ABC and Dick Clark Productions have announced the 2014 Billboard Music Awards are set to return to ABC and will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 18.
Last year’s three-hour ABC broadcast had the highest ratings for the BBMAs in twelve years. The May 19 show saw an across-the-board victory, winning its 8:00-11:00 p.m. time period with total viewers, all key adults (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54) and teens 12-17.
It was also the night’s top social program with over 4.3 million tweets — up 182% year to year.
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Among the many highlights at last year’s Billboard Music Awards was Prince, who won the Icon Award for a career that includes 10 platinum albums and 30 Top 40 singles. He performed a medley of his classic “Let’s Go Crazy,” Edgar Winter’s instrumental “Frankenstein” and “Fix Ur Life Up.”
Madonna picked up the trophy for Top Touring Artist. In her acceptance speech she said, “a showgirl needs her fans,” and thanked the more than 2.2 million fans who made it out to her 88 shows. “Thank you for supporting me for three decades.”
The evening’s big winner was Taylor Swift who took home eight trophies on the strength of her best-selling “Red.” Elsewhere, Gotye won four awards as his “Somebody That I Used To Know” swept four major song categories and Rihanna won four trophies in the R&B artist, album and song categories plus Radio Songs Artist.
The night featured 16 performances, which included the TV premieres of Swift’s “22,” a new single from Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull, “Live It Up,” and Bruno Mars and his band, decked out in matching crimson suits and black shirts, opening the show with his then-new single “Treasure.” Also, will.i.am and Justin Bieber performed “#Thatpower,” Nicki Minaj gave Lil Wayne a lap dance during “High School” and Miguel employed black and white and 3D imagery for his performance of “Adorn.”