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April 1, 1986 April Fools' Day

April 1, 1986, was a Tuesday. It was 38 years and 18 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Aries.

On This Day

On this day

What happened on April 1, 1986?

  • The New Kids on the Block release their debut album.
Song charts

Music charts

Songs that were on top of the charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on April 1, 1986:

  • United States: "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco
  • United Kingdom: "Living Doll" by Cliff Richard & Young Ones

The Billboard Hot 100 on April 1, 1986

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

  • Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
  • These Dreams - Heart
  • Secret Lovers - Atlantic Starr
  • R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock) - John Mellencamp
  • Kiss - Prince And The Revolution
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.
Gung Ho

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Gung Ho" was at the top of the box office on April 1, 1986.

Facts

This date occurred 13,898 days ago. Approximately 463 months have passed. It was the 91st day of 1986, in week 14. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on April 1, 1986, are now 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. The Earth has experienced 154 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to April 1, 1986

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

The date is April 1, 1986, and it's a Tuesday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Aries. It is April Fools' Day, which means that people are playing practical jokes on one another.

The summer of 1986 is drawing closer, and temperatures have started to rise. In America, the song "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco is at the top of the singles charts, while "Living Doll" by Cliff Richard & Young Ones is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Gung Ho 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 "Family Ties", "Scarecrow and Mrs. King", "Punky Brewster", and "Charles in Charge". 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 Len Bias, Cliff Burton, Gia Carangi, and Liberace would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Asteroids", "Pac-Man", "Mario Bros.", and "Back to the Future".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Bugs Bunny Show", "Inspector Gadget", "Snorks", and "Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats". Children are playing with toys such as Lite-Brite, Speak & Spell, Pogo ball / Lolo ball, and Laser Tag.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on April 1, 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 April 1, 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 April 1, 1986.

  • March 5, 1986: New Kids on the Block release their debut single "Be My Girl".
  • March 7, 1986: Challenger disaster: Air Force divers locate the crew cabin of the space shuttle Challenger at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
  • March 11, 1986: The NFL adopts Instant Replay.
  • March 21, 1986:
    • Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986) is released.
    • Soccer: It is announced that Manchester United striker Mark Hughes will be joining Barcelona.
  • March 22, 1986: Soccer: Arsenal manager Don Howe resigns.
  • March 23, 1986: Soccer: Chelsea win the Full Members' Cup after a 5-4 win over Manchester City.
  • March 27, 1986: A car bomb explodes outside of Russell Street Police Headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.
  • This date: April 1, 1986
  • April 2, 1986:
    • 4 people, including a baby, are killed after a bomb explodes on TWA Flight 840 over Greece.
    • Alabama Governor and former segregationist George Wallace announces that he will be retiring.
  • April 5, 1986: 3 people are killed after a bomb explodes at a disco in West Berlin.
  • April 6, 1986: 9-year-old Anthonette Cayedito goes missing in Gallup, New Mexico.
  • April 7, 1986: WrestleMania 2: Mr. T and Rowdy Roddy Piper face each other in a boxing match.
  • April 11, 1986: The horror movie Critters (1986) is released.
  • April 15, 1986: The United States bombing of Libya begins.
  • April 26, 1986: The Chernobyl disaster occurs.
  • April 27, 1986: Chernobyl disaster: The evacuation of Pripyat begins.
  • April 28, 1986: Moscow TV news announces that an accident has occurred at the power plant in Chernobyl.
  • April 29, 1986: Hawaii crime: A serial killer nicknamed the "Honolulu Strangler" murders his last known victim, Linda Pesce.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on April 1, 1986, will have the star sign Aries.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1986 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 11.
  • Native American Zodiac: April 1, 1986 falls under the Falcon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of April will have the birthstone Diamond.
  • Birth flower (April): The Daisy and the Sweet Pea.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in April 1986

Television shows that people were watching in April 1986:

TV shows from April 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 April 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 April 1986.

The Legend of Zelda 1986
The Legend of Zelda
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
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 April 1, 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 April 1, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on April 1.

Otto von Bismarck

Otto von Bismarck

President of Prussia Deceased
Born on April 1, 1815
He was not alive on this date.

Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle

Singer
Born on April 1, 1961
She turned 25 on this day in 1986.

Phillip Schofield

Phillip Schofield

TV presenter
Born on April 1, 1962
He turned 24 on this day in 1986.

Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow

TV host
Born on April 1, 1973
She turned 13 on this day in 1986.

Randy Orton

Randy Orton

Wrestler
Born on April 1, 1980
He turned 6 on this day in 1986.

Sean Taylor

Sean Taylor

American football player Deceased
Born on April 1, 1983
He turned 3 on this day in 1986.

Jonny May

Jonny May

Rugby player
Born on April 1, 1990
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

Logan Paul

Logan Paul

Youtuber
Born on April 1, 1995
He was born exactly 9 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on April 1:

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on April 1, 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 April 1, 1986 was most likely conceived around July 9, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on April 1, 1986 is close to December 23, 1986.

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Stats for April 1, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about April 1, 1986:

  • 13,898 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,985 weeks have passed.
  • 1,200,787,200 seconds have passed since April 1, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,400,918,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 619,606,195,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 200,131,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 103,267,699 steps. That's roughly 45,897 miles.
  • 14,409,446 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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