UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
20 January 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 20 January 1981 was a Tuesday.
- Kent Music Report No. 1
- The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon.
- Top Film of 1981
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1981 was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Best-Selling Vehicle of 1981
- Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1981 was the Holden Commodore.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 20 January is Aquarius.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 20 January 1981 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for January is Garnet.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 20 January 1981 was Full Moon.
On this day: 20 January
- 1972 Pakistan launches its nuclear weapons program, a few weeks after its defeat in the Bangladesh Liberation War, as well as the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
- 1974 China gains control over all the Paracel Islands after a military engagement between the naval forces of China and South Vietnam.
- 1986 In the United States, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated as a federal holiday for the first time.
- 1986 Leabua Jonathan, Prime Minister of Lesotho, is ousted from power in a coup d'état led by General Justin Lekhanya.
- 1990 Protests in Azerbaijan, part of the Dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Famous people born on 20 January
- J. J. McCarthy, American football player (born 2003)
- David Lynch, American director, producer, and screenwriter (1946–2025)
- Evan Peters, American actor (born 1987)
- Sid Wilson, American musician (born 1977)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1981 in Australia
A selection from Wikipedia's '1981 in Australia'. Not a complete list.
- 30 January – Sir Harry Gibbs is announced as the next Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in the wake of Sir Garfield Barwick's resignation.
- 10 February – Townsville International Airport opens in Townsville
- 19 March – The South Australian Parliament passes the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981.
Life in Australia in 1981
Prime Minister
Malcolm Fraser
Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Petrol (per litre)
$0.34
Loaf of Bread
$0.65
Average House
$50,000
Weekly Wage
$250.00
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Chris Hemsworth11 August 1983ActorView their day →Delta Goodrem9 November 1984Singer & songwriterView their day →Ruby Rose20 March 1986Actor & modelView their day →Sam Reid19 February 1987ActorView their day →Rebel Wilson2 March 1980Actress & writerView their day →Teresa Palmer26 February 1986Actress & modelView their day →Alexander Volkanovski29 September 1988Mixed martial artist & kickboxerView their day →Abbie Cornish7 August 1982ActressView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →