At A Glance

5 January 1984 at a glance

Day of the week
5 January 1984 was a Thursday.
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1
The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “Say Say Say” by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson.
Top Film of 1984
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1984 was Ghostbusters.
Bestselling Novel of 1984
“The Talisman” by Stephen King and Peter Straub was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1984.
Top-Rated TV Show
“Dynasty” (ABC) was No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1984–85 season.
Star sign
The star sign for 5 January is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 5 January 1984 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for January is Garnet.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 5 January 1984 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 5 January

  • 1972 US President Richard Nixon announces the Space Shuttle program.
  • 1976 The Khmer Rouge announce that the new Constitution of Democratic Kampuchea is ratified.
  • 1991 Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, Georgia, opening the 1991–92 South Ossetia War.
  • 1991 Somali Civil War: The United States Embassy to Somalia in Mogadishu is evacuated by helicopter airlift days after the outbreak of violence in Mogadishu.
  • 1993 The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands, spilling 84,700 tons of crude oil.

Famous people born on January 5

  • Suki Waterhouse, English actress, singer-songwriter, and model (born 1992)
  • Vinnie Jones, British footballer and actor (born 1965)
  • Diane Keaton, American actress, director, and businesswoman (1946–2025)
  • Bradley Cooper, American actor and producer (born 1975)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1984 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1984 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • April 9 – The 56th Academy Awards, hosted by Johnny Carson, are held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, with James L. Brooks' Terms of Endearment winning Best Picture and Best Director, as well as three other awards out of 11 nominations.
  • June 8 – Ghostbusters and Gremlins are released.
  • June 22 – The Karate Kid is released.

Life in the US in 1984

President

Ronald Reagan

Gas (per gallon)

$1.13

Loaf of Bread

$0.61

Average House

$79,900

Weekly Wage

$320

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1980s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

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 →