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May 17, 1987

May 17, 1987, was a Sunday. It was 37 years, 6 months, and 4 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

On This Day

What happened on this date?

Notable events that occurred on May 17, 1987:

  • 37 US personnel are killed after an Iraqi fighter jet fires two Exocet missiles at the American frigate USS Stark.
Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 17, 1987:

  • United States: "With Or Without You" by U2
  • United Kingdom: "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 17, 1987

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • With or Without You - U2
  • Looking For A New Love - Jody Watley
  • (I Just) Died In Your Arms - Cutting Crew
  • La Isla Bonita - Madonna
  • The Lady In Red - Chris de Burgh
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!
Ishtar

Top movie

The movie "Ishtar" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 13,703 days ago. Approximately 457 months have passed. It was the 137th day of 1987, in week 20. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on May 17, 1987, are now 37 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. We have gone through approximately 152 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to May 17, 1987

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 17, 1987, and it's a Sunday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Taurus. People are currently enjoying their weekend. However, because it's a Sunday, some are dreading the week ahead.

The summer of 1987 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 "With Or Without You" by U2 is at the top of the singles charts, while "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Ishtar 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 "The Facts of Life", "Only Fools and Horses", "Who's the Boss?", 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 Fred Astaire, Scott La Rock, Lee Marvin, and James Baldwin would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Tetris", "Boulder Dash", "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar", and "Paperboy".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "She-Ra: Princess of Power", "The Care Bears", "Popples", and "21 Jump Street". Children are playing with toys such as Turnin' Turbo Dashboard, Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards), Sylvanian Families, and Fluppy Dogs.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 17, 1987, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • 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 2.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 17, 1987 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 17, 1987.

  • Eurovision 1987.

    Eurovision 1987

    The 1987 Eurovision song contest was held in Brussels, Belgium. Ireland won the contest with the song "Hold Me Now" by Johnny Logan.
  • 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 May 17, 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 May 17, 1987.

  • April 19, 1987: The Simpsons make their first-ever appearance on the The Tracey Ullman Show.
  • May 2, 1987: The song "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" is released by Whitney Houston.
  • May 4, 1987: Soccer: Everton win the First Division title after a 1-0 win over Norwich City.
  • May 8, 1987: 8 IRA volunteers and a civilian are killed in an SAS ambush in Loughgall, Northern Ireland.
  • May 9, 1987: 183 people are killed when LOT Flight 5055 Tadeusz Kosciuszko crashes in Warsaw, Poland.
  • May 15, 1987:
    • The former bodyguard of Lady Diana, Barry Mannakee, is killed in a road accident.
    • Fox Television Network fires talk show host Joan Rivers and her husband, Edgar Rosenberg.
  • May 16, 1987: Coventry City win the FA Cup after defeating Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 after Extra Time.
  • This date: May 17, 1987
  • May 20, 1987: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) is released.
  • May 22, 1987:
    • The first-ever Rugby World Cup begins in New Zealand and Australia.
    • Hashimpura massacre: 50 Muslim men are killed by the police near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, India.
    • The comedy film "Ernest Goes to Camp" is released.
  • May 27, 1987: Football: Porto win the European Cup after defeating Bayern Munich 2-1.
  • June 2, 1987: Whitney Houston releases her album "Whitney".
  • June 3, 1987: Mob film The Untouchables (1987) is released.
  • June 5, 1987: The movie Harry and the Hendersons (1987) is released in cinemas.
  • June 10, 1987: Poltergeist III (1988) is released.
  • June 11, 1987: UK politics: Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher secures a third term after defeating the Labour Party in the 1987 United Kingdom general election.
  • June 12, 1987:
    • The film Predator (1987) is released in movie theaters.
    • "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall": US President Ronald Reagan calls on Mikhail Gorbachev to open the Berlin Wall.
  • June 14, 1987: The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1987 NBA Finals after they defeat the Boston Celtics 4-2.
  • June 16, 1987: Bernhard Goetz is found not guilty of attempted murder following his 1984 shooting of four would-be burglars on a Subway train in Manhattan.

Late 1980s fashion

Photographs of late 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Late 1980s fashion

Television shows

TV series on May 17, 1987

People in May 1987 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from May 1987.

21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
Married... with Children
Married... with Children
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

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 May 1987

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

21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
Married... with Children
Married... with Children
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
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 May 1987.

Double Dragon 1987
Double Dragon
Contra 1987
Contra
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1987
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Paperboy 1986
Paperboy
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 May 17, 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 May 17, 1993, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 17.

Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper

Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1936
He turned 51 on this day in 1987.

Bill Paxton

Bill Paxton

Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1955
He turned 32 on this day in 1987.

Bob Saget

Bob Saget

Comedian / Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1956
He turned 31 on this day in 1987.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard

Boxer
Born on May 17, 1956
He turned 31 on this day in 1987.

Enya

Enya

Irish singer
Born on May 17, 1961
She turned 26 on this day in 1987.

Tahj Mowry

Tahj Mowry

Actor
Born on May 17, 1986
He turned 1 on this day in 1987.

Charlotte Crosby

Charlotte Crosby

English TV personality
Born on May 17, 1990
She was born exactly 3 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 17:

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on May 17, 1987.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Charles Haughey was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 17, 1987 was most likely conceived around August 24, 1986.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 17, 1987 is close to February 7, 1988.

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Stats for May 17, 1987

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 17, 1987:

  • 13,703 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,957 weeks have passed.
  • 1,183,942,800 seconds have passed since May 17, 1987.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,381,266,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 610,914,484,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 197,323,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 101,819,081 steps. That's roughly 45,253 miles.
  • 14,207,314 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1987?

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