Announcer: The Billboard music awards are back and bigger than ever.
With the hottest performances from the best stars in music.
Get ready, because, here it comes.
The 2011 Billboard music awards.
Ladies and gentlemen, rihanna.
Grand in Las Vegas, it's the 2011 Billboard music awards.
Hosted by Ken jeong.
Announcer: Live from the mgm with performances by -- the Black Eyed Peas
Mary j. Blige taio Cruz Neil diamond far east movement cee lo green ke$ha
lady antebellum lil' Wayne Nicki minaj ne-yo onerepublic pitbull rihanna
snoop dogg Keith urban and special appearances by -- Beyonce Britney Spears
and u2.
Ladies and gentlemen, your host for tonight's Billboard music
awards, from "the hangover part 2," Ken jeong.
Yeah, Ken.
It's a music show.
Aren't you, like, a comedian or something?
What the hell?
Oh, no you didn't!
Take that!
Okay, let's do this.
Give it up for my boo Nicki give it up for the Ken jeong dancers!
Yeah.
Hey, hey.
That's all right.
She got drops of Jupiter.
Pat monahan, give it up.
How you doing, Vegas?
Make some noise!
Thank you so much for coming.
My name is Ken jeong, I'll be your host for tonight.
It is great to see you again here in Vegas.
This time with my clothes on.
So, I get it.
Welcome to the 2011 Billboard music awards.
The music show that's number one with a bullet.
All right?
What about, give it up, rihanna and Britney.
Oh, my lord.
Don't worry.
Pat and I will be back to work some poems later on in the show for symmetry.
Listen.
I couldn't be more honored to be standing in this town hosting
the biggest and best stars in music today.
I love you, too, baby.
That's not just according to me.
That's according to the people at Billboard who keep track of
the music you're buying, downloading, streaming, listening to on the radio,
seeing on tour and massacring when you sing in the shower.
You are in for an amazing night full of people who sing and
perform much better than me.
So, while I regain my breath,
please allow me to gleefully introduce our first presenter of
the night, he's America's favorite teacher, and a great
singer with his debut album just out, here to teach us how it's
done, give it up, Matthew morrison.
Wow.
Ken obviously listened to his music teacher.
To make it to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart is pretty cool.
To stay at the top, that's even cooler.
When you put them all together, the five finalists for album
artist of the year spent almost half of the past year at number
one on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Here's why.
Lady antebellum.
Taylor swift.
Emin eminem.
Susan boyle.
Justin bieber.
And the Billboard 200 album artest of the year is -- Taylor swift.
Announcer: Taylor swift's last two albums both debuted at
number one and "speak now"
became only the third by a woman to sell more than a million copies in a week.
Wow.
I want to thank -- I want to thank my record label for
working so hard and I want to thank my family, my mom, my dad,
my brother, for giving me the chance to make albums.
And -- you know, the impact of an album is all determined by
the fans, you're the ones who play the music in your cars and in your rooms.
And you've just given me another reason to be completely in love with you.
Thank you so much for this.
Announcer: Turn it up.
The Black Eyed Peas mash up their greatest hits next.
Then, Keith urban, cee lo, lady an tell bell lum and Beyonce.
Announcer: Welcome back to the mgm grand in Las Vegas.
Please welcome two kings of television.
Your host, Ken jeong, and the emmy-winning star of modern
family, Eric stonestreet.
Elvis.
Take a hike, tiny Elvis.
I'm leaving the building.
All right, thank you, Ken, thank you very much.
Our next award is digital artist of the year.
The five finalists have been viewed an amaiding 5.6 billion
times on YouTube and vivo.
And have sold 129 million tracks.
Here are the musicians we have all downloaded into our hearts this past year.
Announcer: Rihanna.
Eminem.
Justin bieber.
Akon.
Lady gaga.
And the digital artist of the year is -- get up here, bieber.
Announcer: His view owe is the most-watched clip all-time on YouTube.
And he spent more weeks at number one of billworld's social
50 charts than anyone else.
Thank you so much.
I want to thank all my fans, I wouldn't be here without my fans.
I want to thank my mom, I want to thank my whole family, I want
to thank scooter braun, Usher, I want to thank basically
everybody who's helped me get out of my hometown and really
just live my dream, so -- I want to thank everybody at the label,
you guys are amazing.
I love you.
I love you, I love you.
Announcer: Please welcome Kylie minogue.
This quartet makes it look simple.
But their hard-hitting beats and seductive lyrics are masterful.
Together they've given us a stunning series of crowd-pleasing party anthems.
So Vegas, the question is -- are you ready to party?
Good, because I give you the Black Eyed Peas!
Okay, you win already, black * she give the hotness a new meaning *
Billboard hot 100 song of this year?
You'll find out next.
Plus, performances by Keith urban, Mary j. Blige and lil
Wayne, lady antebellum, cee lo and Nicki minaj returns with
special guest Britney Spears when the 2011 Billboard music
awards continue, live on abc.
You ever wonder in the middle of an award show, the
host disappears, what does he do?
Wonder no more.
I got a lot to do in 20 minutes.
Vegas baby, yeah!
Okay, you're in luck.
Two tickets.
One for you and one for you.
Need some seat fillers.
Okay, go.
Can I get a what what?
Focus.
Got to get my drink on.
Woo.
Okay.
I'd like a ripple -- we have a lot of other good wine here.
Go get it, my man.
Running out of time.
Ticket for one.
Ken jeong!
Yeah.
Kiss me on my mouth.
I'm the host!
I'm out.
Wow.
I think I might have dropped something.
Let's go, boys.
Running out of time.
Thank you.
How is Vegas treating you?
♪ we'll stay forever this way ♪
the best 20 minutes of my life.
Wow.
So glad I wiped the wine off of my face.
You know what else I love about * I'm stuck in your head lock *
Vegas?
You run into so many old friends here.
Like, these guys, who may look far.
Hey, Vegas.
We really wish we could be there tonight with our good friend and
your host tonight, Ken jeong.
We all love Ken.
Who doesn't?
Especially when he's properly dressed, as we can only pray he is tonight.
In fact, the only thing that we loved more than Ken is music.
Mostly urban music.
So let's hear it for the most urban artist of all -- Keith urban.
Gentleman, Randy Jackson.
What's going down?
All right, so, listen.
Let me ask you a question, all right?
So, what do you get when you take some new artists that are,
like, new to the game and their topping the charts and you mix
them with some veterans that have been at the top of the charts for years?
Yo, you get some amazing music, right?
And here are the finalists for the top hot 100 Billboard song
of the year right here.
Check it out.
Announcer: "Tdynamite," taio Cruz.
Bruno Mars, "just the way you are."
Eminem featuring rihanna, "love the way you lie."
Katy Perry featuring snoop dogg, "California gurls."
Usher featuring will.I.Am, "omg."
And the hot 100 song of the year is -- taio Cruz, "dynamite."
Announcer: After his debut hit "break your heart" topped
the charts, taio Cruz's career continued to explode with
"dynamite" which stayed on the hot 100 charts for a whopping 46 weeks.
This is the first time I've ever received an award and come
up here to receive it.
So, I'm very, very nervous right now.
I would like to thank my manager who has been with me from
absolutely the beginning.
And my record company, Mercury igj.
My label in the uk, island records.
My publisher.
My friends and family, and, of course, all my fans.
Thank you very much.
Announcer: We'll be back with
performances from taio Cruz, ke$ha and a medley of hits from
cee lo.
Plus, pitbull performs "give me everything" with ne-yo.
That's coming up next on the Billboard music awards.
Announcer: Ladies and gentleman, give it up for one of rap's finest -- Nas!
Ken, you all right?
What's up, boy?
Kenny Ken is in the house.
Hey, Ken.
Can we do this?
All right, here we go.
While my man Ken goes old school right here, I'm here to
introduce two classic guys performing one of their -- yo, yo --
biggest hits on the charts.
I'm here to introduce my man nayer, pitbull and ne-yo.
Announcer: Returning to abc this fall in the new comedy
"last man standing," Tim Allen.
Hi there.
Hey.
Nice room.
Hey.
I don't like to brag, but I'm uniquely qualified to present
the award for country song of the year.
Because I am, in fact, from this country.
Thank you.
Please hold your applause.
Here are very impressive and very American lists of your finalists.
Sugarland, "stuck like glue."
Miranda lambert, "the house that built me."
Lady antebellum, "need you now."
The band Perry, "if I die young."
Taylor swift, "mine."
And the country song of the year is -- "need you now," lady antebellum.
Announcer: While the song became a pop crossover smash, it
got its start dominating country radio, leading Billboard's
country songs chart for five weeks.
With sales of 5 million, it's the all-time most downloaded country song.
Britney Spears right there.
I know!
First and fore most, we want to say thank you so much to Billboard.
Thank you so much to radio, country radio for playing our song.
All the radio.
And all you fans out there.
To all the fans, thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much.
We love you.
Thank you.
Announcer: Stay tuned for performances from taio Cruz,
Mary j. Blige and lil Wayne, legend Neil diamond and Nicki
minaj with Britney Spears.
But first, beyonc¨¦ takes over the 2011 Billboard awards, live on abc.
Beyonce, it seems like just yesterday when you were growing
up, that all I wanted to be was an entertainer.
I remember destiny's child, all the passion that you would live.
Today, you're an icon.
And I'm so proud of that.
But I'm even more proud of the person that you are today.
When Beyonce was a kid, there was always singing and dancing
and putting on shows, I mean, nobody wanted to come our house.
They would say, oh, no, I don't want to come in.
Because if they came in, they had to sit through a show and
they would charge them for the target.
Beyonce, in addition to being just a beautiful young woman,
she's been a role model and a powerful presence for young
girls and women all around the world.
You are so much more than just a pop star or an icon.
You represent the dream.
It's just so many charitable things that she does that she
doesn't look for the press on it.
She just does it from the heart.
She makes songs that will live forever, that actually,
there's a lot of people who will just live because she fulfilled her destiny.
Can I sing it?
All I know, the past 15 years she's been number one.
She's made history and she's not 30 yet.
Hard to put her in any particular category.
Being an artist, a singer, she's an actress.
She inspired me.
She's able to go many different places, but keep still that class.
And, I like that.
Seeing my sister for form at the inauguration ball, that was
definitely a moment where we all were so extremely proud to know and love her.
I can remember when she was a kid and she saw Whitney Houston
and she said, one day, I'm going to do that.
I said, okay, baby, that's re really nice.
One day, I was at the super bowl and she was performing the
national anthem and I just cried because it was unbelievable that
she's done so many of the things that she said that she would do.
I just call her auntie.
I love you.
Great performers have a style that is all their own.
And that's why so many people love Beyonce.
And so do I.
For this young girl, still very young, for her to already
be there, the story's not over.
So, we'll have to see what happens.
I'm very proud of her.
Very proud of the woman that she is, the role model she provides
to so many women.
And I truly congratulate her tonight on all her success.
Thanks so much.
I am woman.
And when I think, I must speak.
Men have been given the chance to rule the world.
But ladies, our revolution has begun.
Let's build a nation, women everywhere, run the world.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Tina kno kn Knowles.
I wasn't too long before she was singing back to me and to the whole world.
I love you, Beyonce!
Only 29 years old, for 15 of those years, you've been on the
stage, wowing crowds everywhere.
Raising the bar and setting new standards and still managing to
stay grounded and a beautiful person.
And so, it's my honor to present my daughter Beyonce with the
Billboard millennium award.
Thank you.
Thank you, mom.
Well, I first of all want to
thank Billboard awards for being so wonderful to me and my crew.
I'd like to start off by thanking my foundation, which is my family.
Mom, you have taught me everything I know by example and
you are a phenomenal woman and I love you so much.
I love you, too.
I'd like to thank my father for teaching me so much about the
music industry and teaching me about drive and teaching me about work ethic.
Thank you, dad.
I'd like to thank Kelly and Michelle from destiny's child.
I wouldn't be standing on this stage if it wasn't for y'all.
I'd also like to thank the original members of destiny's
child, la toya and latavia.
I would also like to thank my best friend, I don't want to put
you on the spot because I know they're probably putting the
camera in your face right now, but I love me some Jay-Z.
And I have to say thank you to all the legends that said all of
those beautiful things to me.
I grew up loving and admiring all of the people that were on
that tape and I cannot believe they said those things about me.
God bless you guys and thank you so much.
Thank you is a moment, I have to soak it in, because it's going
to be, and it is, one of the best memories of my life.
So, thank you.
Announcer: Coming up, lady antebellum's latest hit, "just a kiss."
A best-of medley from cee lo.
That's live on the 2011 Billboard music awards.
Announcer: Welcome back to the mgm grand in Las Vegas.
Please welcome singer and actress selena Gomez and from
"modern family," Rico Rodriguez.
Wow.
I am so honored to be here at the Billboard music awards,
surrounded by so many much older music legend who I grew up worshipping.
Like this lady.
Well, thank you, I think.
And the artists in this next category are country, hip hop, rock and pop.
Five groups that may not hang together, but they are all
finalists for top duo or group.
Announcer: Linkin park.
The Black Eyed Peas.
Bon Jovi.
Lady antebellum.
U2.
And the top duo/group is -- the Black Eyed Peas!
Announcer: In the last year, the Black Eyed Peas had four hot
100 singers, including the number one, "I'ma be."
I'd like to thank -- first of all, I'd like to thank all the
people that are responsible, that helped us get here, Jimmy,
for all the years that you stood by us when we weren't selling
records and believing in the crazy ideas that I had.
Thank you, my best friend, apple, fergie and taboo.
I thank technology, because without technology, we wouldn't
be here in the industry.
I thank chip makers, programmers, thank you intel, thank you everybody.
Well, I just recently had a baby, I want to thank my wife
for giving me such a great, great baby, my baby jalen, all
the people representing here in Vegas.
What's up Vegas?
Wow.
I want to thank our families, all of our families deeming with
us having to tour, going to all these other countries.
I love you, too, baby.
And just our personal team, those people who are with us
every day, just surrounding us and making sure that everything's okay for our
performances.
Thank you to our personal team, you guys are amazing, you make it happen.
And management, grass roots, I mean, all of our family.
Thank you.
And thank you to you.
That's right.
I want to thank all the pea bodies out there.
I want to thank our band.
I want to thank will.I. Am, fergie, taboo, all the artists
out here that inspired us to do what we're doing now.
Thank you very much.
Announcer: Please welcome Kelly rowland and trey songz.
The groundbreaking musician about to play a medley of his
hits is tonight's winner of Billboard's viral innovator award.
Using YouTube and other digital platforms, he launched a little
song I'll call "forget you,"
that grew into a viral sensation.
If you don't see how original this man and his music are, then
you really must be "crazy."
Here to take us all on musical trip as only he can -- the
winner of the viral innovator award -- cee lo green!
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is cee lo green.
Aw, yeah.
You feel this?
Thank you so much.
Thank you all.
Thank you so much.
This is great.
Come on, what about cee lo?
Give it up!
Cee lo.
I'm not even going to joke about my vertigo.
That was amazing.
Keith urban earlier tonight.
Speaking of amazing.
Singing and playing guitar and being cute.
Yeah.
That's cue.
Thanks, Ken.
All right.
Tell Mel more.
But now apparently the dude thinks he's a better banjo player than me.
I'm an Asian boy from north Carolina.
What does some long-haired guy from Australia know about banjo?
Time for a little dueling banjos.
You go first, Keith.
Good luck, my man.
You'll need it.
Here we go.
You ready?
Wow.
You can do it.
Oh, yeah.
That's it!
Smashing beats talent!
This guy, right now.
All right.
You stand here and look pretty, all right, I got this.
You got Nicole but I got a pre-produced segment.
First, I needed them now, but now I need them even more.
And even more now.
Thankfully, they have a brand new album coming, and they're
here to kick it off for us with "just a kiss."
Here's a great group with one lady, two gentlemen that could
only be called lady antebellum!
Announcer: Coming up, ke$ha, Mary j. Blige and lil' Wayne.
And, the legendary Neil diamond.
Taio Cruz sings "nine mite," and who will win top new artist?
Find out next, live on the 2011 Billboard music awards.
Announcer: About to release his debut solo single, Joe Jonas.
We all love radio.
Tonight's finalists for radio artist of the year ranked the
highest on Billboard's radio songs chart across all genres.
They gave us the songs that were played the most, because we
loved them the most.
These are the five finalists for radio artist of the year.
Drake.
Bruno Mars.
Katy Perry.
Rihanna.
And Usher.
And the radio artist of the year is -- rihanna.
Announcer: Rihanna's last five singles have topped
Billboard's radio songs chart, the longest streak in the list's history.
Thank you.
I always do this.
Thank you.
Now I can't remember anything I wanted to say.
So I'm just going to look for the faces.
Jay-Z, thank you for believing in me from the beginning.
La Reed, thank you for helping me make an amazing album.
To all the fans, all the listeners, all the people
calling in on the radio stations requesting the song, thank you
so much to the fans for that, all that love.
All my best friends.
Evan and Carl, I love you guys.
And Barbados.
We got another one!
Announcer: Please welcome olympic gold medalist and former
"dancing with the stars"
champion, Apollo Anton ohno.
Our next performer is multitalented, his beats are sharp and he sold 9 million
singles in the U.S. so far.
Right now, he's going to perform two of his number one hits,
including a song that already won tonight for hot 100 song of the year.
Give it up for taio Cruz.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, the west coast king,
with a new album out, snoop dogg, and his associates, the
incredible far*east movement.
Yeah yeah.
Their faces may be new, but their successes is always and
has been very loud and very clear.
The five finalists for the top new artist of the year have
already charted 18 number one hit singles and albums.
And one of them isn't even 18 yet.
So, do yourself a favor and check out these new artists.
Announcer: Taio Cruz.
Bruno Mars.
Ke$ha.
Justin bieber.
Nicki minaj.
And the top new artist is -- Justin bieber.
Announcer: All four of hissing a bums debuted in the
top ten of the 200 Billboard charts, with one of them hitting number one.
Last year, he became the youngest man to have a number one album since 1963.
I don't -- I'm 17 and -- I want to thank -- I want to thank
God, because, you know, he blessed me so much.
Every day is, like, is crazy to me, because I see so many people
and I get to make so many people smile and make people happy, and
this is like -- it's crazy that I'm surrounded by so many
amazing people and just -- I don't know -- I want to thank my
fans again for being so amazing.
And my mom, my mom, you've been amazing, you've been traveling
we me, putting up with all my crap.
And I love you.
And you're amazing.
And I want to thank my whole team, because my team together,
they help me just stay young and stay, you know, normal, kind of.
And sorry that I keep going but I want to thank Kenny for holding me down.
I want to thank -- ry good for keeping me swagged out.
And I want to thank just, everybody, you guys are amazing.
I love you.
Announcer: Billboard music awards were presented to Enrique
iglesias for top Latin album.
And Shakira for top Latin artist.
For a complete list of winners, go to Billboard. Com or abc.Com/Billboard.
Next, onerepublican and far*east movement, joined by snoop dogg.
Then you don't want to miss Nicki minaj with Britney Spears,
and a special award for u2 -- all live on the 2011 Billboard music awards.
Announcer: The Billboard awards are rocking Las Vegas.
But Vegas has been rocking and romming for decades.
From Elvis to today's biggest stars.
This has always been a town with its own unique beat.
We always like coming to Vegas.
Vegas is a best town to get the party started.
Vegas is definitely sexy.
Don't stop the party.
Can go from a zero to insane that fast.
Words comes to mind -- excitement.
Yes, we have a gig in Vegas.
Vegas has something for everybody.
It's a great place.
Rock and roll.
We've been around the world and it's like, we took each
person from every place you went to and brought them all in Vegas.
Do a world tour and never have to leave Nevada.
Kind of the new epicenter.
Really do shows, spectacles.
Not just the set list.
The show is grand.
Lay vs Vegas can definitely crazy.
This is a great place to have the Billboard music awards.
What's up?
This is a guy I just met backstage.
He claims he's a drummer or something.
He says he has a new solo album coming out.
His names is Travis barker.
So, as your host, I traded him to a drum-off, right here at the
Billboard music awards.
Dude, you can go first.
You win.
All right, let's introduce our next band.
Here's a movement that I can really get behind, far middle east movement --
and onerepublic.
Las Vegas, how you doing tonight?
Good?
If you're here right now, you are most definitely having a good life.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, far*east movement.
We're the far*east movement, Las Vegas.
Featuring Ryan here.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, snoop dogg.
Announcer: Coming up, ke$ha and Neil diamond performs some
of his all-time greatest hits.
Mary j. Blige with lil' Wayne, and who will win country artist of the year?
Find out when we return on the 2011 Billboard music awards.
Announcer: Welcome back to the mgm grand in Las Vegas.
Everybody in the back, make some noise!
Ladies and gentlemen, a singer I love, keri hilson.
Our next performers show us what happens when the queen of r
and b joins forces with one of rap's most exciting voices.
Give it up for Mary j. Blige and lil' weezy.
Announcer: The winner of Billboard's top rock artist of
the year, from train, pat monahan.
These are the finalists for the country artist of the year.
Announcer: Taylor swift.
Jason aldean.
Lady antebellum.
Zac brown band.
Kenny Chesney.
And the country artist of the year is -- Taylor swift.
Announcer: Taylor swift is the first artist in the 67-year
history of Billboard's country songs chart to post five top
tens from each of her first two albums.
I just remember I used to watch the Billboard awards and
see my heros like faith hill and Shania twain win theses, and
now -- I'm just having the best time doing this, and I want to
thank country radio and the fans for letting me do what I love
more than anything in the world.
Thank you.
Announcer: Coming up next, ke$ha performs two of her big hits.
A special tribute to rock legend u2, and Billboard icon Neil
diamond, live from the mgm grand in Las Vegas on the 2011
Billboard music awards.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, a true rock and roll survivor, Brett Michaels.
It is always, always good to be in Las Vegas.
Every single of our next performer's release has been in billboa
Billboard's top ten.
Chef just wrapped up the sold out leg of her first four.
Here to show you how she rocks our world, I give you ke$ha.
Come on!
Get used to it America.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, will.I.Am.
Getting to the top takes a lot.
But staying there takes much more.
Year after year, decade after decade, see, a lot of stars
today are born in the studio.
But a lot of them can't even perform live.
These four make rock and roll come alive every day on every
stage when they tour.
In every country.
Even those places where streets have no name.
That's why a legendary band can claim not only Billboard's top
touring artist of the year, but the biggest tour in music history.
Check this out.
Bono has been looking for a way of playing 360 outdoors for years.
I remember Bono getting forks at dining room tables, like
collecting them together.
Not understanding the engineering.
It's very difficult to play 360 degrees outdoors because
there's nothing to hang the stuff off.
Our designer Willie Williams, who came up with a kind of great moment.
What we should do is make it so big is that it just becomes
part of the building.
♪ Let me in the sound ♪
I've not had leberty to put a wattage on it, but it's a lot.
The sound was the best sound you would probably ever get in a stadium.
And the visual was incredible.
We wanted an extraordinary screen.
What you do is one of these.
You put l.E.D.S all over it.
So, bingo.
A lot of bands would not sell seats behind the stage.
But u2 always did.
And there was of course and economic benefit to that.
So, we decided to have a minimum of 10,000 tickets at 0 $30, every show.
You put your hand on the steel, you can touch the back of the stadium.
The show, the audience is such a big part of what we do.
The worst thing would be not to take any chances.
I think probably the rest of us would be happy to stand on an old beer crate.
You got to try and give them a very unique something they've
never seen before, or maybe more importantly something they
haven't felt before.
If you don't feel the songs and the band, what is the point?
The seat at the back, because I've sat in every Seattle, pretty much, and --
every single one?
Really?
Yeah, I've been busy sitting
down while you've been up there playing.
Ladies and gentlemen, the most important group in music,
my friends and my inspiration, u2.
Some of the greatest music is made so quietly and you could
make classic albums in your bedroom and you can play the great e
greatest show of your life on a one-string guitar, but -- we
just don't do that.
That's not what we do.
Like to thank our crew.
Embarrassed to say we don't know all of them, but our crew leaves
their families to tear down and put up our spaceship, our claw.
And we want to thank them for that.
It's been our home for two years.
I think it looks like a children's toy.
I just want to say my favorite part of the show every night is
when they turn all -- and we get to feel just like we're alone,
surrounded, completely, by our audience.
And it's just the most magic moment.
They're really spectacular.
Thank you.
Announcer: Katy Perry, Taylor swift, ke$ha, rihanna, lady gaga --
who is female artist of the year?
Find out when we return.
Still to come, a performance everyone will be talking about --
Nicki minaj and Britney Spears, live from the mgm grand in Las
Vegas, on the 2011 Billboard music awards.
There were nearly 2 million votes at Billboard.Com to pick
the winner of this year's fan favorite award, and as it turns
out, your favorite by a landslide is a guy who is about
to walk back on the stage.
The winner of Billboard's fan favorite, Justin bieber!
Here's an amazing group of talented women, the finalists
for female artist of the year.
Announcer: Katy Perry.
Taylor swift.
Ke$ha.
Rihanna.
Lady gaga.
And the female artist of the year is -- rihanna.
Announcer: When "s and m"
became number one last month, rihanna entered the record books
as the youngest solo artist ever to reach the double-digit milestone.
I just have to say that Justin bieber, like, gives me my award.
I'm so cool.
I want to thank everyone I thanked before, and a couple more that I forgot.
I want to thank my family in Barbados, I love you, mom, dad, I love you.
My brothers, I miss you and I love you.
I want to thank Barry and Steve, Barry, welcome to the def jam family th
family.
This has been going great so far.
Thank you so much to my fans, again.
Rihanna Navy, this is yours.
Announcer: Please welcome, all the way from Ireland -- the script.
Tonight a lot of dreams are coming true.
Here's a really cool one.
18 undiscovered acts were chosen from across the U.S. to compete
in Billboard and Chevrolet's battle of the bands.
Billboard.Com voters selected their six favorites who drove in
Chevy cruzes to Las Vegas to battle it out on freemont street
for a panel of judges headlined by mark mcgrath.
Let's have a look at their journey.
That's it, bro.
All right, going to Vegas!
2,700 miles, across much.
Just a moment while we update your Facebook status.
Woo!
Oh, my God!
We're going the round-about way to Vegas.
Well, I'm stoked.
Phoenix!
Wow.
Made it in one tank.
Tonight, one of these bands lives and careers is going to be changed.
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ Words won't work ♪
Give it up for gentlemen hall, the winners of the dreamseekers award.
And now please welcome to our stage, winner of the battle of
the bands, and Billboard's dreamseeker artist of the year,
from Boston, Massachusetts -- gentlemen hall!
Announcer: Up next, hip-hop phenomenon Nicki minaj shares
the stage with pop icon Britney Spears.
At the 2011 Billboard music awards, live on abc.
Announcer: Welcome back to the mgm grand in Las Vegas.
Please welcome a two-time winner tonight, Taylor swift.
I absolutely love this next performer.
She's a powerhouse who exploded onto the music scene this past year.
She's the first female rapper to ever have seven songs in the
Billboard hot 100.
Ladies and gentlemen, Nicki minaj.
Announcer: Billboard music awards measure all key fan interactions with music.
Measurements are tracked by Billboard and their data partners --
Nielsen soundscan, Nielsen bds, tubemogul and next big sound.
Eligibility period is February 28, 2010, through march 1, 2011.
Recognition is determined and authenticated by Billboard.
Still to come, Neil diamond's sing-along with "sweet Caroline"
and "America," live from the mgm
announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, Matthew morrison.
Neil diamond is an icon.
Everybody knows his songs.
Like my favorite -- "sweet Caroline," "solitary man"
and "America."
There's lots more where that came from.
Please, take a look at an icon.
Neil diamond is a true American icon.
Beloved around the world.
In music, he stands alone, a solitary man and a true superstar.
He earned a reputation as a hit maker and one of the charismatic
live performers of all time.
But at the heart of it all, Neil diamond remains the
introspective artist who has written countless enduring songs
that have a powerful way of touching me, touching you.
Hit after hit, decade after decade, he's followed his muse.
Neil diamond is, and always will be, a musical icon.
Ladies and gentlemen, the recipient of Billboard's icon
award, the one and only Neil diamond.
Thank you so much.
What a thrill.
Thank you.
I'm going to get spoiled.
Don't do that.
I would have settled for a top ten record.
You didn't have to do this with the whole award thing.
I love it.
I don't know what it means exactly to be an icon, but I
always wanted to be one.
And I guess now I am.
This has been a heck of a year.
First, the rock and roll hall of fame lets me in, go figure.
And now I'm an icon and I'm going to Google it right after
the show and find out exactly how an icon is supposed to handle himself.
But this is absolutely wonderful.
Thank you Billboard.
Thank you, mom.
Thank you Jesse and Marjorie and Ellen and mica.
Thank you Columbia records.
Thank you my amazing band.
Thank you Katie and Irving.
What can I say?
It's too much.
I -- I'm going to shut up and sing.
Thank you.
From the mgm grand in Las Vegas, good night, everybody!
Love you!
Vegas!
Neil diamond.
My daughters.
Thank you guys so much.
Announcer: Tomorrow night at 8:00/7:00 central, the live
two-night "dancing with the stars" finale begins.
The Black Eyed Peas perform live and this season's champion will be crowned.
It's two nights of nonstop music and dancing excitement -- starting tomorrow.