Bruno Mars Wins 7 VMAs, Including Artist Of The Year; Pink, Kelly, Demi, Selena, Christina, BTS Give Epic Performances

Bruno Mars

The field's most nominated, BRUNO MARS, was named Artist Of The Year, among his six other honors, at the 45th annual AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS  tonight at L.A.'s MICROSOFT THEATER, where the highlights included PINK scaling the side of a building and DIANA ROSS belting out a medley of her hits. MARS was also cited for Video Of The Year, Favorite Male Artist -- Pop/Rock, Favorite Album -- Pop/Rock, Favorite Male Artist -- Soul/R&B, Favorite Album -- Soul/R&B and Favorite Song -- Soul/R&B, 

The show got off to a fast start with a stunning duet between PINK and KELLY CLARKSON on R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts," to a backdrop montage of the year's natural disasters and human tragedies, including HURRICANEs HARVEY and IRMA.  After the emotional performance, the pop divas embraced on-stage as the crowd roared.  Give ABC music exec SCOTT IGOE kudos on an inspired pairing to open the big show, the official start of the awards season.

Tweeted critic MAURA JOHNSTON, "Cancel the rest of the show and put on a PINK and KELLY CLARKSON concert."

ONE DIRECTION's NIALL HORAN took home T-MOBILE's New Artist Of The Year honors, while LUIS FONSI and DADDY YANKEE f/JUSTIN BIEBER's song of summer, "Despacito," earned the trio Collaboration Of The Year.

DEMI LOVATO followed PINK and KELLY with a fevered rendition of her "Sorry Not Sorry" as the camera panned to members of K-Pop group BTS enjoying the performance.  Her devoted LOVATICS were predictably ecstatic as well.

IMAGINE DRAGONS won the evening's first major award -- Favorite Duo or Group Pop/Rock.-- from actor CHADWICK BOSEMAN.

HAILEE STEINFELD, ALESSO and WATT then came on-stage to perform their hit, "Let Me Go" against a tic-tac-toe stage and a group of white-clad dancers in ski caps.

DJ KHALED, f/JUSTIN BIEBER, QUAVO, CHANCE THE RAPPER and LIL WAYNE picked up the AMA for Favorite Song Rap/Hip-Hop for "I'm the One," presented by CIARA.

Then it was time for SHAWN MENDES -- who was later named winner as Favorite Male Artist -- Adult Contemporary -- lending that angelic voice and acoustic guitar to his latest hit, "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back," before NICK JONAS transported us to the desert with his COACHELLA-inspired "Find You," a sensuous performance surrounded by a troupe of fawning female types.

JULIA MICHAELS took the stage to introduce a bloodied, but unbowed SELENA GOMEZ and DJ MARSHMELLO for the performance of her new song, "Wolves," set against a "Little Red Riding Hood" fairty tale backdrop.

KEITH URBAN was the night's biggest early winner with three honors, one apiece for Favorite Male Artist -- Country, Favorite Album and Favorite Song for "Ripcord" and "Blue Ain't Your Color," respectively, while THE CHAINSMOKERS took home an AMA for Favorite Artist -- Electronic Dance Music.

VIOLA DAVIS introduced a stunningly svelte CHRISTINA AGUILERA with her much-anticipated tribute to the "Bodyguard" soundtrack on its 25th anniversary, which proved those pipes are world-class, providing a fitting homage to the late WHITNEY HOUSTON.

The evening's winner for Favorite Female Artist -- Pop/Rock LADY GAGA was then piped in via satellite from a live performance on the "Joanne" tour from DC's CAPITAL ONE ARENA, alone at the piano for her latest single, "The Cure,' then rising for a few impromptu dance steps on the rising stage.  She later dedicated the award to her "Little Monsters" with a live acceptance speech.

G-EAZY and DJ KHALED then introduced MACKLEMORE and SKYLAR GREY -- so great with EMINEM on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE this weekend -- for a gospel-flavored rave-up of "Glorious."

PORTUGAL. THE MAN held the alternative rock banner for the night with their winsome performance of their left-field, feel-good Top 40 smash, "Feel It Still"

The "Stranger Things" kids are growing up right before our eyes, and were brought up to introduce ZEDD featuring ALESSIA CARA's performance of their smash, "Stay."

Unlikely collaborators IMAGINE DRAGONS and KHALID then joined forces for a mash-up of the former's "Thunder" and the latter's ":Young Dumb & Broke" that featured the band's lead singer DAN REYNOLDS and the young R&B sensation trying to outdo one another.

PINK returned to the stage -- but not really -- for another of her gravity-defying trapeze stunts against the L.A. skyline, literally climbing the sides SPIDER-MAN style of high rises to "Beautiful Trauma," wowing the millions watching on TV.

The "Shark Tank" crew -- yep, MR. WONDERFUL and MARK CUBAN -- presented LINKIN PARK with their Favorite Artist -- Alternative Rock honors, a bittersweet honor indeed in their tragic year, losing lead singer CHESTER BENNINGTON, while New Artist Of the Year winner NIALL HORAN gave his hit, "Slow Hands" a roots-rock feel with a cowboy hat.  KELLY CLARKSON proceeded to go old-school with a throwback medley including "Miss Independent" and the brand-new "Love So Soft."

Eagerly anticipated K-Pop boy band BTS was next with a spirited performance that showed plenty of potential for international recognition, their fan Army cutting loose in unbridled delight as they demonsgtrated some impressive dance moves.

BRUNO MARS led all nominees with eight.. "Black-Ish" star TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, whose mom DIANA ROSS was honored with a lifetime achievement award (and a congratulatory video from BARACK and MICHELLE) and sang a flamboyant medley of her greatest hits, hosted.

"This is all about love," said Ross, surrounded by family and luminaries BERRY GORDY and SMOKEY ROBINSON. "And I feel humbled by it."

That brought the festivities to an emotional ending.

Other winners included:

Tour Of The Year: U2
Video Of The Year: BRUNO MARS, "That's What I Like"
Favorite Male Artist -- Pop/Rock: BRUNO MARS
Favorite Album -- Pop/Rock: BRUNO MARS' "24K Magic"
Favorite Song -- Pop/Rock: LUIS FONSI & DADDY YANKEE w/JUSTIN BIEBER, "Despacito"
Favorite Female Artist -- Country: CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Favorite Duo or Group -- Country: ;LITTLE BIG TOWN
Favorite Artist -- Rap/Hip-Hop: DRAKE
Favorite Album -- Rap/Hip-Hop: KENDRICK LAMAR "Damn"
Favorite Male Artist -- Soul/R&B: BRUNO MARS
Favorite Female Artist -- Soul/R&B: BEYONCE
Favorite Album -- Soul/R&B: BRUNO MARS< "24K Magic"
Favorite Song -- Soul/R&B: BRUNO MARS, "That's What I Like"
Favorite Artist -- Latin: SHAKIRA
Favorite Artist -- Contemporary Inspirational: LAUREN DAIGLE
Favorite Soundtrack: "Moana"

« see more Net News