The almanac
The 1986 Edition
Limited to about 139 million copies: the babies born worldwide in 1986. About 117 million are still in circulation.
Estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2024. How we count
What happened in 1986
- Voyager 2 flies past UranusThe first spacecraft to visit Uranus found 10 new moons during its flyby.January 24 · Source: NASA Science
- Pixar is foundedThe studio that later made Toy Story was founded in California.February 3 · Source: D23 (Walt Disney Archives)
- Space station Mir launchesThe Soviet Union launched Mir, then the biggest space station in the world.February 20 · Source: BBC On This Day
- Giotto meets Halley's CometThe European probe flew past the famous comet for a close look.March 14 · Source: European Space Agency
- Top Gun opensThe Navy fighter pilot film arrived in US theaters.May 16 · Source: Box Office Mojo
- Fastest boat across the AtlanticRichard Branson's powerboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger broke the transatlantic speed record.June 29 · Source: BBC On This Day
Famous people born in 1986
- Rafael NadalSpanish tennis player · born June 3
- Agnez MoIndonesian singer and actress · born July 1
- Usain BoltJamaican sprinter · born August 21
- Megan FoxAmerican actress and model · born May 16
- Manuel NeuerGerman association football player · born March 27
- Emmy RossumAmerican actress · born September 12
- Nathalia DillBrazilian actress · born March 24
- Lindsay LohanAmerican actress and singer · born July 2
From Wikidata, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages write about them. Spotted a mistake?
No. 1 songs of 1986
- Say You, Say MeLionel Richie · first week at No. 1: January 4, 1986
- That's What Friends Are ForDionne & Friends Featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight And Stevie Wonder · first week at No. 1: January 18, 1986
- How Will I KnowWhitney Houston · first week at No. 1: February 15, 1986
- KyrieMr. Mister · first week at No. 1: March 1, 1986
- SaraStarship · first week at No. 1: March 15, 1986
- These DreamsHeart · first week at No. 1: March 22, 1986
- Rock Me AmadeusFalco · first week at No. 1: March 29, 1986
- KissPrince And The Revolution · first week at No. 1: April 19, 1986
- Addicted To LoveRobert Palmer · first week at No. 1: May 3, 1986
- West End GirlsPet Shop Boys · first week at No. 1: May 10, 1986
- Greatest Love Of AllWhitney Houston · first week at No. 1: May 17, 1986
- Live To TellMadonna · first week at No. 1: June 7, 1986
- On My OwnPatti LaBelle & Michael McDonald · first week at No. 1: June 14, 1986
- There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)Billy Ocean · first week at No. 1: July 5, 1986
- Holding Back The YearsSimply Red · first week at No. 1: July 12, 1986
- Invisible TouchGenesis · first week at No. 1: July 19, 1986
- SledgehammerPeter Gabriel · first week at No. 1: July 26, 1986
- Glory Of Love (Theme From "The Karate Kid Part II")Peter Cetera · first week at No. 1: August 2, 1986
- Papa Don't PreachMadonna · first week at No. 1: August 16, 1986
- Higher LoveSteve Winwood · first week at No. 1: August 30, 1986
- VenusBananarama · first week at No. 1: September 6, 1986
- Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From "Top Gun")Berlin · first week at No. 1: September 13, 1986
- Stuck With YouHuey Lewis & The News · first week at No. 1: September 20, 1986
- When I Think Of YouJanet Jackson · first week at No. 1: October 11, 1986
- True ColorsCyndi Lauper · first week at No. 1: October 25, 1986
- AmandaBoston · first week at No. 1: November 8, 1986
- HumanThe Human League · first week at No. 1: November 22, 1986
- You Give Love A Bad NameBon Jovi · first week at No. 1: November 29, 1986
- The Next Time I FallPeter Cetera With Amy Grant · first week at No. 1: December 6, 1986
- The Way It IsBruce Hornsby & The Range · first week at No. 1: December 13, 1986
- Walk Like An EgyptianThe Bangles · first week at No. 1: December 20, 1986
Billboard Hot 100, chart weeks of 1986. Spotted a mistake?
If you were born in 1986
- Older than The SimpsonsThe Simpsons premiered as a TV series on Fox on December 17, 1989.
- Older than the Hubble telescopeThe Hubble Space Telescope was launched on April 24, 1990.
- Older than the WebTim Berners-Lee first announced the World Wide Web software publicly, on an Internet newsgroup on August 6, 1991.
- Older than the text messageThe first text message (SMS) was sent: "Merry Christmas" on December 3, 1992.
- Younger than WindowsMicrosoft shipped the first retail version of Windows on November 20, 1985.
- Younger than the NESThe Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) launched in New York (month only; the day is not given by the source) on October 1, 1985.
- Younger than Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros. was released in Japan on September 13, 1985.