Which artist became the first to win all four General Field Grammy Awards in one ceremony?

Christopher Cross became the first artist to win all four General Field Grammy Awards in one ceremony.

At the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1981, Cross won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Sailing,” Album of the Year for Christopher Cross, and Best New Artist. No artist had previously completed this sweep in a single night.

The four General Field categories are the Grammys’ broadest awards because they are not restricted to a particular genre: Record of the Year recognizes a recording, Song of the Year recognizes songwriting, Album of the Year honors an album, and Best New Artist recognizes a breakthrough performer.

Cross’s sweep is sometimes confused with later artists winning three of the four categories. Billie Eilish became the first woman to win all four in one night in 2020, while Christopher Cross remains the first overall. His victory is also notable because “Sailing” and “Arthur’s Theme” helped define his early-1980s soft-rock profile.