In 1984, pop music was loud, polished, and built for the moment. One song, recorded quietly in the summer, was meant to be WHAM!’s fourth number one of the year. It wasn’t.

This episode of America on the Air works its way into “Last Christmas”—the year it arrived, the world it landed in, and why it never really left.

Where does “Last Christmas” land for you now?

On a Monday night in New York, John Lennon returned home to the Dakota. Minutes later, everything changed. This episode traces the timeline of that evening—what happened outside the building, how the story broke on live television, and how people first heard the news. I also share where I was, what it sounded like, and how that moment settled into the culture. A clear-eyed look back at a night that shook the world and still resonates decades later.

Emmy Award-winning producer Christian Cudnik announces the launch of America On The Air. After the passing of his friends—Ian Kuhn, known for his work with the Dave Matthews Band, and Philadelphia radio icon Pierre Robert—Christian was inspired to finally move forward on a program he had been slowly developing. The show offers a late-night FM vibe where stories of music, radio, and culture are collected and shared.