August 19th, 1980

August 19th, 1980, fell on a Tuesday. It was day 232 of 1980. The decade was the 1980s.

40 years, 8 months and 1 days have passed since August 19th, 1980.

August 19th, 1980

On This Date

Events that occurred on August 19th, 1980:

  • 301 people are killed after Saudia Flight 163 catches fire.

Music Singles

Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on August 19th, 1980:

  • United States: Magic - Olivia Newton-John
  • United Kingdom: Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie

Take Me Back!

The date is August 19th, 1980 and it's a Tuesday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Leo. It's summer, so the temperatures are warmer and the evenings are longer than usual.

In America, the song Magic by Olivia Newton-John is on top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, Ashes To Ashes by David Bowie is the number one hit song. Jimmy Carter is currently the President of the United States and Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Because it's 1980, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, John Lennon, Lipps Inc, Diana Ross, Blondie and Kenny Rogers. In fashion, women are currently wearing jelly shoes, turtleneck sweaters, loose high-waist pants, crop tops and puffer jackets lined with fur. Meanwhile, men have been ditching the disco look of the 70s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Columbo.", "Little House on the Prairie", "Quincy, M.E." and "Hart to Hart".

Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Breakout", "Space Invaders", "Pac-Man" and "Missile Command". Children and teenagers are currently watching television shows such as "Sesame Street", "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids", "The Muppet Show" and "Mork & Mindy". If you're a kid or a teenager, then you're probably playing with toys such as "Easy-Bake Oven", "Hungry Hungry Hippos", "Rubik's Cube" and "Monchhichi / Chicaboo".

News Topics, Fads & Culture

Trending news stories and fads that were prevalent throughout this time period. These are news stories and events that would have been in the media on August 19th, 1980.

  • The Atlanta murders of 1979 - 1981.

    During this time, the Atlanta murders of 1979 - 1981 were taking place. At least 28 children and young adults are murdered before Wayne Williams is eventually caught and convicted of murder.

  • Iran hostage crisis.

    The Iran hostage crisis was ongoing during this period. Between the 4th of November, 1979 and the 20th of January, 1981, 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in Iran. The hostages were taken into captivity after a group of Iranian college students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

  • 1980 in music.

    Popular music artists in 1980 included Blondie, Pink Floyd, Billy Joel, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson, Captain & Tennille, Queen, Paul McCartney and Lipps Inc.

  • Ronald Reagan.

    U.S. President Ronald Reagan was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1980.

  • 1980 in movies.

    Movies released in 1980 included The Empire Strikes Back, 9 to 5, Friday the 13th, Stir Crazy, Airplane!, Any Which Way You Can, Caddyshack, Private Benjamin, Coal Miner's Daughter, Smokey and the Bandit II, The Blue Lagoon, The Blues Brothers, The Shining and The Fog.

  • Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    "Sailing" by Christopher Cross would go on to win a Grammy for 1980's Song of the Year.

  • Ordinary People

    "Ordinary People" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980.

  • Who were the best football players in 1980?

    In 1980, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Wilfried Van Moer, Jan Ceulemans, Horst Hrubesch, Herbert Prohaska, Hansi Müller, Liam Brady, Manfred Kaltz and Erwin Vandenbergh.

  • Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    The best NBA players in 1980 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, George Gervin and Paul Westphal.

  • Early 1980s fashion.

    The early 80s saw a minimalist approach to fashion, with some trends carrying over from the late 1970s. Sweaters, fur-lined puffer jackets, tunics, ripped jeans, leotards, velour tracksuits, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted pants and embroidered jeans were all popular during this period. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.

  • Heat Wave

    Throughout the summer of 1980, the United States suffered a heat wave. The heat wave, which affected the Midwest and the Southern Plains, claimed the lives of over 1,700 people.

Basic Facts

Basic facts and information about this date:

  • 40 years, 8 months and 1 days have passed since August 19th, 1980.
  • Week Number: This date occurred during Week 34 of 1980.
  • Leap Year: 1980 was a leap year, which means that it contained 366 days instead of 365 (with an extra day in February).
  • Age: Anyone born on August 19th, 1980, will be 40 years of age.
  • People born in 1980 belong to the Generation Y (Millennial) generation.
  • Unix Timestamp: The Unix Timestamp for this date is 335487600.

Around This Time...

Notable events that occurred around August 19th, 1980:

  • July 21st, 1980: The body of unidentified murder victim "Eklutna Annie" is discovered in Eklutna, Anchorage.
  • July 25th, 1980: The comedy movie Caddyshack (1980) is released.
  • July 25th, 1980: The album Back in Black is released by AC/DC.
  • August 1st, 1980: 18 people die after a train crashes at Buttevant Railway Station in Cork, Ireland.
  • August 2nd, 1980: 85 people are killed when terrorists detonate bombs at the railway station in Bologna, Italy.
  • August 14th, 1980: Canadian Playboy model Dorothy Stratten is murdered by her husband.
  • August 16th, 1980: 37 people are killed after an arsonist sets fire to a bar in Denmark Place, London.
  • This date: August 19th, 1980
  • August 29th, 1980: UB40 release their debut album "Signing Off".
  • September 12th, 1980: A military coup occurs in Turkey.

Horoscopes & Birthstone Information

Zodiac & Birthstone information:

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on August 19th, 1980, will have the star sign Leo.
  • Leo is the star sign for this date in both the old and the new system.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1980 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • Native American Zodiac: August 19th, 1980 falls under the Salmon.
  • Birthstone: Anyone born during the month of August will have the birthstone Peridot.

Television Shows

TV shows that people would have been watching around this time.

  • Knots Landing - American soap opera.
  • Trapper John, M.D. - Medical drama.
  • Archie Bunker's Place - Sitcom starring Carroll O'Connor.
  • Hart to Hart - TV show about a couple who moonlight as detectives.
  • The Dukes of Hazzard - American television series.
  • Mork & Mindy - Comedy TV show about an alien called Mork. Starring Robin Williams.
  • Taxi - American sitcom starring Andy Kaufman and Danny DeVito.
  • Dallas - Soap opera.
  • The Incredible Hulk - Starring Lou Ferrigno.
  • The Love Boat - Television series that was set on a cruise ship. Starring Gavin MacLeod as Captain Merrill Stubing.
  • Chips - TV show about two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers called Jon Baker and Frank "Ponch" Poncherello.
  • Soap - Comedy series / satire about soap operas. Starring Billy Crystal as Jodie Dallas.

1980 - Kid's TV

Children's and Teen TV shows that would have been airing on this date in 1980.

  • Cockleshell Bay
  • Diff'rent Strokes
  • Mork & Mindy
  • Battle of the Planets
  • The Muppet Show
  • Happy Days
  • Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
  • Sesame Street
  • Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
  • The Bugs Bunny Show
  • Captain Kangaroo

1980 - Toys & Games

Toys and games that would have been popular on this date in 1980:

  • Monchhichi / Chicaboo
  • Big wheel (tricycle)
  • Intellivision (games console)
  • Rubik's Cube
  • Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
  • Cabbage Patch Kids
  • Speak & Spell
  • Simon (memory game)
  • Water Ring Toss
  • Hungry Hungry Hippos
  • Atari 2600
  • Star Wars action figures
  • Lego Technic
  • Micronauts
  • Dungeons & Dragons
  • Magna Doodle
  • Big Jim (action figure)
  • VertiBird (toy helicopter)
  • Lite-Brite
  • Easy-Bake Oven

Video Games

Popular video games that you might have been playing around this time.

  • Missile Command - Arcade game developed by Atari.
  • Pac-Man - Maze arcade game.
  • Galaxian - Fixed shooter arcade game.
  • Asteroids - Space-themed shooter arcade game.
  • Lunar Lander - In which the player controls a lunar landing module.
  • Space Invaders - Shooter arcade game.
  • Breakout - Arcade game published by Atari.

Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures and noteable people who were born on the 19th of August:

US President

Who was the US President on August 19th, 1980?

  • Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States.

UK Prime Minister

Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on August 19th, 1980?

  • Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Irish Taoiseach

Who was the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland on this date?

  • Charles Haughey was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception Dates

Interesting facts about conception dates.

  • A baby that was born on August 19th, 1980 was probably conceived around the 10th of November, 1979. (Rough Estimate).
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on August 19th, 1980 is the 29th of May, 1981. (Rough Estimate).

How old was I?

Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on August 19th, 1980.

Videos

Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to August 19th, 1980. Please note that videos are automatically selected by Youtube and that results may vary! Click on the "Load Next Video" button to view the next video in the search playlist. In many cases, you'll find episodes of old TV shows, documentaries, music videos and soap dramas.

NB: If a video is blank, click on the button above to view the next one...

Time Difference & Statistics

Here are some fun statistics about August 19th, 1980.

  • 14,854 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,283,385,600 seconds have passed since the August 19th, 1980.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 1,497,283,200 times.
  • Since August 19th, 1980, earth has travelled approximately 662,226,969,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 213,897,600 times.
  • If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 110,371,162 steps. That's about 49,054 miles!
  • Since this date, 15,400,627 meteors have entered the earth's atmosphere!

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