Children's

• Best Recording for Children
  • Jim Henson & Paul Williams (producers) for The Muppet Movie performed by The Muppets

Classical

• Best Classical Orchestral Recording
  • James Mallinson (producer), Georg Solti (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Brahms: Symphonies (1-4)
• Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance
  • Luciano Pavarotti & the Bologna Orchestra for O Sole Mio - Favorite Neapolitan Songs
• Best Opera Recording
  • Vittorio Negri (producer), Colin Davis (conductor), Heather Harper, Jonathan Summers, Jon Vickers & the Royal Opera House Orchestra for Britten: Peter Grimes
• Best Choral Performance, Classical (other than opera)
  • Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director), & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for Brahms: A German Requiem
• Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with orchestra)
  • Claudio Abbado (conductor), Maurizio Pollini & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Bartók: Piano Cons. Nos. 1 & 2
• Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (without orchestra)
  • Vladimir Horowitz for The Horowitz Concerts 1978/79
• Best Chamber Music Performance
  • Dennis Russell Davies (conductor) & the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for Copland: Appalachian Spring
• Best Classical Album
  • James Mallinson (producer), Georg Solti (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Brahms: Symphonies (1-4)

Comedy

Best Comedy Recording

• "Reality...What a Concept"-Robin Williams

Composing and arranging

Best Instrumental Composition

• Superman Main Title Theme
  • John Williams (composer)

Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special

• "Superman"
  • John Williams (composer)

Best Instrumental Arrangement

• '"Soulful Strut"'
  • Claus Ogerman (arranger) (George Benson)

Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocals

• '"What a Fool Believes"'
  • Michael McDonald (arranger) (The Doobie Brothers)

Country

Best Country Vocal Performance, Female

• "Blue Kentucky Girl"-Emmylou Harris

Best Country Vocal Performance, Male

• "The Gambler"-Kenny Rogers

Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group

• "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"-The Charlie Daniels Band

Best Country Instrumental Performance

• "Big Sandy/Leather Britches"-Doc Watson & Merle Watson

Best Country Song

• "You Decorated My Life"-Kenny Rogers
  • Debbie Hupp & Bob Morrison songwriters

Disco

The award for Best Disco Recording was first given out at the 1980 Grammy Awards; however, this was the only year it was ever presented.

Best Disco Recording

• '"I Will Survive"-Gloria Gaynor
  • Dino Fekaris & Freddie Perren (producers)

Folk

• Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording
  • Muddy Waters for Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live

Gospel

• Best Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • Blackwood Brothers for Lift Up the Name of Jesus
• Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary
  • The Imperials for Heed the Call
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional
  • Mighty Clouds of Joy for Changing Times
• Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary
  • Andrae Crouch for I'll Be Thinking of You
• Best Inspirational Performance
  • B. J. Thomas for You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me a Prayer)

Historical

• Best Historical Reissue
  • Michael Brooks & Jerry Korn (producers) for Billie Holiday - Giants of Jazz

Jazz

• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist
  • Oscar Peterson for Jousts
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group
  • Chick Corea & Gary Burton for Duet
• Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band
  • Duke Ellington for Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940 Live
• Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
  • Weather Report for 8:30
• Best Jazz Vocal Performance
  • Ella Fitzgerald for Fine and Mellow

Latin

• Best Latin Recording
  • Irakere for Irakere

Musical show

• Best Cast Show Album
  • Stephen Sondheim (composer & lyricist), Thomas Z. Shepard (producer) & the original cast with Angela Lansbury & Len Cariou for Sweeney Todd

Packaging and notes

• Best Album Package
  • Mick Haggerty & Mike Doud (art directors) for Breakfast in America performed by Supertramp
• Best Album Notes
  • Bob Porter & James Patrick (notes writers) for Charlie Parker - The Complete Savoy Sessions performed by Charlie Parker

Pop

Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female

• "I'll Never Love This Way Again"—Dionne Warwick
• "I Will Survive"—Gloria Gaynor
• "Chuck E.'s in Love"—Rickie Lee Jones
• "Don't Cry Out Loud"—Melissa Manchester
• "Bad Girls"—Donna Summer

Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male

• "52nd Street"—Billy Joel
• "Sad Eyes"—Robert John
• "She Believes in Me"—Kenny Rogers
• "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"—Rod Stewart
• "Up on the Roof"—James Taylor

Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus

• "Minute by Minute"—The Doobie Brothers
• "Sail On"—The Commodores
• "Lonesome Loser"—Little River Band
• "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"—Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
• "Breakfast in America"—Supertramp

Best Pop Instrumental Performance

• "Rise"—Herb Alpert

Production and engineering

• Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical
  • Peter Henderson (engineer): Breakfast in America (Supertramp)
• Best Engineered Recording, Classical
  • Anthony Salvatore (engineer) & the original cast with Angela Lansbury & Len Cariou for Sondheim: Sweeney Todd
• Producer of the Year
  • Larry Butler
• Classical Producer of the Year
  • James Mallinson

R&B

Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female

• "Deja Vu"—Dionne Warwick

Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male

• "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"—Michael Jackson

Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus

• "After the Love Has Gone"—Earth, Wind & Fire

Best R&B Instrumental Performance

• "Boogie Wonderland"—Earth, Wind & Fire

Best R&B Song

• "After the Love Has Gone"—Earth, Wind & Fire
  • Bill Champlin, David Foster & Jay Graydon (songwriters)

Rock

Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female

• Hot Stuff—Donna Summer

Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male

• Gotta Serve Somebody—Bob Dylan

Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group

• Heartache Tonight—The Eagles

Best Rock Instrumental Performance

• Rockestra Theme—Paul McCartney & Wings

Spoken

• Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording
  • John Gielgud for Ages of Man—Readings From Shakespeare