1987 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1987 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 11, 1987, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1986, to May 1, 1987. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Carolyne Heldman, Kevin Seal, Michael Tomioka, and Dweezil Zappa, and it took place at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.
This year featured the debut of the award for Best Video from a Film, which recognized the most outstanding video of a song taken from a movie soundtrack. Concurrently, 1987 also saw the elimination of the Special Recognition award that had been given out every year since 1984. Unlike Video Vanguard, which could go a few years without being handed out and then return, the Special Recognition award was never again given out at the VMAs.
Peter Gabriel received a record-setting ten awards, including Video of the Year and the Video Vanguard award. Gabriel's video for "Sledgehammer" earned nine awads out of the ten it was in the running for, making it the most nominated video of the night, as well as the most rewarded video in VMA history. Gabriel also set a record for the most VMA nominations in a single year, as along with the ten nominations for "Sledgehammer", his video for "Big Time" also received two, bringing his total up to twelve nominations in 1987. This record would go uncontested until 2010, when Lady Gaga received thirteen nominations.
The ceremony's other major nominees were fellow Video of the Year nominees Genesis, Paul Simon, Steve Winwood, and U2, as well as two-time Best Female Video nominee Madonna. Genesis, Winwood, and U2 all received seven nominations for their videos "Land of Confusion", "Higher Love", and "With or Without You", respectively. Meanwhile, Simon and Madonna split their six nominations: the former between "The Boy in the Bubble" and "You Can Call Me Al", and the latter between "Papa Don't Preach" and "Open Your Heart."
Nominations
Winners are in bold text.Video of the Year
Peter Gabriel – "Sledgehammer"- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- Paul Simon – "The Boy in the Bubble"
- U2 – "With or Without You"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Best Male Video
- David Bowie – "Day-In Day-Out"
- Robert Palmer – "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On"
- Paul Simon – "You Can Call Me Al"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Best Female Video
- Kate Bush – "The Big Sky"
- Janet Jackson – "Nasty"
- Cyndi Lauper – "True Colors"
- Madonna – "Open Your Heart"
Best Group Video
- The Bangles – "Walk Like an Egyptian"
- Crowded House – "Don't Dream It's Over"
- Eurythmics – "Missionary Man"
- U2 – "With or Without You"
Best New Artist in a Video
- Robert Cray – "Smoking Gun"
- The Georgia Satellites – "Keep Your Hands to Yourself"
- Bruce Hornsby and the Range – "The Way It Is"
- Timbuk3 – "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades"
Best Concept Video
- Eurythmics – "Missionary Man"
- Peter Gabriel – "Big Time"
- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- Talking Heads – "Wild Wild Life"
Best Video from a Film
- Eric Clapton – "It's in the Way That You Use It"
- Rodney Dangerfield – "Twist and Shout"
- Aretha Franklin – "Jumpin' Jack Flash"
- Ben E. King – "Stand by Me"
Most Experimental Video
- Eurythmics – "Missionary Man"
- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- Huey Lewis and the News – "Hip to Be Square"
- Paul Simon – "The Boy in the Bubble"
Best Stage Performance in a Video
- Bon Jovi – "You Give Love a Bad Name"
- Run-D.M.C. – "Walk This Way"
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – "Born to Run"
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – "War"
Best Overall Performance in a Video
- Janet Jackson – "Nasty"
- Madonna – "Papa Don't Preach"
- Run-D.M.C. – "Walk This Way"
- U2 – "With or Without You"
Best Direction in a Video
- Crowded House – "Don't Dream It's Over"
- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- U2 – "With or Without You"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Best Choreography in a Video
- The Bangles – "Walk Like an Egyptian"
- Janet Jackson – "When I Think of You" '''
- Madonna – "Open Your Heart"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Best Special Effects in a Video
- Eurythmics – "Missionary Man"
- Peter Gabriel – "Big Time"
- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- Paul Simon – "The Boy in the Bubble"
Best Art Direction in a Video
- Breakfast Club – "Right on Track"
- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- Madonna – "Open Your Heart"
- Paul Simon – "The Boy in the Bubble"
Best Editing in a Video
- Bon Jovi – "Wanted Dead or Alive"
- Eurythmics – "Missionary Man"
- Robbie Nevil – "C'est la Vie"
- U2 – "With or Without You"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Best Cinematography in a Video
- Cyndi Lauper – "What's Going On"
- Madonna – "Papa Don't Preach"
- U2 – "With or Without You"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Viewer's Choice
- Peter Gabriel – "Sledgehammer"
- Genesis – "Land of Confusion"
- Paul Simon – "The Boy in the Bubble"
- Steve Winwood – "Higher Love"
Video Vanguard Award
Julien Temple
Special Recognition Award
Elton JohnBernie Taupin
Performances
- Los Lobos – "La Bamba"
- Bryan Adams – "Only the Strong Survive"/"Victim of Love"
- The Bangles – "Walk Like an Egyptian"/"Walking Down Your Street"
- Bon Jovi – "Livin' on a Prayer"
- Crowded House – "Don't Dream It's Over"/"Now We're Getting Somewhere"
- Madonna – "Causing a Commotion"
- Whitesnake – "Still of the Night"
- Whitney Houston – "I Wanna Dance with Somebody "/"Didn't We Almost Have It All"
- The Cars – "You Are the Girl"/"Double Trouble"
- David Bowie – "Never Let Me Down"
- Prince – "Sign o' the Times"/"Play in the Sunshine"
- Cyndi Lauper – "Change of Heart"/"True Colors"
- Run-D.M.C. – "Walk This Way"
Appearances
- Howie Mandel – presented Best New Artist in a Video
- Dweezil Zappa – introduced the nominees of the Viewer's Choice award and later briefly interviewed Los Lobos
- Laurie Anderson – presented the Video Vanguard Award to Peter Gabriel
- Richard Wilkins – briefly interviewed Glenn Frey and introduced the next presenter
- Cyndi Lauper – presented Most Experimental Video
- Tina Turner – presented Best Male Video
- Blake Clark – performed a short stand-up routine and introduced a "Randee of the Redwoods" video package
- Robbie Nevil – presented Best Overall Performance in a Video
- Kevin Seal – briefly interviewed Richard Page and introduced the next presenter
- Whoopi Goldberg – presented Best Stage Performance in a Video
- Vanna White – presented Best Choreography in a Video
- Marcel Vanthilt – briefly interviewed Herbie Hancock and introduced the next presenters
- Poison – presented Best Female Video
- Carolyne Heldman – briefly interviewed Cher and Ally Sheedy
- Bobcat Goldthwait – performed a short stand-up routine and introduced the winner of Best Art Direction in a Video
- Glenn Frey – presented the Special Recognition Award
- Kenny Loggins - presented Best Direction in a Video
- Steve Guttenberg – presented Best Video from a Film
- Sandra Bernhard – presented Best Concept Video
- Eddie Money - presented Best Special Effects
- Michael Tomioka - briefly interviewed "Weird Al" Yankovic and introduced the next presenter
- Judy Tenuta - presented Best Editing and Best Cinematography
- Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie – presented Best Group Video
- David Bowie – presented the Video Vanguard Award to Julien Temple
- Cher – presented Viewer's Choice
- Huey Lewis – presented Video of the Year