The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Video, Short Form, the award was first presented in 1984, as was a similar award for Best Long Form Music Video. From 1986 to 1997, the category name was changed to Best Music Video, Short Form. However, in 1988 and 1989, the award criteria were changed and the video awards were presented under the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video. The awards were returned to the original format in 1990. The category was called Best Short Form Music Video until 2012, from 2013 it was shortened to Best Music Video. Award recipients include the performers, directors, and producers associated with the winning videos, except for its first two years when the Grammy went to the performing artist only. For unknown reasons, the award for the Best Music Video in 1987 - Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits - went to the band only, not to the director(s) or producer(s).
Kendrick Lamar holds the record for the most wins as a performer in this category, with three. Mark Romanek holds the record for the most wins as a director, with a total of three. Icelandic singer Björk holds the record for the most nominations as a performer without a win, with four. Taylor Swift became the first artist to win the category with a sole directing credit for their own music video when she won in 2023 for All Too Well: The Short Film.
Recipients and nominees
1980s Year Work Artist(s) Director(s) and Producer(s) 1984 Duran Duran Bill Wyman Bill Wyman A Flock of Seagulls A Flock of Seagulls Rod Stewart: Tonight He's Yours Rod Stewart Videosyncracy Todd Rundgren 1985 Jazzin' for Blue Jean David Bowie Ashford & Simpson Ashford & Simpson Phil Collins Phil Collins Rubber Rodeo Scenic Views Rubber Rodeo Thomas Dolby Thomas Dolby "Twist of Fate" Olivia Newton-John 1986 "We Are the World – The Video Event" USA for Africa Tom Trbovich, director; Quincy Jones, producer The Daryl Hall and John Oates Video Collection — 7 Big Ones Hall & Oates Mick Haggerty and C.D. Taylor, directors "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid Dave Bridges and Rob Wright, directors; Midge Ure, producer No Jacket Required Phil Collins Jim Yukich, director "Private Dancer" Tina Turner Brian Grant, director 1987 "Brothers in Arms" Dire Straits "Brother Where You Bound" Supertramp Rene Daalder, director "Runaway" Louis Cardenas Cayce B. Redding, director Rupert and the Frog Song Paul McCartney So Excited The Pointer Sisters Richard Perry, director1988 Note: This source verifies the existence of the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video in 1988. 1989 Note: This source verifies the existence of the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video in 1989.
1990s Year Work Artist(s) Director(s) and Producer(s) 1990 "Leave Me Alone" Michael Jackson Jim Blashfield, director; Jim Blashfield, Paul Diener, Frank DiLeo and Jerry Kramer, producers "The Living Years" Mike and the Mechanics Tim Broad, director; Frank Hilton and Tessa Watts, producers "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" Enya Michael Geoghegan, director; Paul McNally, producers "Something to Hold on To" Trevor Rabin Jeff Stein, director; Julio Flores, producer "There's a Tear in My Beer" Hank Williams Jr. and Hank Williams Ethan Russell, director; Joanne Gardner and Ethan Russell, producers 1991 "Opposites Attract" Paula Abdul Michael Patterson and Candice Reckinger, directors; Sharon Oreck, producer "All I Want" The Lightning Seeds Tarsem Singh, director; Lexi Godfrey, producer "Another Day in Paradise" Phil Collins Jim Yukich, director; Paul Flattery, producer "Nothing Compares 2 U" Sinéad O'Connor John Maybury, director; Hugh Symmonds, producer "Oh Father" Madonna David Fincher, director; Tim Clawson, producer 1992 "Losing My Religion" R.E.M. Tarsem Singh, director; Dave Ramser, producer "Calling Elvis" Dire Straits Steve Barron, director; Adam Whitaker, producer "Series of Dreams" Bob Dylan Meiert Avis, director; Ben Dossett, producer "The Thunder Rolls" Garth Brooks Bud Schaetzle, director; Martin Fischer, producer "When You Wish Upon a Star" Billy Joel Scott Garen, director; B. A. Robertson and Rhaz Zeisler, producers 1993 "Digging in the Dirt" John Downer, director/producer "Church" Lyle Lovett Matt Mahurin, director; Louise Feldman, producer "Free Your Mind" En Vogue Mark Romanek, director; Krista Montagna, producer "Kiko and the Lavender Moon" Los Lobos Ondrej Rudavsky, director; Axel Ericson, producer "What God Wants" Roger Waters Tony Kaye, director; Sarah Whistler, producer 1994 "Steam" Stephen R. Johnson, director; Prudence Fenton, producer "Beautiful Girl" INXS Tom Gorai and Mark Pellington, directors; Victoria Strange, producer "Everybody Hurts" R.E.M. Jake Scott, director; June Guterman, producer "Human Behaviour" Björk Michel Gondry, director; Georges Bermann, producer "Runaway Train" Soul Asylum Tony Kaye, director; Roger Hunt, producer 1995 "Love Is Strong" The Rolling Stones David Fincher, director; Ceán Chaffin, producer "Agolo" Angélique Kidjo Michael Meyer, director; Arno Moria, producer "Fire on Babylon" Sinéad O'Connor Michel Gondry, director; Georges Bermann, producer "Go West" Pet Shop Boys Howard Greenhalgh, director; Megan Hollister, producer "Jurassic Park" "Weird Al" Yankovic Scott Nordlund and Mark Osborne, directors/producers "Lucas with the Lid Off" Lucas Michel Gondry, director; Georges Bermann, producer 1996 "Scream" & Janet Jackson Mark Romanek, director; Ceán Chaffin, producer "Dis Is Da Drum" Herbie Hancock Mark Dippé, director; Clint Goldman, producer "Famine" Sinéad O'Connor Andy Delaney and Monty Whitebloom, directors; Sid Daffarn, producer "It's Oh So Quiet" Björk Spike Jonze, director; Vincent Landay, producer "What Would You Say" Dave Matthews Band David Hogan, director; Jack Hardwicke, producer 1997 "Free as a Bird" The Beatles Joe Pytka, director; Vincent Joliet, producer "Earth Song" Michael Jackson Nicholas Brandt, director; Bridget Blake-Wilson, producer "Ironic" Alanis Morissette Stephane Sednaoui, director; Dawn Rose, producer "Tonight, Tonight" The Smashing Pumpkins Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, directors; Bart Lipton, producer "Walking Contradiction" Green Day Roman Coppola, director; Stev Fredriksz, producer 1998 "Got 'til It's Gone" Mark Romanek, director; Aris McGarry, producer "Early to Bed" Morphine Jamie Caliri, director; Adam Stern, producer "How Come, How Long" Babyface featuring Stevie Wonder F. Gary Gray, director; Craig Fanning, producer "I Care 'Bout You" Milestone Mark Gerard, director; Melinda Nugent, producer "Stinkfist" Tool Donna Langston and Kevin Willis, producers 1999 "Ray of Light" Madonna Jonas Åkerlund, director; Nicola Doring and Billy Proveda, producers "All Around the World" Oasis Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, directors; Bart Lipton, producer "Bachelorette" Björk Michel Gondry, director; Georges Bermann and Julie Fong, producers "Do the Evolution" Pearl Jam Kevin Altieri and Todd McFarlane, directors; Terry Fitzgerald and Joe Pearson, producers "Pink" Aerosmith Doug Nichol, director; Georges Bermann and Jim Czarnecki, producers
2000s