and are looking forward to the weekend.

In America, the song "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends is at the top of the singles charts, while "The Sun Always Shines On Tv" by A-Ha is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie The Color Purple 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 "Knots Landing", "Family Ties", "The A-Team", and "Sherlock Holmes". In fashion, women are wearing sweater dresses, short skirts, small shoulder pads, animal print, long full wool coats, and bulky sweaters. Meanwhile, men are wearing tracksuits, sweatshirts, Nike Air Jordan shoes, and denim. Because it's 1986, the radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Falco, Madonna, the Pet Shop Boys, Berlin, Whitney Houston, Dionne and Huey Lewis and the News.

If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Len Bias, Cliff Burton, Gia Carangi, and Liberace would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Donkey Kong", "Mario Bros.", "Duck Hunt", and "Boulder Dash". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Smurfs", "Snorks", "Thomas the Tank Engine", and "Growing Pains".

Children are playing with toys such as Dungeons & Dragons, Screwball Scramble, the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine, and Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards).

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on January 31, 1986.

  • People are buying waterbeds.

    People are buying waterbeds

    Waterbeds became a huge fad during the late 1980s. Although they were invented in the 1970s, they didn't reach their heyday until the 1980s. In 1986 and 1987, nearly a quarter of all beds sold were filled with water.
  • 1986 in music.

    1986 in music

    Popular music artists in 1986 included Dionne Warwick, Lionel Richie, Klymaxx, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Survivor, Mr. Mister, Robert Palmer and Atlantic Starr.
  • VCRs have become a common household item.

    VCRs have become a common household item

    VCRs became a common household item in the mid-1980s. By that stage, prices had started to drop. This device gave people the ability to play VCR tapes and record TV programs and movies.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1986?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1986?

    The best NBA players in 1986 were Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Isiah Thomas.
  • 1986 in movies.

    1986 in movies

    Movies released in 1986 included Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee, Stand by Me, The Karate Kid Part II, Platoon, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Fly, Back to School, Aliens, The Golden Child, An American Tail, Ruthless People and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
  • Best soccer players in the world.

    Best soccer players in the world

    In 1986, the best soccer players were Igor Belanov, Diego Maradona, Gary Lineker, Emilio Butragueño, Manuel Amoros, Preben Elkjær Larsen, Ian Rush, Oleksandr Zavarov, Helmuth Duckadam, Marco van Basten and Alessandro Altobelli.
  • Platoon.

    Platoon

    The war film "Platoon" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1986.
  • Corazon Aquino.

    Corazon Aquino

    Corazon Aquino was named Time Person of the Year in 1986 for her role in the People Power Revolution in the Philippines.
  • Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"

    Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"

    "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick would go on to win a Grammy for 1986's Song of the Year.
  • The Nintendo Entertainment System.

    The Nintendo Entertainment System

    During the second half of the 1980s, the Nintendo Entertainment System became one of the most popular video game consoles in the world. Releases for the NES included Duck Hunt, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros.
  • Mid 1980s fashion.

    Mid 1980s fashion

    Strappy sandals, Keds, kitten-heeled sandals, and pumps were popular footwear in the mid-80s. Fashion became more colorful during this period. Popular clothing included long wool coats, long and bulky sweaters, jumpsuits, large scarves, beanies, leather gloves, long flared skirts, slim miniskirts, slightly tapered pants, and stirrup pants.
  • The Commodore 64.

    The Commodore 64

    The Commodore 64 was dominating the home computer market.
  • Iran-Iraq War.

    Iran-Iraq War

    Between September 1980 and August 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.
  • 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.
  • 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 January 31, 1986.

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 January 31, 1986.

  • January 4, 1986: Thin Lizzy singer Phil Lynott dies.
  • January 11, 1986: The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, is opened.
  • January 20, 1986: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated as a US federal holiday for the first time.
  • January 26, 1986: Super Bowl XX: The Chicago Bears defeat the New England Patriots by 46-10 at the Louisiana Superdome.
  • January 28, 1986: The space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after launch, killing all crew members onboard.
  • January 29, 1986: Soccer: Terry Gibson joins Manchester United.
  • This date: January 31, 1986
  • February 8, 1986: 23 people are killed when a passenger train collides with a freight train near Hinton in Alberta, Canada.
  • February 21, 1986: The Legend of Zelda is released.
  • February 28, 1986:
    • The romantic comedy film "Pretty in Pink" is released in movie theaters.
    • Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme is shot dead while walking home from a movie theater with his wife in Stockholm.
    • Ukrainian-American John Demjanjuk is deported to Israel to stand trial for Nazi war crimes.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 31, 1986, will have the star sign Aquarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1986 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 11.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 31, 1986 falls under the Otter.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of January will have the birthstone Garnet.
  • Birth flower (January): The Carnation and the Snowdrop.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in January 1986

In January 1986, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from January 1986.

MacGyver
MacGyver
The Equalizer
The Equalizer
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
Moonlighting
Moonlighting
Charles in Charge
Charles in Charge
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Transformers
The Transformers
Punky Brewster
Punky Brewster
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Kate & Allie
Kate & Allie
Night Court
Night Court
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
The A-Team
The A-Team
'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo!
Cheers
Cheers
Knight Rider
Knight Rider
Family Ties
Family Ties
Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
Dallas
Dallas

Cars in 1986

1986 saw the introduction of cars such as the Acura Legend, the Ford Taurus, the Nissan Pintara, the Mercury Sable, the Dodge Shadow, the Cadillac Allanté, and the Ford Festiva.

Cars in 1986.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in January 1986

If you were a kid on January 31, 1986, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

Jem and the Holograms
Jem and the Holograms
Growing Pains
Growing Pains
The Care Bears
The Care Bears

The Wuzzles
The Wuzzles
She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power
ThunderCats
ThunderCats
Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats
Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Transformers
The Transformers
Snorks
Snorks
Muppet Babies
Muppet Babies
Voltron
Voltron
Heathcliff
Heathcliff
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Fraggle Rock
Fraggle Rock
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
Danger Mouse
Danger Mouse
The Smurfs
The Smurfs
Cockleshell Bay
Cockleshell Bay
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show
Toys

Toys in 1986

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

Laser Tag
Laser Tag
The Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System
Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin
Sylvanian Families
Sylvanian Families
Mr Frosty
Mr Frosty
Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards)
Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards)
Pogo ball / Lolo ball
Pogo ball / Lolo ball
Transformers
Transformers
Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
Turnin' Turbo Dashboard
Turnin' Turbo Dashboard
My Little Pony (figures)
My Little Pony (figures)
The Commodore 64
The Commodore 64
Fisher-Price Little People (Farm)
Fisher-Price Little People (Farm)
Space Lego
Space Lego
Fischer Price cassette player
Fischer Price cassette player
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids
Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell
Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite
Operation
Operation
The Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in January 1986.

Gauntlet 1985
Gauntlet
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Super Mario Bros. 1985
Super Mario Bros.
Back to the Future 1985
Back to the Future
The Way of the Exploding Fist 1985
The Way of the Exploding Fist
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 1985
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Boulder Dash 1985
Boulder Dash
Tetris 1984
Tetris
Duck Hunt 1984
Duck Hunt
Mario Bros. 1983
Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong 1981
Donkey Kong
Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders

Were you born on January 31, 1986?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1986.

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 January 31, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

Baseball player Deceased
Born on January 31, 1919
He was not alive on this date.

Giant Gonzalez

Giant Gonzalez

Wrestler Deceased
Born on January 31, 1966
He turned 20 on this day in 1986.

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake

Singer
Born on January 31, 1981
He turned 5 on this day in 1986.

Gemma Collins

Gemma Collins

English media personality
Born on January 31, 1981
She turned 5 on this day in 1986.

Josh Richards

Josh Richards

TikTok user
Born on January 31, 2002
He was born exactly 16 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on January 31, 1986.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Garret FitzGerald was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on January 31, 1986 was most likely conceived around May 10, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 31, 1986 is close to October 24, 1986.

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Stats for January 31, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 31, 1986:

  • 13,936 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,990 weeks have passed.
  • 1,204,070,400 seconds have passed since January 31, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,404,748,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 621,300,326,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 200,678,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 103,550,054 steps. That's roughly 46,022 miles!
  • Since this date, 14,448,845 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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