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January 1, 1987 New Year's Day

January 1, 1987, was a Thursday. It was 37 years, 10 months, and 20 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Capricorn.

On This Day

On this day

What happened on January 1, 1987?

  • Vehicle registration plates in Ireland switch to the new YY–CC–SSSSSS format.
  • The halfpenny coin is abolished in Ireland.
Song charts

Music charts

Songs that were on top of the charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on January 1, 1987:

  • United States: "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles
  • United Kingdom: "Reet Petite" by Jackie Wilson

The Billboard Hot 100 on January 1, 1987

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

  • Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles
  • Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
  • Notorious - Duran Duran
  • Shake You Down - Gregory Abbott
  • The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Play the top singles from 1987
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1987. Let us bring you back to the days of Whitney Houston, U2, Rick Astley and Def Leppard!
The Golden Child

Top movie at the box office

The movie "The Golden Child" was at the top of the box office on January 1, 1987.

Facts

New Year's Day 1987 occurred 13,839 days ago. Approximately 461 months have passed. It was the 1st day of 1987, in week 01. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on January 1, 1987, are now 37 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. The Earth has experienced 154 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to January 1, 1987

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

The date is January 1, 1987, and it's a Thursday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Capricorn. It's New Year's Day, the official start of the year 1987. A lot of people are relaxing at home. Some are nursing hangovers from the night before.

In America, the song "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles is at the top of the singles charts, while "Reet Petite" by Jackie Wilson is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie The Golden Child 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 "Hill Street Blues", "Family Ties", "Miami Vice", and "MacGyver". 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 1987, the radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Los Lobos, Rick Astley, Whitney Houston, the Pet Shop Boys, Bon Jovi, U2 and Madonna.

If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Liberace, Andy Warhol, Fred Astaire, and Scott La Rock would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Duck Hunt", "Tetris", "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar", and "The Legend of Zelda". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Danger Mouse", "Snorks", "Jem and the Holograms", and "SilverHawks".

Children are playing with toys such as Operation, Speak & Spell, Laser Tag, and Popples.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 1, 1987, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1987 was the year of the Rabbit (Yin Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 9.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 1, 1987 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.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on January 1, 1987.

  • 1987 in music.

    1987 in music

    Popular music artists in 1987 included The Bangles, Heart, Gregory Abbott, Whitney Houston, Starship, Robbie Nevil, Whitesnake, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, Bob Seger, U2, Los Lobos and Bon Jovi.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1987?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1987?

    The best NBA players in 1987 were Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Akeem Olajuwon, Kevin McHale and Larry Bird.
  • Late 1980s fashion.

    Late 1980s fashion

    The mini skirt became extremely popular. Shoulder pads became increasingly smaller. Popular clothing included reversible inside-out coats, bright-colored shoes with thin heels, berets, lacy gloves, rugby sweatshirts, sweater dresses, jumpsuits, capri leggings, bike shorts, and skirts worn with leggings. Colors included neon hues, plum, gold, and bright wines.
  • 1987 in movies.

    1987 in movies

    Movies released in 1987 included Beverly Hills Cop II, Fatal Attraction, The Untouchables, Three Men and a Baby, Lethal Weapon, Predator, RoboCop, Dirty Dancing, Hellraiser, Spaceballs, The Untouchables, The Princess Bride and Full Metal Jacket.
  • Best soccer players in the world.

    Best soccer players in the world

    In 1987, the best soccer players were Ruud Gullit, Diego Maradona, Paulo Futre, Emilio Butragueño, Míchel, Gary Lineker, John Barnes, Marco van Basten, Gianluca Vialli and Bryan Robson.
  • The Last Emperor.

    The Last Emperor

    "The Last Emperor" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1987.
  • Mikhail Gorbachev.

    Mikhail Gorbachev

    Mikhail Gorbachev was named Time Person of the Year in 1987 after he oversaw a number of political reforms in the Soviet Union.
  • Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram - "Somewhere Out There"

    Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram - "Somewhere Out There"

    "Somewhere Out There" by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram would go on to win a Grammy for 1987's Song of the Year.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 1, 1987.

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 1, 1987.

  • December 14, 1986:
    • A concrete sarcophagus is placed over the fourth reactor in Chernobyl.
    • Football: Dennis Bergkamp makes his debut.
  • December 17, 1986: US Marine Eugene Hasenfus is pardoned and released by the Nicaraguan government.
  • December 19, 1986:
    • The movie Platoon (1986) is released.
    • Little Shop of Horrors (1986), starring Rick Moranis, is released in movie theaters.
  • December 31, 1986: 98 people lose their lives after three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  • This date: January 1, 1987
  • January 4, 1987: 16 people are killed in the 1987 Maryland train collision.
  • January 8, 1987: The Dow Jones closes above 2,000 for the first time in history.
  • January 18, 1987: Soccer: Scottish defender Steve Clarke signs for Chelsea.
  • January 25, 1987: Super Bowl XXI: The New York Giants defeat the Denver Broncos by 39-20 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
  • January 27, 1987: Soccer: John Aldridge signs for Liverpool.

Late 1980s fashion

Photographs of late 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Late 1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in January 1987

Television shows that people were watching in January 1987:

TV shows from January 1987.

Matlock
Matlock
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

Cars in 1987

1987 saw the introduction of cars such as the BMW 5 Series, the Cadillac Brougham, the Chevrolet Corsica, the Dodge Dynasty, the Mazda Étude, and the Mercury Tracer.

Cars in 1987.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in January 1987

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

Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace
ALF
ALF
The New Adventures of Jonny Quest
The New Adventures of Jonny Quest

Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
Popples
Popples
The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
SilverHawks
SilverHawks
The Flintstone Kids
The Flintstone Kids
Pingu
Pingu
Jem and the Holograms
Jem and the Holograms
Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Toys

Toys in 1987

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Hot Looks (fashion model dolls)
Hot Looks (fashion model dolls)
Popples
Popples
Fluppy Dogs
Fluppy Dogs
Laser Tag
Laser Tag
The Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System
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
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in January 1987.

Paperboy 1986
Paperboy
The Legend of Zelda 1986
The Legend of Zelda
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Boulder Dash 1985
Boulder Dash
Tetris 1984
Tetris
Duck Hunt 1984
Duck Hunt
Mario Bros. 1983
Mario Bros.
Missile Command 1980
Missile Command

Were you born on January 1, 1987?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1987.

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 1, 1993, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

J. Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover

The first Director of the FBI Deceased
Born on January 1, 1895
He was not alive on this date.

Grandmaster Flash

Grandmaster Flash

Hip Hop DJ
Born on January 1, 1958
He turned 29 on this day in 1987.

Verne Troyer

Verne Troyer

Actor Deceased
Born on January 1, 1969
He turned 18 on this day in 1987.

Ice Spice

Ice Spice

Rapper
Born on January 1, 2000
She was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on January 1:

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on January 1, 1987.

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 1, 1987 was most likely conceived around April 10, 1986.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 1, 1987 is close to September 24, 1987.

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Stats for January 1, 1987

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 1, 1987:

  • 13,839 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,977 weeks have passed.
  • 1,195,689,600 seconds have passed since January 1, 1987.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,394,971,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 616,975,833,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 199,281,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 102,829,306 steps. That's roughly 45,702 miles.
  • 14,348,275 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1987?

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