The 28th Grammy Awards were held in 1986. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.

Award winners:

• Record of the Year
  • Quincy Jones (producer) for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa

• Album of the Year
  • Hugh Padgham (producer) & Phil Collins (producer & artist) for No Jacket Required

• Song of the Year
  • Lionel Richie & Michael Jackson (songwriters) for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa

• Best New Artist
  • Sade

Blues

• Best Traditional Blues Recording
  • B. B. King for "My Guitar Sings the Blues"

Children's

• Best Recording for Children
  • Jim Henson & Steve Buckingham (producers) for Follow That Bird - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack performed by the Sesame Street cast

Classical

• Best Classical Orchestral Recording
  • Robert Woods (producer), Robert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Fauré: Pelleas et Melisande
• Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance
  • Robert Shaw (conductor), John Aler & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Berlioz: Requiem
• Best Opera Recording
  • James Mallinson (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), Philip Langridge, Franz Mazura & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for Schoenberg: Moses und Aron
• Best Choral Performance (other than opera)
  • Robert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for Berlioz: Requiem
• Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with orchestra)
  • Andre Previn (conductor), Yo-Yo Ma & the London Symphony Orchestra for Elgar: Cello Concerto, Op. 85/Walton: Concerto for Cello & Orchestra
• Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (without orchestra)
  • Vladimir Ashkenazy for Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit; Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte; Valses Nobles et Sentimentales
• Best Chamber Music Performance
  • Emanuel Ax & Yo-Yo Ma for Brahms: Cello and Piano Sonatas in E Minor and F
• Best Classical Contemporary Composition
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer), Sarah Brightman & Plácido Domingo for Lloyd Webber: Requiem
• Best Classical Album
  • Robert Woods (producer), Robert Shaw (conductor), John Aler & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for Berlioz: Requiem
• Best New Classical Artist
  • Chicago Pro Musica

Comedy

• Best Comedy Recording
  • Whoopi Goldberg for Whoopi Goldberg - Original Broadway Show Recording

Composing and arranging

• Best Instrumental Composition
  • Jan Hammer (composer) for "Miami Vice Theme"
• Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
  • Marc Benno, Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey, Micki Free, Jon Gilutin, Hawk, Howard Hewett, Bunny Hull, Howie Rice, Sharon Robinson, Dan Sembello, Sue Sheridan, Richard C. Theisen II & Allee Willis (composers) for Beverly Hills Cop performed by various artists
• Best Arrangement on an Instrumental
  • Dave Grusin & Lee Ritenour (arrangers) for "Early A.M. Attitude"
• Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
  • Nelson Riddle (arranger) for "Lush Life" performed by Linda Ronstadt
• Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices
  • Bobby McFerrin & Cheryl Bentyne (arrangers) for "Another Night in Tunisia" performed by The Manhattan Transfer

Country

• Best Country Vocal Performance, Female
  • Rosanne Cash for "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me"
• Best Country Vocal Performance, Male
  • Ronnie Milsap for "Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)"
• Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • The Judds for Why Not Me
• Best Country Instrumental Performance (orchestra, group or soloist)
  • Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler for "Cosmic Square Dance"
• Best Country Song
  • Jimmy L. Webb (songwriter) for "Highwayman" performed by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Willie Nelson

Folk

• Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording
  • Rockin' Sidney for "My Toot Toot"

Gospel

• Best Gospel Performance, Female
  • Amy Grant for Unguarded
• Best Gospel Performance, Male
  • Larnelle Harris for "How Excellent Is Thy Name"
• Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
  • Larnelle Harris & Sandi Patti for "I've Just Seen Jesus"
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
  • Shirley Caesar for "Martin"
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male
  • Marvin Winans for "Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay"
• Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus
  • The Winans for Tomorrow
• Best Inspirational Performance
  • Jennifer Holliday for "Come Sunday"

Historical

• Best Historical Album
  • John Pfeiffer (producer) for RCA/Met - 100 Singers - 100 Years performed by various artists

Jazz

• Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
  • Cleo Laine for Cleo at Carnegie - The 10th Anniversary Concert
• Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
  • Bobby McFerrin & Jon Hendricks for "Another Night in Tunisia"
• Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group
  • The Manhattan Transfer for Vocalese
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
  • Wynton Marsalis for Black Codes From the Underground
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group
  • Wynton Marsalis for Black Codes From the Underground performed by the Wynton Marsalis Group
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band
  • Bob Wilber & John Barry for The Cotton Club - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
  • David Sanborn for Straight To The Heart

Latin

• Best Latin Pop Performance
  • Lani Hall for Es Facil Amar
• Best Tropical Latin Performance
  • Eddie Palmieri for Solito
  • Tito Puente for Mambo Diablo performed by Tito Puente & His Latin Ensemble
• Best Mexican-American Performance
  • Vikki Carr for Simplemente Mujer

Musical Show

• Best Cast Show Album
  • John McClure (producer), José Carreras & Kiri Te Kanawa for West Side Story

Music Video

• Best Music Video, Short Form
  • Tom Trbovich (video director) & Quincy Jones (video producer) for "We Are the World - The Video Event" performed by USA For Africa
• Best Music Video, Long Form
  • Bruce Gowers (video director) & Huey Lewis & the News for Huey Lewis & the News - The Heart of Rock 'n' Roll

Packaging and Notes

• Best Album Package
  • John Kosh & Ron Larson (art directors) for Lush Life performed by Linda Ronstadt
• Best Album Notes
  • Peter Guralnick (notes writer) for Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

Polka

• Best Polka Recording
  • Frank Yankovic for 70 Years of Hits

Pop

• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
  • Whitney Houston for "Saving All My Love For You"
• Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
  • Phil Collins for No Jacket Required
• Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Quincy Jones (producer) for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa
• Best Pop Instrumental Performance
  • Jan Hammer for "Miami Vice Theme"

Production and engineering

• Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical
  • Neil Dorfsman (engineer) for Brothers in Arms performed by Dire Straits
• Best Engineered Recording, Classical
  • Jack Renner (engineer), Robert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & chorus for Berlioz: Requiem
• Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)
  • Hugh Padgham & Phil Collins
• Classical Producer of the Year
  • Robert Woods

R&B

• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female
  • Aretha Franklin for "Freeway of Love"
• Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male
  • Stevie Wonder for In Square Circle
• Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Commodores for "Nightshift"
• Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist)
  • Ernie Watts for Musician
• Best Rhythm & Blues Song
  • Jeffrey Cohen & Narada Michael Walden (songwriters) for "Freeway of Love" performed by Aretha Franklin

Reggae

• Best Reggae Recording
  • Jimmy Cliff for Cliff Hanger

Rock

• Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female
  • Tina Turner for "One of the Living"
• Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male
  • Don Henley for "The Boys of Summer"
• Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
  • Dire Straits for "Money for Nothing"
• Best Rock Instrumental Performance
  • Jeff Beck for "Escape"

Spoken

• Best Spoken Word or Non-musical Recording
  • Mike Berniker (producer) & the original Broadway cast for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom