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April 12, 1996

April 12, 1996, was a Friday. It was 28 years, 7 months, and 12 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Aries.

On This Day

What happened on this day?

What happened on April 12, 1996?

  • The film "James and the Giant Peach" is released.
Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on April 12, 1996:

  • United States: "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion
  • United Kingdom: "Firestarter" by Prodigy

The Billboard Hot 100 on April 12, 1996

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

  • Because You Loved Me (From "Up Close & Personal") - Celine Dion
  • Always Be My Baby - Mariah Carey
  • Nobody Knows - The Tony Rich Project
  • Down Low (Nobody Has To Know) - R. Kelly Featuring Ronald Isley
  • Ironic - Alanis Morissette
Play the top songs from 1996
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1996. Take a trip back to the days of the Spice Girls, the Backstreet Boys, Alanis Morissette, Celine Dion and the Fugees.
Birdcage

Top movie at the box office

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

Facts

This date was 10,453 days ago. Approximately 348 months have passed. It was the 103rd day of 1996, in week 15. The decade was the nineties. People born on this day are currently 28 years old and belong to the Gen-Z generation. 1996 had 366 days because it was a leap year. We have gone through approximately 116 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to April 12, 1996

Ready for a walk down memory lane?

It is Friday, April 12, 1996. Anyone born today will have the star sign Aries. People have "that Friday feeling" and are excited for the weekend.

The summer of 1996 is drawing closer, and temperatures have started to rise. In America, the song "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion is at the top of the singles charts, while "Firestarter" by Prodigy is the number-one song in the UK. Bill Clinton is the President of the United States, and the movie Birdcage is at the top of the box office.

John Major is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. A new form of communication called "text messaging" is starting to become more widespread. However, it can only be done if both the sender and the receiver are on the same cell network. Meanwhile, a global system called "the Internet" is also starting to take off. Each day, more and more people are learning how to send emails and browse "websites" on the World Wide Web by connecting their IBM computers to noisy dial-up modems.

In fashion, "grunge" clothing has fallen out of favor, and women are beginning to wear form-fitting outfits such as slip dresses and pencil skirts. Movies such as Clueless and The Craft have popularized the "sexy schoolgirl" look. The CD is quickly becoming the dominant format for music, and people are buying portable players such as the "Discman". Consequently, sales of cassette tapes are continuing to decline. It's 1996, so radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Céline Dion, Oasis, Mark Morrison, Spice Girls, Los Del Rio, 2Pac and Coolio.

If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Margaux Hemingway, Agnieszka Kotlarska, Tupac Shakur, and Yaki Kadafi would all still be alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Roseanne", "Baywatch", "The X-Files", and "Star Trek: Voyager". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Theme Park", "Air Combat", "Twisted Metal", and "Resident Evil".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Rugrats", "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters", "Brotherly Love", and "Goosebumps". Popular toys at the moment include Screwball Scramble, Super Soaker (water gun), Matchbox Car Wash, and Tyco Rebound RC Car.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on April 12, 1996, will have the star sign Aries.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1996 was the year of the Rat (Yang Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 5.
  • Native American Zodiac: April 12, 1996 falls under the Falcon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of April will have the birthstone Diamond.
  • Birth flower (April): The Daisy and the Sweet Pea.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on April 12, 1996.

  • Ted Kaczynski is arrested.

    Ted Kaczynski is arrested

    On April 3rd, 1996, "The Unabomber," Ted Kaczynski, was arrested at his remote cabin near Lincoln, Montana.
  • Primal Fear.

    Primal Fear

    The film Primal Fear, starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton, was playing in movie theaters.
  • Resident Evil.

    Resident Evil

    Capcom released the survival horror video game "Resident Evil" in March 1996. This was the very first game in the series.
  • Motorola StarTAC.

    Motorola StarTAC

    The Motorola StarTAC was released in January 1996. It was one of the first popular cellphones to include a flip design.
  • 1996 in music.

    1996 in music

    Popular music artists in 1996 included Los del Río, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, 2Pac, LL Cool J, Soundgarden, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Alanis Morissette, Everything but the Girl, Joan Osborne, Mary J. Blige, SWV, Toni Braxton, Eric Clapton, Blackstreet, R. Kelly, Metallica and Van Halen.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1996?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1996?

    In 1996, the best NBA players were Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Penny Hardaway, Shawn Kemp, Grant Hill, Hakeem Olajuwon, Gary Payton, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Juwan Howard, Shaquille O'Neal, Mitch Richmond and Reggie Miller.
  • David Ho.

    David Ho

    A scientist named David Ho was named Time Person of the Year in 1996 because of his pioneering contributions to HIV/AIDS research.
  • Gillian Anderson.

    Gillian Anderson

    The X-Files actress Gillian Anderson (Agent Scully) was named FHM's sexiest woman in 1996.
  • 1996 in movies.

    1996 in movies

    1996 saw the release of movies such as Independence Day, Twister, Mission: Impossible, The Rock, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 101 Dalmatians, Ransom, Eraser, The Nutty Professor, Jerry Maguire, Scream, The Cable Guy, Mars Attacks! and The Craft.
  • Best football players in 1996.

    Best football players in 1996

    In 1996, the best soccer players were Matthias Sammer, Ronaldo, Alan Shearer, Alessandro Del Piero, Jürgen Klinsmann, Davor Šuker, Eric Cantona, Marcel Desailly, Youri Djorkaeff, Karel Poborský and Nwankwo Kanu.
  • The English Patient.

    The English Patient

    "The English Patient" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1996.
  • Eric Clapton - "Change the World"

    Eric Clapton - "Change the World"

    The song "Change the World" by Eric Clapton went on to win a Grammy for 1996's Song of the Year.
  • Sony PlayStation.

    Sony PlayStation

    The Sony PlayStation (PS1) was released in September 1995. It was one of the best-selling video game consoles of the 1990s.
  • CDs have become the dominant music format.

    CDs have become the dominant music format

    By this stage, the CD had become the dominant music format. Consequently, sales of CD players and the "Discman" continued to increase. Meanwhile, people were beginning to replace their cassette players.
  • First Chechen War.

    First Chechen War

    The First Chechen War was raging between Russia and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
  • Mid-1990s fashion.

    Mid-1990s fashion

    During the mid-1990s, female clothing began to become more form-fitting as those badly-shaped "mom jeans" began to disappear. Grunge fashion started to decline, and popular outfits began to include tartan minikilts, hot pants, slip dresses, and knee-highs.
  • The Internet is growing.

    The Internet is growing

    A new global, interconnected network called the Internet was beginning to grow. However, it was still a novelty.
  • Kids are reading Goosebumps.

    Kids are reading Goosebumps

    Kids were reading Goosebumps, which was a series of children's horror books that were written by author R. L. Stine. The original series included books such as "Monster Blood", "Say Cheese and Die!" and "The Barking Ghost".
  • VCRs are common household items.

    VCRs are common household items

    Everyone was using VCRs to watch tapes of movies and TV shows. The device also gave people the ability to record programs and films onto a blank tape.
  • People are using pagers to communicate.

    People are using pagers to communicate

    Pagers achieved mainstream popularity during the 1990s. These small devices allowed the owner to receive messages. More often than not, the message was a short memo or a phone number that they were supposed to call back.
  • Wallpaper is beginning to go out of style.

    Wallpaper is beginning to go out of style

    By the 1990s, "modernism" was starting to heavily influence interior design trends. As a result, sales of wallpaper started to decline. Instead of using decorative wallpaper, people were beginning to opt for minimalist, painted walls.
  • The Scrunchie.

    The Scrunchie

    People are wearing an elastic hair tie called the "scrunchie".
  • The Game Boy.

    The Game Boy

    A hand-held game console called the "Game Boy" was all the rage. The console boasted games such as Super Mario Land, Tetris, Donkey Kong, Kirby's Dream Land, and a number of Pokémon releases.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on April 12, 1996.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to April 12, 1996.

  • March 13, 1996: Dunblane school massacre: 16 students and one teacher are shot dead by a mass shooter in Dunblane, Scotland.
  • March 16, 1996: "The Championship: Part I": Mike Tyson knocks out Frank Bruno in the third round.
  • March 18, 1996: The song "Return of the Mack" is released by R&B artist Mark Morrison.
  • March 19, 1996: Irish Crime: Publican Tom Nevin is shot dead at Jack White's pub in Wicklow, Ireland.
  • March 22, 1996:
    • The game Resident Evil is released.
    • Rapper Dr. Dre leaves Death Row Records due to infighting.
  • March 25, 1996: The single "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" is released by Australian singer Gina G.
  • March 27, 1996: Three British soldiers are found guilty of the rape and murder of Louise Jensen in Ayia Napa, Cyprus in 1994. Geoffrey Pernell, Allan Ford, and Justin Fowler are sentenced to life in prison for the crime.
  • March 31, 1996: WrestleMania XII: Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim in Anaheim, California.
  • April 1, 1996:
    • Wrestling: Mankind makes his WWF debut against Bob "Spark Plug" Holly.
    • The final episode of "The Adventures of Pete & Pete" is aired on Nickelodeon.
  • April 3, 1996:
    • The film Primal Fear (1996), starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton, is released in movie theaters.
    • Rapper M.C. Hammer files for bankruptcy.
    • Unabomber Ted Kaczynski is arrested.
    • United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown dies in a plane crash in Croatia.
  • April 6, 1996: The first Major League Soccer game takes place in San Jose, California.
  • April 11, 1996: 7-year-old trainee pilot Jessica Dubroff dies in a plane crash while attempting to become the youngest person to fly a light aircraft across the United States.
  • This date: April 12, 1996
  • April 14, 1996: The Simpsons episode containing the popular segment about "Steamed Hams" is aired on television.
  • April 15, 1996: No Doubt release their single "Don't Speak".
  • April 18, 1996: Seventeen Greek tourists and an Egyptian tour guide are murdered by an Islamic group in Cairo.
  • April 20, 1996: Long Island serial killer: The remains of Fire Island Jane Doe are discovered on Blue Point Beach.
  • April 27, 1996:
    • The first episode of "Dexter's Laboratory" is aired.
    • Former CIA director William Colby goes missing while canoeing at Rock Point, Maryland.
  • April 28, 1996: The Port Arthur massacre: Martin Bryant kills 35 people at Port Arthur in Tasmania, Australia.
  • April 29, 1996: Football: Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan delivers his "I would love it!" interview.
  • April 30, 1996: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony release their single "Tha Crossroads".
  • May 1, 1996: The song Mysterious Girl is released by Peter Andre.
  • May 2, 1996: Soccer: Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle agrees to take over the England national team.
  • May 3, 1996: The Craft (1996), starring Neve Campbell, is released in movie theaters.
  • May 5, 1996: Soccer: Rio Ferdinand makes his debut for West Ham.
  • May 6, 1996:
    • The Backstreet Boys release their debut album.
    • The body of former CIA director William Colby is found eight days after he went missing while canoeing at Rock Point, Maryland.
  • May 10, 1996:
    • The disaster film "Twister", starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, is released in movie theaters.
    • Wrestling: Edge makes his debut for the WWF.
  • May 11, 1996:
    • FA Cup Final 1996: A late 85th minute goal from Eric Cantona helps Manchester United secure a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.
    • 8 climbers lose their lives after a blizzard hits Mount Everest.
    • 110 people lose their lives after ValuJet Flight 592 crashes into the Everglades after taking off from Miami.

Mid-1990s fashion

Photographs of mid-1990s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1990s fashion

Television shows

TV series on April 12, 1996

TV audiences were watching the following shows on April 12, 1996:

TV shows from April 1996.

3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun
JAG
JAG
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Father Ted
Father Ted
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Friends
Friends
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel
ER
ER
Party of Five
Party of Five
Ellen
Ellen
Babylon 5
Babylon 5

Cars in 1996

1996 saw the introduction of cars such as the Citroën Saxo, the Cadillac Catera, the Audi A3, the Honda Logo, the Volvo S70, and the Pontiac Montana.

Cars in 1996.

Children TV shows

Kids TV shows on April 12, 1996

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1996:

Moesha
Moesha
Little Bear
Little Bear
Goosebumps
Goosebumps

Wishbone
Wishbone
Brotherly Love
Brotherly Love
Hang Time
Hang Time
Pinky and the Brain
Pinky and the Brain
Timon & Pumbaa
Timon & Pumbaa
In the House
In the House
Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1996

Toys and games that were popular in 1996:

12" talking Buzz Lightyear Action Figure
12" talking Buzz Lightyear Action Figure
Tyco Rebound RC Car
Tyco Rebound RC Car
Street Sharks Action Figures
Street Sharks Action Figures
The PlayStation (PS1)
The PlayStation (PS1)
The Sega Saturn
The Sega Saturn
Styrofoam plane gliders
Styrofoam plane gliders
Sky Dancers
Sky Dancers
Fisher-Price Great Adventures Castle
Fisher-Price Great Adventures Castle
Dear Diary
Dear Diary
Casio Secret Sender 6000
Casio Secret Sender 6000
Jurassic Park: Young Tyrannosaurus Rex
Jurassic Park: Young Tyrannosaurus Rex
Matchbox Car Wash
Matchbox Car Wash
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in April 1996.

Resident Evil 1996
Resident Evil
Alien Trilogy 1996
Alien Trilogy
Duke Nukem 3D 1996
Duke Nukem 3D
Virtua Fighter 2 1996
Virtua Fighter 2
FIFA Soccer 96 1995
FIFA Soccer 96
Twisted Metal 1995
Twisted Metal
Phantasmagoria 1995
Phantasmagoria
Destruction Derby 1995
Destruction Derby
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island 1995
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Rayman 1995
Rayman
Killer Instinct 1995
Killer Instinct
Tekken 2 1995
Tekken 2

Were you born on April 12, 1996?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1996.

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 April 12, 2002, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on April 12.

Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim

Singer Deceased
Born on April 12, 1932
He turned 64 on this day in 1996.

Bobby Moore

Bobby Moore

Soccer player Deceased
Born on April 12, 1941
He was not alive on this date.

David Letterman

David Letterman

Television host
Born on April 12, 1947
He turned 49 on this day in 1996.

Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty

Actress Deceased
Born on April 12, 1971
She turned 25 on this day in 1996.

Brian McFadden

Brian McFadden

Westlife
Born on April 12, 1980
He turned 16 on this day in 1996.

Eric Bailly

Eric Bailly

Soccer player
Born on April 12, 1994
He turned 2 on this day in 1996.

David Hogg

David Hogg

Gun control activist
Born on April 12, 2000
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

USA

US President

Bill Clinton was the President of the United States on April 12, 1996.

UK

UK Prime Minister

John Major was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

John Bruton was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on April 12, 1996 was most likely conceived around July 21, 1995.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on April 12, 1996 is close to January 3, 1997.

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Stats for April 12, 1996

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about April 12, 1996:

  • 10,453 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,493 weeks have passed.
  • 903,142,800 seconds have passed since April 12, 1996.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,053,666,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 466,021,684,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 150,523,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 77,670,281 steps. That's roughly 34,520 miles.
  • 10,837,714 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1996?

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