The 1988 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 30, 1988, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The show was broadcast live in select cities and aired later in other areas. Dionne Warwick hosted.^[1][2][3]

Special Award

Heritage Award

• Gladys Knight & the Pips

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.

Album of the Year – Male

• Michael Jackson – Bad
  • Alexander O'Neal – Hearsay
  • Prince – Sign o' the Times
  • Stevie Wonder – Characters

Album of the Year – Female

• Whitney Houston – Whitney
  • Natalie Cole – Everlasting
  • Jody Watley – Jody Watley
  • Angela Winbush – Sharp

Album of the Year – Group or Band

• LeVert – The Big Throwdown
  • Earth, Wind & Fire – Touch the World
  • Gladys Knight & the Pips – All Our Love
  • The Whispers – Just Gets Better with Time

Best Single – Male

• Michael Jackson – "Bad"
  • Prince – "U Got the Look"
  • Luther Vandross – "So Amazing"
  • Stevie Wonder – "Skeletons"

Best Single – Female

• Natalie Cole – "I Live for Your Love"
  • Janet Jackson – "The Pleasure Principle"
  • Jody Watley – "Looking for a New Love"
  • Angela Winbush – "Angel"

Best Single – Group or Band

• LeVert – "Casanova"
  • Atlantic Starr – "Always"
  • Earth, Wind & Fire – "System of Survival"
  • The Whispers – "Rock Steady"

Best Rap Single

• LL Cool J – "I Need Love"
  • Dana Dane – "Cinderfella Dana Dane"
  • The Fat Boys – "Wipeout"
  • Kool Moe Dee – "How Ya Like Me Now"

Best Music Video

• Janet Jackson – "Control"
  • Whitney Houston – "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
  • Michael Jackson – "The Way You Make Me Feel"
  • Jody Watley – "Looking for a New Love"

Best New Artist

• Miki Howard
  • Terence Trent D'Arby
  • Exposé
  • Shanice Wilson

Best Rap Album

• LL Cool J – Bigger and Deffer
  • Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full
  • Heavy D & the Boyz – Living Large
  • Whodini – Open Sesame

Best Gospel Album – Solo

• Vanessa Bell Armstrong – Following Jesus
  • Shirley Caesar – Her Very Best
  • Aretha Franklin – One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
  • Al Green – Soul Survivor

Best Gospel Album – Group or Choir

• The Winans – Decisions
  • Reverend Milton Brunson and The Thompson Community Singers – If I Be Lifted
  • Commissioned – Go Tell Somebody
  • The Clark Sisters – Heart and Soul

Best Jazz Album – Solo

• Najee – Najee's Theme
  • Jonathan Butler – Jonathan Butler
  • Dexter Gordon – The Other Side of Round Midnight
  • David Sanborn – A Change of Heart

Best Jazz Album – Group or Band

• Hiroshima – Go
  • George Benson and Earl Klugh – Collaboration
  • Freddie Hubbard – Life Flight
  • Pat Metheny Group – Still Life (Talking)

Performers

• Alexander O'Neal
• Natalie Cole
• Kool Moe Dee
• The Whispers
• Smokey Robinson
• LL Cool J
• Hiroshima and George Duke
• Gladys Knight & the Pips Tribute:
  • Chaka Khan
  • Stephanie Mills
  • Angela Winbush
  • Ronald Isley
• Dionne Warwick and Howard Hewett
• Patti LaBelle and the Edwin Hawkins Singers
• Gladys Knight & the Pips