1989 Soul Train Music Awards

Special awards

Heritage Award for Career Achievement

• '''Michael Jackson'''

Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year

• '''Michael Jackson'''

Winners and nominees

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Male

• * Bobby McFerrin – Simple Pleasures
• * Al B. Sure – In Effect Mode
• * Luther Vandross – ''Any Love''

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Female

• * Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman
• * Sade – Stronger Than Pride
• * Vanessa Williams – ''The Right Stuff''

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Group, Band, or Duo

• * Guy – Guy
• * LeVert – Just Coolin'
• * Tony! Toni! Toné! – ''Who?''

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single – Male

• * Bobby Brown – "My Prerogative"
• * Johnny Kemp – "Just Got Paid"
• * Keith Sweat – "Make It Last Forever""

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single – Female

• * Whitney Houston – "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
• * Karyn White – "Superwoman"
• * Vanessa Williams – "The Right Stuff"
• Note: This segment of the awards ceremony is most memorable because when Whitney Houston's name was called, the crowd began to boo her, citing the idea that Houston was "acting white" and was a "sell-out".

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single – Group Band or Duo

• * Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock – "It Takes Two"
• * Guy – "Groove Me"
• * New Edition – "If It Isn't Love"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of the Year

• * Bobby Brown – "My Prerogative"
• * Michael Jackson – "Man in the Mirror"
• * Keith Sweat – "I Want Her"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Music Video

• * DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince – "Parents Just Don't Understand"
• * Kool Moe Dee – "Wild Wild West"
• * Stevie Wonder – "Skeletons"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist

• * Guy
• * Karyn White
• * BeBe & CeCe Winans

Best Rap Album

• * Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two
• * Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
• * Salt-N-Pepa – ''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa''

Best Gospel Album

• * Shirley Caesar – Live in Chicago
• * The Clark Sisters – Conqueror
• * James Cleveland – ''Inspired''

Best Jazz Album

• * Bobby McFerrin – Simple Pleasures
• * Najee – Day by Day
• * Sade – ''Stronger Than Pride''

Performances

• Ashford & Simpson – "I'll Be There for You"
• Sheena Easton – "The Lover in Me"
• Sinbad and Paul Rodriguez
• Levert and Heavy D & The Boyz – "Just Coolin'"
• Bobby Brown – "My Prerogative"
• Michael Jackson Tibute:
• * Patti LaBelle – "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
• * Dionne Warwick – "Man in the Mirror"
• New Edition and Rob Base – "Crucial"
• Shirley Caesar, The Clark Sisters, Thelma Houston, BeBe & CeCe Winans and The Winans – "Lean on Me"

Presenters

• Jasmine Guy and Keith Sweat - Presented Best R&B Urban Contemporary New Artist
• Louis Gossett Jr. and Stephanie Mills - Presented Best Gospel Album
• Run DMC and Johnny Kemp - Presented Best R&B Urban Contemporary Album Group, Band, or Duo
• Don King and Mike Tyson - Presented Best R&B Urban Contemporary Album Male
• Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam and Al B. Sure! - Presented Best R&B Urban Contemporary Single Group, Band, or Duo
• Karyn White and Public Enemy - Presented Best Jazz Album
• Pebbles and Guy - Presented Best Rap Album
• James Ingram and Heather Locklear - Presented Best R&B Urban Contemporary Single Female
• Eddie Murphy and Elizabeth Taylor - Presented Sammy Davis Jr. For Enetrtainer of the Year
• LL Cool J., BeBe & CeCe Winans, and Alyson Williams - Presented Best R&B Urban Contemporary Single Male
• Melissa Manchester and The Boys - Presented Best Urban Contemporary Song of the Year
• Quincy Jones and Anita Pointer - Presented Best Urban Contemporary Music Video
• Billy Dee Williams and Desiree Coleman - Presented R&B Urban Contemporary Album Female