The almanac
The 1978 Edition
Limited to about 122 million copies: the babies born worldwide in 1978. About 96 million are still in circulation.
Estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2024. How we count
What happened in 1978
- Dallas premieres on CBSThe oil-family drama began as a five-episode trial that reached the top ten.April · Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews
- Naomi James sails solo around the worldShe broke the solo round-the-world record and was the first woman to sail it via Cape Horn.June 8 · Source: BBC On This Day
- First IVF baby is bornLouise Brown, conceived by in vitro fertilization, was born in Oldham, England.July 25 · Source: BBC On This Day
- First balloon flight across the AtlanticThree Americans flew the Double Eagle II from Maine to France in six days.August 17 · Source: BBC On This Day
- Taxi premieres on ABCThe sitcom about New York cab drivers joined a strong ABC Tuesday lineup.September 12 · Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews
- WKRP in Cincinnati premieres on CBSThe radio station sitcom began a four-season run of 88 episodes.September 18 · Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews
Famous people born in 1978
- Gianluigi BuffonFormer Italian footballer · born January 28
- Frank LampardEnglish association football player and manager · born June 20
- Miroslav KloseGerman professional football manager and former player · born June 9
- Rachel McAdamsCanadian actress · born November 17
- Didier DrogbaIvorian and French association football player · born March 11
- Nelly FurtadoPortuguese-Canadian singer and songwriter · born December 2
- Rani MukerjiIndian actress · born March 21
- Ashton KutcherAmerican actor · born February 7
From Wikidata, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages write about them. Spotted a mistake?
No. 1 songs of 1978
- How Deep Is Your LoveBee Gees · first week at No. 1: January 7, 1978
- Baby Come BackPlayer · first week at No. 1: January 14, 1978
- Stayin' AliveBee Gees · first week at No. 1: February 4, 1978
- (Love Is) Thicker Than WaterAndy Gibb · first week at No. 1: March 4, 1978
- Night FeverBee Gees · first week at No. 1: March 18, 1978
- If I Can't Have YouYvonne Elliman · first week at No. 1: May 13, 1978
- With A Little LuckWings · first week at No. 1: May 20, 1978
- Too Much, Too Little, Too LateJohnny Mathis/Deniece Williams · first week at No. 1: June 3, 1978
- You're The One That I WantJohn Travolta & Olivia Newton-John · first week at No. 1: June 10, 1978
- Shadow DancingAndy Gibb · first week at No. 1: June 17, 1978
- Miss YouThe Rolling Stones · first week at No. 1: August 5, 1978
- Three Times A LadyCommodores · first week at No. 1: August 12, 1978
- GreaseFrankie Valli · first week at No. 1: August 26, 1978
- Boogie Oogie OogieA Taste Of Honey · first week at No. 1: September 9, 1978
- Kiss You All OverExile · first week at No. 1: September 30, 1978
- Hot Child In The CityNick Gilder · first week at No. 1: October 28, 1978
- You Needed MeAnne Murray · first week at No. 1: November 4, 1978
- MacArthur ParkDonna Summer · first week at No. 1: November 11, 1978
- You Don't Bring Me FlowersBarbra Streisand & Neil Diamond · first week at No. 1: December 2, 1978
- Le FreakChic · first week at No. 1: December 9, 1978
Billboard Hot 100, chart weeks of 1978. Spotted a mistake?
If you were born in 1978
- Older than ESPNESPN went on the air, opening with SportsCenter on September 7, 1979.
- Older than CNNCNN, the first 24-hour all-news cable network, went on the air on June 1, 1980.
- Older than Pac-ManPac-Man was released to the public in Japan (month only; the day is not given by the source) on July 1, 1980.
- Older than the Space ShuttleThe first Space Shuttle mission, STS-1 with Columbia, launched on April 12, 1981.
- Younger than Voyager 1NASA launched the Voyager 1 space probe on September 5, 1977.
- Younger than Star WarsStar Wars opened in US movie theaters on May 25, 1977.
- Younger than AppleApple was founded on April 1, 1976.