In 1968, "Hey Jude" topped the charts, 2001: A Space Odyssey packed theaters, a stamp cost 6¢, the average home went for about $24,700.
🎵 Top songs of 1968
"Hey Jude" — The Beatles
"Love Is Blue" — Paul Mauriat
"Honey" — Bobby Goldsboro
🎬 In theaters
2001: A Space Odyssey
Funny Girl
Planet of the Apes
What things cost in 1968
$0.34
Gallon of gas
6¢
Postage stamp
$1.31
Movie ticket
$1.15
Gallon of milk
$24,700
Average home
$3,350
New car
$8,632
Household income
A $0.34 gallon of gas in 1968 has the buying power of roughly $3.05 in 2024 dollars. A 6¢ stamp is around 54¢ today, and a $1.31 movie ticket is about $11.80.
The biggest moments of 1968
The nation mourned the losses of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April and Senator Robert F. Kennedy in June 1968.
At the Mexico City Olympics, Bob Beamon's long jump shattered the world record by nearly two feet.
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In premiered, and "Sock it to me!" became the year's catchphrase.
The first 911 emergency call in the U.S. was placed in Haleyville, Alabama, in February 1968.
60 Minutes debuted on CBS in September 1968 with its now-famous ticking stopwatch.
The first Special Olympics games were held at Chicago's Soldier Field in July 1968.
Toys, TV & trends of 1968
Mattel launched Hot Wheels in 1968, and the original "Sweet 16" cars raced down orange track everywhere.
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood made its national debut in February 1968.
McDonald's rolled out the Big Mac nationwide in 1968 for just 49 cents.
Julia premiered with Diahann Carroll as a widowed nurse — one of the first sitcoms to star a Black woman in a professional role.
Hawaii Five-O hit the airwaves in September, and "Book 'em, Danno" became a national catchphrase.
The Beatles' animated film Yellow Submarine splashed into American theaters in November, dazzling kids and parents alike.
The music scene
At over seven minutes, "Hey Jude" was the longest #1 single ever at the time, held the top spot for nine weeks, and launched the Beatles' own Apple Records label. Elvis Presley roared back in his black-leather "Comeback Special" that December. And Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," finished days before his death, became the first posthumous #1 in chart history.
At the movies
Hollywood retired its old Production Code in November 1968 and introduced the first movie ratings: G, M, R, and X. The musical Oliver! would take Best Picture, and in the only exact tie in Oscar history, Katharine Hepburn and newcomer Barbra Streisand (for Funny Girl) shared the Best Actress award.
Cartoons kids loved
The Archie Show
Wacky Races
The Banana Splits Adventure Hour
By 1968 the networks had swapped superheroes for comedy and music. The Archie Show built each episode around a bubblegum song — a formula that would produce a real #1 hit the following year. Wacky Races packed 11 racing teams into every episode, and its scheming Dick Dastardly and snickering Muttley became stars in their own right.
The world in 1968
World population: about 3.5 billion
U.S. President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Apollo 8 astronauts became the first humans to orbit the Moon in December 1968, sending home the famous "Earthrise" photo.
Czechoslovakia's "Prague Spring" reforms were crushed in August 1968 when Warsaw Pact tanks rolled into the country.
"Trudeaumania" swept Canada as Pierre Trudeau became prime minister in April 1968.
Boeing rolled out the first 747 jumbo jet in Everett, Washington, in September 1968 — a plane that would shrink the world.
1968 birthday questions
How old is someone born in 1968?
Someone born in 1968 turns 58 in 2026 (57 if their birthday has not come round yet).
What was the number one song in 1968?
"Hey Jude" by The Beatles was among the biggest hits of 1968.
What movie came out in 1968?
2001: A Space Odyssey was one of the films packing theaters in 1968.
How much did gas cost in 1968?
A gallon of gas ran about $0.34 in 1968, and a postage stamp cost 6¢.
How much did a house cost in 1968?
The average home went for roughly $24,700 in 1968, against a typical household income of about $8,632.