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May 8, 1974

May 8, 1974, was a Wednesday. It was 50 years, 5 months, and 25 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Song charts

Music charts

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 8, 1974:

  • United States: "The Streak" by Ray Stevens
  • United Kingdom: "Waterloo" by ABBA

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 8, 1974

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

  • The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk
  • TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) - MFSB Featuring The Three Degrees
  • Bennie And The Jets - Elton John
  • Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me - Gladys Knight And The Pips
  • Dancing Machine - Jackson 5
Play the top songs 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.
The Sting

Top movie at the box office

The movie "The Sting" was at the top of the box office on May 8, 1974.

Facts

This date was 18,441 days ago. Approximately 615 months have passed. It was the 128th day of 1974, in week 19. The decade was the seventies. People born on this day are currently 50 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. The Earth has experienced 205 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to May 8, 1974

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Wednesday, May 8, 1974. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The summer of 1974 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished. In America, the song "The Streak" by Ray Stevens is at the top of the singles charts, while "Waterloo" by ABBA is the number-one song in the UK. Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie The Sting is at the top of the box office.

Harold Wilson is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 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. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Steptoe and Son", "The Main Chance", "The Odd Couple", and "Emergency!". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Pong", "Space Race", and "Gotcha".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids", "Super Friends", and "The Addams Family". Popular toys at the moment include Clackers, Frisbee, Magnavox Odyssey, and Shrinky Dinks.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 8, 1974, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • 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: May 8, 1974 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 8, 1974.

  • The Watergate tapes.

    The Watergate tapes

    On April 30th, 1974, transcripts of the Nixon tapes were released to the House Judiciary Committee. However, on July 24th, the Supreme Court ruled that the president must hand over the actual recordings.
  • Girls are going missing in the Seattle area.

    Girls are going missing in the Seattle area

    Young women were beginning to disappear from Seattle and the wider Washington State area. At the time, Ted Bundy was still an unknown name, and none of the bodies had been found yet. However, people were aware that something terrible was going on. Between February and July 1974, eight women vanished from the area.
  • 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.
  • 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 May 8, 1974.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to May 8, 1974.

  • April 15, 1974: Kidnap victim Patty Hearst is captured on CCTV taking part in a bank robbery with the Symbionese Liberation Army in San Francisco.
  • April 17, 1974: Serial killer Ted Bundy abducts 18-year-old Susan Elaine Rancourt from Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, Washington.
  • April 27, 1974: Soccer: Don Revie has his final game as the manager of Leeds United.
  • May 4, 1974: FA Cup Final 1974: Liverpool defeat Newcastle United 3-0.
  • May 6, 1974: 22-year-old Ted Bundy victim Roberta Kathleen Parks vanishes from Oregon State University in Corvallis.
  • This date: May 8, 1974
  • May 12, 1974: The Boston Celtics win the 1974 NBA Finals after they defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 4-3.
  • May 17, 1974:
    • Football: Bayern Munich win the European Cup after defeating Atletico Madrid 4-0.
    • 33 people are killed when the UVF detonate four car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan in Ireland.
  • June 1, 1974: Ted Bundy abducts 22-year-old Brenda Carol Ball from the Flame Tavern in Burien, Washington.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1974

The following TV shows were popular in May 1974:

TV shows from May 1974.

Good Times
Good Times
Happy Days
Happy Days
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!

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

Kids TV shows on May 8, 1974

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1974:

Bagpuss
Bagpuss
Happy Days
Happy Days
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
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1974

Toys and games that were popular in 1974:

Connect Four
Connect Four
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
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in May 1974.

Gotcha 1973
Gotcha
Space Race 1973
Space Race
Pong 1972
Pong

Were you born on May 8, 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 May 8, 1980, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 8.

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman

US President Deceased
Born on May 8, 1884
He was not alive on this date.

David Attenborough

David Attenborough

British broadcaster
Born on May 8, 1926
He turned 48 on this day in 1974.

Sonny Liston

Sonny Liston

Boxer Deceased
Born on May 8, 1932
He was not alive on this date.

Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias

Singer
Born on May 8, 1975
He was born exactly one year after this date.

Matt Willis

Matt Willis

Busted
Born on May 8, 1983
He was born exactly 9 years after this date.

6ix9ine

6ix9ine

Rapper
Born on May 8, 1996
He was born exactly 22 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 8:

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on May 8, 1974.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Wilson 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 May 8, 1974 was most likely conceived around August 15, 1973.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 8, 1974 is close to January 29, 1975.

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Stats for May 8, 1974

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 8, 1974:

  • 18,441 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,634 weeks have passed.
  • 1,593,306,000 seconds have passed since May 8, 1974.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,858,857,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 822,145,896,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 265,551,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 137,024,316 steps. That's roughly 60,900 miles.
  • 19,119,672 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1974?

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