BestOfDate

July 21, 1988

July 21, 1988, was a Thursday. It was 36 years, 3 months, and 15 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Cancer.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on July 21, 1988:

  • United States: "The Flame" by Cheap Trick
  • United Kingdom: "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Medeiros

The Billboard Hot 100 on July 21, 1988

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • The Flame - Cheap Trick
  • Mercedes Boy - Pebbles
  • Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
  • New Sensation - INXS
  • Hold On To The Nights - Richard Marx
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!
Coming to America

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Coming to America".

Facts

This date occurred 13,256 days ago. Approximately 442 months have passed. It was the 203rd day of 1988, in week 29. The decade was the eighties. People who were born on July 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. 147 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to July 21, 1988

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is July 21, 1988, and it's a Thursday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Cancer. The summer of 1988 is in full swing. The weather is warm, and the evenings are brighter than usual. Most schools and colleges are now finished until August or September.

In America, the song "The Flame" by Cheap Trick is at the top of the singles charts, while "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Medeiros is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Coming to America 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 "Magnum, P.I.", "Sherlock Holmes", "Moonlighting", and "Full House". 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", "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar", "Mega Man", and "Metal Gear". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Postman Pat", "Muppet Babies", "Married... with Children", and "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh".

Children are playing with toys such as Water Ring Toss, Sylvanian Families, Laser Tag, and the Ghostbusters Proton Pack.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on July 21, 1988, will have the star sign Cancer.
  • Zodiac Element: Water.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1988 was the year of the Dragon (Yang Earth).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 9.
  • Native American Zodiac: July 21, 1988 falls under the Woodpecker.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of July will have the birthstone Ruby.
  • Birth flower (July): The Larkspur and the Water Lily.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on July 21, 1988.

  • 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 July 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 July 21, 1988.

  • June 21, 1988: The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1988 NBA Finals after they defeat the Detroit Pistons 4-3.
  • June 22, 1988: The film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) is released.
  • June 25, 1988: The Netherlands win the UEFA Euro 1988 Final with a 2-0 victory over the Soviet Union.
  • June 27, 1988: Boxing: Mike Tyson defeats Michael Spinks in 91 seconds at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
  • June 29, 1988:
    • The movie Coming to America (1988) is released in cinemas.
    • A violent dispute occurs between Lionel Richie and his wife Brenda Harvey after she discovers him cheating on her.
  • July 3, 1988: 290 people are killed after Iran Air Flight 655 is erroneously shot down by the USS Vincennes.
  • July 4, 1988: Kylie Minogue releases her debut album, Kylie.
  • July 6, 1988: 167 people are killed after an oil platform called the Piper Alpha is destroyed by explosions and fires in the North Sea.
  • July 15, 1988: The movie Die Hard (1988) is released.
  • July 18, 1988: German singer Nico (Christa Päffgen) dies following a cycling accident in Ibiza.
  • July 20, 1988: Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis is selected as the Democratic Party nominee for the 1988 US presidential election.
  • This date: July 21, 1988
  • July 22, 1988: The trial of "Night Stalker" serial killer Richard Ramirez begins.
  • July 25, 1988: American child actress Judith Barsi is shot and killed by her father. Judith was best-known for voicing the character Ducky in The Land Before Time.
  • July 29, 1988: The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988) is released in movie theaters.
  • July 31, 1988: 32 people are killed in Penang, Malaysia after an overcrowded ferry terminal bridge collapses.
  • August 1, 1988: The first issue of Hip Hop magazine "The Source" is published.
  • August 8, 1988: NWA release their album Straight Outta Compton.
  • August 11, 1988: Al-Qaeda is formed by Osama bin Laden.
  • August 12, 1988: The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) is released in cinemas.
  • August 14, 1988: The trial of "Night Stalker" serial killer Richard Ramirez is halted after one of the jurors is murdered by her boyfriend.
  • August 17, 1988:
    • Guns N' Roses release the song "Sweet Child o' Mine".
    • Pakistan President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and US Ambassador Arnold Raphel are killed in a plane crash.
  • August 18, 1988: Soccer: Striker Ian Rush rejoins Liverpool after an unsuccessful season at Italian side Juventus.
  • August 20, 1988:
    • Ballygawley bus bombing: A roadside bomb attack by the Provisional IRA kills eight British soldiers in Ballygawley, Northern Ireland.
    • Iran-Iraq War: Hostilities between Iran and Iraq come to an end for the first time in seven years after a ceasefire is agreed.

Late 1980s fashion

Photographs of late 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Late 1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in July 1988

People in July 1988 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from July 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 July 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 July 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
Double Dragon 1987
Double Dragon
Paperboy 1986
Paperboy
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Tetris 1984
Tetris

Were you born on July 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 July 21, 1994, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway

Author Deceased
Born on July 21, 1899
He was not alive on this date.

Ken Starr

Ken Starr

American lawyer Deceased
Born on July 21, 1946
He turned 42 on this day in 1988.

Robin Williams

Robin Williams

Actor Deceased
Born on July 21, 1951
He turned 37 on this day in 1988.

Josh Hartnett

Josh Hartnett

Actor
Born on July 21, 1978
He turned 10 on this day in 1988.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on July 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 July 21, 1988 was most likely conceived around October 29, 1987.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on July 21, 1988 is close to April 13, 1989.

Submit a comment

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated. Our system may automatically edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on July 21, 1988, by entering your date of birth below.
This information is not sent to our server.

Stats for July 21, 1988

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about July 21, 1988:

  • 13,256 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,893 weeks have passed.
  • 1,145,322,000 seconds have passed since July 21, 1988.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,336,209,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 590,986,152,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 190,887,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 98,497,692 steps. That's roughly 43,777 miles.
  • 13,743,864 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1988?

Search

It looks like you have reached the end. Try searching for another date.

Random

Random dates

Check out some of these random dates.