Grammy Award winners from the 1980s broken out by calendar year
| 1980 |
| Album of the Year: Christopher Cross by Christopher Cross Record of the Year: “Sailing,” by Christopher Cross Song of the Year: “Sailing,” by Christopher Cross Pop Vocal – Male: Kenny Loggins, “This Is It” Pop Vocal – Female: Bette Midler, “The Rose” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb, “Guilty” Rock Vocal – Male: Billy Joel, Glass Houses Rock Vocal – Female: Pat Benatar, Crimes of Passion Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Against The Wind New Artist: Christopher Cross |
| 1981 |
| Album of the Year: Double Fantasy by John Lennon and Yoko Ono Record of the Year: “Bette Davis Eyes,” by Kim Carnes Song of the Year: “Bette Davis Eyes,” by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon Pop Vocal – Male: Al Jarreau, “Breakin’ Away” Pop Vocal – Female: Lena Horne, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music Live on Broadway Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: The Manhattan Transfer, “Boy from New York City” Rock Vocal – Male: Rick Springfield, “Jessie’s Girl” Rock Vocal – Female: Pat Benatar, “Fire & Ice” Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: The Police, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” New Artist: Sheena Easton |
| 1982 |
| Album of the Year: Toto IV by Toto Record of the Year: “Rosanna,” by Toto Song of the Year: “Always On My Mind,” by Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Thompson Pop Vocal – Male: Lionel Richie, “Truly” Pop Vocal – Female: Melissa Manchester, “You Should Hear How He Talks About You” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, “Up Where We Belong” Rock Vocal – Male: John Cougar, “Hurts So Good” Rock Vocal – Female: Pat Benatar, “Shadows In The Night” Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger” New Artist: Men At Work |
| 1983 |
| Album of the Year: Thriller by Michael Jackson Record of the Year: “Beat It,” by Michael Jackson Song of the Year: “Every Breath You Take,” by Sting Pop Vocal – Male: MIchael Jackson, Thriller Pop Vocal – Female: Irene Cara, “Flashdance…What A Feeling” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: The Police, “Every Breath You Take” Rock Vocal – Male: Michael Jackson, “Beat It” Rock Vocal – Female: Pat Benatar, “Love Is A Battlefield” Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: The Police, Synchronicity New Artist: Culture Club |
| 1984 |
| Album of the Year: Can’t Slow Down by Lionel Richie Record of the Year: “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” by Tina Turner Song of the Year: “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten Pop Vocal – Male: Phil Collins, “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)” Pop Vocal – Female: Tina Turner, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: The Pointer Sisters, “Jump (for My Love)” Rock Vocal – Male: Bruce Springsteen, “Dancing In The Dark” Rock Vocal – Female: Tina Turner, “Better Be Good To Me” Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Prince & The Revolution, Purple Rain New Artist: Cyndi Lauper |
| 1985 |
| Album of the Year: No Jacket Required by Phil Collins Record of the Year: “We Are The World” by USA for Africa Song of the Year: “We Are The World” by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson Pop Vocal – Male: Phil Collins, No Jacket Required Pop Vocal – Female: Whitney Houston, “Saving All My Love For You” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: USA for Africa, “We Are The World” Rock Vocal – Male: Don Henley, “The Boys of Summer” Rock Vocal – Female: Tina Turner, “One of the Living” Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Dire Straits, “Money for Nothing” New Artist: Sade |
| 1986 |
| Album of the Year: Graceland by Paul Simon Record of the Year: “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood Song of the Year: “That’s What Friends Are For” by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager Pop Vocal – Male: Steve Winwood, “Higher Love” Pop Vocal – Female: Barbra Streisand, The Broadway Album Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Dionne and Friends, “That’s What Friends Are For” Rock Vocal – Male: Robert Palmer, “Addicted To Love” Rock Vocal – Female: Tina Turner, “Back Where You Started” Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Eurythmics, “Missionary Man” New Artist: Bruce Hornsby & The Range |
| 1987 |
| Album of the Year: The Joshua Tree by U2 Record of the Year: “Graceland” by Paul Simon Song of the Year: “Somewhere Out There” by James Horner, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil Pop Vocal – Male: Sting, Bring on the Night Pop Vocal – Female: Whitney Houston, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” Rock Vocal – Male: Bruce Springsteen, Tunnel of Love Rock Vocal – Female: No Award Given Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: U2, The Joshua Tree New Artist: Jody Watley |
| 1988 |
| Album of the Year: Faith by George Michael Record of the Year: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin Song of the Year: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin Pop Vocal – Male: Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” Pop Vocal – Female: Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: The Manhattan Transfer, Brasil Rock Vocal – Male: Robert Palmer, “Simply Irresistible” Rock Vocal – Female: Tina Turner, Tina Live In Europe Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: U2, “Desire” New Artist: Tracy Chapman |
| 1989 |
| Album of the Year: Nick of Time by Bonnie Raitt Record of the Year: “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler Song of the Year: “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar Pop Vocal – Male: Michael Bolton, “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?” Pop Vocal – Female: Bonnie Raitt, “Nick of Time” Pop Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, “Don’t Know Much” Rock Vocal – Male: Don Henley, The End of Innocence Rock Vocal – Female: Bonnie Raitt, Nick of Time Rock Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal: Traveling Wilburys, Traveling Wilburys, Volume One New Artist: Milli Vanilli (later revoked) |