1988 Soul Train Music Awards

Special Award

Heritage Award

• Gladys Knight & the Pips

  Winners and nominees

Album of the Year – Male

• Michael Jackson – Bad
• * Alexander O'Neal – Hearsay
• * Prince – Sign o' the Times
• * Stevie Wonder – Characters

  Album of the Year – Female

• Whitney Houston – Whitney
• * Natalie Cole – Everlasting
• * Jody Watley – Jody Watley
• * Angela Winbush – Sharp

  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 – "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 "
• * Michael Jackson – "The Way You Make Me Feel"
• * Jody Watley – "Looking for a New Love"

  Best New Artist

• Miki Howard
• * Terence Trent D'Arby
• * Exposé
• * Shanice Wilson

  Best Rap Album

• LL Cool J – Bigger and Deffer
• * Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full
• * Heavy D & the Boyz – Living Large
• * Whodini – Open Sesame

  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

  Performers

• Alexander O'Neal
• Natalie Cole
• Kool Moe Dee
• The Whispers
• Smokey Robinson
• LL Cool J
• Hiroshima and George Duke
• Gladys Knight & the Pips Tribute:
• * Chaka Khan
• * Stephanie Mills
• * Angela Winbush
• * Ronald Isley
• Dionne Warwick and Howard Hewett
• Patti LaBelle and the Edwin Hawkins Singers
• Gladys Knight & the Pips