2000s
2010s
2020s
On This Year 10 mins Read

2017: Facts & Events That Happened in This Year

Did you know that in 2017, Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” became the most streamed song of all time?

2017: Facts & Historical Events That Happened in This Year
Fact Checked Human Written Verified Sources Regularly Updated

Let’s be honest here, 2017 was a little bit all over the place!

It was a big year for female empowerment with the #MeToo movement kicking off, The Women’s March going across the US, and the Wonder Woman movie raking in a monumental $100.5 million in its opening weekend!

Speaking of the movie industry, the infamous Oscar mix-up happened, leaving La La Land without a major reward and announcing Moonlight as the winner of Best Picture of the Year.

Let’s not forget when Beyoncé announced she was pregnant with twins, and her Instagram photo became the most-liked photo of the year, with more than 11 million likes.

But not everything was smooth sailing. Kendall Jenner, a famous model, starred in a Pepsi ad that caused quite a controversy. Many of her fans didn’t like it and expressed their negative reactions.

And lastly, let’s not forget the disaster that was the Fyre Festival. What a complete mess that turned out to be!

Continue reading to delve into the events, news, music, quotes, and famous people’s deaths that shaped 2017.

Historical Events

Here you'll witness the remarkable events that left an indelible mark on our world in 2017.

January 2017

Jan 17

The underwater search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended.

OTD in 2017: The underwater search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended.

Jan 21

Over two million women worldwide marched against Trump’s anti-women and offensive slews.

OTD in 2017: Over two million women worldwide marched against Trump's anti-women and offensive slews.

Jan 28

Tennis sisters went head-to-head when Serena Williams beat Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 at the Australian Open Women’s Tennis.

OTD in 2017: Tennis sisters went head-to-head when Serena Williams beat Venus Williams 6-4

Jan 30

Researchers identified the earliest known prehistoric ancestor of humans.

OTD in 2017: Researchers identified the earliest known prehistoric ancestor of humans.

February 2017

Feb 1

MP’s in the UK voted in favor of triggering the European Union Bill (Article 50), which gave the government the power to prepare to leave the European Union.

Feb 13

After a near collision with another aircraft at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, Star Wars actor Harrison Ford was almost killed.

OTD in 2017: After a near collision with another aircraft at John Wayne Airport in Orange County

Feb 17

A potential new continent was discovered in the South Pacific.

OTD in 2017: A potential new continent was discovered in the South Pacific.

Feb 22

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope discovered a star with seven Earth-sized planets orbiting it.

March 2017

Mar 3

Nintendo released Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the first fully open-world Zelda game.

Mar 22

Four people died, and at least twenty were injured in a terrorist attack near the Houses of Parliament in London.

Mar 28

The world’s largest dinosaur footprint was discovered.

OTD in 2017: The world's largest dinosaur footprint was discovered.

Mar 30

North Carolina repealed its controversial bathroom law that restricted transgender use.

OTD in 2017: North Carolina repealed its controversial bathroom law that restricted transgender use.

April 2017

Apr 7

Donald Trump launched 59 missiles into Syria.

OTD in 2017: Donald Trump launched 59 missiles into Syria.

Apr 16

A total of 662 Charlie Chaplin lookalikes gathered at the Chaplin Museum in Vevey, Switzerland.

Apr 26

The Handmaid’s Tale debuted on Hulu.

OTD in 2017: The Handmaid's Tale debuted on Hulu.

Apr 27

The first guests arrived at Fyre Festival, unaware that it was all a lie.

May 2017

May 10

US Geological Survey issued a statement revealing that 39 Montana glaciers have reduced in size from 39 to 85 percent in the last 50 years.

May 10

Apple became the first company to achieve worth more than $800 billion.

OTD in 2017: Apple became the first company to achieve worth more than $800 billion.

May 18

Chris Cornell, American musician of Soundgarden and Audioslave, committed suicide at age 52 by hanging.

May 25

Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins, premiered in Los Angeles. It was the first superhero film directed by a woman.

June 2017

Jun 5

Montenegro became the 29th country to join NATO.

OTD in 2017: Montenegro became the 29th country to join NATO.

Jun 18

A large landslide triggered a Tsunami in Nuugaatsiaq, Greenland, damaging several villages.

Jun 24

The Women’s International Soccer team played at a world record altitude of 18,999 ft at Kilimanjaro.

Jun 27

Colombia’s militant group FARC agreed to lay down their weapons after 52 years of guerilla warfare.

July 2017

Jul 4

North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Jul 20

Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington committed suicide aged 41.

OTD in 2017: Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington committed suicide aged 41.

Jul 26

President Donald Trump banned transgender persons from joining the US military.

OTD in 2017: President Donald Trump banned transgender persons from joining the US military.

Jul 30

Hackers stole sensitive “Game of Thrones” files from HBO.

August 2017

Aug 9

An inflatable chicken that resembled US President Donald Trump was placed outside the US White House as part of a political protest.

OTD in 2017: An inflatable chicken that resembled US President Donald Trump was placed outside the US White House as part of a political protest.

Aug 18

The USS Indianapolis warship, which sank during World War II, was discovered in the Pacific Ocean 3.4 miles below the surface.

OTD in 2017: The USS Indianapolis warship

Aug 26

Hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully through the streets of Barcelona due to a terrorist attack.

OTD in 2017: Hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully through the streets of Barcelona due to a terrorist attack.

Aug 30

An incredibly powerful hurricane named Irma landed on Cape Verde off the western coast of Africa.

September 2017

Sep 2

Peggy Whitson set a NASA record for spending the most cumulative days living and working in space at 665 days.

Sep 5

Hurricane Irma hit the Atlantic Basin area of the United States.

OTD in 2017: Hurricane Irma hit the Atlantic Basin area of the United States.

Sep 19

President Donald Trump threatened to “totally destroy North Korea.”

Sep 21

A Jellyfish was discovered and became the first-known animal that sleeps and doesn’t have a brain.

October 2017

Oct 1

O. J. Simpson was released from prison.

OTD in 2017: O. J. Simpson was released from prison.

Oct 8

Northern California’s wine country was devastated by sweeping wildfires.

OTD in 2017: Northern California's wine country was devastated by sweeping wildfires.

Oct 16

Astronomers witnessed the first neutron star collision.

OTD in 2017: Astronomers witnessed the first neutron star collision.

Oct 25

Scientists in India discovered a 152-million-year-old fossil of an extinct marine reptile called the ichthyosaur.

OTD in 2017: Scientists in India discovered a 152-million-year-old fossil of an extinct marine reptile called the ichthyosaur.

November 2017

Nov 13

The first-ever Barbie wearing a hijab was revealed at Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year summit.

OTD in 2017: The first-ever Barbie wearing a hijab was revealed at Glamour magazine's Women of the Year summit.

Nov 18

Shawn Mendes claimed his third number 1 single on the Billboard list, making him the first person under the age of 20 to do so.

Nov 20

Asian technology company “Tencent” became the first in Asia to hit a market value of over USD 500 billion.

Nov 27

Bangkok’s Fire and Rescue Department reported 31,801 calls from people asking for snake removal from their homes and businesses over the last year.

December 2017

Dec 5

The Austrian courts ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in 2019.

Dec 6

Scientists discovered the most distant supermassive black hole.

OTD in 2017: Scientists discovered the most distant supermassive black hole.

Dec 9

Star Wars: The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, premiered in Los Angeles.

OTD in 2017: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Dec 14

A British surgeon admitted to branding his initials on patients’ livers.

Famous Deaths

Here are some notable people who passed away in 2017.

1976 — 2017

Chester Bennington

American Singer Chester Bennington was born on March 20, 1976. He died on July 20, 2017, at age 41 in California, USA.

1927 — 2017

Roger Moore

English Actor Roger Moore was born on October 14, 1927. He died on May 23, 2017, at age 89 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

1977 — 2017

Nelsan Ellis

American Actor Nelsan Ellis was born on November 30, 1977. He died on July 8, 2017, at age 39 in New York, USA.

Quotes

Take a look at a few unforgettable quotes from 2017.

Jan 20

“From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first.”

Donald Trump

(American Politician)

Feb 26

“Sorry, guys, hold on. There’s a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won best picture. This is not a joke.”

Jordan Horowitz

(American Film Producer)

2017 in Music

2017 was a year that delivered an array of incredible tunes that became instant classics!

From the catchy beats of “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran to the soulful vibes of “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, these songs defined the year and had us dancing like nobody’s business!

Stay tuned with these music highlights from 2017 that deserve your attention.

Album of the Year

Adele’s soul-stirring album “25” took the Grammy stage by storm in 2017, captivating audiences with her powerhouse vocals and heartfelt lyrics.

Song of the Year

Adele’s heartfelt ballad “Hello” earned her the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2017, leaving audiences captivated.

Best New Artist

Chance the Rapper’s innovative approach to hip-hop and his impactful lyrics won him the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2017, marking a new era in rap music.

Eurovision Song Contest Winner

In 2017, the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest transported us to Kyiv, Ukraine, where a spectacular array of artists showcased their talents.

Salvador Sobral, a soulful singer from Portugal, captured the hearts of the audience with his heartfelt ballad “Amar Pelos Dois,” earning Portugal its first-ever victory in Eurovision history.

2017 In Numbers

Here we’ll explore the fascinating world of numbers! The Roman numeral representation of 2017 is MMXVII, while its binary equivalent is 11111100001.

2017 is an extra special year too, as it’s a prime number! That means it can only be divided evenly by 1 and itself.

Deficient Number

Also, 2017 is referred to as a deficient number, which means that when you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into it, the total sum is less than the number itself.

So, when you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into 2017 (1), they add up to 1, which is less than 2017.

Chinese Zodiac 2017

According to the Chinese zodiac system, 2017 was designated as The Year of the Rooster, which takes place once every twelve years.

But did you know that the Chinese zodiac cycle also incorporates the five elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water? So not only was 2017 the Year of the Rooster, it was actually the Year of the Fire Rooster, which occurs once every sixty years!

Did you know that the Chinese calendar follows a lunar cycle? That’s why the Year of the Fire Rooster actually started on January 28th, and lasted until February 15, 2018.

People born in the Year of the Rooster are confident, hardworking, and punctual. They have a strong sense of responsibility and take pride in their appearance and achievements.

The Years of the Rooster gave us remarkable people, including Jennifer Lopez, Hayden Summerall and Jay-Z.

2017 Trivia

Did you know that in 2017, Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” became the most streamed song of all time?

Shape of You received more than 1.3 billion plays on Spotify! Ed Sheeran also became the most streamed artist of the year, reaching an absolutely insane 40 million monthly listeners.

Your Reaction

Share This

References

About The Author

Luke Ward
Owner

Luke Ward is the owner of The Fact Site. He has over 14 years of experience in researching, informative writing, fact-checking, SEO & web design. In his spare time, he loves to explore the world, drink coffee & attend trivia nights.

Our Promise

Fact Checked All our articles are reviewed by our amazing team of writers, editors, and our community of fact-entusiasts.
Human Written Our content is written by experienced human writers. We do not use AI to generate facts.
Verified Sources Each fact is checked against multiple reputable sources, which we link to where possible.
Reguarly Updated We update our articles when new information becomes available or corrections are needed.

Help Us Fact Check

Accuracy is a continuous process. While we work hard to keep every detail correct and up to date, information can change and mistakes can happen.

If you notice anything that doesn’t seem right, we’d really appreciate your help. Please let us know using the form below, and our team will review it as soon as possible.