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August 20, 1986

August 20, 1986, was a Wednesday. It was 38 years, 3 months, and 2 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Leo.

On This Day

What happened on this date?

Notable events that occurred on August 20, 1986:

  • Postal worker Patrick Sherrill kills 14 of his coworkers during a shooting spree at a post office in Edmond, Oklahoma. The tragic event inspires the phrase "Going postal".
Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on August 20, 1986:

  • United States: "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna
  • United Kingdom: "I Want To Wake Up With You" by Boris Gardner

The Billboard Hot 100 on August 20, 1986

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Papa Don't Preach - Madonna
  • Glory Of Love (Theme From "The Karate Kid Part II") - Peter Cetera
  • Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle
  • Higher Love - Steve Winwood
  • We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off - Jermaine Stewart
Play the top songs 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.
Aliens

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Aliens".

Facts

This date was 13,974 days ago. Approximately 466 months have passed. It was the 232nd day of 1986, in week 34. The decade was the eighties. People born on this day are currently 38 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 155 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to August 20, 1986

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

It is Wednesday, August 20, 1986. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Leo. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The summer of 1986 is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner. In America, the song "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna is at the top of the singles charts, while "I Want To Wake Up With You" by Boris Gardner is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Aliens is at the top of the box office.

Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 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 Cliff Burton, Gia Carangi, Liberace, and Andy Warhol would all still be alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Hill Street Blues", "Cagney & Lacey", "Family Ties", and "Who's the Boss?". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Space Invaders", "Pac-Man", "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar", and "The Legend of Zelda".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Postman Pat", "Alvin and the Chipmunks", "The Cosby Show", and "ThunderCats". Popular toys at the moment include Lite-Brite, Speak & Spell, the Big Wheel (tricycle), and My Little Pony (figures).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on August 20, 1986, will have the star sign Leo.
  • 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 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: August 20, 1986 falls under the Salmon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of August will have the birthstone Peridot.
  • Birth flower (August): The Gladiolus and the Poppy.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on August 20, 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 August 20, 1986.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to August 20, 1986.

  • July 28, 1986: Estate agent Suzy Lamplugh (25) disappears in Fulham, London, England.
  • July 30, 1986: Flight of the Navigator (1986) is released.
  • August 1, 1986: The horror movie Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986) is released.
  • August 2, 1986: American lawyer Roy Cohn passes away due to complications from AIDS.
  • August 6, 1986: A record-breaking 13 inches of rain falls on Sydney, Australia in one day.
  • August 8, 1986:
    • The film "Stand by Me" is released in movie theaters.
    • The Transformers: The Movie (1986) is released.
  • August 14, 1986: 14-year-old Jeremy Bright goes missing in Myrtle Point, Oregon.
  • August 15, 1986:
    • Manhunter (1986) is released in cinemas.
    • The Fly (1986) is released in movie theaters.
  • August 17, 1986: Hurricane Charley hits the United States.
  • August 18, 1986: Bon Jovi release their album "Slippery When Wet".
  • This date: August 20, 1986
  • August 21, 1986: Lake Nyos disaster: 1,746 people are killed after a limnic eruption occurs at Lake Nyos in northwestern Cameroon.
  • August 22, 1986: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) is released in movie theaters.
  • August 25, 1986: Hurricane Charley hits Ireland and the United Kingdom.
  • September 5, 1986:
    • "Money for Nothing" by the Dire Straits wins Video of the Year at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.
    • Pan Am Flight 73 is hijacked with 358 people on board.
  • September 6, 1986:
    • 22 people are killed after a Palestinian militant opens fire on the Neve Shalom Synagogue in Istanbul, Turkey.
    • NHL player Mark Messier leaves the scene of an accident after he hits three parked cars with his black Turbo Porsche.
  • September 7, 1986: Five people die after a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla organisation called the FPMR attempts to assassinate Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in a rocket attack.
  • September 8, 1986: The Oprah Winfrey Show debuts on television.
  • September 16, 1986: The BTK killer murders 28-year-old Vicki Lynn Wegerle in Wichita.
  • September 17, 1986: Seven people are killed after members of the CSPPA throw a bomb onto a shopping street at rue de Rennes in Paris.
  • September 19, 1986: It is announced that 6,000 AIDS patients will be offered an experimental drug called AZT.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

TV series on August 20, 1986

People in August 1986 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from August 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

Kids TV shows on August 20, 1986

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1986:

Pingu
Pingu
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
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1986

Toys and games that were popular in 1986:

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 August 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.
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
Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Asteroids 1979
Asteroids

Were you born on August 20, 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 August 20, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on August 20.

Ron Paul

Ron Paul

US politician
Born on August 20, 1935
He turned 51 on this day in 1986.

Slobodan Milošević

Slobodan Milošević

Yugoslav and Serbian politician Deceased
Born on August 20, 1941
He turned 45 on this day in 1986.

Robert Plant

Robert Plant

Musician
Born on August 20, 1948
He turned 38 on this day in 1986.

Phil Lynott

Phil Lynott

Irish musician Deceased
Born on August 20, 1949
He was not alive on this date.

Dimebag Darrell

Dimebag Darrell

Musician Deceased
Born on August 20, 1966
He turned 20 on this day in 1986.

Fred Durst

Fred Durst

Singer
Born on August 20, 1970
He turned 16 on this day in 1986.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato

Singer
Born on August 20, 1992
She was born exactly 6 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on August 20, 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 August 20, 1986 was most likely conceived around November 27, 1985.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on August 20, 1986 is close to May 13, 1987.

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Stats for August 20, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about August 20, 1986:

  • 13,974 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,996 weeks have passed.
  • 1,207,357,200 seconds have passed since August 20, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,408,583,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 622,996,315,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 201,226,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 103,832,719 steps. That's roughly 46,148 miles.
  • 14,488,286 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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