Contributor

The holy praise was bluesy and the sweet jazz sanctified as Detroit rejoiced in the sounds of the woman who rocked this troubled nation for more than a half-century.

In a roller-coaster year for music -- and the world -- the Billboard Music Awards, airing live May 20 on NBC, are meeting the mood with an outspoken new host, Kelly Clarkson, as well as expectation-upending nominees from Post Malone to Zedd and Maren Morris. Here, the Icon Award honoree, Janet Jackson, takes a deep dive into her trailblazing history as she prepares for major performances and a new album.

Following the death of Chuck Berry, Billboard spoke with blues legend Buddy Guy about the late rock architect's incalculable impact on music.