BestOfDate

January 17, 1986

January 17, 1986, was a Friday. It was 38 years, 3 months, and 2 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, 1986:

  • United States: "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends
  • United Kingdom: "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys

The Billboard Hot 100 on January 17, 1986

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
  • Party All The Time - Eddie Murphy
  • That's What Friends Are For - Dionne & Friends
  • Alive & Kicking - Simple Minds
  • I Miss You - Klymaxx
Play the top singles from 1986
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1986. Take a trip back to the days of Lionel Richie, Genesis, Bon Jovi, Berlin and Madonna.
Iron Eagle

Top movie

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

Facts

This date occurred 13,973 days ago. Approximately 466 months have passed. It was the 17th day of 1986, in week 03. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on January 17, 1986, are now 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. We have gone through approximately 155 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to January 17, 1986

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is January 17, 1986, and it's a Friday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Capricorn. Many people have "that Friday feeling" and are looking forward to the weekend.

The holiday season of 1985 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 "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends is at the top of the singles charts, while "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Iron Eagle 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 "Dallas", "The Facts of Life", "Night Court", and "Moonlighting". In fashion, women are wearing sweater dresses, short skirts, small shoulder pads, animal print, long full wool coats, and bulky sweaters. Meanwhile, men are wearing tracksuits, sweatshirts, Nike Air Jordan shoes, and denim.

Because it's 1986, the radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Falco, Madonna, the Pet Shop Boys, Berlin, Whitney Houston, Dionne and Huey Lewis and the News. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Christa McAuliffe, Len Bias, Cliff Burton, and Gia Carangi would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Pac-Man", "Mario Bros.", "Duck Hunt", and "Boulder Dash".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Postman Pat", "The Transformers", "She-Ra: Princess of Power", and "Growing Pains". Children are playing with toys such as Fischer Price cassette player, Turnin' Turbo Dashboard, Transformers, and Pogo ball / Lolo ball.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on January 17, 1986.

  • People are buying waterbeds.

    People are buying waterbeds

    Waterbeds became a huge fad during the late 1980s. Although they were invented in the 1970s, they didn't reach their heyday until the 1980s. In 1986 and 1987, nearly a quarter of all beds sold were filled with water.
  • 1986 in music.

    1986 in music

    Popular music artists in 1986 included Dionne Warwick, Lionel Richie, Klymaxx, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Survivor, Mr. Mister, Robert Palmer and Atlantic Starr.
  • VCRs have become a common household item.

    VCRs have become a common household item

    VCRs became a common household item in the mid-1980s. By that stage, prices had started to drop. This device gave people the ability to play VCR tapes and record TV programs and movies.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1986?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1986?

    The best NBA players in 1986 were Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Isiah Thomas.
  • 1986 in movies.

    1986 in movies

    Movies released in 1986 included Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee, Stand by Me, The Karate Kid Part II, Platoon, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Fly, Back to School, Aliens, The Golden Child, An American Tail, Ruthless People and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
  • Best soccer players in the world.

    Best soccer players in the world

    In 1986, the best soccer players were Igor Belanov, Diego Maradona, Gary Lineker, Emilio Butragueño, Manuel Amoros, Preben Elkjær Larsen, Ian Rush, Oleksandr Zavarov, Helmuth Duckadam, Marco van Basten and Alessandro Altobelli.
  • Platoon.

    Platoon

    The war film "Platoon" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1986.
  • Corazon Aquino.

    Corazon Aquino

    Corazon Aquino was named Time Person of the Year in 1986 for her role in the People Power Revolution in the Philippines.
  • Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"

    Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"

    "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick would go on to win a Grammy for 1986's Song of the Year.
  • The Nintendo Entertainment System.

    The Nintendo Entertainment System

    During the second half of the 1980s, the Nintendo Entertainment System became one of the most popular video game consoles in the world. Releases for the NES included Duck Hunt, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros.
  • Mid 1980s fashion.

    Mid 1980s fashion

    Strappy sandals, Keds, kitten-heeled sandals, and pumps were popular footwear in the mid-80s. Fashion became more colorful during this period. Popular clothing included long wool coats, long and bulky sweaters, jumpsuits, large scarves, beanies, leather gloves, long flared skirts, slim miniskirts, slightly tapered pants, and stirrup pants.
  • The Commodore 64.

    The Commodore 64

    The Commodore 64 was dominating the home computer market.
  • Iran-Iraq War.

    Iran-Iraq War

    Between September 1980 and August 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.
  • 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.
  • 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 January 17, 1986.

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, 1986.

  • December 27, 1985:
    • American primatologist Dian Fossey is found murdered in Rwanda.
    • 19 people are killed in the Rome and Vienna airport attacks.
  • January 4, 1986: Thin Lizzy singer Phil Lynott dies.
  • January 11, 1986: The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, is opened.
  • This date: January 17, 1986
  • January 20, 1986: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated as a US federal holiday for the first time.
  • January 26, 1986: Super Bowl XX: The Chicago Bears defeat the New England Patriots by 46-10 at the Louisiana Superdome.
  • January 28, 1986: The space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after launch, killing all crew members onboard.
  • January 29, 1986: Soccer: Terry Gibson joins Manchester United.
  • February 8, 1986: 23 people are killed when a passenger train collides with a freight train near Hinton in Alberta, Canada.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 17, 1986, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1986 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 6.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 17, 1986 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.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

TV series on January 17, 1986

People in January 1986 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from January 1986.

MacGyver
MacGyver
The Equalizer
The Equalizer
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
Moonlighting
Moonlighting
Charles in Charge
Charles in Charge
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Transformers
The Transformers
Punky Brewster
Punky Brewster
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes

Cars in 1986

1986 saw the introduction of cars such as the Acura Legend, the Ford Taurus, the Nissan Pintara, the Mercury Sable, the Dodge Shadow, the Cadillac Allanté, and the Ford Festiva.

Cars in 1986.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in January 1986

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

Jem and the Holograms
Jem and the Holograms
Growing Pains
Growing Pains
The Care Bears
The Care Bears

Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Adventures of the Gummi Bears
The Wuzzles
The Wuzzles
She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power
ThunderCats
ThunderCats
Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats
Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Transformers
The Transformers
Toys

Toys in 1986

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Laser Tag
Laser Tag
The Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System
Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin
Sylvanian Families
Sylvanian Families
Mr Frosty
Mr Frosty
Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards)
Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards)
Pogo ball / Lolo ball
Pogo ball / Lolo ball
Transformers
Transformers
Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
Turnin' Turbo Dashboard
Turnin' Turbo Dashboard
My Little Pony (figures)
My Little Pony (figures)
The Commodore 64
The Commodore 64
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in January 1986.

Gauntlet 1985
Gauntlet
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Super Mario Bros. 1985
Super Mario Bros.
Back to the Future 1985
Back to the Future
The Way of the Exploding Fist 1985
The Way of the Exploding Fist
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 1985
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Boulder Dash 1985
Boulder Dash
Tetris 1984
Tetris
Duck Hunt 1984
Duck Hunt
Mario Bros. 1983
Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong 1981
Donkey Kong
Missile Command 1980
Missile Command

Were you born on January 17, 1986?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1986.

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, 1992, 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 64 on this day in 1986.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Boxer Deceased
Born on January 17, 1942
He turned 44 on this day in 1986.

Andy Kaufman

Andy Kaufman

Comedian Deceased
Born on January 17, 1949
He was not alive on this date.

Mick Taylor

Mick Taylor

Musician
Born on January 17, 1949
He turned 37 on this day in 1986.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey

Actor
Born on January 17, 1962
He turned 24 on this day in 1986.

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama

First Lady
Born on January 17, 1964
She turned 22 on this day in 1986.

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel

Actress
Born on January 17, 1980
She turned 6 on this day in 1986.

Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris

DJ
Born on January 17, 1984
He turned 2 on this day in 1986.

Marnie Simpson

Marnie Simpson

English TV personality
Born on January 17, 1992
She was born exactly 6 years after this date.

Maxwell Frost

Maxwell Frost

US politician
Born on January 17, 1997
He was born exactly 11 years after this date.

Jake Paul

Jake Paul

Youtuber
Born on January 17, 1997
He was born exactly 11 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on January 17, 1986.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Garret FitzGerald was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on January 17, 1986 was most likely conceived around April 26, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 17, 1986 is close to October 10, 1986.

Write a comment about this date

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated. Our system may automatically edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on January 17, 1986, by entering your DOB below.
This information is not saved on our server.

Stats for January 17, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 17, 1986:

  • 13,973 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,996 weeks have passed.
  • 1,207,263,600 seconds have passed since January 17, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,408,474,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 622,948,017,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 201,210,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 103,824,670 steps. That's roughly 46,144 miles.
  • 14,487,163 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

Search

It looks like you have reached the end. Try searching for another date.

Random

Random dates

Check out some of these random dates.