The 13th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 27, 1986.
| Subcategory | Winner | Nominees |
|---|
| Pop/Rock Category |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist | Bruce Springsteen | Phil Collins
Prince |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Tina Turner | Whitney Houston
Madonna |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group | Chicago | Kool & The Gang
Tears for Fears |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen | No Jacket Required - Phil Collins
Like a Virgin - Madonna |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Song | "The Power of Love" - Huey Lewis and the News | "Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits
"Careless Whisper" - Wham! |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Video | "The Power of Love" - Huey Lewis and the News | "Take On Me" - a-ha
"Easy Lover" - Philip Bailey & Phil Collins |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Video Artist | Bruce Springsteen | Phil Collins
Huey Lewis |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist | Pat Benatar | Aretha Franklin
Madonna |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Video Artist | Wham! | Eurythmics
Tears for Fears |
|
| Soul/R&B Category |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist | Stevie Wonder | Prince
Luther Vandross |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Aretha Franklin | Whitney Houston
Diana Ross |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group | Kool & The Gang | New Edition
Ready For The World |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Emergency - Kool & The Gang | Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston
The Night I Fell in Love - Luther Vandross |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Song | "You Give Good Love" - Whitney Houston | "Nightshift" - The Commodores
"You Are My Lady" - Freddie Jackson |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Video | "Saving All My Love for You" - Whitney Houston | "Freeway of Love" - Aretha Franklin
"Oh Sheila" - Ready For The World |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Video Artist | Stevie Wonder | Philip Bailey & Phil Collins
Prince |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Video Artist | Aretha Franklin | Whitney Houston
Sade |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group Video Artist | The Pointer Sisters | Ashford & Simpson
Kool & The Gang |
|
| Country Category |
| Favorite Country Male Artist | Willie Nelson | Lee Greenwood
Hank Williams, Jr. |
| Favorite Country Female Artist | Crystal Gayle | Anne Murray
Dolly Parton |
| Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group | Alabama | The Judds
The Oak Ridge Boys |
| Favorite Country Album | 40-Hour Week - Alabama | City of New Orleans - Willie Nelson
Country Boy - Ricky Skaggs |
| Favorite Country Song | "Forgiving You Was Easy" - Willie Nelson | "There's No Way" - Alabama
"Dixie Road" - Lee Greenwood |
| Favorite Country Video | "The Highwayman" - The Highwaymen | "40-Hour Week" - Alabama
"All My Rowdy Friends" - Hank Williams, Jr. |
| Favorite Country Male Video Artist | Hank Williams, Jr. | Lee Greenwood
Ricky Skaggs |
| Favorite Country Female Video Artist | Crystal Gayle | Janie Fricke
Anne Murray |
| Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group Video Artist | The Highwayman | Alabama
The Oak Ridge Boys |
|
| Merit |
| Paul McCartney |
|
| Award of Appreciation[1] |
| Michael Jackson |
|
| Song of the Year[1] |
| We Are the World |
1. ^1 {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LuEPnk7irOMC&pg=PA104|author=Jel D. Lewis Jones|title=Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: The Music! The Man! The Legend! The Interviews! An Anthology|publisher=Amber Books|edition=1st|year=2005|page=104|isbn=0-9749779-0-X}}