Photos: See a slideshow from the American Music Awards.
The King of Pop is still winning awards and setting records doing it.
But while Michael Jackson won a record four posthumous awards, he couldn’t beat Taylor Swift for top honors at Sunday night’s American Music Awards.
Adam Lambert, left, gets ready to kiss one of the dancers as he performs during the closing act of the 37th Annual American Music Awards on Sunday (AP Photo)
The 19-year-old was named the year’s favorite artist, giving Jackson his only loss of the night, and giving her five trophies in all.
“Music has never been ultimately about competition,” she said as she accepted the top prize via satellite from London, where she is to perform Monday. “To even be mentioned in a category with Michael Jackson, who we will miss and love forever, is an unimaginable honor.”
The victories came during a performance-filled show that closed with an S&M-themed, sexually charged performance by Adam Lambert.
Swift was also named favorite female pop/rock and country artist and favorite adult-contemporary artist. Her album, “Fearless,” won favorite country album. Jackson was voted favorite male artist in the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories. His 2003 greatest-hits album, “Number Ones,” also won favorite album in both categories, bringing his career AMA total to 23, making him the most honored artist in AMA history.
Jackson’s victories were among the highlights of the evening, which also featured an eye-popping performance by Lady Gaga, a special award for Whitney Houston and that jaw-dropping number from Lambert, who traded in his “American Idol” image for sex, leather and chains Sunday.
On an elaborate set filled with stairs and platforms, Lambert fondled a female dancer, kissed an androgynous band mate and led two leather-clad men across the stage on leashes as he sang the title track from his new CD, “For Your Entertainment,” out this week.
Lady Gaga, wearing a “Alien”-inspired headdress and vest filled with lights, performed songs from her new album, “The Fame Monster,” also due in stores this week. She used her microphone to break into a glass case where a grand piano stood. It caught fire when she sat down to play.
Whitney Houston made a resplendent return to the AMA stage with an elegant performance of “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” The 46-year-old entertainer also received the International Award of Excellence for her musical and philanthropic contributions. She dedicated the honor to her daughter, music mogul Clive Davis and “everybody who supported me.”
Jackson’s trophies were accepted by his brother Jermaine, who paid tribute to his late brother by wearing glittery white glove. He thanked “Allah for blessing my entire family” and named each of his brothers and sisters.
He said the message of Michael, who died in June at age 50, is more important than any award.
“The message that Michael had will live on forever,” he said. “He saw good in everyone and he wanted everyone to do good. He always started with love.”
The American Music Awards honor the year’s top-selling artists in eight popular genres, and fans voted for the winners online. But even more than awards, the AMAs are about performances, and more than a dozen of them filled Sunday’s show.
The Black Eyed Peas, voted favorite pop/rock band, energized the crowd when they performed two of the year’s most popular hits: “I Got A Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow.”
Rihanna returned to the AMA stage, sporting blonde hair, a skintight, white peek-a-boo bodysuit and a tattoo down the front of her neck that read “Rated R,” the name of her new album, out this week.
Janet Jackson opened the show with a medley of some of the biggest hits from her long career – all tracks that appear on her new greatest-hits collection, also called “Number Ones.”
Alicia Keys and Jay-Z dueted on their ode to New York City. Shakira was flanked by a dozen dancers in tiny black bodysuits as she sang her new single. Kelly Clarkson performed a stripped down version of her hit “Already Gone,” backed by a string quartet.
Jennifer Lopez added a boxing motif to her dance-filled performance, but she slipped during a tricky move and landed on her bottom.
Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong confessed backstage that the show left him star-struck.
“When you see all the talent that’s in the room” like Jay-Z and Lady Gaga, he said, “it’s like holy moly, these are huge people.”
The band was voted favorite alternative artist. Other winners Sunday included Jay-Z, wife Beyonce, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts.
Way to flaunt being a ****. I have no problem with gay people, but cannot stand when guys like this have to come out and try and shock people with their blatant homosexuality. It doesn’t make you a better artist or performer by shoving some guys face in your crotch.
If you dont have a problem with it then why comment? Why call him a “****?” Clearly you do have a problem with it. Why is this any different than Brittany and Madonna kissing at an awards show? They’re performers and this is what they do. Get over your it.
Get a life!
To Hate Man: You are a moron! If you have no problem with it then why say anything at all?
Basically, you are saying that you are ok with “****s” if they don’t express themselves and act the same way any heterosexual is entitled to without getting insulted by idiots like yourself.
I think Adam’s performance was HOT!!! Anyone who disagrees with me….don’t watch it! Very simple!
Let me start off by saying that I have nothing against the gay community. I just feel that somethings are not acceptable on tv. I love being entertained but do people actually think anymore? Kids watch television too. Thank God my children feel asleep on the bull@#$@, I viewed last night. Somethings are left to the imagination. That is also why you have LOGO to view extreme entertainment like that. As a live broadcast I feel the networks should be held accountable,because there are rehearsals. The first amendment should not apply to live broadcast when it is so vulgar in it’s nature…it was not a Janet episode(accident)!!!
WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
It may have been to you but what about those that have to explain why that man wants to look like a girl? Why is that man kissing another man in the mouth. You talk about choices allow a person to have a choice. Shows like that you should have to pay per view. What happened to the lighter side, nobody constantly wants in your face.
Nobody wanted to see Brittany or Madonna do it either….yet everybody is always looking for the wooooow factor there are other ways to do it tastefully. Be original!!! You have alot of entertainers making big bucks and there not going to extremes…those that do are closing to falling off the cliff.
YOU MEAN THEY WEREN’T LIP SYNCING?
Adam has no class and no idea what this performance has done to his fans. It was insulting and revolting especially for the younger fans. Has nothing to do with his sexuality but the show was not age appropriate nor did he have any of his younger fans at heart.
He sucks!!! Oh wait he made that pretty flipping obvious!!!!!!
Not appropriate for television. This guys is an American Idol finalist.
Rarely have I read such ridiculousness from music fans. Homoerotic images are here and will be here for the duration. Should you not care to view it, that would be your cue to exercise your right to turn off the TV or swith to FOX, where you can be lulled into a nice safe place where no thought will ever be required.
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO STATE HOW THEY FEEL THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SITES TO BLOG! FOR IT OR AGAINST IT! FREEDOM I THINK HAS CROSSED THE LINE IN TOO MANY WAYS THEN INTENDED TO BE. WE HAVE TAKEN THE WORD FREEDOM AND SHOOT DOWN ITS TRUE MEANING. GUY OR STRAIGHT WHO CARES WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DO SO AND BE SO! I WILL SAY THAT THE SHOW SHOULD BE CENSOR TO A POINT AND THIS STATEMENT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GAY PEOPLE ITS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THE CHILDREN THAT CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE VEIWING, AND THE CHILDREN OUR A HUGE PART OF THE AUDIENCE! THANK YOU!
Did you see that girls face.She said after the show that his breath smelled like crap,and his butthole looks like a clit
He had the spotlight, he wanted to do something shocking….most performers do at some point….get over it already…
To What is really going on:
What’s the harm in children seeing two men kiss?? Maybe, if they were exposed to the differences in people at a much younger age…then there would not be so much bigotry and hatred in this world. As for your LOGO statement….why should two men kissing be restricted to only one channel? Grow up and get a life! It’s almost 2010 not 1945!
Ohhhh and one other important thing.
If you holier than though people are such responsible parents, then why are your young children watching TV at 11pm unsupervised? It’s not like this was an “after school special” performance. This show is geered at teenagers and adults. That’s why they put parental ratings on shows!
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