January 28th, 1981

January 28th, 1981, fell on a Wednesday. It was day 28 of 1981. The decade was the 1980s.

40 years, 1 months and 4 days have passed since January 28th, 1981.

January 28th, 1981

Born On This Date

People who were born on this exact date:

  • Born on this exact date: Elijah Wood: Actor.

Music Singles

Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on January 28th, 1981:

  • United States: The Tide Is High - Blondie
  • United Kingdom: Imagine - John Lennon

Take Me Back!

The date is January 28th, 1981 and it's a Wednesday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Aquarius. In America, the song The Tide Is High by Blondie is on top of the singles charts.

Over in the UK, Imagine by John Lennon is the number one hit song. Ronald Reagan is currently the President of the United States and Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 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.

Because it's 1981, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Kim Carnes, Soft Cell, Phil Collins, John Lennon, Stars On 45, Diana Ross and Olivia Newton-John. People are watching popular TV shows such as "Chips", "The Love Boat", "Trapper John, M.D." and "Knots Landing". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Space Invaders", "Asteroids", "Galaxian" and "Pac-Man".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "The Bugs Bunny Show", "Mork & Mindy" and "Diff'rent Strokes". Popular toys include the likes of "Easy-Bake Oven", "Big Jim (action figure)", "Atari 2600" and "Simon (memory game)".

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 January 28th, 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 are murdered before Wayne Williams is eventually caught and convicted of murder.

  • 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.

  • Iran-Iraq War

    Between the 22nd of September, 1980, and the 20th of August, 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.

  • 1981 in music.

    Popular music artists in 1981 included Kim Carnes, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Rick Springfield, Kool & the Gang, Hall & Oates, Eddie Rabbitt, Dolly Parton and REO Speedwagon.

  • Lech Walesa.

    The architect of the Gdansk Agreement, Lech Walesa, was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1981.

  • 1981 in movies.

    Movies released in 1981 included Raiders of the Lost Ark, On Golden Pond, Superman II, Arthur, Stripes, The Cannonball Run, Chariots of Fire, For Your Eyes Only, The Four Seasons, Escape from New York, The Evil Dead, Mad Max 2, An American Werewolf in London and Time Bandits.

  • Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"

    "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes would go on to win a Grammy for 1981's Song of the Year.

  • Chariots of Fire

    "Chariots of Fire" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1981.

  • Who were the best football players in 1981?

    In 1981, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paul Breitner, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Oleg Blokhin, Dino Zoff, Ramaz Shengelia, Alexsandr Chivadze, Liam Brady and John Wark.

  • Who were the best NBA players in 1981?

    The best NBA players in 1981 were Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Gervin and Dennis Johnson.

  • The Iran hostage crisis comes to an end.

    On the 20th of January, 1981, 52 American diplomats and citizens were released by Iran after spending 444 days in captivity.

Basic Facts

Basic facts and information about this date:

  • 40 years, 1 months and 4 days have passed since January 28th, 1981.
  • Week Number: This date occurred during Week 05 of 1981.
  • Leap Year: 1981 was NOT a leap year.
  • Age: Anyone born on January 28th, 1981, will be 40 years of age.
  • People born in 1981 belong to the "Generation Y (Millennial)" generation.
  • Unix Timestamp: The Unix Timestamp for this date is 349488000.

Around This Time...

Notable events that occurred around January 28th, 1981:

  • January 2nd, 1981: Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe (The Yorkshire Ripper) is arrested.
  • January 8th, 1981: UFO case: An unidentified flying object leaves physical evidence in a field outside of Trans-en-Provence in France.
  • January 19th, 1981: Iran hostage crisis: Iran and the United States reach a deal to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
  • January 19th, 1981: 22-year-old American photographer Francesca Woodman commits suicide.
  • January 20th, 1981: Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States.
  • January 20th, 1981: Iran releases 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
  • January 21st, 1981: The first production car of the DMC DeLorean is completed.
  • January 25th, 1981: Super Bowl XV: The Oakland Raiders defeat the Philadelphia Eagles at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • This date: January 28th, 1981
  • February 8th, 1981: Karaiskakis Stadium disaster: 21 soccer fans are trampled to death during a game between Olympiacos and AEK Athens in Greece.
  • February 13th, 1981: Over 20KM of sewer lines and streets are destroyed in Louisville, Kentucky after hexane vapors from a processing plant cause a series of explosions.
  • February 14th, 1981: 48 people are killed after a fire breaks out at the Stardust nightclub in Dublin, Ireland.
  • February 23rd, 1981: Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d'etat in Spain.
  • February 24th, 1981: The engagement of Prince Charles and Lady Diana is announced.

Horoscopes & Birthstone Information

Zodiac & Birthstone information:

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 28th, 1981, will have the star sign Aquarius.
  • However, if you are going by the new star sign system (2020), then the sign for this date is actually Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1981 was the year of the Rooster (Yin Water).
  • Native American Zodiac: January 28th, 1981 falls under the Otter.
  • Birthstone: Anyone born during the month of January will have the birthstone Garnet.

Television Shows

TV shows that you might have been watching around this time.

  • Magnum, P.I. - Starring Tom Selleck as Private Investigator Thomas Magnum.
  • 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.

1981 - Kid's TV

Children's and Teen TV shows that would have been airing on this date in 1981.

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

1981 - Toys & Games

Toys and games that would have been popular on this date in 1981:

  • 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
  • Lego Technic
  • 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 and historical figures that were born on the 28th of January:

US President

Who was the US President on January 28th, 1981?

  • Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States.

UK Prime Minister

Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on January 28th, 1981?

  • 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 January 28th, 1981 was probably conceived around the 20th of April, 1980. (Rough Estimate).
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 28th, 1981 is the 7th of November, 1981. (Rough Estimate).

How old was I?

Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on January 28th, 1981.

Videos

Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to January 28th, 1981. 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 January 28th, 1981.

  • 14,642 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,265,068,800 seconds have passed since the January 28th, 1981.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 1,475,913,600 times.
  • Since January 28th, 1981, earth has travelled approximately 652,775,500,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 210,844,800 times.
  • If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 108,795,917 steps. That's about 48,354 miles!
  • Since this date, 15,180,826 meteors have entered the earth's atmosphere!

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