The 1988 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 30, 1988, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The show was broadcast live in select cities and aired later in other areas. Dionne Warwick hosted.
Special Award
Heritage Award for Career Achievement Gladys Knight & the Pips
Winners and nominees Winners are in bold text.
Album of the Year – Male Michael Jackson – Bad Alexander O'Neal – Hearsay Prince – Sign o' the Times Stevie Wonder – Characters
Album of the Year – Female Whitney Houston – Whitney Natalie Cole – Everlasting Jody Watley – Jody Watley Angela Winbush – Sharp
Album of the Year – Group or Band LeVert – The Big Throwdown Earth, Wind & Fire – Touch the World Gladys Knight & the Pips – All Our Love The Whispers – Just Gets Better with Time
Best Single – Male Michael Jackson – "Bad" Prince – "U Got the Look" Luther Vandross – "So Amazing" Stevie Wonder – "Skeletons"
Best Single – Female Natalie Cole – "I Live for Your Love" Janet Jackson – "The Pleasure Principle" Jody Watley – "Looking for a New Love" Angela Winbush – "Angel"
Best Single – Group or Band LeVert – "Casanova" Atlantic Starr – "Always" Earth, Wind & Fire – "System of Survival" The Whispers – "Rock Steady"
Best Rap Single LL Cool J – "I Need Love" Dana Dane – "Cinderfella Dana Dane" The Fat Boys – "Wipeout" Kool Moe Dee – "How Ya Like Me Now"
Best Music Video Janet Jackson – "Control" Whitney Houston – "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" Michael Jackson – "The Way You Make Me Feel" Jody Watley – "Looking for a New Love"
Best New Artist Miki Howard Terence Trent D'Arby Exposé Shanice Wilson
Best Rap Album LL Cool J – Bigger and Deffer Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full Heavy D & the Boyz – Living Large Whodini – Open Sesame
Best Gospel Album – Solo Vanessa Bell Armstrong – Following Jesus Shirley Caesar – Her Very Best Aretha Franklin – One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism Al Green – Soul Survivor
Best Gospel Album – Group or Choir The Winans – Decisions Reverend Milton Brunson and The Thompson Community Singers – If I Be Lifted Commissioned – Go Tell Somebody The Clark Sisters – Heart and Soul
Best Jazz Album – Solo Najee – Najee's Theme Jonathan Butler – Jonathan Butler Dexter Gordon – The Other Side of Round Midnight David Sanborn – A Change of Heart
Best Jazz Album – Group or Band Hiroshima – Go George Benson and Earl Klugh – Collaboration Freddie Hubbard – Life Flight Pat Metheny Group – Still Life (Talking)
Performers Alexander O'Neal – "Fake" Natalie Cole – "Pink Cadillac" Kool Moe Dee – "How Ya Like Me Now" The Whispers – Smokey Robinson – "Love Don't Give No Reason" LL Cool J – "I Need Love" Hiroshima and George Duke – "Go" Gladys Knight & the Pips Tribute: Ronald Isley – "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" Chaka Khan – "The Nitty Gritty" Angela Winbush – "Midnight Train to Georgia" Stephanie Mills – "If I Were Your Woman" Dionne Warwick and Howard Hewett – "Another Chance to Love" Patti LaBelle and the Edwin Hawkins Singers – "How I Got Over" Gladys Knight & the Pips – "Love Overboard"
References