80s music

grammys

year wise winners (1980 – 1990)

1980

  • Record of the Year : “What a Fool Believes”-The Doobie Brothers
  • Ted Templeman (producer)
  • Album of the Year : “52nd Street”-Billy Joel
  • Phil Ramone (producer)
  • Album of the Year : “52nd Street”-Billy Joel
  • Phil Ramone (producer)
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female : “I’ll Never Love This Way Again”-Dionne Warwick
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male : “52nd Street”-Billy Joel
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus : “Minute by Minute”-The Doobie Brothers
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female : Hot Stuff-Donna Summer
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male : Gotta Serve Somebody-Bob Dylan
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group : Heartache Tonight-The Eagles
  • Best Disco Recording : ‘”I Will Survive”-Gloria Gaynor
  • Dino Fekaris & Freddie Perren (producers)
  • Best Instrumental Composition : Superman Main Title Theme : John Williams (composer)
  • Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special : “Superman”
  • John Williams (composer)
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female : “Blue Kentucky Girl”-Emmylou Harris
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male ” “The Gambler”-Kenny Rogers
  • Best Country Song : “You Decorated My Life”-Kenny Rogers

1981

  • Record of the Year : Michael Omartian (producer) & Christopher Cross for “Sailing”
  • Album of the Year ” Michael Omartian (producer) & Christopher Cross for Christopher Cross
  • Song of the Year : Christopher Cross for “Sailing”
  • Best New Artist : Christopher Cross
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female : The Rose-Bette Midler
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male : This Is It-Kenny Loggins
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Guilty-Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female : Stephanie Mills for “Never Knew Love Like This Before”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male : George Benson for Give Me the Night
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : The Manhattans for “Shining Star”
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female : Pat Benatar for Crimes of Passion
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male : Billy Joel for Glass Houses
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band for Against the Wind
  • Best Instrumental Composition : John Williams (composer) for The Empire Strikes Back
  • Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special : John Williams (composer) for The Empire Strikes Back
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female : Anne Murray for “Could I Have This Dance?”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male : George Jones for “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group : Emmylou Harris & Roy Orbison for “That Lovin’ You Feelin’ Again”
  • Best Country Song : Willie Nelson (songwriter) for “On the Road Again”

1982

  • Record of the Year : Val Garay (producer) & Kim Carnes for “Bette Davis Eyes”
  • Album of the Year : Jack Douglas (producer), John Lennon & Yoko Ono (producers and artists) for Double Fantasy
  • Song of the Year : Donna Weiss & Jackie DeShannon (songwriters) for “Bette Davis Eyes” performed by Kim Carnes
  • Best New Artist : Sheena Easton
  • Best Instrumental Composition : Mike Post (composer) for “The Theme From Hill Street Blues”
  • Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special : John Williams (composer) for Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Video of the Year : Michael Nesmith for Michael Nesmith in Elephant Parts
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female : Lena Horne for Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male : Al Jarreau for Breakin’ Away
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : The Manhattan Transfer for “The Boy from New York City”
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance : Larry Carlton & Mike Post for “The Theme from Hill Street Blues”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female : Aretha Franklin for “Hold On I’m Comin'”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male : James Ingram for “One Hundred Ways”
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Quincy Jones for The Dude
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female : Pat Benatar for “Fire and Ice”
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male : Rick Springfield for “Jessie’s Girl”
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : The Police for “Don’t Stand So Close To M
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female : Dolly Parton for “9 to 5”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male : Ronnie Milsap for “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me”
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : The Oak Ridge Boys for “Elvira”
  • Best Country Instrumental Performance : Chet Atkins for Country After All These Years
  • Best Country Song : Dolly Parton (songwriter) for “9 to 5”

1983

  • Record of the Year : “Rosanna” – Toto
  • Toto, producer
  • Album of the Year : Toto IV – Toto
  • Toto, producer
  • Song of the Year : “Always on My Mind”
  • Johnny Christopher, Mark James & Wayne Carson, songwriters (Willie Nelson)
  • Best New Artist : Men at Work
  • Best Video of the Year : Olivia Newton-John for Physical
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female : Melissa Manchester for “You Should Hear How She Talks About You”
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male : Lionel Richie for “Truly”
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes for “Up Where We Belong”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female : Jennifer Holliday for “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male : Marvin Gaye for “Sexual Healing”
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Dazz Band for “Let It Whip” / Earth, Wind & Fire for “Wanna Be with You”
  • Best R&B Instrumental Performance : Marvin Gaye for “Sexual Healing (Instrumental Version)”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song : Bill Champlin, Jay Graydon & Steve Lukather (songwriters) for “Turn Your Love Around” performed by George Benson
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female : Pat Benatar for “Shadows of the Night”
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male : John Cougar Mellencamp for “Hurts So Good”
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Survivor for “Eye of the Tiger”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female : Juice Newton for “Break It to Me Gently”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male : Willie Nelson for “Always on My Mind”
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Alabama for Mountain Music
  • Best Country Song : Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher & Mark James (songwriters) for “Always on My Mind” performed by Willie Nelson

1984

  • Record of the Year : “Beat It” – Michael Jackson – Quincy Jones (producer) & Michael Jackson (producer)
  • Album of the Year : Thriller – Michael Jackson – Quincy Jones (producer) & Michael Jackson (producer)
  • Song of the Year : “Every Breath You Take” – The Police – Sting (songwriter)
  • Best New Artist : Culture Club
  • Best Video, Short Form : Girls on Film/Hungry Like the Wolf – Duran Duran
  • Best Video Album : Duran Duran – Duran Duran
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female : “Flashdance… What a Feeling” – Irene Cara
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male : “Thriller” – Michael Jackson
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals : “Every Breath You Take” – The Police
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance : “Being With You” – George Benson
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female : Chaka Khan – Chaka Khan
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male : “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : “Ain’t Nobody” – Chaka Khan & Rufus
  • Best R&B Instrumental Performance : “Rockit” – Herbie Hancock
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song : “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson / “Michael Jackson (songwriter)
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female : “Love Is a Battlefield” – Pat Benatar
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male : “Beat It” – Michael Jackson
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : “Synchronicity” – The Police
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance : “Brimstone and Treacle” – Sting
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female : Anne Murray for “A Little Good News”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male : Lee Greenwood for “I.O.U.”
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Alabama for The Closer You Get…
  • Best Country Song : Mike Reid (songwriter) for “Stranger in My House” performed by Ronnie Milsap

1985

  • Record of the Year : “What’s Love Got To Do With It” – Tina Turner
  • Album of the Year : Can’t Slow Down – Lionel Richie
  • Song of the Year : “What’s Love Got To Do With It”\
  • Best New Artist : Cyndi Lauper
  • Best Video, Short Form : David Bowie for Jazzin’ for Blue Jean
  • Best Video Album : Michael Jackson for Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female : Tina Turner for “What’s Love Got to Do with It”
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male : Phil Collins for “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)”
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : The Pointer Sisters for “Jump (For My Love)”
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance : Ray Parker, Jr. for “Ghostbusters (Instrumental)”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female : Chaka Khan for “I Feel for You”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male : Billy Ocean for “Caribbean Queen”
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : James Ingram & Michael McDonald for “Yah Mo B There”
  • Best R&B Instrumental Performance : Herbie Hancock for “Sound System”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song : Prince, songwriter for “I Feel for You” performed by Chaka Khan
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female : Tina Turner for “Better Be Good to Me”
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male : Bruce Springsteen for “Dancing in the Dark”
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : Prince and The Revolution for Purple Rain
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance : Yes for “Cinema”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female : Emmylou Harris for “In My Dreams”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male : Merle Haggard for “That’s the Way Love Goes”
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal : The Judds for “Mama He’s Crazy”
  • Best Country Song : Steve Goodman (songwriter) for “City of New Orleans” performed by Willie Nelson

1986

  • Record of the Year : “We Are the World” – USA for Africa – Quincy Jones, producers
  • Album of the Year : No Jacket Required – Phil Collins – Hugh Padgham & Phil Collins, producers
  • Song of the Year : “We Are the World” – Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie, songwriters (USA for Africa)
  • Best New Artist ; Sade
  • Best Music Video, Short Form – Tom Trbovich (video director) & Quincy Jones (video producer) for “We Are the World – The Video Event” performed by USA for Africa
  • Best Music Video, Long Form – Bruce Gowers (video director) & Huey Lewis and the News for Huey Lewis & the News – The Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female – Whitney Houston for “Saving All My Love for You”
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male – Phil Collins for No Jacket Required
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Quincy Jones (producer) for “We Are the World” performed by USA for Africa
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance – Jan Hammer for “Miami Vice Theme”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female – Aretha Franklin for “Freeway of Love”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male – Stevie Wonder for In Square Circle
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Commodores for “Nightshift”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song – Jeffrey Cohen & Narada Michael Walden (songwriters) for “Freeway of Love” performed by Aretha Franklin
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female – Tina Turner for “One Of The Living”
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male – Don Henley for “The Boys of Summer”
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Dire Straits for “Money for Nothing”
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance – Jeff Beck for “Escape”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female – Rosanne Cash for “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – Ronnie Milsap for “Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)”
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – The Judds for Why Not Me
  • Best Country Song – Jimmy L. Webb (songwriter) for “Highwayman” performed by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Willie Nelson

1987

  • Record of the Year : “Higher Love” – Steve Winwood – Russ Titelman & Steve Winwood, producers
  • Album of the Year – Graceland – Paul Simon – Paul Simon, producer
  • Song of the Year – “That’s What Friends Are For” – Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager, songwriters (Dionne Warwick & Friends; Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)
  • Best New Artist – Bruce Hornsby & the Range
  • Best Music Video, Short Form – Dire Straits for “Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms”
  • Best Music Video, Long Form – Michael Apted (video director) & Sting for Bring on the Night
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female – Barbra Streisand for The Broadway Album
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male – Steve Winwood for “Higher Love”
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder for “That’s What Friends Are For”
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance, (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) – Harold Faltermeyer & Steve Stevens for “Top Gun Anthem”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female – Anita Baker for Rapture
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male = James Brown for “Living in America”
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Prince and The Revolution for “Kiss”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song – Anita Baker, Gary Bias & Louis A. Johnson (songwriters) for “Sweet Love” performed by Anita Baker
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female – Tina Turner for “Back Where You Started”
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male – Robert Palmer for “Addicted to Love”
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Eurythmics for “Missionary Man”
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) – Art of Noise & Duane Eddy for “Peter Gunn”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female – Reba McEntire for “Whoever’s in New England” –
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – Ronnie Milsap for Lost in the Fifties Tonight
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – The Judds for “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days)”
  • Best Country Song – Jamie O’Hara (songwriter) for “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days)” performed by The Judds

1988

  • Record of the Year : “Graceland” – Paul Simon – Paul Simon, producer
  • Album of the Year : The Joshua Tree – U2 – Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois, producers
  • Song of the Year – “Somewhere Out There” James Horner & Will Jennings, songwriters (Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram)
  • Best New Artist – Jody Watley
  • Best Concept Music Video – Genesis for “Land of Confusion”
  • Best Performance Music Video – Anthony Eaton (video producer) for The Prince’s Trust All-Star Rock Concert performed by various artists
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female – “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male – “Bring on the Night (live)” – Sting
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) – “Minute by Minute” – Larry Carlton
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female – Aretha Franklin for Aretha
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male – Smokey Robinson for “Just to See Her”
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Aretha Franklin & George Michael for “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song – Bill Withers (songwriter) for “Lean on Me” performed by Club Nouveau
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo – “Tunnel of Love” – Bruce Springsteen
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – The Joshua Tree – U2
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) – “Jazz from Hell” – Frank Zappa
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female – K. T. Oslin for “80’s Ladies”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – Randy Travis for Always & Forever
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt for Trio
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Duet – Ronnie Milsap & Kenny Rogers for Make No Mistake, She’s Mine
  • Best Country Song – Paul Overstreet & Don Schlitz (songwriters) for Forever and Ever, Amen performed by Randy Travis

1989

  • Record of the Year : Linda Goldstein (producer) & Bobby McFerrin for “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
  • Album of the Year : George Michael (producer & artist) for Faith
  • Song of the Year : Bobby McFerrin for “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
  • Best New Artist : Tracy Chapman
  • Best Concept Music Video – “Weird Al” Yankovic, Jay Levey (director), Susan Zwerman (producer) for Fat
  • Best Performance Music Video – U2, Meiert Avis (director), Ben Dossett, Michael Hamlyn (producers) for Where The Streets Have No Name
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female – Tracy Chapman for “Fast Car”
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male – Bobby McFerrin for “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – The Manhattan Transfer for Brasil
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group Or Soloist) – David Sanborn for Close Up
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female – Anita Baker for “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male – Terence Trent D’Arby for Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Gladys Knight & the Pips for “Love Overboard”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song – Anita Baker, Randy Holland & Skip Scarborough (songwriters) for “Giving You the Best That I Got” performed by Anita Baker
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female – Tina Turner for Tina Live in Europe
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male – Robert Palmer for “Simply Irresistible”
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – U2 for “Desire”
  • Best Rock Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) – Carlos Santana for Blues for Salvador
  • Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental – Jethro Tull for Crest of a Knave

1990

  • Record of the Year – Arif Mardin (producer) & Bette Midler (artist) for “Wind Beneath My Wings”
  • Album of the Year – Don Was (producer) & Bonnie Raitt for Nick of Time
  • Song of the Year – Jeff Silbar & Larry Henley (songwriters) for “Wind Beneath My Wings” performed by Bette Midler
  • Best Music Video, Short Form – Jim Blashfield, Paul Diener, Frank DiLeo, Jerry Kramer, (video producers), Jim Blashfield (video director) & Michael Jackson for “Leave Me Alone”
  • Best Music Video, Long Form – Aris McGarry (video producer), Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (video producers & directors), Dominic Sena (video director), & Janet Jackson for Rhythm Nation 1814
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female – Bonnie Raitt for “Nick of Time”
  • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male – Michael Bolton for “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”
  • Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt for “Don’t Know Much”
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance – The Neville Brothers for “Healing Chant”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female – Anita Baker for “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male – Bobby Brown for “Every Little Step”
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler for “Back to Life”
  • Best R&B Instrumental Performance – Soul II Soul for “African Dance”
  • Best Rhythm & Blues Song – Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff (songwriters) for “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” performed by Simply Red
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female – Bonnie Raitt for Nick of Time
  • Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male – Don Henley for The End of the Innocence
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Traveling Wilburys for Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
  • Best Hard Rock Performance – Living Colour for “Cult of Personality”
  • Best Metal Performance – Metallica for “One”
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female – k.d. lang for Absolute Torch and Twang
  • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male – Lyle Lovett for Lyle Lovett and His Large Band
  • Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
  • Best Country Song – Rodney Crowell (songwriter) for “After All This Time”