The 16th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 30, 1989.
Winners and nominees Subcategory Winner NomineesPop/Rock Category Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist George Michael Michael Jackson Steve Winwood Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist Whitney Houston Tracy Chapman Debbie Gibson Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine Def Leppard Van Halen Favorite Pop/Rock Album Dirty Dancing Soundtrack Hysteria - Def Leppard Faith - George Michael Favorite Pop/Rock Song "Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N' Roses "Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley "Roll With It" - Steve Winwood Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist Tracy Chapman Rick Astley Taylor DayneSoul/R&B Category Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist George Michael Bobby Brown Michael Jackson Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist Whitney Houston Natalie Cole Sade Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group Gladys Knight & The Pips New Edition Salt-N-Pepa Favorite Soul/R&B Album Faith - George Michael All Our Love - Gladys Knight & The Pips Make It Last Forever - Keith Sweat Favorite Soul/R&B Song "Nice 'N' Slow" - Freddie Jackson "Off on Your Own (Girl)" - Al B. Sure! "Girlfriend" - Pebbles Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist Al B. Sure! Tony! Toni! Tone! Karyn WhiteCountry Category Favorite Country Male Artist Randy Travis George Strait Hank Williams, Jr. Favorite Country Female Artist Reba McEntire Rosanne Cash Tanya Tucker Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group Alabama The Judds The Oak Ridge Boys Favorite Country Album Always & Forever - Randy Travis If You Ain't Lovin', You Ain't Livin' - George Strait Wild-Eyed Dream - Ricky Van Shelton Favorite Country Song "I Told You So" - Randy Travis "Fallin' Again" - Alabama "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" - Kathy Mattea Favorite Country New Artist Patty Loveless Larry Boone The McCartersHeavy Metal/Hard Rock Category Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist Def Leppard Guns N' Roses Van Halen Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album Hysteria - Def Leppard "Appetite for Destruction" - Guns N' Roses "OU812" - Van HalenRap/Hip-Hop Category Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince Run-D.M.C. Salt-N-Pepa Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back" - Public Enemy "Tougher Than Leather" - Run-D.M.C.MeritWillie NelsonSpecial Achievement AwardMichael Jackson
References
Rock On The Net: 16th American Music Awards (presented in 1989)