List of nominees. Winners are highlighted.
Show host(s): Dan Aykroyd & Bette Midler

Category	Artist	Video	Director
Best video of the year	the Cars	You might think [winner]	Jeff Stein & Charlex
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit	Godley & Creme
	Michael Jackson	Thriller	John Landis
	Cyndi Lauper	Girls just want to have fun	Edd Griles
	the Police	Every breath you take	Godley & Creme
Best male video	David Bowie	China girl [winner]	David Mallet
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit	Godley & Creme
	Michael Jackson	Thriller	John Landis
	Billy Joel	Uptown girl	Jay Dubin
	Lionel Richie	All night long	Bob Rafelson
Best female video	Pat Benatar	Love is a battlefield	Bob Giraldi
	Cyndi Lauper	Girls just want to have fun [winner]	Edd Griles
	Cyndi Lauper	Time after time	Edd Griles
	Bette Midler & Mick Jagger	Beast of burden	Allan Arkush
	Donna Summer	She works hard for the money	Brian Grant
Best concept video	the Cars	You might think	Jeff Stein & Charlex
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit [winner]	Godley & Creme
	Michael Jackson	Thriller	John Landis
	Cyndi Lauper	Girls just want to have fun	Edd Griles
	the Rolling Stones	Undercover of the night	Julien Temple
Best group video	Huey Lewis & the News	The heart of rock and roll	Edd Griles
	the Police	Every breath you take	Godley & Creme
	Van Halen	Jump [version 1]	Van Halen
	ZZ Top	Legs [winner]	Tim Newman
	ZZ Top	Sharp dressed man	Tim Newman
Best stage performance in a video	David Bowie	Modern love	Jim Yukich
	Duran Duran	The Reflex [version 1]	Russell Mulcahy
	Bette Midler & Mick Jagger	Beast of burden	Allan Arkush
	the Pretenders	Middle of the road	Danny Kleinman
	Van Halen	Jump [version 1] [winner]	Van Halen
Best new artist in a video	Eurythmics	Sweet dreams (are made of this) [version 1] [winner]	Jon Roseman & David Stewart
	Cyndi Lauper	Girls just want to have fun	Edd Griles
	Cyndi Lauper	Time after time	Edd Griles
	Madonna	Borderline	Mary Lambert
	Wang Chung	Dance hall days [version 2]	Daniel Kleinman
Best overall performance in a video	David Bowie	China girl	David Mallet
	Michael Jackson	Thriller [winner]	John Landis
	Cyndi Lauper	Girls just want to have fun	Edd Griles
	the Police	Every breath you take	Godley & Creme
	Van Halen	Jump [version 1]	Van Halen
Best special effects in a video	the Cars	You might think	Jeff Stein & Charlex
	Thomas Dolby	Hyperactive!	Thomas Dolby & Daniel Kleinman
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit [winner]	Godley & Creme
	Billy Idol	Dancing with myself	Tobe Hooper
	Talking Heads	Burning down the house	David Byrne
Best art direction in a video	the Cars	You might think	Jeff Stein & Charlex
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit [winner]	Godley & Creme
	Billy Idol	Dancing with myself	Tobe Hooper
	the Police	Every breath you take	Godley & Creme
	Queen	Radio Ga Ga	David Mallet
Best editing in a video	Duran Duran	The Reflex [version 1]	Russell Mulcahy
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit [winner]	Godley & Creme
	Billy Idol	Eyes without a face	David Mallet
	Elton John	I'm still standing [version 1]	Russell Mulcahy
	the Police	Every breath you take	Godley & Creme
	ZZ Top	Legs	Tim Newman
	ZZ Top	Sharp dressed man	Tim Newman
Best cinematography	David Bowie	China girl	David Mallet
	Billy Idol	Eyes without a face	David Mallet
	KISS	All Hell's breakin' loose	Martin Kahan
	John Cougar Mellencamp	Authority song	Jay Dubin
	the Police	Every breath you take [winner]	Godley & Creme
	the Stray Cats	(She's) Sexy & 17	Ian Leech
Best choreography in a video	Toni Basil	Over my head	(director unknown)
	Michael Jackson	Thriller [winner]	John Landis
	Elton John	I'm still standing [version 1]	Russell Mulcahy
	Bette Midler & Mick Jagger	Beast of burden	Allan Arkush
	Donna Summer	She works hard for the money	Brian Grant
Best direction in a video	the Bongos	Numbers with wings	Juliano Waldman
	Ian Hunter	All of the good ones are taken	Martin Kahan
	Billy Idol	Dancing with myself	Tobe Hooper
	Cyndi Lauper	Time after time	Edd Griles
	Huey Lewis & the News	I want a new drug	Devendra Rathod
	the Police	Every breath you take	Godley & Creme
	ZZ Top	Gimme all your lovin'	Tim Newman
	ZZ Top	Sharp dressed man [winner]	Tim Newman
Most experimental video	the Cars	You might think	Jeff Stein & Charlex
	Thomas Dolby	Hyperactive!	Thomas Dolby & Daniel Kleinman
	Herbie Hancock	Rockit [winner]	Godley & Creme
	Alan Parsons Project	Don't answer me	Alan Parsons
	Neil Young	Wonderin'	Tim Pope
Viewer's choice award	Michael Jackson	Thriller [winner]	John Landis