| Subcategory | Winner | Nominees |
|---|
| Pop/Rock Category |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist | Michael Bolton | Bryan Adams
Rod Stewart |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Paula Abdul | Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group | C+C Music Factory | Color Me Badd
Guns N' Roses |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Time, Love & Tenderness – Michael Bolton | Gonna Make You Sweat – C+C Music Factory
Unforgettable... with Love – Natalie Cole
Out of Time – R.E.M. |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Song | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" – Bryan Adams | "I Wanna Sex You Up" – Color Me Badd
"More Than Words" – Extreme |
| Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist | C+C Music Factory | Boyz II Men
Color Me Badd |
|
| Soul/R&B Category |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist | Luther Vandross | LL Cool J
Prince |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Mariah Carey | Natalie Cole
Whitney Houston |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group | Bell Biv DeVoe | Boyz II Men
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Power of Love – Luther Vandross | Cooleyhighharmony – Boyz II Men
I'm Your Baby Tonight – Whitney Houston
New Jack City – soundtrack |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Song | "I Wanna Sex You Up" – Color Me Badd | "I Adore Mi Amor" – Color Me Badd
"Motownphilly" – Boyz II Men |
| Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist | Boyz II Men | Color Me Badd
Hi-Five |
|
| Country Category |
| Favorite Country Male Artist | Garth Brooks | Clint Black
Ricky Van Shelton |
| Favorite Country Female Artist | Reba McEntire | Kathy Mattea
Dolly Parton |
| Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group | Alabama | The Judds
Kentucky Headhunters |
| Favorite Country Album | No Fences – Garth Brooks | Put Yourself in My Shoes – Clint Black
Ropin' the Wind – Garth Brooks
Don't Rock the Jukebox – Alan Jackson
Rumor Has It – Reba McEntire
It's All About to Change – Travis Tritt |
| Favorite Country Song | "The Thunder Rolls" – Garth Brooks | "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" – Travis Tritt
"She's in Love with the Boy" – Trisha Yearwood |
| Favorite Country New Artist | Trisha Yearwood | Billy Dean
Pam Tillis |
|
| Adult Contemporary Category |
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist | Natalie Cole | Paula Abdul
Whitney Houston |
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Album | Unforgettable... with Love – Natalie Cole | Spellbound – Paula Abdul
I'm Your Baby Tonight – Whitney Houston |
| Favorite Adult Contemporary New Artist | Michael W. Smith | Marc Cohn
The Triplets |
|
| Dance Category |
| Favorite Dance Artist | C+C Music Factory | Madonna
Crystal Waters |
| Favorite Dance Song | "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" – C+C Music Factory | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" – Crystal Waters
"Someday" – Mariah Carey |
| Favorite Dance New Artist | C+C Music Factory | The KLF
Crystal Waters |
|
| Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Category |
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist | Guns N' Roses | Metallica
Van Halen |
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album | For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge – Van Halen | Use Your Illusion I – Guns N' Roses
Metallica – Metallica |
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist | Firehouse | Alice in Chains
Nirvana |
|
| Rap/Hip-Hop Category |
| Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist | MC Hammer | DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
N.W.A. |
| Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album | Homebase – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince | Mama Said Knock You Out – LL Cool J
Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black – Public Enemy |
| Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop New Artist | Naughty by Nature | DJ Quik
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch |
|
| Merit |
| James Brown |