BestOfDate

January 31, 1998

January 31, 1998, was a Saturday. It was 26 years, 9 months, and 21 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Aquarius.

Song charts

Popular songs

On January 31, 1998, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "Together Again" by Janet Jackson
  • United Kingdom: "You Make Me Wanna" by Usher

The music charts on January 31, 1998

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Together Again - Janet
  • Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden
  • Nice & Slow - Usher
  • How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes
  • Been Around The World - Puff Daddy & The Family (Feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Mase)
Play the top singles from 1998
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1998. Take a trip back to the days of Cher, Celine Dion, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Robbie Williams and Faithless.
Titanic

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Titanic".

Facts

This date occurred 9,791 days ago. Approximately 326 months have passed. It was the 31st day of 1998, in week 05. The decade was the nineties. People who were born on January 31, 1998, are now 26 years old and belong to the Gen-Z generation. 109 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to January 31, 1998

Let's go back to the nineties.

The date is January 31, 1998, and it's a Saturday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Aquarius. 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.

In America, the song "Together Again" by Janet Jackson is at the top of the singles charts, while "You Make Me Wanna" by Usher is the number-one song in the UK. Bill Clinton is the President of the United States, and the movie Titanic is at the top of the box office. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Family Matters", "Baywatch", "Mad About You", and "Oz". 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. 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.

In fashion, bright and metallic colors are all the rage—a big change from the darker "grunge" colors of the early 1990s. Women are wearing maxi skirts, bell bottoms, knee boots, crop tops, tube tops, slip dresses, maxi coats, and platform shoes. Meanwhile, a lot of men have ditched their grunge and skater clothes in favor of a "dress casual" look. They are also beginning to cut their hair shorter. It's 1998, so radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Brandy, Monica, Aerosmith, R. Kelly, K-Ci & JoJo, Céline Dion, All Saints, Steps and Will Smith. The Clinton-Lewinsky sex scandal is receiving ongoing media attention.

The Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski has recently been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Fat Pat, Rob Pilatus, Frank Sinatra, and Phil Hartman would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Super Mario 64", "Tekken 3", "Grand Theft Auto", and "FIFA: Road to World Cup 98".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Bill Nye the Science Guy", "Friends", "Daria", and "Teletubbies". Children are playing with toys such as Super Soaker (water gun), Dear Diary, the PlayStation (PS1), and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 31, 1998, will have the star sign Aquarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1998 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 5.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 31, 1998 falls under the Otter.
  • 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 31, 1998.

  • David Beckham and Posh Spice are engaged.

    David Beckham and Posh Spice are engaged

    Soccer star David Beckham and Spice Girls singer "Posh Spice" announced their engagement in January 1998.
  • Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.

    Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction

    Actor Jonathan Frakes took over as the presenter on the TV series "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction" in January 1998.
  • The Unabomber pleads guilty.

    The Unabomber pleads guilty

    Theodore Kaczynski pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
  • Resident Evil 2 is released.

    Resident Evil 2 is released

    The survival horror game "Resident Evil 2" was released by Capcom in January 1998. The game followed Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they tried to escape the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City.
  • The Lewinsky Scandal.

    The Lewinsky Scandal

    In January of 1998, news of the Lewinsky Scandal began to break. Bill Clinton, who was the US President at the time, was accused of engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a White House intern. In August of 1998, Clinton admitted that he had an improper physical relationship with Lewinsky.
  • Celine Dion - "My Heart Will Go On"

    Celine Dion - "My Heart Will Go On"

    "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion went on to win a Grammy for 1998's Record of the Year.
  • Pagers are dying out.

    Pagers are dying out

    Pagers started to die out at the end of the 1990s. This was due to the growing availability of cellphones. Pagers were small devices that allowed the owner to receive messages. More often than not, the message in question was a memo or a phone number that they were supposed to call back.
  • 1998 in music.

    1998 in music

    Popular music artists in 1998 included Usher, Céline Dion, K-Ci & JoJo, Next, Shania Twain, Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Brandy, Monica, Sarah McLachlan, Jennifer Paige, Aerosmith, 98 Degrees, Deborah Cox, Britney Spears and All Saints.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1998?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1998?

    In 1998, the best NBA players were Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton, Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, Grant Hill, Vin Baker, David Robinson, Tim Hardaway, Rod Strickland, Scottie Pippen, Glen Rice, Reggie Miller, Mitch Richmond and Dikembe Mutombo.
  • Bill Clinton & Ken Starr.

    Bill Clinton & Ken Starr

    US President Bill Clinton and Ken Starr, the lawyer who published the Starr Report, were both named Time Person of the Year in 1998.
  • 1998 in movies.

    1998 in movies

    Movies released in 1998 included Armageddon, Saving Private Ryan, Godzilla, There's Something About Mary, A Bug's Life, Deep Impact, Mulan, Dr. Dolittle, Shakespeare in Love, Lethal Weapon 4, Blade, American History X and The Waterboy.
  • Landline phones are still popular... for now.

    Landline phones are still popular... for now

    Although most houses still had landline telephones, they were starting to slowly die out due to the increasing availability of cellphones.
  • Jenny McCarthy.

    Jenny McCarthy

    American model and television host Jenny McCarthy was listed as FHM's sexiest model in 1998.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1998, the best soccer players were Zinedine Zidane, Davor Šuker, Ronaldo, Michael Owen, Rivaldo, Gabriel Batistuta, Lilian Thuram, Edgar Davids, Dennis Bergkamp, Marcel Desailly and Frank de Boer.
  • Shakespeare in Love.

    Shakespeare in Love

    "Shakespeare in Love" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1998.
  • CD folders and disc towers.

    CD folders and disc towers

    People were using CD folders and disc towers to store their music collections and PlayStation games. CD folders were particularly useful if you wanted to switch between different albums while driving.
  • Ask Jeeves.

    Ask Jeeves

    Internet users were using a search engine called "Ask Jeeves".
  • Late 1990s Fashion.

    Late 1990s Fashion

    Popular clothing items included pleather pants, high-waisted miniskirts, and halter tops. Metallic clothing became more prominent. Cargo pants and other military-inspired clothing also started to become more popular. Preppy looks became widespread among young men as brands such as "Old Navy" and "Abercrombie & Fitch" became more and more popular. The rave scene also inspired the comeback of more colors.
  • The Nintendo 64.

    The Nintendo 64

    The Nintendo 64 was competing with Sony's PlayStation console. Popular games included Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, and Yoshi's Story.
  • The Internet is still a novelty.

    The Internet is still a novelty

    Although the Internet existed, it was still something of a novelty in the late 1990s. Many people had to visit their local library just to "surf the web". Social media wasn't a thing yet, and most sites consisted of gaudy, static web pages.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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".

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on January 31, 1998.

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 31, 1998.

  • January 5, 1998: Former recording artist Sonny Bono dies from a skiing accident.
  • January 14, 1998: $1.6 million in cash is stolen in a bank robbery at the Bank of America in the World Trade Center.
  • January 17, 1998: The Lewinsky scandal is first mentioned by The Drudge Report.
  • January 21, 1998: The game Resident Evil 2 is released.
  • January 22, 1998: Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski pleads guilty and is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
  • January 25, 1998:
    • Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos defeat the Green Bay Packers by 31-24 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.
    • David Beckham and Victoria Adams (Posh Spice) announce their engagement.
  • January 26, 1998: US President Bill Clinton denies having "sexual relations" with Monica Lewinsky.
  • This date: January 31, 1998
  • February 3, 1998: Rapper "Fat Pat" is shot dead in Houston, Texas.
  • February 5, 1998: Slaughter guitarist Tim Kelly dies in a car accident.
  • February 8, 1998: Irish crime: 19-year-old Fiona Sinnott goes missing in Broadway, Co. Wexford.
  • February 12, 1998: Soccer: Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit is sacked.
  • February 13, 1998: The Wedding Singer (1998) is released in cinemas.
  • February 17, 1998: Destiny's Child release their debut album.
  • February 23, 1998: The "1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak" in Florida kills 42 people.
  • February 25, 1998: Tommy Lee is arrested for assaulting his wife Pamela Anderson.
  • February 26, 1998: Tenchu: Stealth Assassins is released for the PlayStation.
  • February 28, 1998:
    • Dermot Morgan, who portrayed Father Ted Crilly, dies from a heart attack.
    • The Kosovo War begins.
  • March 2, 1998: Suzanne Lyall (19) goes missing in Albany, New York.

Late 1990s fashion

Photographs of late 1990s fashion and hairstyles.

Late 1990s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in January 1998

In January 1998, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from January 1998.

Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Oz
Oz
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
King of the Hill
King of the Hill
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
7th Heaven
7th Heaven
3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun
JAG
JAG
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess

Cars in 1998

1998 saw the introduction of cars such as the Cadillac Escalade, the Volkswagen New Beetle, the Ford Cougar, the Ford Focus, the Clio Renault Sport, and the Fiat Multipla.

Cars in 1998.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in January 1998

If you were a kid on January 31, 1998, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Bear in the Big Blue House
Bear in the Big Blue House
Men in Black: The Series
Men in Black: The Series

Teen Angel
Teen Angel
Mummies Alive!
Mummies Alive!
Caillou
Caillou
Recess
Recess
City Guys
City Guys
USA High
USA High
Cow And Chicken
Cow And Chicken
The Angry Beavers
The Angry Beavers
Toys

Toys in 1998

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

Gogo's Crazy Bones
Gogo's Crazy Bones
Spice Girls dolls
Spice Girls dolls
The Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game
Bop It
Bop It
Car City Carpet
Car City Carpet
The Nintendo 64
The Nintendo 64
The Tamagotchi
The Tamagotchi
The PlayStation (PS1)
The PlayStation (PS1)
The Sega Saturn
The Sega Saturn
Styrofoam plane gliders
Styrofoam plane gliders
Fisher-Price Great Adventures Castle
Fisher-Price Great Adventures Castle
Dear Diary
Dear Diary
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in January 1998.

Resident Evil 2 1998
Resident Evil 2
Diddy Kong Racing 1997
Diddy Kong Racing
FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 1997
FIFA: Road to World Cup 98
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back 1997
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Age of Empires 1997
Age of Empires
Grand Theft Auto 1997
Grand Theft Auto
Fallout 1997
Fallout
PaRappa the Rapper 1997
PaRappa the Rapper
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
GoldenEye 007 1997
GoldenEye 007
Porsche Challenge 1997
Porsche Challenge
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire 1997
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

Were you born on January 31, 1998?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1998.

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 31, 2004, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on January 31.

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

Baseball player Deceased
Born on January 31, 1919
He was not alive on this date.

Giant Gonzalez

Giant Gonzalez

Wrestler Deceased
Born on January 31, 1966
He turned 32 on this day in 1998.

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake

Singer
Born on January 31, 1981
He turned 17 on this day in 1998.

Gemma Collins

Gemma Collins

English media personality
Born on January 31, 1981
She turned 17 on this day in 1998.

Josh Richards

Josh Richards

TikTok user
Born on January 31, 2002
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

USA

US President

Bill Clinton was the President of the United States on January 31, 1998.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Bertie Ahern was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on January 31, 1998 was most likely conceived around May 10, 1997.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 31, 1998 is close to October 24, 1998.

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Stats for January 31, 1998

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 31, 1998:

  • 9,791 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,398 weeks have passed.
  • 845,942,400 seconds have passed since January 31, 1998.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 986,932,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 436,506,278,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 140,990,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 72,751,046 steps. That's roughly 32,334 miles.
  • 10,151,309 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1998?

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