1988 Soul Train Music Awards

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

Album of the Year – Female

Whitney Houston – Whitney

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

Best Rap Album

LL Cool J – Bigger and Deffer

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"