Outstanding New Artist:
- Committed
- Diggy Simmonds
- Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
- Mindless Behavior
- Wynter Gordon
Outstanding Male Artist:
- Cee-Lo Green
- Anthony Hamilton
- Bruno Mars
- Chris Brown
- Common
Outstanding Female Artist:
- Beyonce
- Jennifer Hudson
- Jill Scott
- Ledisi
- Mary J. Blige
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration:
- Boyz II Men
- Cee-Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona
- Mary J. Blige feat. Drake
- The Roots
- Sounds of Blackness
Outstanding Music Video:
- "25/8" - Mary J. Blige
- "Hear My Call" - Jill Scott
- "I Was Here" - Beyonce
- "Someone Like You" - Adele
- "Where You At" - Jennifer Hudson
Outstanding Song:
- "Best Thing I Never Had" - Beyonce
- "Fool For You" - Cee-Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona
- "I Smile" - Kirk Franklin
- "So in Love" - Jill Scott feat. Anthony Hamilton
- "Someone Like You" - Adele
Outstanding Album:
- 4 - Beyonce
- F.A.M.E. - Chris Brown
- I Remember Me - Jennifer Hudson
- Lasers - Lupe Fiasco
- The Light of the Sun - Jill Scott
Outstanding Jazz Album:
- Chano y Dizzy - Terence Blanchard and Poncho Sanchez
- Friends - Stanley Jordan
- Guitar Man - George Benson
- Legacy - Gerald Wilson
- Road Show Vol. 2 - Sonny Rollins
Outstanding Gospel Album:
- Becoming - Yolanda Adams
- Church on the Moon - Deitrick Haddon
- Hello Fear - Kirk Franklin
- Something Big - Mary Mary
- The Journey - Andraé Crouch
Outstanding World Music Album:
- Afrodiaspora - Susana Baca
- Carnival Fever - Brother B
- Live at 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - Boukman Eksperyans
- Sounds of Blackness - Sounds of Blackness
- The First Grader - Alex Heffes