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January 17, 1979

January 17, 1979, was a Wednesday. It was 45 years, 10 months, and 4 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Capricorn.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on January 17, 1979:

  • United States: "Le Freak" by Chic
  • United Kingdom: "YMCA" by Village People

The Billboard Hot 100 on January 17, 1979

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Too Much Heaven - Bee Gees
  • Le Freak - Chic
  • My Life - Billy Joel
  • You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
  • Hold The Line - Toto
Play the top singles from 1979
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1979. Take a trip back to the days of Donna Summer, ABBA, Bob Seger and the Bee Gees.
Superman

Top movie

The movie "Superman" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 16,745 days ago. Approximately 558 months have passed. It was the 17th day of 1979, in week 03. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on January 17, 1979, are now 45 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. We have gone through approximately 186 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to January 17, 1979

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is January 17, 1979, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Capricorn. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The holiday season of 1978 seems like a distant memory. New year's resolutions are already being abandoned, and many are eagerly awaiting their first paycheck after Christmas In America, the song "Le Freak" by Chic is at the top of the singles charts, while "YMCA" by Village People is the number-one song in the UK. Jimmy Carter is the President of the United States, and the movie Superman is at the top of the box office.

James Callaghan is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Good Times", "Wonder Woman", "Eight Is Enough", and "WKRP in Cincinnati". In fashion, clothes have become baggier and pants have become less flared. Sports clothing and the "disco look" are both popular at the moment. Women are wearing sundresses, strapless tops with t-shirts, shoulder pads, cardigans, knee-length skirts and daisy dukes. Meanwhile, men are wearing tracksuits, flare jeans, low-top sneakers and untucked collared shirts.

Because it's 1979, the music charts are being dominated by the likes of Blondie, Gloria Gaynor, M, Donna Summer, Patrick Hernandez, The Knack and Rod Stewart. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Sid Vicious, John Wayne, Alfred Hitchcock, and Ian Curtis would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Pursuit", "Gun Fight", "Breakout", and "Space Invaders".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids", "Schoolhouse Rock!", "The New Fantastic Four", and "Mork & Mindy". Children are playing with toys such as Etch A Sketch, Dungeons & Dragons, Mattel Electronic Football (handheld game), and Speak & Spell.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 17, 1979, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1979 was the year of the Goat (Yin Metal).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 8.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 17, 1979 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 17, 1979.

  • 1979 in music.

    1979 in music

    Popular music artists in 1979 included The Knack, Donna Summer, Chic, Rod Stewart, Peaches & Herb, Gloria Gaynor, Village People, Anita Ward, Robert John and The Bee Gees.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1979?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1979?

    The best NBA players in 1979 were Moses Malone, Marques Johnson, Elvin Hayes, George Gervin and Paul Westphal.
  • 1979 in movies.

    1979 in movies

    Movies released in 1979 included Kramer vs. Kramer, The Amityville Horror, Rocky II, Apocalypse Now, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Alien, 10, The Jerk, Moonraker, The Muppet Movie, Monty Python's Life of Brian and The Warriors.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1979, the best soccer players were Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Ruud Krol, Manfred Kaltz, Michel Platini, Paolo Rossi, Trevor Francis, Liam Brady, Zbigniew Boniek, Zdenek Nehoda, Kenny Dalglish and Allan Simonsen.
  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman

    In the late 1970s and 1980s, portable cassette players such as the "Sony Walkman" were becoming more common.
  • Kramer vs. Kramer.

    Kramer vs. Kramer

    "Kramer vs. Kramer" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1979.
  • Ruhollah Khomeini.

    Ruhollah Khomeini

    The leader of the Iranian Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini, was named Time Person of the Year in 1979.
  • The Doobie Brothers - "What a Fool Believes"

    The Doobie Brothers - "What a Fool Believes"

    "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers won a Grammy for 1979's Song of the Year.
  • Iranian Revolution.

    Iranian Revolution

    Between January 1978 and February 1979, a revolutionary movement formed in Iran. This eventually led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of an Islamic Republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini.
  • Roller skates.

    Roller skates

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

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on January 17, 1979.

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 17, 1979.

  • December 20, 1978: Serial killer John Wayne Gacy confesses his crimes to police.
  • December 22, 1978: American serial killer John Wayne Gacey is arrested and admits to committing 25+ murders.
  • December 27, 1978: The Constitution of Spain is approved in a referendum, officially ending 40 years of military dictatorship.
  • January 1, 1979: Soccer: Gary Lineker makes his senior debut.
  • January 12, 1979: Serial killer Kenneth Bianchi (Hillside Stranglers) is arrested in Washington.
  • January 16, 1979: Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi flees Iran with his family.
  • This date: January 17, 1979
  • January 21, 1979: Super Bowl XIII: The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys by 35-31 at the Miami Orange Bowl.
  • January 29, 1979: US President Jimmy Carter commutes the prison sentence of Patty Hearst.
  • February 1, 1979:
    • Patty Hearst is released from prison.
    • Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years of exile.
  • February 2, 1979: Sex Pistols singer and guitarist Sid Vicious dies from a drug overdose at the age of 21.
  • February 9, 1979:
    • The Warriors (1979) is released in cinemas.
    • Soccer: Nottingham Forest break Britain's transfer record with the £1 million signing of Trevor Francis.
  • February 11, 1979: Ayatollah Khomeini seizes power in Iran.
  • February 13, 1979: A section of the Hood Canal Bridge in Washington sinks after a windstorm.
  • February 14, 1979: The American ambassador to Afghanistan, Adolph Dub, is shot dead after being kidnapped by militants.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV series on January 17, 1979

People in January 1979 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from January 1979.

WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
Taxi
Taxi
Dallas
Dallas
The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk
The Love Boat
The Love Boat
Chips
Chips
Soap
Soap
Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Three's Company
Three's Company
Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
What's Happening!!
What's Happening!!

Cars in 1979

1979 saw the introduction of cars such as the Chevrolet Citation, the Volkswagen Jetta, the Honda Civic (second generation), the Datsun Bluebird (910), the Vauxhall Astra, and the Dodge St. Regis.

Cars in 1979.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in January 1979

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

Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Mork & Mindy
Mork & Mindy
Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets

The All New Popeye Hour
The All New Popeye Hour
Godzilla
Godzilla
The New Fantastic Four
The New Fantastic Four
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
The All-New Super Friends Hour
The All-New Super Friends Hour
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
Bagpuss
Bagpuss
Happy Days
Happy Days
Toys

Toys in 1979

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids
Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell
Simon (memory game)
Simon (memory game)
Shogun Warriors
Shogun Warriors
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss
The Atari 2600
The Atari 2600
Star Wars action figures
Star Wars action figures
Mattel Electronic Football (handheld game)
Mattel Electronic Football (handheld game)
Lego Technic
Lego Technic
Stretch Armstrong
Stretch Armstrong
Micronauts
Micronauts
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in January 1979.

Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Breakout 1976
Breakout
Gun Fight 1975
Gun Fight
Pursuit 1975
Pursuit

Were you born on January 17, 1979?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1979.

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 17, 1985, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

Al Capone

Al Capone

Gangster Deceased
Born on January 17, 1899
He was not alive on this date.

Betty White

Betty White

Actress Deceased
Born on January 17, 1922
She turned 57 on this day in 1979.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Boxer Deceased
Born on January 17, 1942
He turned 37 on this day in 1979.

Andy Kaufman

Andy Kaufman

Comedian Deceased
Born on January 17, 1949
He turned 30 on this day in 1979.

Mick Taylor

Mick Taylor

Musician
Born on January 17, 1949
He turned 30 on this day in 1979.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey

Actor
Born on January 17, 1962
He turned 17 on this day in 1979.

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama

First Lady
Born on January 17, 1964
She turned 15 on this day in 1979.

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel

Actress
Born on January 17, 1980
She was born exactly one year after this date.

Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris

DJ
Born on January 17, 1984
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

Marnie Simpson

Marnie Simpson

English TV personality
Born on January 17, 1992
She was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Maxwell Frost

Maxwell Frost

US politician
Born on January 17, 1997
He was born exactly 18 years after this date.

Jake Paul

Jake Paul

Youtuber
Born on January 17, 1997
He was born exactly 18 years after this date.

USA

US President

Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States on January 17, 1979.

UK

UK Prime Minister

James Callaghan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on January 17, 1979 was most likely conceived around April 26, 1978.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 17, 1979 is close to October 10, 1979.

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Stats for January 17, 1979

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 17, 1979:

  • 16,745 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,392 weeks have passed.
  • 1,446,768,000 seconds have passed since January 17, 1979.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,687,896,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 746,532,288,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 241,128,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 124,422,048 steps. That's roughly 55,299 miles.
  • 17,361,216 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1979?

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