Born in 1979

What things cost in 1979

1979 figures are annual averages of the published monthly (or quarterly) values. “Today’s dollars” uses the Consumer Price Index for September 2026; “latest” is the most recent published price. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor, via FRED.

Who was in charge in 1979

United States

Jimmy Carter (President)

United Kingdom

Elizabeth II (Queen); James Callaghan, then Margaret Thatcher (Prime minister)

Soviet Union

Leonid Brezhnev (General Secretary); Leonid Brezhnev (Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet); Alexei Kosygin (Chairman of the Council of Ministers)

People's Republic of China

Hua Guofeng (Chairman); Deng Xiaoping (Paramount Leader); Ye Jianying (NPC Standing Committee Chairman); Hua Guofeng (Premier)

France

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (President); Raymond Barre (Prime minister)

East Germany

Erich Honecker (Chairmen of the State Council); Willi Stoph (Chairman)

West Germany

Walter Scheel, then Karl Carstens (President); Helmut Schmidt (Chancellor)

Japan

Hirohito (Emperor); Masayoshi Ōhira (Prime minister)

Republic of India

Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (President); Morarji Desai, then Charan Singh (Prime minister)

From Wikipedia’s List of state leaders in the 20th century (1951–2000) (revision 1371751893), each name checked against Wikidata. Every country in 1979 →

No. 1 songs of 1979

1. “Too Much Heaven” — Bee Gees (2 weeks)
2. “Le Freak” — Chic (3 weeks)
3. “Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?” — Rod Stewart (4 weeks)
4. “I Will Survive” — Gloria Gaynor (3 weeks)
5. “Tragedy” — Bee Gees (2 weeks)
6. “What a Fool Believes” — The Doobie Brothers (1 week)
7. “Knock on Wood” — Amii Stewart (1 week)
8. “Heart of Glass” — Blondie (1 week)
9. “Reunited” — Peaches & Herb (4 weeks)
10. “Hot Stuff” — Donna Summer (3 weeks)
11. “Love You Inside Out” — Bee Gees (1 week)
12. “Ring My Bell” — Anita Ward (2 weeks)
13. “Bad Girls” — Donna Summer (5 weeks)
14. “Good Times” — Chic (1 week)
15. “My Sharona” — The Knack (6 weeks)
16. “Sad Eyes” — Robert John (1 week)
17. “Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough” — Michael Jackson (1 week)
18. “Rise” — Herb Alpert (2 weeks)
19. “Pop Muzik” — M (1 week)
20. “Heartache Tonight” — Eagles (1 week)
21. “Still” — Commodores (1 week)
22. “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” — Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer (2 weeks)
23. “Babe” — Styx (2 weeks)
24. “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” — Rupert Holmes (2 weeks)

Weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with issue dates in 1979, from List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1979 (Wikipedia revision 1374867551).

Famous people born in 1979

• January 15 – Drew Brees, American football player source
• June 3 – Pierre Poilievre, politician source
• February 16 – Valentino Rossi, Italian seven-time MotoGP world champion source
• December 31 – Josh Hawley, American politician, U.S. Senator (R-MO) from 2019 source
• 11 January – Siti Nurhaliza – Singer source
• June 23 – LaDainian Tomlinson, American football player source
• 19 May – Andrea Pirlo, football player and coach source
• October 3 – John Morrison, American professional wrestler source
• January 16 – Aaliyah, American R&B singer and actress (died 2001) source
• August 31 – Mickie James, American professional wrestler source
• December 15 – Eric Young, Canadian professional wrestler source
• April 4 – Roberto Luongo, Canadian ice hockey goaltender source
• February 13 – Anders Behring Breivik, Norwegian far-right terrorist responsible for the 2011 Norway attacks source
• August 7 – Abigail Spanberger, politician, Governor of Virginia (2026-present) source
• 14 December – Michael Owen, footballer source

What happened in 1979

• January 1 – The United States and the People's Republic of China establish full diplomatic relations. source
• January 7 – Cambodian–Vietnamese War: The People's Army of Vietnam and Vietnamese-backed Cambodian insurgents announce the fall of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and the collapse of the Pol Pot regime. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge retreat west to an area along the Thai border, ending large-scale fighting. source
• January - The One Child Policy is announced and implemented (est.) source
• January 1 – United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the International Year of the Child. Many musicians donate to the Music for UNICEF Concert fund, among them ABBA, who write the song Chiquitita to commemorate the event. source
• 26 February – Chiang Kai-shek International Airport located in Taoyuan County (now is Taoyuan County) officially opened. source
• 26 January – Near Chuadanga, a train derails and overturns, killing at least 70 and injuring at least 300. source
• January 9 – The Music for UNICEF Concert is held at the United Nations General Assembly to raise money for UNICEF and promote the Year of the Child. It is broadcast the following day in the United States and around the world. Hosted by the Bee Gees, other performers include Donna Summer, ABBA, Rod Stewart and Earth, Wind & Fire. A soundtrack album is later released. source
• January 1 – Following a deal agreed during 1978, French carmaker Peugeot completes a takeover of American manufacturer Chrysler's European operations, which are based in Britain's former Rootes Group factories, as well as the former Simca factories in France. source