# American Music Awards of 1987

The 14th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 26, 1987.

## Winners and nominees

| Subcategory | Winner | Nominees |
| Pop/Rock Category |||
| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist | Lionel Richie | Peter Gabriel Robert Palmer David Lee Roth |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Whitney Houston | Janet Jackson Tina Turner Madonna |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group | Huey Lewis and the News | Genesis Heart Van Halen |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston | Control - Janet Jackson Top Gun soundtrack 5150 - Van Halen |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Song | "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" - Billy Ocean | "Live To Tell" - Madonna "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys "Higher Love" - Steve Winwood |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Video | "Dancing on the Ceiling" - Lionel Richie | "Mad About You" - Belinda Carlisle "When I Think of You" - Janet Jackson "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" - Robert Palmer |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Video Artist | Billy Ocean | Peter Gabriel Howard Jones Robert Palmer |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist | Madonna | Belinda Carlisle Whitney Houston Janet Jackson |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Video Artist | Huey Lewis & The News | Culture Club Run–D.M.C. Simple Minds |
| Soul/R&B Category |||
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist | Lionel Richie | Freddie Jackson Billy Ocean Stevie Wonder |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Whitney Houston | Anita Baker Janet Jackson Patti LaBelle |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group | New Edition | Atlantic Starr Cameo Run-D.M.C. |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston | Rapture - Anita Baker Control - Janet Jackson Raising Hell - Run-D.M.C. |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Song | "Nasty" - Janet Jackson | "Word Up" - Cameo "Kiss" - Prince "Rumors" - Timex Social Club |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Video | "The Greatest Love of All" - Whitney Houston | "When I Think of You" - Janet Jackson "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" - Billy Ocean "Walk This Way" - Run-D.M.C. |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Video Artist | Lionel Richie | James Brown Oran "Juice" Jones Billy Ocean |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Video Artist | Janet Jackson | Aretha Franklin Whitney Houston Tina Turner |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group Video Artist | Kool & The Gang | Cameo The Jets Run-D.M.C. |
| Country Category |||
| Favorite Country Male Artist | Willie Nelson | Ronnie Milsap George Strait Hank Williams, Jr. |
| Favorite Country Female Artist | Barbara Mandrell | Reba McEntire Juice Newton Tanya Tucker |
| Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group | Alabama | The Forester Sisters The Judds Marie Osmond & Paul Davis |
| Favorite Country Album | Greatest Hits - Alabama | Rockin' with the Rhythm - The Judds Whoever's in New England - Reba McEntire Something Special - George Strait |
| Favorite Country Song | "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)" - The Judds | "Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)" - Dan Seals "Diggin' Up Bones" - Randy Travis "You Can Dream of Me" - Steve Wariner |
| Favorite Country Video | "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)" - The Judds | "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" - George Jones "Whoever's in New England" - Reba McEntire "Honky Tonk Man" - Dwight Yoakam |
| Favorite Country Male Video Artist | George Jones | Mel McDaniel Gary Morris George Strait |
| Favorite Country Female Video Artist | Reba McEntire | Janie Fricke Anne Murray Marie Osmond |
| Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group Video Artist | Alabama | The Forester Sisters The Judds Sawyer Brown |
| Merit |||
| Elvis Presley |||
Other awards
| Winner | Award | Nominee/work |
| Dionne Warwick | Special Recognition Award | "That's What Friends Are For" |

## Performers

* Diana Ross – Touch By Touch
* Genesis – Invisible Touch
* Janet Jackson – Control
* Robert Palmer – I Didn't Mean to Turn You On
* Whitney Houston – All at Once
* Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross – That's What Friends Are For