List of nominees. Winners are highlighted.
Show host(s): Julie Brown

Category	Artist	Video	Director
Best video of the year	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Genesis	Land of confusion	John Lloyd & Jim Yukich
	Paul Simon	Boy in the bubble	Jim Blashfield
	Steve Winwood + Chaka Khan	Higher love	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
	U2	With or without you [version 1]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]
Best male video	David Bowie	Day-in day-out	Julien Temple
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Robert Palmer	I didn't mean to turn you on	Terence Donovan
	Paul Simon	You can call me Al	Gary Weis
	Steve Winwood + Chaka Khan	Higher love	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
Best female video	Kate Bush	The big sky	Kate Bush
	Janet Jackson	Nasty	Mary Lambert
	Cyndi Lauper	True colors	Pat Birch
	Madonna	Papa don't preach [winner]	James Foley
	Madonna	Open your heart	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Best group video	the Bangles	Walk like an Egyptian	Gary Weis
	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1]	Alex Proyas
	Eurythmics	Missionary man	Willy Smax
	Talking Heads	Wild wild life [winner]	David Byrne
	U2	With or without you [version 1]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]
Best concept video	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Peter Gabriel	Big time	Stephen R. Johnson
	Genesis	Land of confusion	John Lloyd & Jim Yukich
	Run DMC & Aerosmith	Walk this way	Jon Small
	Talking Heads	Wild wild life	David Byrne
Best stage performance in a video	Bon Jovi	You give love a bad name [live]	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	Living on a prayer [version 2: live] [winner]	Wayne Isham
	Run DMC & Aerosmith	Walk this way	Jon Small
	Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band	War	Arthur Rosato
	Bruce Springsteen	Born to run [version 1: live]	Arthur Rosato
Best new artist video	the Robert Cray Band	Smoking gun	Peter Care
	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1] [winner]	Alex Proyas
	the Georgia Satellites	Keep your hands to yourself	Bill Fishman
	Bruce Hornsby & the Range	The way it is	(director unknown)
	Timbuk 3	The future's so bright I gotta wear shades	Carlos Grasso
Best overall performance in a video	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Janet Jackson	Nasty	Mary Lambert
	Madonna	Papa don't preach	James Foley
	Run DMC & Aerosmith	Walk this way	Jon Small
	U2	With or without you [version 1]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]
Best new video from a film	Eric Clapton	It's in the way that you use it	Oley Sassone
	Rodney Dangerfield	Twist and shout	(director unknown)
	Aretha Franklin	Jumpin' Jack Flash	Penny Marshall
	Ben E. King	Stand by me	Nigel Dick
	Talking Heads	Wild wild life [winner]	David Byrne
Best direction in a video	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1]	Alex Proyas
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Genesis	Land of confusion	John Lloyd & Jim Yukich
	U2	With or without you [version 1]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]
	Steve Winwood + Chaka Khan	Higher love	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
Best chroeography in a video	the Bangles	Walk like an Egyptian	Gary Weis
	Janet Jackson	Nasty [winner]	Mary Lambert
	Janet Jackson	When I think of you	Julien Temple
	Madonna	Open your heart	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Steve Winwood + Chaka Khan	Higher love	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
Best special effects in a video	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1]	Alex Proyas
	Duran Duran	Skin trade	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
	Eurythmics	Missionary man	Willy Smax
	Fleetwood Mac	Big love	Danny Kleinman
	Peter Gabriel	Big time	Stephen R. Johnson
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Genesis	Land of confusion	John Lloyd & Jim Yukich
	Howard Jones	You know I love you, don't you?	(director unknown)
	Nu Shooz	Point of no return	(director unknown)
	Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers	Jammin' me	Jim Lenahan
	Lionel Richie	Dancing on the ceiling	Stanley Donen
	Paul Simon	Boy in the bubble	Jim Blashfield
	Wang Chung	Everybody have fun tonight	Godley & Creme
	ZZ Top	Velcro fly	Danny Kleinman
Best art direction in a video	Bryan Adams	Heat of the night	Wayne Isham
	Breakfast Club	Right on track	Jeff Stein
	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1]	Alex Proyas
	Duran Duran	Notorious	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Peter Gabriel	Big time	Stephen R. Johnson
	Genesis	Land of confusion	John Lloyd & Jim Yukich
	Janet Jackson	When I think of you	Julien Temple
	Jill Jones	Mia boca	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Madonna	Open your heart	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Robbie Nevil	C'est la vie	Peter Care
	Paul Simon	Boy in the bubble	Jim Blashfield
Best editing in a video	Bryan Adams	Heat of the night	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	Living on a prayer [version 2: live]	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	Wanted dead or alive	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	You give love a bad name [live]	Wayne Isham
	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1]	Alex Proyas
	Duran Duran	Notorious	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
	Eurythmics	Missionary man	Willy Smax
	Peter Gabriel	Big time	Stephen R. Johnson
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Jill Jones	Mia boca	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Madonna	Open your heart	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Robbie Nevil	C'est la vie	Peter Care
	Lou Reed	The original wrapper	Zbigniew Rybczynski
	Run DMC & Aerosmith	Walk this way	Jon Small
	Paul Simon	Boy in the bubble	Jim Blashfield
	U2	With or without you [version 1]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]
	Steve Winwood + Chaka Khan	Higher love	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
Best cinematography in a video	Bryan Adams	Heat of the night	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	Wanted dead or alive	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	Living on a prayer [version 2: live]	Wayne Isham
	Bon Jovi	You give love a bad name [live]	Wayne Isham
	David Bowie	Day-in day-out	Julien Temple
	Crowded House	Don't dream it's over [version 1]	Alex Proyas
	Duran Duran	Notorious	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
	Duran Duran	Skin trade	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer	Stephen R. Johnson
	Heaven 17	Contenders	Leslie Libman & Larry Williams
	Billy Idol	Sweet sixteen	Peter Sinclair
	Janet Jackson	When I think of you	Julien Temple
	Jill Jones	Mia boca	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Cyndi Lauper	What's going on?	Andy Morahan
	Madonna	Papa don't preach	James Foley
	Madonna	Open your heart	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
	Robbie Nevil	C'est la vie [winner]	Peter Care
	Tina Turner	What you get is what you see	Peter Care
	U2	With or without you [version 1]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]
	Rosie Vela	Magic smile	(director unknown)
	Steve Winwood + Chaka Khan	Higher love	Peter Kagan & Paula Greif
Most experimental video	Eurythmics	Missionary man	Willy Smax
	Peter Gabriel	Sledgehammer [winner]	Stephen R. Johnson
	Genesis	Land of confusion	John Lloyd & Jim Yukich
	Huey Lewis & the News	Hip to be square	Godley & Creme
	Paul Simon	Boy in the bubble	Jim Blashfield
Viewer's choice award	U2	With or without you [version 1] [winner]	Meiert Avis & Matt Mahurin [uncredited]