1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New York City and the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Other parts of the show, however, took place in various locations such as London, Miami, and New Haven, Connecticut.
The night's biggest winner and one of the year's two most nominated artists was Norwegian group a-ha, which won eight out of eleven awards it was in contention for. Their video for "Take On Me" earned six awards out of eight nominations, including Viewer's Choice, while "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." won two awards out of three nominations.
The other most nominated artist was rock group Dire Straits, whose video for "Money for Nothing" also earned eleven nominations and won two awards, including Video of the Year. Thus, "Money for Nothing" was also the most nominated video at the 1986 VMAs.
Nominations
Winners are in bold text.Video of the Year
Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"- a-ha – "Take On Me"
- Godley & Creme – "Cry"
- Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
- Talking Heads – "Road to Nowhere"
Best Male Video
- Bryan Adams – "Summer of '69"
- Phil Collins – "Take Me Home"
- Bruce Springsteen – "Glory Days"
- Sting – "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"
Best Female Video
- Kate Bush – "Running Up That Hill"
- Aretha Franklin – "Freeway of Love"
- Grace Jones – "Slave to the Rhythm"
- Tina Turner – "We Don't Need Another Hero"
Best Group Video
- a-ha – "Take On Me"
- INXS – "What You Need"
- The Rolling Stones – "Harlem Shuffle"
- Talking Heads – "And She Was"
Best New Artist in a Video
- The Hooters – "And We Danced"
- Whitney Houston – "How Will I Know"
- Pet Shop Boys – "West End Girls"
- Simply Red – "Holding Back the Years"
Best Concept Video
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- Godley & Creme – "Cry"
- Talking Heads – "And She Was"
- Talking Heads – "Road to Nowhere"
Most Experimental Video
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- X – "Burning House of Love"
- ZZ Top – "Rough Boy"
Best Stage Performance in a Video
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- Huey Lewis and the News – "The Power of Love"
- Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
- Pete Townshend – "Face the Face"
Best Overall Performance in a Video
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
- Bruce Springsteen – "Glory Days"
- Sting – "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"
Best Direction in a Video
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- X – "Burning House of Love"
- ZZ Top – "Rough Boy"
Best Choreography in a Video
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Morris Day – "The Oak Tree"
- Madonna – "Dress You Up"
- Madonna – "Like a Virgin "
Best Special Effects in a Video
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- X – "Burning House of Love"
- ZZ Top – "Rough Boy"
Best Art Direction in a Video
- a-ha – "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- Honeymoon Suite – "Feel It Again"
Best Editing in a Video
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- X – "Burning House of Love"
- ZZ Top – "Rough Boy"
Best Cinematography in a Video
- Pat Benatar – "Sex as a Weapon"
- Joe Walsh – "The Confessor"
- X – "Burning House of Love"
- ZZ Top – "Rough Boy"
Viewer's Choice
- Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing"
- Godley & Creme – "Cry"
- Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
- Talking Heads – "Road to Nowhere"
Video Vanguard Award
Zbigniew Rybczyński
Special Recognition Award
Bill GrahamJack Healey
Performances
- Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
- The Hooters – "And We Danced"/"Nervous Night"
- The Monkees – "I'm a Believer"/"Daydream Believer"
- 'Til Tuesday – "What About Love"
- INXS – "What You Need"
- Van Halen – "Best of Both Worlds"/"Love Walks In"
- Mr. Mister – "Kyrie"/"Broken Wings"
- Simply Red – "Holding Back the Years"/"Money's Too Tight "
- Whitney Houston – "How Will I Know"/"Greatest Love of All"
- Pet Shop Boys – "Love Comes Quickly"/"West End Girls"
- Tina Turner – "Typical Male"
- Genesis – "Throwing It All Away"
Appearances
- Jay Leno – presented Best Stage Performance in a Video
- Joe Davola and Alan Hunter – talked about the Viewer's Choice award and introduced the nominees
- Janet Jackson – presented Best Choreography in a Video
- Bobcat Goldthwait – presented Best Concept Video
- Steven Wright – introduced the winners of Best Editing in a Video and Best Cinematography in a Video
- Adam Whittaker – accepted the Best Editing and Best Cinematography awards on behalf of David Yardley and Oliver Stapleton
- Don Johnson – presented Best Female Video
- The Bangles – presented Best Overall Performance in a Video
- Grace Jones – accepted the Best Overall Performance award on behalf of David Bowie and Mick Jagger
- Robert Palmer – presented the Video Vanguard Award to Madonna
- Pet Shop Boys – presented the Video Vanguard Award to Zbigniew Rybczyński
- Bananarama – introduced the winner of Best Art Direction in a Video
- Martha Quinn – presented the Special Recognition Award to Jack Healey
- Whitney Houston – presented Best Male Video
- Steve Winwood – presented Best Direction in a Video
- Simon Fields – accepted the Best Direction award on behalf of Steve Barron
- Gilbert Gottfried – introduced the winner of Best Special Effects in a Video
- David Lee Roth – presented Best Group Video
- Elvira, Mistress of the Dark – introduced the world premiere of Don Johnson's video for "Heartbeat"
- Bob Costas – introduced a segment on the ties between sports and music called "Rock 'n Roll Sports"
- Belinda Carlisle – presented Best New Artist in a Video
- Robin Williams – presented the Special Recognition Award to Bill Graham
- Paul McCartney – introduced Tina Turner
- Mötley Crüe – presented Most Experimental Video
- Rod Stewart – appeared in a pre-commercial vignette via satellite
- Van Halen – presented Viewer's Choice
- Don Henley – presented Video of the Year