BestOfDate

February 17, 1986

February 17, 1986, was a Monday. It was 38 years, 2 months, and 1 day ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Aquarius.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on February 17, 1986:

  • United States: "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston
  • United Kingdom: "When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean

The Billboard Hot 100 on February 17, 1986

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
  • When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - Billy Ocean
  • Burning Heart - Survivor
  • Kyrie - Mr. Mister
  • That's What Friends Are For - Dionne & Friends
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 movie "The Color Purple" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 13,941 days ago. Approximately 465 months have passed. It was the 48th day of 1986, in week 08. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on February 17, 1986, are now 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. We have gone through approximately 155 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to February 17, 1986

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is February 17, 1986, and it's a Monday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Aquarius. The weekend has just passed, so some people are feeling a bit down. Others are tired after partying too much.

Valentine's Day of 1986 has just passed. In America, the song "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston is at the top of the singles charts, while "When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean 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 "Dallas", "Cagney & Lacey", "Knight Rider", and "'Allo 'Allo!". 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 "Space Invaders", "Mario Bros.", "Duck Hunt", and "Super Mario Bros.".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Smurfs", "Danger Mouse", "Inspector Gadget", and "The Wuzzles". Children are playing with toys such as Dungeons & Dragons, Speak & Spell, Screwball Scramble, and Laser Tag.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on February 17, 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 February 17, 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 February 17, 1986.

  • 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.
  • February 8, 1986: 23 people are killed when a passenger train collides with a freight train near Hinton in Alberta, Canada.
  • This date: February 17, 1986
  • 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.
  • March 5, 1986: New Kids on the Block release their debut single "Be My Girl".
  • March 7, 1986: Challenger disaster: Air Force divers locate the crew cabin of the space shuttle Challenger at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
  • March 11, 1986: The NFL adopts Instant Replay.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on February 17, 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 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: February 17, 1986 falls under the Otter.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of February will have the birthstone Amethyst.
  • Birth flower (February): The Violet and the Primrose.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

TV series on February 17, 1986

People in February 1986 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from February 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

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 February 1986

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

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

Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Adventures of the Gummi 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
Toys

Toys in 1986

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

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
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in February 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

Were you born on February 17, 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 February 17, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on February 17.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

Basketball player
Born on February 17, 1963
He turned 23 on this day in 1986.

Billie Joe Armstrong

Billie Joe Armstrong

Green Day
Born on February 17, 1972
He turned 14 on this day in 1986.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton

Socialite
Born on February 17, 1981
She turned 5 on this day in 1986.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran

Singer
Born on February 17, 1991
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

Jeremy Allen White

Jeremy Allen White

Actor
Born on February 17, 1991
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on February 17, 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 February 17, 1986 was most likely conceived around May 27, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on February 17, 1986 is close to November 10, 1986.

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Stats for February 17, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about February 17, 1986:

  • 13,941 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,991 weeks have passed.
  • 1,204,498,800 seconds have passed since February 17, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,405,248,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 621,521,380,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 200,749,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 103,586,897 steps. That's roughly 46,039 miles.
  • 14,453,986 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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