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August 31, 1980 Labor Day weekend

August 31, 1980, was a Sunday. It was 44 years, 3 months, and 22 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Virgo.

Song charts

Popular songs

On August 31, 1980, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "Sailing" by Christopher Cross
  • United Kingdom: "Ashes To Ashes" by David Bowie

The music charts on August 31, 1980

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Sailing - Christopher Cross
  • Upside Down - Diana Ross
  • Magic - Olivia Newton-John
  • Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones
  • Take Your Time (Do It Right) Part 1 - The S.O.S. Band
Play the top singles from 1980
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1980. Take a trip back to the days of Kool & The Gang, ABBA, Air Supply, Blondie and Queen.
Smokey and the Bandit II

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Smokey and the Bandit II".

Facts

This date occurred 16,184 days ago. Approximately 539 months have passed. It was the 244th day of 1980, in week 35. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on August 31, 1980, are now 44 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 1980 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. 180 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to August 31, 1980

Let's go back to the eighties.

The date is August 31, 1980, and it's a Sunday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Virgo. People are currently enjoying their weekend. However, because it's a Sunday, some are dreading the week ahead.

The summer of 1980 is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner. In the United States, it is Labor Day weekend. People are attending barbecues and other gatherings. To many Americans, Labor Day represents the end of summer 1980. In America, the song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross is at the top of the singles charts, while "Ashes To Ashes" by David Bowie is the number-one song in the UK.

Jimmy Carter is the President of the United States, and the movie Smokey and the Bandit II is at the top of the box office. Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Little House on the Prairie", "Quincy, M.E.", "Eight Is Enough", and "The Facts of Life".

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 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 1970s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Steve McQueen, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Terry Fox would all still be alive.

People are playing video games such as "Breakout", "Space Invaders", "Asteroids", and "Pac-Man". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Bugs Bunny Show", "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", "Schoolhouse Rock!", and "Cockleshell Bay". Children are playing with toys such as Dungeons & Dragons, Micronauts, Intellivision (games console), and the Big Wheel (tricycle).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on August 31, 1980, will have the star sign Virgo.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1980 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 3.
  • Native American Zodiac: August 31, 1980 falls under the Bear.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of August will have the birthstone Peridot.
  • Birth flower (August): The Gladiolus and the Poppy.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on August 31, 1980.

  • The USA is witnessing a heat wave.

    The USA is witnessing a heat wave

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

    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.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    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.

    Early 1980s fashion

    The early 1980s 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. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet, and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.
  • 1980 in movies.

    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.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    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.
  • Ordinary People.

    Ordinary People

    The film "Ordinary People" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980.
  • Ronald Reagan.

    Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Reagan was named the Time Person of the Year in 1980 after he defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 United States presidential election.
  • Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    The song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross won a Grammy for 1980's Song of the Year.
  • Computers are replacing typewriters.

    Computers are replacing typewriters

    Desktop computers were beginning to replace typewriters in offices.
  • TV remotes.

    TV remotes

    Although TV remotes existed, many homes didn't have one. Infrared technology was still relatively new.
  • The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600

    The Atari 2600 was the dominant video game system.
  • The Iran hostage crisis.

    The Iran hostage crisis

    The Iran hostage crisis was ongoing. Between November 4th, 1979, and January 20th, 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 US embassy in Tehran.
  • The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981.

    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 were murdered before Wayne Williams was eventually arrested and convicted.
  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman

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

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on August 31, 1980.

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 August 31, 1980.

  • August 1, 1980: 18 people die after a train crashes at Buttevant Railway Station in Cork, Ireland.
  • August 2, 1980: 85 people are killed when terrorists detonate bombs at a railway station in Bologna, Italy.
  • August 14, 1980: Canadian Playboy model Dorothy Stratten is murdered by her husband.
  • August 16, 1980:
    • 37 people are killed after an arsonist sets fire to a bar in Denmark Place, London.
    • Randy Sellers (17) goes missing in Visalia, Kentucky.
  • August 17, 1980: 9-week-old Azaria Chamberlain is taken from her tent by a dingo in Uluru, Australia.
  • August 19, 1980: 301 people are killed after Saudia Flight 163 catches fire.
  • August 29, 1980: UB40 release their debut album "Signing Off".
  • This date: August 31, 1980
  • September 12, 1980: A military coup occurs in Turkey.
  • September 22, 1980: The Iraq-Iran War begins.
  • September 23, 1980: Bob Marley performs his last concert.
  • September 25, 1980: Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham passes away.
  • September 29, 1980: Kenny Rogers releases the song "Lady".

Early 1980s fashion

Photographs of early 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Early 1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in August 1980

In August 1980, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from August 1980.

Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
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

Cars in 1980

1980 saw the introduction of cars such as the Audi Coupé, the Dodge Mirada, the North American variant of the Ford Escort, the Fiat Panda, the Nissan Leopard, and the Lincoln Town Car.

Cars in 1980.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in August 1980

If you were a kid on August 31, 1980, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

Cockleshell Bay
Cockleshell Bay
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
Casper and the Angels
Casper and the Angels

Rickety Rocket
Rickety Rocket
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
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
Happy Days
Happy Days
Toys

Toys in 1980

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

Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
Intellivision (games console)
Intellivision (games console)
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids
Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell
Simon (memory game)
Simon (memory game)
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in August 1980.

Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Galaxian 1980
Galaxian
Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Lunar Lander 1979
Lunar Lander
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Breakout 1976
Breakout

Were you born on August 31, 1980?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1980.

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 August 31, 1986, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on August 31.

Richard Gere

Richard Gere

Actor
Born on August 31, 1949
He turned 31 on this day in 1980.

Chris Tucker

Chris Tucker

Actor
Born on August 31, 1971
He turned 9 on this day in 1980.

Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy

Wrestler
Born on August 31, 1977
He turned 3 on this day in 1980.

Chloe Ferry

Chloe Ferry

TV personality
Born on August 31, 1995
She was born exactly 15 years after this date.

USA

US President

Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States on August 31, 1980.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Charles Haughey was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on August 31, 1980 was most likely conceived around December 9, 1979.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on August 31, 1980 is close to May 24, 1981.

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Stats for August 31, 1980

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about August 31, 1980:

  • 16,184 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,312 weeks have passed.
  • 1,398,301,200 seconds have passed since August 31, 1980.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,631,351,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 721,523,419,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 233,050,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 120,253,903 steps. That's roughly 53,446 miles.
  • 16,779,614 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1980?

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