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May 21, 1986

May 21, 1986, was a Wednesday. It was 38 years, 5 months, and 24 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Gemini.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 21, 1986:

  • United States: "Greatest Love Of All" by Whitney Houston
  • United Kingdom: "The Chicken Song" by Spitting Image

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 21, 1986

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Greatest Love Of All - Whitney Houston
  • West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
  • Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen
  • What Have You Done For Me Lately - Janet Jackson
  • Live To Tell - Madonna
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.
Top Gun

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Top Gun".

Facts

This date occurred 14,057 days ago. Approximately 469 months have passed. It was the 141st day of 1986, in week 21. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on May 21, 1986, are now 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 156 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to May 21, 1986

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 21, 1986, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Gemini. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

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. Memorial Day weekend is only a few days away, which means that many Americans are planning picnics, barbecues, and other outdoor events to celebrate the unofficial start of summer. In America, the song "Greatest Love Of All" by Whitney Houston is at the top of the singles charts, while "The Chicken Song" by Spitting Image is the number-one song in the UK.

Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Top Gun 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", "'Allo 'Allo!", "Kate & Allie", and "The Cosby Show".

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", "Duck Hunt", "The Way of the Exploding Fist", and "Gauntlet". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Fraggle Rock", "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero", "The Transformers", and "The Wuzzles". Children are playing with toys such as the Commodore 64, Pogo ball / Lolo ball, Mr Frosty, and Laser Tag.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 21, 1986, will have the star sign Gemini.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1986 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 5.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 21, 1986 falls under the Deer.
  • 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 21, 1986.

  • Top Gun is playing at movie theaters.

    Top Gun is playing at movie theaters

    The film "Top Gun" was showing at movie theaters.
  • 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 21, 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 21, 1986.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • This date: May 21, 1986
  • 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.
  • June 5, 1986: Gambino mobster Robert DiBernardo is murdered by his associates in Brooklyn, New York.
  • June 8, 1986: The Boston Celtics win the 1986 NBA Finals after they defeat the Houston Rockets 4-2.
  • June 10, 1986: IRA member Patrick Joseph Magee is found guilty of the 1984 Brighton hotel bombing.
  • June 11, 1986: The comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) is released.
  • June 12, 1986: UK politics: Derek Hatton is expelled from the Labour Party for belonging to the left-wing "Militant" faction.
  • June 19, 1986: 22-year-old basketball player Len Bias dies from a cocaine overdose two days after being selected by the Boston Celtics in the NBA draft.
  • June 20, 1986: The Karate Kid, Part II (1986) is released in movie theaters.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1986

People in May 1986 were watching the following TV series:

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

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

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 21, 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 21, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 21.

Mr. T

Mr. T

Actor
Born on May 21, 1952
He turned 34 on this day in 1986.

Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer

Serial killer Deceased
Born on May 21, 1960
He turned 26 on this day in 1986.

Chris Benoit

Chris Benoit

Wrestler Deceased
Born on May 21, 1967
He turned 19 on this day in 1986.

The Notorious B.I.G

The Notorious B.I.G

Rapper Deceased
Born on May 21, 1972
He turned 14 on this day in 1986.

Noel Fielding

Noel Fielding

English comedian
Born on May 21, 1973
He turned 13 on this day in 1986.

Kayla Itsines

Kayla Itsines

Internet personality
Born on May 21, 1991
She was born exactly 5 years after this date.

Tom Daley

Tom Daley

English diver
Born on May 21, 1994
He was born exactly 8 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on May 21, 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 21, 1986 was most likely conceived around August 28, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 21, 1986 is close to February 11, 1987.

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Stats for May 21, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 21, 1986:

  • 14,057 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,008 weeks have passed.
  • 1,214,528,400 seconds have passed since May 21, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,416,949,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 626,696,654,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 202,421,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 104,449,442 steps. That's roughly 46,422 miles.
  • 14,574,341 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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