After last year’s American Music Awards, which included much talked-about performances from Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga, we were gearing up for anything. But 2010’s AMAs, which aired last night (Nov. 22) on ABC, brought performances from almost every major pop artist — 19 to be exact — and little controversy.
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AMAs 2010: 10 Things You Didn’t See On TV
Photos: 2010 American Music Awards
Taylor broke out in OneRepublic, Katy brought out a children’s choir, and Rihanna smacked Nicki Minaj’s butt on stage, and those didn’t even make our cut. We bring you the five must-see moments.
New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys Join Forces
We weren’t sure how this whole “NKOTBSB” performance was going to go down, but it turns out it’s one massive mash-up of the two boy bands’ hits, and instead of five guys fighting for the spotlight, it’s nine. Still, we loved every cheesy second of it, especially when the two strongest singers, Jordan Knight and Brian Littrell, dueted momentarily.
Justin Bieber Wins Artist of the Year, Shares Award With Usher
It was the year of the Bieber at last night’s AMAs, with the teen idol winning four awards, including beating out his mentor Usher and Eminem in the Favorite Pop/Rock Male category. Accompanied by a gospel choir, Bieber also showed off his piano skills in a fantastic performance of “Pray.” But the Biebs’ biggest moment was most definitely his win on the year’s big award — Favorite Artist. He invited Usher on stage to share the honor, calling the “OMG” singer his “big brother.” Awww.
Pink Performs “Raise Your Glass”
Pink made no apologies for singing along to a vocal track, but hey, at least we could tell she wasn’t lip-syncing. Her thrilling AMA performance was filled with fanfare in the form of cheerleaders, acrobats, extreme atheletes, balloons, confetti and plenty of rump-shaking, even from a pregnant Pink.
Christina Aguilera Goes “Burlesque”
Christina Aguilera brought the AMAs back to her “Lady Marmalade” days with her “Burlesque” performance of “Express.” The singer performed the theme song for her upcoming film debut in a shimmering corset and top hat, backed by scantily-clad dancers to give the feel of a genuine burlesque club. X-tina shows today’s pop tartlets how a voice should sound live, showcasing her powerhouse vocals while swiveling on chairs and performing full choreography.
Black Eyed Peas Perform “The Time (Dirty Bit)”
The Black Eyed Peas lit up the AMA stage with their performance of “The Time (Dirty Bit),” arriving in “Hollywood Square”-esque boxes shaded with a rainbow arrangement of lights. “The Time (Dirty Bit),” the first single from the BEP’s upcoming album “The Beginning,” got everyone dancing with a techno remix. Will.i.am warns the crowd to “prepare for the future” before he leaves the stage, and if the upcoming BEP appearances are going to be this amped up, we can’t wait.