Which recording was the first winner of the Grammy for Best Music Video?

Dire Straits’ “Brothers in Arms” was the first winner of the Grammy Award for Best Music Video. The award was presented at the 29th Grammy Awards in 1987, when music videos had become a major part of popular music promotion.

The video used computer-generated imagery and an illustrated visual style based on the work of artist Bill Smith. Its imagery helped distinguish it from conventional performance videos and demonstrated how animation and digital techniques could support a song’s identity.

The category was later renamed and reorganized, eventually separating short-form and long-form music-video recognition. That history can cause confusion when comparing winners from different periods, since the exact title and eligibility rules have changed.

“Brothers in Arms” is also the title track of Dire Straits’ 1985 album. The Grammy award applied to the music video, not simply to the album or the audio recording.