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May 21, 1974

May 21, 1974, was a Tuesday. It was 50 years, 7 months, and 3 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Gemini.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 21, 1974:

  • United States: "The Streak" by Ray Stevens
  • United Kingdom: "Sugar Baby Love" by Rubettes

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 21, 1974

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • The Streak - Ray Stevens
  • Dancing Machine - Jackson 5
  • The Entertainer - Marvin Hamlisch/"The Sting"
  • The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk
  • The Show Must Go On - Three Dog Night
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.
The Sting

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "The Sting".

Facts

This date occurred 18,480 days ago. Approximately 616 months have passed. It was the 141st day of 1974, in week 21. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on May 21, 1974, are now 50 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 205 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to May 21, 1974

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 21, 1974, and it's a Tuesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Gemini. 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.

Memorial Day weekend is only a few days away, which means that many Americans are planning picnics, barbecues, and other outdoor events to celebrate the unofficial start of summer. In America, the song "The Streak" by Ray Stevens is at the top of the singles charts, while "Sugar Baby Love" by Rubettes 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. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Columbo", "Hee Haw", "Marcus Welby, M.D.", and "The Six Million Dollar Man". 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 "Sesame Street", "The Electric Company", "Bailey's Comets", and "The Addams Family". Children are playing with toys such as the Easy-Bake Oven, VertiBird (toy helicopter), Uno (card game), and Shrinky Dinks.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 21, 1974, will have the star sign Gemini.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1974 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 11.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 21, 1974 falls under the Deer.
  • 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 21, 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 21, 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 May 21, 1974.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • This date: May 21, 1974
  • June 1, 1974: Ted Bundy abducts 22-year-old Brenda Carol Ball from the Flame Tavern in Burien, Washington.
  • June 11, 1974: Serial killer Ted Bundy abducts Georgann Hawkins from an alley behind her sorority house in Seattle.
  • June 13, 1974: The 1974 FIFA World Cup begins in West Germany.
  • June 20, 1974: The mystery film "Chinatown" is released.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1974

People in May 1974 were watching the following TV series:

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

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1974

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

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

Toys in 1974

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

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 21, 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 21, 1980, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 21.

Mr. T

Mr. T

Actor
Born on May 21, 1952
He turned 22 on this day in 1974.

Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer

Serial killer Deceased
Born on May 21, 1960
He turned 14 on this day in 1974.

Chris Benoit

Chris Benoit

Wrestler Deceased
Born on May 21, 1967
He turned 7 on this day in 1974.

The Notorious B.I.G

The Notorious B.I.G

Rapper Deceased
Born on May 21, 1972
He turned 2 on this day in 1974.

Noel Fielding

Noel Fielding

English comedian
Born on May 21, 1973
He turned 1 on this day in 1974.

Kayla Itsines

Kayla Itsines

Internet personality
Born on May 21, 1991
She was born exactly 17 years after this date.

Tom Daley

Tom Daley

English diver
Born on May 21, 1994
He was born exactly 20 years after this date.

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on May 21, 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 21, 1974 was most likely conceived around August 28, 1973.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 21, 1974 is close to February 11, 1975.

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Stats for May 21, 1974

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 21, 1974:

  • 18,480 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,640 weeks have passed.
  • 1,596,675,600 seconds have passed since May 21, 1974.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,862,788,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 823,884,609,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 266,112,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 137,314,102 steps. That's roughly 61,028 miles.
  • 19,160,107 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1974?

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