Don't Call It Yacht Rock

Episode 1: Christopher Cross Won Five Grammys. Then MTV Arrived.

In February 1981, a debut album by a bar band veteran from San Antonio swept the Grammy Awards — Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, all in one night. It has never happened again. Six months later, MTV turned on for the first time, played a song called "Video Killed the Radio Star," and the artist who just won five Grammys began a slow fade that would define the rest of his career. This is the Christopher Cross episode. Dave makes the case that Cross is the most underestimated vocalist in American popular music. Marcus asks why "Rock with You" wasn't nominated for Record of the Year the same year "Sailing" won it — and what that says about who gets counted. Kayla figures out who's singing on the chorus of "Ride Like the Wind" and cannot believe it. Nobody cancels anybody.