2011 Billboard Music Awards

The 2011 Billboard Music Awards were held May 22, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and hosted by Ken Jeong. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from 2010.

2011 Billboard Music Awards
Date	May 22, 2011 (2011-05-22)
Location	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Hosted by	Ken Jeong
Most awards	Eminem and Justin Bieber (6 each)
Most nominations	Rihanna (18)
Television/radio coverage
Network	ABC
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Performances

Artist(s)	Song(s)
Rihanna Britney Spears	"S&M"
The Black Eyed Peas	"Just Can't Get Enough" "The Time (Dirty Bit)" "Boom Boom Pow" "I Gotta Feeling"
Keith Urban	"Long Hot Summer"
Pitbull Nayer Ne-Yo	"Give Me Everything"
Beyoncé	"Run the World (Girls)"
CeeLo Green Mikky Ekko	"Crazy" "Bright Lights Bigger City" "Forget You"
Lady Antebellum	"Just a Kiss"
Taio Cruz	"Break Your Heart" "Dynamite"
OneRepublic Far East Movement Snoop Dogg	"Good Life" "Rocketeer" "Like a G6" "If I Was You (OMG)"
Mary J. Blige Lil Wayne	"Someone to Love Me (Naked)"
Kesha	"Animal" "Blow"
Nicki Minaj Britney Spears	"Super Bass" "Till the World Ends"
Neil Diamond	"Sweet Caroline" "America"

Presenters

• Matthew Morrison — presented Billboard 200 Album Artist of the Year

• Eric Stonestreet — presented Digital Artist of the Year

• Kylie Minogue — introduced the Black Eyes Peas

• the cast of The Hangover — introduced Keith Urban

• Randy Jackson — presented Hot 100 Song of the Year

• Nas — introduced Pitbull, Nayer and Ne-Yo

• Tim Allen — presented Country Song of the Year

• Tina Knowles — presented the Millennium Award to Beyoncé

• Selena Gomez & Rico Rodriquez — presented Top Duo/Group

• Kelly Rowland & Trey Songz — introduced and presented the Innovator Award to CeeLo Green

• Joe Jonas — presented Radio Artist of the Year

• Apollo Ohno — introduced Taio Cruz

• Snoop Dogg & The Far East Movement — presented Top New Artist of the Year

• Keri Hilson — introduced Mary J Blige and Lil Wayne

• Pat Monahan — presented Country Artist of the Year

• Bret Michael’s — introduced Kesha

• Will.i.am — presented Top Touring Artist to U2

• Justin Beiber — presented Female Artist of the Year

• The Script — introduced Chevrolet Battle of the Bands winner Gentleman Hall

• Taylor Swift — introduced Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears

• Matthew Morrison — presented Neil Diamond with the Icon Award

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed in bold.^[1]

Top Artist	Top New Artist
Eminem Justin Bieber Lady Gaga Rihanna Taylor Swift	Justin Bieber Taio Cruz Ke$ha Bruno Mars Nicki Minaj
Top Male Artist	Top Female Artist
Eminem Justin Bieber Drake Bruno Mars Usher	Rihanna Ke$ha Lady Gaga Katy Perry Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group	Top Billboard 200 Artist
The Black Eyed Peas Bon Jovi Lady Antebellum Linkin Park U2	Taylor Swift Justin Bieber Susan Boyle Eminem Lady Antebellum
Top Billboard 200 Album	Top Hot 100 Artist
Recovery – Eminem My World 2.0 – Justin Bieber The Gift – Susan Boyle Need You Now – Lady Antebellum Speak Now – Taylor Swift	Katy Perry Ke$ha Bruno Mars Rihanna Usher
Top Hot 100 Song	Top Touring Artist
"Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "California Gurls" – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg "OMG" – Usher featuring will.i.am	U2 Bon Jovi Michael Bublé Lady Gaga Roger Waters
Top Digital Songs Artist	Top Digital Song
Katy Perry Eminem Ke$ha Bruno Mars Rihanna	"Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Airplanes" – B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "California Gurls" – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
Top Radio Songs Artist	Top Radio Song
Rihanna Drake Bruno Mars Katy Perry Usher	"Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" – Usher featuring Pitbull "OMG" – Usher featuring will.i.am
Top Streaming Artist	Top Streaming Song (Audio)
Justin Bieber Eminem Lady Gaga Rihanna Shakira	"Just a Dream" – Nelly "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars
Top Streaming Song (Video)	Top Digital Media Artist
"Baby" – Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris "Not Afraid" – Eminem "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" – Shakira featuring Freshlyground	Justin Bieber Akon Eminem Lady Gaga Rihanna
Top Pop Artist	Top Pop Album
Lady Gaga Justin Bieber The Black Eyed Peas Ke$ha Katy Perry	My World 2.0 – Justin Bieber The E.N.D. – The Black Eyed Peas Animal – Ke$ha The Fame – Lady Gaga Teenage Dream – Katy Perry
Top Pop Song	Top R&B Artist
"Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "California Gurls" – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg "Firework" – Katy Perry "Teenage Dream" – Katy Perry	Usher Alicia Keys Monica Rihanna Trey Songz
Top R&B Album	Top R&B Song
Raymond v. Raymond – Usher Still Standing – Monica Loud – Rihanna Soldier of Love – Sade Passion, Pain & Pleasure – Trey Songz	"OMG" – Usher featuring will.i.am "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)" – Alicia Keys "What's My Name" – Rihanna featuring Drake "Bottoms Up" – Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj "There Goes My Baby" – Usher
Top Rap Artist	Top Rap Album
Eminem Drake Lil Wayne Ludacris Nicki Minaj	Recovery – Eminem Thank Me Later – Drake Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj I Am Not a Human Being – Lil Wayne My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West
Top Rap Song	Top Country Artist
"Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Airplanes" – B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams "Nothin' on You" – B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars "Just a Dream" – Nelly "Like a G6" - Far*East Movement featuring Dev & The Cataracs	Taylor Swift Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Lady Antebellum Zac Brown Band
Top Country Album	Top Country Song
Speak Now – Taylor Swift My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean Need You Now – Lady Antebellum The Incredible Machine – Sugarland The Foundation – Zac Brown Band	"Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum "If I Die Young" – The Band Perry "The House That Built Me" – Miranda Lambert "Stuck Like Glue" – Sugarland "Mine" – Taylor Swift
Top Rock Artist	Top Rock Album
Train Kings of Leon Linkin Park Mumford & Sons Muse	Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons Brothers – The Black Keys To the Sea – Jack Johnson Born Free – Kid Rock A Thousand Suns – Linkin Park
Top Rock Song	Top Latin Artist
"Hey, Soul Sister" – Train "Someone like You" – The Dirty Heads featuring Rome "Dog Days Are Over" – Florence + The Machine "Little Lion Man" – Mumford & Sons "Animal" – Neon Trees	Shakira Enrique Iglesias Pitbull Prince Royce Wisin & Yandel
Top Latin Album	Top Latin Song
Euphoria – Enrique Iglesias Iconos – Marc Anthony Dejarte de Amar – Camila Prince Royce – Prince Royce Sale el Sol – Shakira	"Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" – Shakira featuring Freshlyground "Cuando Me Enamoro" – Enrique Iglesias featuring Juan Luis Guerra "Bon Bon" – Pitbull "Gypsy" – Shakira "Loca" – Shakira featuring El Cata
Top Dance Artist	Top Dance Album
Lady Gaga The Black Eyed Peas David Guetta Rihanna La Roux	The Fame – Lady Gaga Tron: Legacy (Soundtrack) – Daft Punk The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga The Remix – Lady Gaga Ocean Eyes – Owl City
Top Dance Song	Top Alternative Artist
"Stereo Love" – Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga "Telephone " – Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé "Bulletproof" – La Roux "We No Speak Americano" – Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup	Mumford & Sons The Black Keys Kings of Leon Linkin Park Muse
Top Alternative Album	Top Alternative Song
Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons Brothers – The Black Keys To the Sea – Jack Johnson Come Around Sundown – Kings of Leon A Thousand Suns – Linkin Park	"Animal" – Neon Trees "Dog Days Are Over" – Florence + The Machine "Waiting for the End" – Linkin Park "The Cave" – Mumford & Sons "Little Lion Man" – Mumford & Sons
Top Christian Artist	Top Christian Album
Chris Tomlin Casting Crowns MercyMe Skillet tobyMac	Awake – Skillet The Generous Mr. Lovewell – MercyMe Tonight – tobyMac And If Our God Is for Us – Laura Story WOW Hits 2011 – Various Artists
Top Christian Song	Top Social Artist (fan-voted)
"Our God" – Chris Tomlin "Live Like We're Dying" – Kris Allen "All of Creation" – MercyMe "Lead Me" – Sanctus Real "Get Back Up" – tobyMac	Justin Bieber Akon Eminem Lady Gaga Rihanna
Icon Award	Millennium Award
Neil Diamond	Beyoncé
Billboard.com Fan Favorite	Viral Innovator of the Year
Justin Bieber	Cee Lo Green

Artists with multiple wins and nominations

Artists that received multiple nominations

Nominations	Artist
18	Rihanna
17	Eminem
15	Lady Gaga
11	Justin Bieber
	Bruno Mars
	Katy Perry
10	Usher
7	Taio Cruz
	Lady Antebellum
	Mumford & Sons
	Shakira
	Taylor Swift
6	Ke$ha
	Linkin Park
5	Drake
4	The Black Eyed Peas
	Nicki Minaj
3	B.o.B.
	The Black Keys
	Enrique Iglesias
	Kings of Leon
	Mercy Me
	Pitbull
	Snoop Dogg
	tobyMac
	Trey Songz
	will.i.am
2	Akon
	Jason Aldean
	Bon Jovi
	Susan Boyle
	Florence + The Machine
	Freshlyground
	Jack Johnson
	Alicia Keys
	Lil Wayne
	Ludacris
	Monica
	Muse
	Nelly
	Neon Trees
	Prince Royce
	La Roux
	Skillet
	Sugarland
	Chris Tomlin
	Train
	U2
	Hayley Williams
	Zac Brown Band

Artists that received multiple awards

Wins	Artist
6	Justin Bieber
	Eminem
4	Taio Cruz
3	Lady Gaga
	Mumford & Sons
	Rihanna
	Taylor Swift
	Usher
2	Katy Perry
	Shakira
	Chris Tomlin
	Train

Critical reception and controversy

Overall, critics praised the performances in whole. Critics, however, noted Beyoncé as the standout performer of the night.^[2] However, some controversy was generated from the show. The Parents Television Council criticized Rihanna and Britney Spears' performance of "S&M", calling it "explicit", with PTC president saying "I cannot imagine what would possibly lead the ABC television network to air a profanity-laced, S&M sex show on primetime broadcast television", while criticizing the choice to air the performance first, on what they claim is a normally family targeted time slot (the show aired at 8:00 p.m.).^[3]