Grammy Awards of 1986

The 28th Grammy Awards were held in 1986. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.

Record of the Year
- Quincy Jones (producer) for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa
Album of the Year
- Hugh Padgham (producer) & Phil Collins (producer & artist) for No Jacket Required
Song of the Year
- Lionel Richie & Michael Jackson (songwriters) for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa
Best New Artist
- Sade

Blues

Children's

Best Recording for Children
- Jim Henson & Steve Buckingham (producers) for Follow That Bird - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack performed by the Sesame Street cast

Classical

Best Classical Orchestral Recording
- Robert Woods (producer), Robert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Fauré: Pelleas et Melisande
Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance
- Robert Shaw (conductor), John Aler & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Berlioz: Requiem
Best Opera Recording
- James Mallinson (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), Philip Langridge, Franz Mazura & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus; for Schoenberg: Moses und Aron
Best Choral Performance (other than opera)
- Robert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus; for Berlioz: Requiem
Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with orchestra)
- Andre Previn (conductor), Yo-Yo Ma & the London Symphony Orchestra for Elgar: Cello Concerto, Op. 85/Walton: Concerto for Cello & Orchestra
Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (without orchestra)
- Vladimir Ashkenazy for Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit; Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte; Valses Nobles et Sentimentales
Best Chamber Music Performance
- Emanuel Ax & Yo-Yo Ma for Brahms: Cello and Piano Sonatas in E Minor and F
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
- Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer), Sarah Brightman & Placido Domingo for Lloyd Webber: Requiem
Best Classical Album
- Robert Woods (producer), Robert Shaw (conductor), John Aler & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus; for Berlioz: Requiem
Best New Classical Artist
- Chicago Pro Musica

Comedy

Best Comedy Recording
- Whoopi Goldberg for Whoopi Goldberg - Original Broadway Show Recording

Composing and arranging

Best Instrumental Composition
- Jan Hammer (composer) for "Miami Vice Theme"
Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
- Marc Benno, Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey, Micki Free, Jon Gilutin, Hawk, Howard Hewett, Bunny Hull, Howie Rice, Sharon Robinson, Dan Sembello, Sue Sheridan, Richard C. Theisen II & Allee Willis (composers) for Beverly Hills Cop performed by various artists
Best Arrangement on an Instrumental
- Dave Grusin & Lee Ritenour (arrangers) for "Early A.M. Attitude"
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
- Nelson Riddle (arranger) for "Lush Life" performed by Linda Ronstadt
Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices
- Bobby McFerrin & Cheryl Bentyne (arrangers) for "Another Night in Tunisia" performed by The Manhattan Transfer

Country

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 Instrumental Performance (orchestra, group or soloist)
- Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler for "Cosmic Square Dance"
Best Country Song
- Jimmy L. Webb (songwriter) for "Highwayman" performed by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Willie Nelson

Folk

Gospel

Best Gospel Performance, Female
- Amy Grant for Unguarded
Best Gospel Performance, Male
- Larnelle Harris for "How Excellent Is Thy Name"
Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
- Larnelle Harris & Sandi Patti for "I've Just Seen Jesus"
Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
- Shirley Caesar for "Martin"
Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male
- Marvin Winans for "Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay"
Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
- The Winans for Tomorrow
Best Inspirational Performance
- Jennifer Holliday for "Come Sunday"

Historical

Best Historical Album
- John Pfeiffer (producer) for RCA/Met - 100 Singers - 100 Years performed by various artists

Jazz

Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
- Cleo Laine for Cleo at Carnegie - The 10th Anniversary Concert
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
- Bobby McFerrin & Jon Hendricks for "Another Night in Tunisia"
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group
- The Manhattan Transfer for Vocalese
Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
- David Sanborn for Straight To The Heart
Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
- Wynton Marsalis for Black Codes From the Underground
Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group
- Wynton Marsalis for Black Codes From the Underground
Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Big Band
- Bob Wilber & John Barry for The Cotton Club - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Latin

Best Latin Pop Performance
- Lani Hall for Es Facil Amar
Best Tropical Latin Performance
- Tito Puente for Mambo Diablo
- Eddie Palmieri for Solito
Best Mexican-American Performance
- Vikki Carr for Simplemente Mujer

Musical Show

Best Cast Show Album
- John McClure (producer), Jose Carreras & Kiri Te Kanawa for West Side Story

Music Video

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 & the News; for Huey Lewis & the News - The Heart of Rock 'n' Roll

Packaging and Notes

Best Album Package - Incl. Album Cover, Graphic Arts, Photography
- John Kosh & Ron Larson (art directors) for Lush Life performed by Linda Ronstadt
Best Album Notes
- Peter Guralnick (notes writer) for Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

Polka

Pop

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
- Whitney Houston for "Saving All My Love For You"
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
- 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"

Production and engineering

Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical
- Neil Dorfsman (engineer) for Brothers in Arms performed by Dire Straits
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
- Hugh Padgham & Phil Collins
Best Classical Engineered Recording
- Jack Renner (engineer), Robert Shaw & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & chorus for Berlioz: Requiem conducted by Robert Shaw
Classical Producer of the Year
- Robert Woods

R&B

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance;
- Aretha Franklin for "Freeway of Love"
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance;
- Stevie Wonder for "In Square Circle"
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal;
- Commodores for "Nightshift"
Best R&B Instrumental Performance;
- Ernie Watts for Musician
Best R&B Song;
- Jeffrey Cohen & Narada Michael Walden (songwriters) for "Freeway of Love" perfoemd by Aretha Franklin

Reggae

Rock

Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
- Tina Turner for "One of the Living"
Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
- 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"

Spoken

Best Spoken Word or Non-musical Album
- Mike Berniker (producer) & the original Broadway cast for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom