1985 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1985 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 13, 1985, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1984, to May 1, 1985. The show was hosted by Eddie Murphy at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Don Henley was the night's biggest winner, taking home four Moonmen, including Video of the Year. In fact, his video for "The Boys of Summer" was also the year's most nominated video, receiving seven nominations in total. Meanwhile, David Lee Roth turned out to be the most nominated artist that night, receiving eight nominations for two of his videos: five for "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" and three for "California Girls." Nevertheless, Roth came out of the ceremony empty-handed that night.
Other major nominees included Lindsey Buckingham, Bryan Adams, Eurythmics, Madonna, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Buckingham tied with Don Henley with seven nominations: three for "Slow Dancing" and four for "Go Insane." Right after him came six-time nominee Adams, who received five nominations for "Run to You" and one for "Heaven." Lastly, Madonna, Eurythmics, and Petty received five nominations apiece: Madonna split her nominations between "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl", while Tom Petty and Eurythmics received all five nominations for "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "Would I Lie to You?," respectively.
Nominations
Winners are in bold text.Video of the Year
Don Henley – "The Boys of Summer"- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – "Don't Come Around Here No More"
- David Lee Roth – "California Girls"
- David Lee Roth – "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"
- USA for Africa – "We Are the World"
Best Male Video
- Glenn Frey – "Smuggler's Blues"
- Don Henley – "The Boys of Summer"
- David Lee Roth – "California Girls"
- David Lee Roth – "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"
Best Female Video
- Cyndi Lauper – "She Bop"
- Madonna – "Material Girl"
- Sade – "Smooth Operator"
- Sheila E. – "The Glamorous Life"
Best Group Video
- The Cars – "Drive"
- Eurythmics – "Would I Lie to You?"
- Huey Lewis and the News – "If This Is It"
- U2 – "Pride "
Best New Artist in a Video
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood – "Two Tribes"
- Julian Lennon – "Too Late for Goodbyes"
- Sade – "Smooth Operator"
- Sheila E. – "The Glamorous Life"
Best Concept Video
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood – "Two Tribes"
- Don Henley – "The Boys of Summer"
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – "Don't Come Around Here No More"
- David Lee Roth – "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"
Most Experimental Video
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Go Insane"
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Slow Dancing"
- Chris Isaak – "Dancin'"
- Lone Justice – "Ways to Be Wicked"
Best Stage Performance in a Video
- David Bowie – "Blue Jean "
- Eurythmics – "Would I Lie to You?"
- Talking Heads – "Once in a Lifetime "
- Tina Turner – "Better Be Good to Me"
Best Overall Performance in a Video
- Eurythmics – "Would I Lie to You?"
- David Lee Roth – "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"
- Bruce Springsteen – "Dancing in the Dark"
- USA for Africa – "We Are the World"
Best Direction in a Video
- Bryan Adams – "Run to You"
- Duran Duran – "The Wild Boys"
- Chris Isaak – "Dancin'"
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – "Don't Come Around Here No More"
- Simple Minds – "Don't You "
- Toto – "Stranger in Town"
Best Choreography in a Video
- Eurythmics – "Would I Lie to You?"
- Madonna – "Like a Virgin"
- Madonna – "Material Girl"
- Prince and The Revolution – "When Doves Cry"
- Sheila E. – "The Glamorous Life"
- Tina Turner – "Private Dancer"
Best Special Effects in a Video
- Bryan Adams – "Run to You"
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Go Insane"
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Slow Dancing"
- Culture Club – "It's a Miracle"
Best Art Direction in a Video
- Bryan Adams – "Run to You"
- Peter Brown – "Zie Zie Won't Dance"
- Culture Club – "It's a Miracle"
- Madonna – "Like a Virgin"
- Simple Minds – "Don't You "
Best Editing in a Video
- Bryan Adams – "Run to You"
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Go Insane"
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Slow Dancing"
- Eurythmics – "Would I Lie to You?"
Best Cinematography in a Video
- Bryan Adams – "Heaven "
- Bryan Adams – "Run to You"
- Lindsey Buckingham – "Go Insane"
- Madonna – "Like a Virgin"
Viewer's Choice
- Don Henley – "The Boys of Summer"
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – "Don't Come Around Here No More"
- David Lee Roth – "California Girls"
- David Lee Roth – "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"
Video Vanguard Award
Russell Mulcahy
Godley & Creme
Special Recognition Award
Bob GeldofPerformances
- Eurythmics – "Would I Lie to You?"
- David Ruffin, Eddie Kendrick and Hall & Oates – "The Way You Do the Things You Do"/"My Girl"
- Tears for Fears – "Shout"
- John Cougar Mellencamp – "Lonely Ol' Night"
- Pat Benatar – "7-Rooms of Gloom"
- Sting – "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"
- Eddie Murphy – "Party All the Time"
Appearances
- Sheila E. and Paul Young – presented Best Overall Performance in a Video
- Run-DMC – rapped the eligibility and voting rules for the VMAs
- Foreigner – presented Best Stage Performance in a Video
- Little Steven – accepted the Best Stage Performance award on behalf of Bruce Springsteen
- Lou Reed – appeared in a video package about the year's new artists
- Bryan Adams and Jim Kerr – presented Best New Artist in a Video
- The Cars – presented Most Experimental Video
- Martha Quinn – introduced the presentations of the professional categories
- Mark Goodman – announced the winner of Best Art Direction in a Video
- Alan Hunter – announced the winner of Best Cinematography in a Video
- Nina Blackwood – announced the winners of Best Special Effects in a Video
- J.J. Jackson – announced the winner of Best Editing in a Video
- Kris P. – accepted the Best Editing award on behalf of Zbigniew Rybczyński
- Julian Lennon and Corey Hart – presented Best Choreography in a Video
- Dave Stewart – accepted the Best Choreography award on behalf of Elton John
- Morris Day – presented Best Concept Video
- John Taylor and Andy Taylor – presented Video Vanguard to Russell Mulcahy
- Chrissie Hynde – presented Video Vanguard to David Byrne
- Herbie Hancock – presented Video Vanguard to Godley & Creme
- Glenn Frey – presented Best Direction in a Video
- Joan Baez – presented the Special Recognition Award
- Don Henley – presented Best Group Video
- Aimee Mann and Stephen Pearcy – presented Viewer's Choice
- Grace Jones – presented Best Male Video
- John Sayles – accepted the Best Male Video award on behalf of Bruce Springsteen
- David Lee Roth – presented Best Female Video
- Tina Turner – presented Video of the Year