American Music Awards Belong To Swift And Jackson

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Pop sensation TAYLOR SWIFT stole the show at the American Music Awards on Sunday night (22Nov09), scooping five AMAs.

Swift won the coveted Artist of the Year award and was also named Favourite Pop/Rock Female, Favourite Country Female and Favourite Adult Contemporary Artist. Her album Fearless was also named Favourite 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 Favourite Soul/R&B Male and Favourite Pop/Rock Male and his Number Ones album won the Favourite Pop and Favourite 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 Favourite Rap/Hip Hop Male and Favourite Rap/Hop Album awards. His wife Beyonce skipped the ceremony, but claimed the Favourite Soul/R&B Female award.

Other winners included Green Day, who were named Favourite Alternative Rock Group and Rascal Flatts, who collected the Favourite Country Duo/Band award for the fourth straight year.

Keith Urban won Favourite 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-coloured leotard; and Jennifer Lopez, who performed new track Louboutins in a make-shift 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 U.S 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 and 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:

Favourite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group - The Black Eyed Peas

Favourite Country duo/band - Rascal Flatts (fourth year in a row)

Favourite Pop/Rock Female - Taylor Swift

Favourite Alternative Rock - Green Day

Favourite Soul/R&B Male - Michael Jackson

Favourite Country Male Artist - Keith Urban

Favourite Soul/R&B Female - Beyonce

Breakthrough Artist Awards - Gloriana (beating
King Cudi, Lady GaGa, Keri Hilson)

International Award of Excellence - Whitney Houston

Favourite Country Female - Taylor Swift

Favourite Pop/Rock Male Artist - Michael Jackson
Artist of the Year - Taylor Swift

Favourite Pop/Rock Album - Michael Jackson, Number ones

Favourite Country Music Album - Taylor Swift, Fearless

Favourite Rap/Hip Hop Album - The Blueprint 3, Jay-Z

Favourite Soul/R&B Band, Duo or Group - The Black Eyed Peas

Favourite Soul/R&B Album - Michael Jackson, Number Ones

Favourite Soundtrack - Twilight

Favourite Adult Contemporary Artist - Taylor Swift

Favourite Latin Music Artist - Aventura

Favourite Contemporary Inspirational Artist - Mary Mary