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May 21, 1988

May 21, 1988, was a Saturday. It was 36 years and 7 months 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, 1988:

  • United States: "Anything For You" by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
  • United Kingdom: "Perfect" by Fairgound Attraction

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 21, 1988

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Anything For You - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
  • One More Try - George Michael
  • Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz
  • Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
  • Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) - Samantha Fox
Play the top singles from 1988
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1988. Let us bring you back to the days of Tracy Chapman, George Michael, Guns N' Roses and Phil Collins!
Willow

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Willow".

Facts

This date occurred 13,363 days ago. Approximately 445 months have passed. It was the 142nd day of 1988, in week 20. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on May 21, 1988, are now 36 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 1988 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. 148 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to May 21, 1988

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 21, 1988, and it's a Saturday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Gemini. The work week is over and Saturday has finally come, so people are spending time with their kids, going to bars, shopping, playing video games, and watching sports.

The summer of 1988 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 "Anything For You" by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine is at the top of the singles charts, while "Perfect" by Fairgound Attraction is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Willow 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 "Knots Landing", "Only Fools and Horses", "Matlock", and "Star Trek: The Next Generation". 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.

It's 1988, so the airwaves are being dominated by music artists such as Phil Collins, Bobby McFerrin, the Pet Shop Boys, Belinda Carlisle and Rick Astley. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Judith Barsi, Anne Ramsey, Roy Orbison, and Sugar Ray Robinson would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Missile Command", "Metroid", "Street Fighter", and "Maniac Mansion ".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Thomas the Tank Engine", "Dennis the Menace", "Married... with Children", and "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh". Children are playing with toys such as Dungeons & Dragons, Screwball Scramble, the Commodore 64, and Transformers.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 21, 1988, will have the star sign Gemini.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1988 was the year of the Dragon (Yang Earth).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 21, 1988 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, 1988.

  • Eurovision 1988.

    Eurovision 1988

    The 1988 Eurovision song contest was held in Dublin, Ireland. Switzerland won the contest with the song "Ne partez pas sans moi" by Celine Dion.
  • 1988 in music.

    1988 in music

    Popular music artists in 1988 included George Michael, INXS, George Harrison, Rick Astley, Guns N' Roses, Whitney Houston, Belinda Carlisle, Tiffany and Breathe.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1988?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1988?

    The best NBA players in 1988 were Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Akeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Larry Bird.
  • 1988 in movies.

    1988 in movies

    Movies released in 1988 included Rain Man, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Coming to America, Big, Twins, Crocodile Dundee II, Die Hard, Beetlejuice, The Land Before Time and Bloodsport.
  • Best soccer players in the world.

    Best soccer players in the world

    In 1988, the best soccer players were Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Diego Maradona, Frank Rijkaard, Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko, Ronald Koeman, Lothar Matthäus, Gianluca Vialli, Franco Baresi, Jürgen Klinsmann and Oleksandr Zavarov.
  • Rain Man.

    Rain Man

    "Rain Man" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1988.
  • The Endangered Earth.

    The Endangered Earth

    "The Endangered Earth" was named Time Person of the Year in 1988. The piece highlighted humanity's carelessness towards nature, pollution, and the depletion of the ozone layer.
  • Bobby McFerrin - "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

    Bobby McFerrin - "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

    The song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin won a Grammy for 1988's Song of the Year.
  • The Scrunchie is becoming fashionable.

    The Scrunchie is becoming fashionable

    A new elastic hair tie called the "scrunchie" became fashionable in the late 1980s.
  • 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.
  • 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 21, 1988.

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, 1988.

  • April 23, 1988: Soccer: Liverpool win the league after a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
  • April 24, 1988: Soccer: Luton win the League Cup after a 3-2 win over Arsenal.
  • April 25, 1988: Former Nazi camp guard John Demjanjuk is sentenced to death in Israel.
  • April 26, 1988: The chief investigator of the Chernobyl disaster, Valery Legasov, commits suicide at his apartment.
  • May 5, 1988: English actor George Rose is murdered in the Dominican Republic.
  • May 7, 1988: The final episode of the American sitcom "The Facts of Life" is aired on television.
  • May 8, 1988: The final episode of "Magnum, P.I." is aired.
  • May 14, 1988:
    • Wimbledon win the FA Cup after defeating Liverpool 1-0.
    • 27 people are killed when a drunk driver crashes into a school bus in Carrollton, Kentucky.
  • May 15, 1988: Soviet troops begin to withdraw from Afghanistan.
  • This date: May 21, 1988
  • May 25, 1988:
    • Rambo III (1988) is released.
    • Football: Dutch side PSV Eindhoven win the European Cup after defeating Benfica on penalties.
  • June 3, 1988: The movie Big (1988), starring Tom Hanks, is released in cinemas.
  • June 4, 1988: Mary Pewitt is murdered at her home in Comanche, Oklahoma.
  • June 13, 1988: 7-year-old Amber Swartz-Garcia is kidnapped in Pinole, California.
  • June 15, 1988: A woman sues musician Chuck Berry for $5 million after claiming that he punched her in the face in December, 1987.
  • June 17, 1988: The family of Robin Givens allege that her husband Mike Tyson beats her.
  • June 20, 1988: "The Price Is Right" model Janice Pennington is knocked unconscious by a studio camera.

Late 1980s fashion

Photographs of late 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Late 1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1988

People in May 1988 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from May 1988.

In the Heat of the Night
In the Heat of the Night
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Full House
Full House
My Two Dads
My Two Dads
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

Cars in 1988

1988 saw the introduction of cars such as the Buick Reatta, the Ford Probe, the Opel Vectra, the Honda Concerto, the Audi V8, and the Volkswagen Passat B3.

Cars in 1988.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1988

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

The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The World of David the Gnome
The World of David the Gnome

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Fireman Sam
Fireman Sam
Full House
Full House
DuckTales
DuckTales
BraveStarr
BraveStarr
Adventures of the Little Koala
Adventures of the Little Koala
21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Toys

Toys in 1988

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

The Ghostbusters Proton Pack
The Ghostbusters Proton Pack
Koosh Ball
Koosh Ball
Boglins (hand puppets)
Boglins (hand puppets)
Jenga
Jenga
Micro Machines
Micro Machines
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
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in May 1988.

Metal Gear 1988
Metal Gear
Final Fantasy 1987
Final Fantasy
Mega Man 1987
Mega Man
Maniac Mansion
 1987
Maniac Mansion
Platoon 1987
Platoon
Top Gun 1987
Top Gun
Street Fighter 1987
Street Fighter
Metroid 1987
Metroid
Punch-Out!! 1987
Punch-Out!!
Double Dragon 1987
Double Dragon
Paperboy 1986
Paperboy
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Were you born on May 21, 1988?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1988.

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, 1994, 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 36 on this day in 1988.

Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer

Serial killer Deceased
Born on May 21, 1960
He turned 28 on this day in 1988.

Chris Benoit

Chris Benoit

Wrestler Deceased
Born on May 21, 1967
He turned 21 on this day in 1988.

The Notorious B.I.G

The Notorious B.I.G

Rapper Deceased
Born on May 21, 1972
He turned 16 on this day in 1988.

Noel Fielding

Noel Fielding

English comedian
Born on May 21, 1973
He turned 15 on this day in 1988.

Kayla Itsines

Kayla Itsines

Internet personality
Born on May 21, 1991
She was born exactly 3 years after this date.

Tom Daley

Tom Daley

English diver
Born on May 21, 1994
He was born exactly 6 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on May 21, 1988.

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 21, 1988 was most likely conceived around August 29, 1987.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 21, 1988 is close to February 11, 1989.

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Stats for May 21, 1988

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 21, 1988:

  • 13,363 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,909 weeks have passed.
  • 1,154,566,800 seconds have passed since May 21, 1988.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,346,994,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 595,756,468,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 192,427,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 99,292,745 steps. That's roughly 44,130 miles.
  • 13,854,802 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1988?

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