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May 8, 1979

May 8, 1979, was a Tuesday. It was 45 years, 7 months, and 14 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

On This Day

What happened?

What happened on May 8, 1979?

  • 10 people die after a fire breaks out at a Woolworth's store in Manchester, England.
Song charts

Music charts

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 8, 1979:

  • United States: "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb
  • United Kingdom: "Bright Eyes" by Art Garfunkel

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 8, 1979

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

  • Reunited - Peaches & Herb
  • Heart Of Glass - Blondie
  • Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills
  • Knock On Wood - Amii Stewart
  • Stumblin' In - Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
Play the top songs 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.
Love at First Bite

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Love at First Bite" was at the top of the box office on May 8, 1979.

Facts

This date was 16,665 days ago. Approximately 556 months have passed. It was the 128th day of 1979, in week 19. The decade was the seventies. People born on this day are currently 45 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. The Earth has experienced 185 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to May 8, 1979

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Tuesday, May 8, 1979. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. The summer of 1979 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 "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb is at the top of the singles charts, while "Bright Eyes" by Art Garfunkel is the number-one song in the UK. Jimmy Carter is the President of the United States, and the movie Love at First Bite is at the top of the box office. Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

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 John Wayne, Alfred Hitchcock, Ian Curtis, and Dorothy Stratten would all still be alive.

On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Eight Is Enough", "Chips", "Dallas", and "The Dukes of Hazzard". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Gun Fight", "Breakout", and "Space Invaders". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Pink Panther Show", "Sesame Street", "The New Fantastic Four", and "Battle of the Planets".

Popular toys at the moment include VertiBird (toy helicopter), Dungeons & Dragons, Hungry Hungry Hippos, and Cabbage Patch Kids.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 8, 1979, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • 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 3.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 8, 1979 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, 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.
  • 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 May 8, 1979.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to May 8, 1979.

  • April 8, 1979: The last episode of "All in the Family" is aired.
  • April 11, 1979: Ugandan dictator Idi Amin is forced to flee the country by helicopter.
  • April 12, 1979: The movie Mad Max (1979), starring Mel Gibson, is released in cinemas.
  • April 28, 1979: 12-year-old Christina White goes missing in Asotin, Washington.
  • May 4, 1979: Margaret Thatcher becomes the United Kingdom's first female prime minister.
  • This date: May 8, 1979
  • May 12, 1979: Arsenal win the FA Cup final after beating Manchester United 3-2. Alan Sunderland scores a late 88th minute winner.
  • May 25, 1979:
    • Ridley Scott's film Alien (1979) is released in cinemas.
    • 273 people are killed after American Airlines Flight 191 crashes in Chicago.
    • "Boy on the Milk Carton": Six-year-old Etan Patz is kidnapped in Manhattan, New York City.
  • May 30, 1979: Football: Nottingham Forest win the European Cup after defeating Malmo FF 1-0.
  • May 31, 1979:
    • The Muppet Movie (1979) is released.
    • The radio station "2FM" airs in Ireland for the first time.
  • June 1, 1979: The Seattle SuperSonics win the 1979 NBA Finals after they defeat the Washington Bullets 4-1.
  • June 2, 1979: American actor Jim Hutton dies of liver cancer.
  • June 4, 1979:
    • Conservative leader Joe Clark becomes the new Prime Minister of Canada.
    • The first episode of Bosco is aired in Ireland.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1979

The following TV shows were popular in May 1979:

TV shows from May 1979.

The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
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

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

Kids TV shows on May 8, 1979

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1979:

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

Popular toys and games in 1979

Toys and games that were popular in 1979:

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 May 1979.

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

Were you born on May 8, 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 May 8, 1985, 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 53 on this day in 1979.

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 turned 4 on this day in 1979.

Matt Willis

Matt Willis

Busted
Born on May 8, 1983
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

6ix9ine

6ix9ine

Rapper
Born on May 8, 1996
He was born exactly 17 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 8:

USA

US President

Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States on May 8, 1979.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher 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 May 8, 1979 was most likely conceived around August 15, 1978.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 8, 1979 is close to January 29, 1980.

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Stats for May 8, 1979

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 8, 1979:

  • 16,665 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,380 weeks have passed.
  • 1,439,859,600 seconds have passed since May 8, 1979.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,679,836,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 742,967,553,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 239,976,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 123,827,926 steps. That's roughly 55,035 miles.
  • 17,278,315 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1979?

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