BestOfDate

May 1, 1986

May 1, 1986, was a Thursday. It was 38 years, 7 months, and 22 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Song charts

Music charts

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

  • United States: "Addicted To Love" by Robert Palmer
  • United Kingdom: "A Different Corner" by Geoprge Michael

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1986

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

  • Kiss - Prince And The Revolution
  • Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
  • West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
  • Manic Monday - The Bangles
  • Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen
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.
Legend

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Legend" was at the top of the box office on May 1, 1986.

Facts

This date occurred 14,116 days ago. Approximately 471 months have passed. It was the 121st day of 1986, in week 18. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on May 1, 1986, are now 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. The Earth has experienced 157 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to May 1, 1986

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

The date is May 1, 1986, and it's a Thursday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. The summer of 1986 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished.

In America, the song "Addicted To Love" by Robert Palmer is at the top of the singles charts, while "A Different Corner" by Geoprge Michael is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Legend 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 "Cheers", "The A-Team", "The Cosby Show", 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 "Back to the Future", "Super Mario Bros.", "Gauntlet", and "The Legend of Zelda". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "The Smurfs", "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero", "Alvin and the Chipmunks", and "The Wuzzles".

Children are playing with toys such as the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine, the Commodore 64, My Little Pony (figures), and Transformers.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 1, 1986, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • 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 3.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 1, 1986 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

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

  • Eurovision 1986.

    Eurovision 1986

    The 1986 Eurovision song contest was held in Bergen, Norway. Belgium won the contest with the song "J'aime la vie" by Sandra Kim.
  • 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 May 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 May 1, 1986.

  • April 1, 1986: The New Kids on the Block release their debut album.
  • 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 19, 1986: Tammie Anne McCormick (13) goes missing in Saratoga Springs, New York.
  • 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.
  • This date: May 1, 1986
  • May 3, 1986: Soccer: Liverpool win the First Division title after beating Chelsea 1-0.
  • May 4, 1986: The Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, commits his last known murder.
  • May 7, 1986: Football: Steaua Bucuresti win the European Cup after defeating Barcelona on penalties.
  • May 9, 1986: The film "Short Circuit" is released.
  • May 10, 1986: Liverpool win the FA Cup final after they defeat Everton 3-1.
  • May 12, 1986: The action film "Top Gun", starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis, is released in movie theaters.
  • May 13, 1986: Soccer: Tottenham Hotspur sack manager Peter Shreeves.
  • May 14, 1986: Soccer: George Graham becomes the new manager of Arsenal.
  • May 16, 1986: The film "Top Gun" is released in movie theaters.
  • May 23, 1986:
    • The film Cobra (1986), starring Chuck Norris, is released in cinemas.
    • Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) is released.
  • May 25, 1986: Hands Across America: 6.5 million people hold hands in a human chain.
  • May 26, 1986: The Flag of Europe (twelve golden stars on a blue field) is adopted.
  • May 30, 1986: Fashion designer Perry Ellis dies from AIDS.
  • May 31, 1986: The 1986 FIFA World Cup begins in Mexico.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1986

Television shows that people were watching in May 1986:

TV shows from May 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 May 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 May 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 May 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 May 1, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

Calamity Jane

Calamity Jane

Historical figure Deceased
Born on May 1, 1852
She was not alive on this date.

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw

American country singer
Born on May 1, 1967
He turned 19 on this day in 1986.

Mary Lou McDonald

Mary Lou McDonald

Irish politician
Born on May 1, 1969
She turned 17 on this day in 1986.

Jamie Dornan

Jamie Dornan

Actor
Born on May 1, 1982
He turned 4 on this day in 1986.

Romain Ntamack

Romain Ntamack

Rugby player
Born on May 1, 1999
He was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Charli D'Amelio

Charli D'Amelio

Social media personality
Born on May 1, 2004
She was born exactly 18 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 1:

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on May 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 May 1, 1986 was most likely conceived around August 8, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 1, 1986 is close to January 22, 1987.

Submit a comment

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 May 1, 1986, by entering your date of birth below.
This information is not sent to our server.

Stats for May 1, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 1, 1986:

  • 14,116 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,016 weeks have passed.
  • 1,219,626,000 seconds have passed since May 1, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,422,897,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 629,327,016,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 203,271,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 104,887,836 steps. That's roughly 46,617 miles.
  • 14,635,512 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.