Sunday, January 25, 1981 · New York City
The world the day Alicia Keys was born
Alicia Keys, the singer-songwriter, arrived on a Sunday in New York City. This is what was on the radio, in the sky and on the price tags that day.
#1 that week
“(Just Like) Starting Over”
John Lennon
The moon
waning gibbous
Star sign
♒ Aquarius
Year of the Monkey
U.S. president
Ronald Reagan
On every radio
The song at #1 the week Alicia was born
“(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 5 weeks, taking over from “Lady”.
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Cost of living
What things cost in 1981
U.S. averages for the year Alicia Keys was born, next to the latest figures (Sep 2026).
- Gallon of gas$1.38 → $4.48 today (3.3×)
- Loaf of white bread53¢ → $1.83 today (3.5×)
- Dozen eggs90¢ → $2.27 today (2.5×)
- Pound of coffee$2.53 → $9.33 today (3.7×)
- Postage stamp18¢ → 78¢ today (4.3×)
In the news
The year 1981
- Jan 1 · Greece is admitted into the European Community.
- Jan 2 · One of the largest investigations by a British police force ends when serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper", is arrested in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
- Jan 15 · Pope John Paul II receives a delegation from the Polish trade union Solidarity at the Vatican led by Lech Wałęsa.
- Jan 19 · Iran hostage crisis: United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
- Jun 12 · Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise, was released.
Born around the same time
Alicia Keys shares a birth year with…
Beyoncé
singer · born September 4, 1981
Serena Williams
tennis player · born September 26, 1981
Britney Spears
singer · born December 2, 1981
Justin Timberlake
singer · born January 31, 1981
Jennifer Hudson
singer and TV host · born September 12, 1981
Chris Evans
actor · born June 13, 1981
Natalie Portman
actress · born June 9, 1981
Roger Federer
tennis player · born August 8, 1981
Ivanka Trump
businesswoman · born October 30, 1981
Meghan Markle
Duchess of Sussex · born August 4, 1981
Paris Hilton
media personality · born February 17, 1981
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Questions
When was Alicia Keys born?
Alicia Keys was born on Sunday, January 25, 1981, in New York City.
What day of the week was Alicia Keys born?
A Sunday. January 25, 1981 fell on a Sunday.
What was the #1 song when Alicia Keys was born?
“(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 the week Alicia Keys was born. It spent 5 weeks at #1.
What is Alicia Keys’s zodiac sign?
Alicia Keys is a Aquarius (born Jan 25), and was born in the Chinese year of the Monkey.
What was the moon like when Alicia Keys was born?
A waning gibbous moon, about 71% lit, on the night of January 25, 1981.
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