BestOfDate

January 3, 1974

January 3, 1974, was a Thursday. It was 50 years, 10 months, and 18 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Capricorn.

Song charts

Music charts

Songs that were on top of the charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on January 3, 1974:

  • United States: "Time In A Bottle" by Jim Croce
  • United Kingdom: "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade

The Billboard Hot 100 on January 3, 1974

These were the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce
  • The Most Beautiful Girl - Charlie Rich
  • Leave Me Alone (ruby Red Dress) - Helen Reddy
  • The Joker - The Steve Miller Band
  • Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
Play the top singles from 1974
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1974. Take a trip back to the days of Dolly Parton, Barry White, ABBA, Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Papillon

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Papillon" was at the top of the box office on January 3, 1974.

Facts

This date occurred 18,585 days ago. Approximately 620 months have passed. It was the 3rd day of 1974, in week 01. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on January 3, 1974, are now 50 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. The Earth has experienced 207 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to January 3, 1974

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

The date is January 3, 1974, and it's a Thursday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Capricorn. People are starting to return back to work and school after the Christmas holidays.

In America, the song "Time In A Bottle" by Jim Croce is at the top of the singles charts, while "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade is the number-one song in the UK. Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie Papillon is at the top of the box office. Edward Heath is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Medical Center", "The Odd Couple", "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour", and "M*A*S*H". A horror film called "The Exorcist" is currently being shown in movie theaters. Because it's 1974, the music charts are being dominated by the likes of Carl Douglas, ABBA, Mud, the Steve Miller Band, George McCrae and Terry Jacks.

In fashion, the hippie look from the 1960s and early 1970s has disappeared. The disco look is beginning to take off. Women are wearing t-shirts, khaki pants, mood rings, kimonos and flare jumpsuits. Meanwhile, men are wearing velvet sports coats, slogan t-shirts, flannel, frilly shirts, jeans and khaki chinos. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Oskar Schindler and Eamon de Valera would be still alive. People are playing video games such as "Pong", "Space Race", and "Gotcha".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "The Pink Panther Show", "Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines", "Star Trek: The Animated Series", and "Super Friends". Children are playing with toys such as the Easy-Bake Oven, Crissy (doll), G.I. Joe Adventure Team, and Shrinky Dinks.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 3, 1974, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1974 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 3, 1974 falls under the Goose.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of January will have the birthstone Garnet.
  • Birth flower (January): The Carnation and the Snowdrop.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on January 3, 1974.

  • Who were the best NBA players in 1974?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1974?

    The best NBA players in 1974 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Rick Barry, Walt Frazier and Gail Goodrich.
  • 1974 in movies.

    1974 in movies

    Movies released in 1974 included Blazing Saddles, The Towering Inferno, The Trial of Billy Jack, Young Frankenstein, Earthquake, The Godfather Part II, Airport 1975, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, The Longest Yard, Foxy Brown, Murder on the Orient Express and Benji.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1974, the best soccer players were Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Kazimierz Deyna, Paul Breitner, Johan Neeskens, Grzegorz Lato, Gerd Müller, Robert Gadocha, Billy Bremner and Ralf Edström.
  • Roller skates.

    Roller skates

    The popularity of roller skates exploded during the second half of the 1970s.
  • The Godfather Part II.

    The Godfather Part II

    "The Godfather Part II" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1974.
  • Disco music.

    Disco music

    Disco music became mainstream during the latter half of the 1970s. Nightclub-goers often wore extravagant outfits. Furthermore, dances such as the "Hustle", the "Bump" and the "Penguin" also became popular.
  • King Faisal.

    King Faisal

    The King of Saudi Arabia, King Faisal, was named Time Person of the Year in 1974 due to his role in the 1973–74 oil crisis.
  • Barbra Streisand - "The Way We Were"

    Barbra Streisand - "The Way We Were"

    "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand won a Grammy for 1974's Song of the Year.
  • The Vietnam War is in its final stages.

    The Vietnam War is in its final stages

    The war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, the US military had withdrawn. Meanwhile, North Vietnamese forces continued to win battles and make inroads into the south.
  • 1974 in music.

    1974 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1974 were dominated by Barbra Streisand, Elton John, The Jackson 5, The Steve Miller Band, Terry Jacks, Ray Stevens, The Stylistics, Dionne Warwick and The Spinners.
  • The Exorcist.

    The Exorcist

    The horror film "The Exorcist" was being shown in movie theaters at the time.
  • Oil crisis.

    Oil crisis

    An oil crisis began in October 1973 after OAPEC placed an oil embargo on several countries that had supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War. This led to shortages and long lines at gas stations. Some US states even asked their citizens to avoid putting up Christmas lights.
  • 1973-74 stock market crash.

    1973-74 stock market crash

    Between January 1973 and December 1974, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 45% of its value. The UK stock market fared even worse, with the FT 30 dropping by over 70%.
  • Hitchhiking is declining.

    Hitchhiking is declining

    Although hitchhiking is still pretty common, it is beginning to decline due to people's falling trust in strangers, lower air travel prices, an increase in highways, and more affordable cars.
  • Music cassette tapes are becoming popular.

    Music cassette tapes are becoming popular

    Audio cassettes started becoming widespread from about 1972 onward. Although they lacked the sound quality of vinyl records, they were far more convenient and portable.
  • Color TV surpasses black-and-white.

    Color TV surpasses black-and-white

    Sales of color TV sets were beginning to surpass sales of the older black-and-white models. By this stage, almost all of the popular daytime networks were broadcasting in color.
  • 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.
  • Office workers are using typewriters.

    Office workers are using typewriters

    Although personal computers began to emerge during the 1970s, typewriters were still the norm for most office workers.
  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).
  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on January 3, 1974.

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 3, 1974.

  • December 5, 1973: The biographical-crime film Serpico, starring Al Pacino, is released in movie theaters.
  • December 6, 1973: Gerald Ford becomes the Vice President of the United States.
  • December 15, 1973: John Paul Getty III is found alive five months after he was kidnapped by the 'Ndrangheta.
  • December 17, 1973: 34 people are killed in a Palestinian terrorist attack at the international airport in Rome, Italy.
  • December 20, 1973: Spanish Prime Minister Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco is assassinated by a car bomb in Madrid.
  • December 26, 1973: The Exorcist is released.
  • January 1, 1974: Soccer: Manchester United legend George Best plays his final game for the club.
  • This date: January 3, 1974
  • January 4, 1974: Serial killer Ted Bundy carries out his first known attack on Karen Sparks in Washington, Oregon.
  • January 13, 1974: Super Bowl VIII: The Miami Dolphins defeat the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.
  • January 15, 1974:
    • Serial killer Dennis Rader (BTK) murders four members of the Otero family in Wichita, Kansas.
    • The first episode of "Happy Days" is aired.
  • January 23, 1974: Former model and broadway dancer Athalia Ponsell Lindsley is stabbed to death outside of her home in St. Augustine, Florida.
  • January 26, 1974: Boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier get into a brawl at the ABC studios in New York City.
  • February 1, 1974:
    • Serial killer Ted Bundy murders Lynda Ann Healy.
    • 177 people are killed when a fire breaks out at the Joelma Building in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in January 1974

Television shows that people were watching in January 1974:

TV shows from January 1974.

Kojak
Kojak
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H
The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show
The Waltons
The Waltons
Maude
Maude
The Rookies
The Rookies
Emergency!
Emergency!
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs

Cars in 1974

1974 saw the introduction of cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, the Dodge Ramcharger, the Audi 50, the Volvo 200 Series, the Renault 7, and the Ford Elite.

Cars in 1974.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in January 1974

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

The Addams Family
The Addams Family
Super Friends
Super Friends
Bailey's Comets
Bailey's Comets

Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye
Speed Buggy
Speed Buggy
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!
The Adventures of Black Beauty
The Adventures of Black Beauty
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
The Electric Company
The Electric Company
All in the Family
All in the Family
Toys

Toys in 1974

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Magna Doodle
Magna Doodle
Risk board game
Risk board game
Shrinky Dinks
Shrinky Dinks
Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle
Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle
Baby Alive (doll)
Baby Alive (doll)
Shrinky Dinks
Shrinky Dinks
Magnavox Odyssey
Magnavox Odyssey
Kenner SSP Racers
Kenner SSP Racers
Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)
Uno (card game)
Uno (card game)
Weebles
Weebles
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in January 1974.

Gotcha 1973
Gotcha
Space Race 1973
Space Race
Pong 1972
Pong

Were you born on January 3, 1974?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1974.

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 3, 1980, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on January 3.

J. R. R. Tolkien

J. R. R. Tolkien

Author Deceased
Born on January 3, 1892
He was not alive on this date.

Robert Loggia

Robert Loggia

Actor Deceased
Born on January 3, 1930
He turned 44 on this day in 1974.

Jim Ross

Jim Ross

WWE commentator
Born on January 3, 1952
He turned 22 on this day in 1974.

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

Actor
Born on January 3, 1956
He turned 18 on this day in 1974.

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher

Formula One driver
Born on January 3, 1969
He turned 5 on this day in 1974.

Jonny Evans

Jonny Evans

Soccer player
Born on January 3, 1988
He was born exactly 14 years after this date.

Jisoo

Jisoo

South Korean singer
Born on January 3, 1995
She was born exactly 21 years after this date.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh

Actress
Born on January 3, 1996
She was born exactly 22 years after this date.

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg

Environmental activist
Born on January 3, 2003
She was born exactly 29 years after this date.

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on January 3, 1974.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Liam Cosgrave was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on January 3, 1974 was most likely conceived around April 12, 1973.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 3, 1974 is close to September 26, 1974.

Submit a comment

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 January 3, 1974, by entering your date of birth below.
This information is not sent to our server.

Stats for January 3, 1974

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 3, 1974:

  • 18,585 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,655 weeks have passed.
  • 1,605,744,000 seconds have passed since January 3, 1974.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,873,368,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 828,563,904,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 267,624,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 138,093,984 steps. That's roughly 61,375 miles.
  • 19,268,928 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1974?

Search

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

Random

Random dates

Check out some of these random dates.