Margaret Hillis, choral master, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus; Georg Solti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust
Norbert Balatsch, chorus master, Vienna State Opera Chorus; Bernard Haitink conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (solos: Gundula Janowitz, Tom Krause) - Brahms: German Requiem
Laszlo Heltay, chorus master, Chorus of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (solos: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Siegfried Jerusalem) - Haydn: The Seasons
Nicholas Cleobury, chorus master, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus; Simon Rattle conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - Janacek: Glagolitic Mass
Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchesta Chorus and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (solo: Sylvia McNair) - Poulenc: Gloria for Soprano, Choir and Orchestra (G Major)
Thomas Peck, chorus master, St. Louis Symphony Chorus; Leonard Slatkin conducting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra - Rachmaninov: The Bells and Russian Songs (from album Rachmaninov Orchestral Music)&q
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, choral conductor, Tolzer Knabenchor; Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting the Concentus Musicus Wien - Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 30 (Nos. 120-123)
Best Classical Album
Glenn Gould - Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Georg Solti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (solos: Frederica von Stade, Kenneth Riegel, Jose van Dam) - Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust
Igor Stravinsky; Robert Craft conducting the various orchesteras, ensembles, solo artists - Stravinsky: The Recorded Legacy
James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony - Mahler: Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (Song of the Night)
Leonard Slatkin conducting the St. Louis Symphony; Frances Tietov, harp - Debussy: La Mer; Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'un Faune; Danses Sacree et Profane
Best Classical Orchestral Recording
James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony - Mahler: Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (Song of the Night)
Christopher Hogwood conducting the Academy of Ancient Music - Mozart: Symphonies, Vol. 1 (The Early Works)
Eduardo Mata conducting the Dallas Symphony - R. Strauss: Death and Transfiguration; Don Juan; Salome, Dance of the Seven Veils
Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic - Holst: The Planets
Leonard Slatkin conducting the Chicago Symphony - Debussy: La mer; Prelude a l' Apres-Midi d'un Faune; Danses Sacree et Profane
Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist(s) with Orchestra
Itzhak Perlman (Daniel Barenboim conducting the Chicago Symphony) - Elgar: Concerto for Violin in B Minor
Rudolf Serkin (Seiji Ozawa conducting the Boston Symphony) - Beethoven: Concerto for Piano No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the Philharmonia) - Mozart: Concerto for Piano No. 22 in E Flat Major, K. 482 (Ashkenazy Plays and Conducts Mozart)
Alicia de Larrocha (Charles Dutoit conducting the Royal Philharmonic) - Schumann: Concerto for Piano in A Minor; Rachmaninov: Concerto for Piano No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
Joseph Silverstein (Seiji Ozawa conducting the Boston Symphony) - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist(s) without Orchestra
Ronald Smith - The Alkan Project (Etudes, Op. 39, in All the Minor Keys)
Best Classical Performance - Vocal Soloist
Leontyne Price (Zubin Mehta conducting the Israel Philharmonic) - Verdi: Arias (Leontyne Price Sings Verdi)
Jessye Norman (Daniel Barcnboim conducting the Orchestra de Paris) - Berlioz: La Mort de Cleopatre
Elly Armstrong (Dalton Baldwin, accompanist) - Faure: La Bonne Chanson; Debussy: Chansons de Bilitis and Ariettes Oubliees
Frederica von Stade (Martin Katz, accompanist) - Frederica von Stade Live!
Kiri Te Kanawa (Gyorgy Fischer conducting the Vienna Chamber Orchestra) - Mozart: Concert Arias (Andromeda, Il Burbero di Buon Core, Artaserse, Idomeneo, Cerere Placata)
Best Comedy Recording
Richard Pryor - Live on the Sunset Strip
Bob & Doug McKenzie - Great White North
Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy
George Carlin - A Place for My Stuff
Steve Martin - The Steve Martin Brothers
Best Country & Western Instrumental Performance
Roy Clark - Alabama Jubilee
Doc & Merle Watson - Below Freezing
Poco - Feudin'
Albert Coleman's Atlanta Pops Orchestra - Just Hooked on Country
Joe Maphis - The Joe Maphis Flat-Pick-ing Spectacular
Best Country & Western Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal
James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (Song of the Night)
Glenn Gould - Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Georg Solti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; solos: Frederica von Stade, Kenneth Riegel, Jose van Dam - Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust
James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor (From the New World)
Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic - Holst: The Planets
Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording
Queen Ida - Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour
Boys of the Lough - In the Tradition
John Renbourn Group - Live in America
Klezmorim - Metropolis
various artists - Tennessee: Folk Heritage - The Mountain
various artists - Reggae Sunsplash '81: A Tribute to Bob Marley
Best Gospel Performance - Contemporary
Amy Grant - Age to Age
Reba Rambo - Lady Live
Sandi Patti - Lift Up the Lord
Andrae Crouch - My Tribute
Imperials - Stand By the Power
Best Gospel Performance - Traditional
Blackwood Brothers - I'm Following You
Rex Nelon Singers - Feeling at Home
Dottie Rambo - Makin' My Own Place
Cathedrals - Something Special
Masters - V, O, What Savior
Best Historical Album
Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra - The Tommy Dorsey/Frank Sinatra Sessions Vols, 1, 2, and 3
Bela Bartok - Bartok at the Piano, 1920-1945
Paul Whiteman - An Experiment in Modern Music: Paul Whiteman at Aeolian Hall
various artists - Minstrels and Tunesmiths: The Commercial Roots of Early Country Music
Willie Colon/Ruben Blades - Canciones del Solar de los Aburidos
Best Opera Recording
Pierre Boulez conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (solos: Gwyneth Jones, Jeannine Altmeyer, Orton Wenkel, Peter Hofmann, Manfred Jung, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Matti Salimen, Herman - Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
Charles Dutoit conducting the Orchestre Philharmonique du Monte Carlo (solos: Jessye Norman, Alain Vanzo, Philippe Huttenlocher - Faure: Penelope
Charles Mackerras conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera Chorus (solos: Lucia Popp, Eva Randova, Dalibor Jedlicka) - Janacek: The Cunning Little Vixen
Heinz Wallberg conducting the Munich Radio Orchestera, Bavarian Radio Chorus (solos: Lucia Popp, Siegfried Jerusalem, Hermann Prey, Gwendolyn Killebrew, Sigmund Nimsgren) - Weinberger: Schwanda the Bagpiper
Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chours and Vienna Boys' Choir (solos: Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli, Piero de Palma, Ruggero Raimondi, Barbara Hendricks, Gottfriedl Hornik - Puccini: Turandot
James Levine conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus (solos: Renata Scott, Placido Domingo, Renato Bruson) - Puccini: Tosca
Best Pop Instrumental Performance
Ernie Watts - Chariots of Fire (theme, dance version)
David Sanborn - As We Speak
Earl Klugh - Crazy for You
John Williams - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Louis Clark conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Hooked on Classics
Best Recording for Children
Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Kenny Loggins, Carly Simon, Lucy Simon, Teddy Pendergrass, Crystal Gayle, Lou Rawls, Deniece Williams, Janis Ian, Dr. John - In Harmony 2
Birdwing Kids Korus - I Am God's Project
Candle with the Agapeland Singers - Animals and Other Things