List of nominees. Winners are highlighted.
Show host(s): Arsenio Hall

Category	Artist	Video	Director
Best video of the year	Fine Young Cannibals	She drives me crazy [version 1]	Philippe de Coufle
	Michael Jackson	Leave me alone	Jim Blashfield & Paul Diener
	Madonna	Like a prayer	Mary Lambert
	Steve Winwood	Roll with it	David Fincher
	Neil Young	This note's for you [winner]	Julien Temple
Best male video	Bobby Brown	Every little step [version 1]	(director unknown)
	Elvis Costello	Veronica [winner]	Evan English & John Hillcoat
	Lou Reed	Dirty Boulevard	Paula Walker
	Steve Winwood	Roll with it	David Fincher
Best female video	Paula Abdul	Straight up [winner]	David Fincher
	Tracy Chapman	Fast car	Matt Mahurin
	Madonna	Express yourself	David Fincher
	Tanita Tikaram	Twist in my sobriety [version 1]	Gerard de Thame
	Jody Watley	Real love	David Fincher
Best group video	Fine Young Cannibals	She drives me crazy [version 1]	Philippe de Coufle
	Living Coloür	Cult of personality [winner]	Drew Carolan
	Guns 'n' Roses	Sweet child o' mine	Nigel Dick
	the Traveling Wilburys	Handle with care	David Leland
Best rap video	DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince	Parents just don't understand [winner]	Scott Kalvert
	Ice-T	Colors	(director unknown)
	Kool Moe Dee	How ya like me now?	(director unknown)
	MC Hammer	Turn this mutha out	(director unknown)
	Tone-Loc	Wild thing	Tamra Davis
Best dance video	Paula Abdul	Straight up [winner]	David Fincher
	Bobby Brown	Every little step [version 1]	(director unknown)
	Michael Jackson	Smooth criminal	Colin Chilvers
	Jody Watley	Real love	David Fincher
Best heavy metal video	Aerosmith	Rag doll	Marty Callner
	Def Leppard	Pour some sugar on me [version 1]	Russell Mulcahy
	Guns 'n' Roses	Sweet child o' mine [winner]	Nigel Dick
	Metallica	One	Michael Salomon & Bill Pope
Best post modern video	the Cure	Fascination Street [version 1]	Tim Pope
	the Escape Club	Wild Wild West	(director unknown)
	Love & Rockets	So alive	Howard Greenhalgh
	R.E.M.	Orange crush [winner]	Matt Mahurin
	Siouxsie & the Banshees	Peek-a-boo	Peter Scammell
Best stage video	Bobby Brown	My prerogative	Alek Keshishian
	Def Leppard	Pour some sugar on me [version 1]	Russell Mulcahy
	Guns 'n' Roses	Paradise City	Nigel Dick
	Living Coloür	Cult of personality [winner]	Drew Carolan
Best new artist video	Paula Abdul	Straight up	David Fincher
	Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians	What I am	Jonas Livingston
	Neneh Cherry	Buffalo stance	John Maybury
	Living Coloür	Cult of personality [winner]	Drew Carolan
Best video from a film	Belle Stars	Iko Iko	(director unknown)
	Ice-T	Colors	(director unknown)
	Annie Lennox & Al Green	Put a little love in your heart	Sophie Muller
	U2 & B.B. King	When love comes to town [version 1] [winner]	Phil Joanou
Best direction in a video	DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince	Parents just don't understand	Scott Kalvert
	Madonna	Express yourself [winner]	David Fincher
	Van Halen	Finish what ya started	Andy Morahan
	Jody Watley	Real love	David Fincher
	Steve Winwood	Roll with it	David Fincher
Best choreography	Paula Abdul	Straight up [winner]	David Fincher
	Bobby Brown	Every little step [version 1]	(director unknown)
	Michael Jackson	Smooth criminal	Colin Chilvers
	New Kids on the Block	You got it (the right stuff)	Doug Nichol
Best special effects in a video	Adrian Belew	Oh daddy	Adam Bernstein
	the Escape Club	Wild Wild West	(director unknown)
	Michael Jackson	Leave me alone [winner]	Jim Blashfield & Paul Diener
	Prince	I wish U Heaven	Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Best art direction in a video	DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince	Parents just don't understand	Scott Kalvert
	Debbie Gibson	Electric youth	Debbie Gibson & Jim Yukich
	INXS	New sensation [version 1]	Richard Lowenstein
	Michael Jackson	Leave me alone	Jim Blashfield & Paul Diener
	Madonna	Express yourself [winner]	David Fincher
	Jody Watley	Real love	David Fincher
Best editing in a video	Paula Abdul	Straight up [winner]	David Fincher
	Michael Jackson	Leave me alone	Jim Blashfield & Paul Diener
	Madonna	Express yourself	David Fincher
	Jody Watley	Real love	David Fincher
	Steve Winwood	Roll with it	David Fincher
Best cinematography in a video	Michael Jackson	Smooth criminal	Colin Chilvers
	Madonna	Express yourself [winner]	David Fincher
	Tanita Tikaram	Twist in my sobriety [version 1]	Gerard de Thame
	Steve Winwood	Roll with it	David Fincher
Breakthrough video	Art of Noise	Kiss [winner]	Martin Brierly & Stephen Lowe
	Paula Abdul	Straight up	David Fincher
	Elvis Costello	Veronica	Evan English & John Hillcoat
	the Escape Club	Wild Wild West	(director unknown)
	Fine Young Cannibals	She drives me crazy [version 1]	Philippe de Coufle
	Michael Jackson	Leave me alone	Jim Blashfield & Paul Diener
	Jody Watley	Real love	David Fincher
International video award	Chayanne	Este ritmo se baila asi [winner]	(director unknown)
Viewer's choice award	Madonna	Like a prayer [winner]	Mary Lambert