The 1990 Soul Train Music Awards was held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California and aired live in select cities on March 14, 1990 (and was later syndicated in other areas), honoring the best in R&B, soul, rap, jazz, and gospel music from the previous year. The show was hosted by Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross and Dionne Warrick.

Special awards

Heritage Award for Career Achievement

• Quincy Jones

Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year

• Arsenio Hall

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.^[1]

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album – Male

• Babyface – Tender Lover
  • Bobby Brown – Dance!...Ya Know It!
  • Quincy Jones – Back on the Block
  • Luther Vandross – The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album – Female

• Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation 1814
  • Regina Belle – Stay with Me
  • Stacy Lattisaw – What You Need
  • Stephanie Mills – Home

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album – Group, Band, or Duo

• Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol. One
  • Heavy D and the Boyz – Big Tyme
  • Maze and Frankie Beverly – Silky Soul
  • Milli Vanilli – Girl You Know It's True

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single – Male

• Luther Vandross – "Here and Now"
  • Babyface – "It's No Crime"
  • Bobby Brown – "Every Little Step"
  • Prince – "Scandalous!"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single – Female

• Janet Jackson – "Miss You Much"
  • Regina Belle – "Baby Come to Me"
  • Vesta – "Congratulations"
  • Karyn White – "Secret Rendezvous"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single – Group, Band, or Duo

• Soul II Soul – "Keep On Movin'"
  • Guy – "I Like"
  • Surface – "Shower Me with Your Love"
  • New Kids on the Block – "You Got It (The Right Stuff)"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of the Year

• Soul II Soul – "Keep On Movin'"
  • Paula Abdul – "Straight Up"
  • Bobby Brown – "Every Little Step"
  • Luther Vandross – "Here and Now"

Best Music Video

• Janet Jackson – "Rhythm Nation"
  • Public Enemy – "Fight the Power"
  • Quincy Jones – "I'll Be Good to You"
  • Prince – "Batdance"

Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist

• David Peaston
  • Eric Gable
  • Soul II Soul
  • Young MC

Best Rap Album

• Heavy D and the Boyz – Big Tyme
  • Big Daddy Kane – It's a Big Daddy Thing
  • De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising
  • Young MC – Stone Cold Rhymin'

Best Jazz Album

• Quincy Jones – Back on the Block
  • Alex Bugnon – Love Seasons
  • Kenny G – Kenny G Live
  • Joe Sample – Spellbound

Best Gospel Album

• BeBe & CeCe Winans – Heaven
  • Al Green – I Get Joy
  • Mississippi Mass Choir – Mississippi Mass Choir Live
  • The Winans – Live at Carnegie Hall

Performances

• Regina Belle – "Baby Come to Me"
• Big Daddy Kane – "I Get the Job Done"
• Bobby Brown – "On Our Own"
• Milli Vanilli – "Blame It on the Rain"
• Quincy Jones Tribute:
  • Dionne Warwick
  • Luther Vandross – "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
  • Patti LaBelle – "Just Once"
  • Tevin Campbell – "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)"
• Soul II Soul – "Back to Life" / "Jazzie's Groove"
• Jody Watley – "Everything"
• The Winans and Teddy Riley – "It's Time"