Pop sensation Taylor Swift stole the show at the American Music Awards on Sunday night, scooping five AMAs.
Swift won the coveted Artist of the Year award and was also named Favorite Pop/Rock Female, Favorite Country Female and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. Her album Fearless was also named Favorite Country Music Album.
The singer stayed up late to continue her recent winning streak, collecting the prizes via a satellite link from London, after rehearsing for a forthcoming show there.
Late King of Pop Michael Jackson was the night’s other headline-grabber, scooping four awards and setting a new AMA record for most wins.
Jackson was named Favorite Soul/R&B Male and Favorite Pop/Rock Male, and his Number Ones album won the Favorite Pop and Favorite Soul/R&B Album awards — earning him his 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th AMAs.
The posthumous prizes were collected by his brother Jermaine, wearing a single sequined glove and accompanied on the first occasion by his three sons Jaffar, Jermajesty and Jeremy.
Jay-Z was another of the night’s big winners, taking the Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Male and Favorite Rap/Hop Album awards. His wife Beyonce skipped the ceremony, but claimed the Favorite Soul/R&B Female award.
Other winners included Green Day, who were named Favorite Alternative Rock Group, and Rascal Flatts, who collected the Favorite Country Duo/Band award for the fourth straight year.
Keith Urban won Favorite Country Male Artist, and dedicated the award to his wife Nicole Kidman and daughter Sunday, telling the crowd, “To my wife, I love you so much baby girl. This is for you and Sunday.”
Elsewhere, the show, screened live from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre, was dominated by pop music’s premiere divas.
Janet Jackson opened proceedings with an eight-minute medley of her hits, and Whitney Houston rolled back the years with an emotional performance of “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” The diva was awarded the International Artist Award prize, which she dedicated to her daughter Bobbi Kristina and her record boss Clive Davis.
The audience was also treated to spectacular performances from Lady GaGa, who played a burning piano while wearing a flesh-colored leotard, and Jennifer Lopez, who performed new track “Louboutins” in a makeshift boxing ring — and accidentally slipped on her backside.
Rihanna also wowed, wearing strips of bandage to spare her blushes as she entered the stage strapped to a spinning wheel — and the Black Eyed Peas performed a medley of the hits that kept them on the top of the charts for six months in 2009, accompanied by dancers dressed as robots.
There were also performances from Kelly Clarkson, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, Green Day, Shakira, Eminem and 50 Cent, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and American Idol star Adam Lambert, who wrapped up the night with a bizarre, x-rated display.
The full list of AMA winners is as follows:
Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group – The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Country duo/band – Rascal Flatts (fourth year in a row)
Favorite Pop/Rock Female – Taylor Swift
Favorite Alternative Rock – Green Day
Favorite Soul/R&B Male – Michael Jackson
Favorite Country Male Artist – Keith Urban
Favorite Soul/R&B Female – Beyonce
Breakthrough Artist Awards – Gloriana (beating Kid Cudi, Lady GaGa, Keri Hilson)
International Award of Excellence – Whitney Houston
Favorite Country Female – Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist – Michael Jackson
Artist of the Year – Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop/Rock Album – Michael Jackson, Number Ones
Favorite Country Music Album – Taylor Swift, Fearless
Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Album – Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3
Favorite Soul/R&B Band, Duo or Group – The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Soul/R&B Album – Michael Jackson, Number Ones
Favorite Soundtrack – Twilight
Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist – Taylor Swift
Favorite Latin Music Artist – Aventura
Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist – Mary Mary
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