Beech Tree News Network

 

The three hour music hodge-podge known as the Bilboard Music Awards were held Sunday May 18.  International music sensation Pitbull kicked off the show with the 2014 World Cup theme song called “We Are One”.  They don’t make it a habit of telling song titles on some of these awards shows.  Thank God for my iPhone Shazam app.   I actually like Pitbulll, so this was a good start.

The host was Ludicrous.  No, that’s his stage name.  I’m sure most know that but I couldn’t pass up that joke.  Shania Twain presented Top Rock Album to Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions.  The album has spent two and a half years in the Rock charts top ten.  That’s a pretty impressive feat for guys who’ve only been a band for five years.

I especially enjoy the random pairings such as the new Bachelorette and Danica McKellar intruding One Republic.  But the biggest head-scratcher comes later.  After speeding through Florida Georgia Line, I got to Miranda Lambert introducing Shakira’s performance of her hit “Empire”.  Are there any awards given at this show? I was an hour in and still not one award given.  Not that I’m complaining about Shakira, though.

Top Billboard 200 album went to Justin Timberlake for 20/20 Experience.  Kendall Jenner tried to read an intro for One Direction.  She said “I’m the worst reader”.  So, she can indeed read? She is a Jenner/Kardashian, after all.  % Seconds of Summer is the “band” she introduced.  That’s probably the duration of time they’ll be around the music scene.  They were trying to look like Green Day but they sounded like Bieber.

Carrie Underwood presented Top New Artist to Lorde.  Good Lorde! Come on, you know I had to drop that in here.  Listening to her speech, I’m surprised she’s actually coherent and annunciates.  I’m impressed.  A green-haired Katy Perry (a wig I’m sure), performed birthday across the pond.  That is, she was in England.  She didn’t actually sing across a pond.

Top Country Artist was presented to Luke Bryan.  Ludacris, Kesha and Brad Paisley of ABC’s new Rising Star competition introduced the historic “magic”(they didn’t want to call it a hologram), performance of “Slave to the Rhythm” by the late Michael Jackson.  There was a lot of talk about this.  The title of a Fitz and the Tantrums song comes to mind here: that being “Money Grabber”.  As cool as this concept was, I just feel this whole thing is a money grab.

Lorde’s “Royals” won Best Rock Song.  Josh Groban presented best female artist to Katy Perry.  That’s one of the few things that went right during this show.  Best R&B song went to “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke.  Its 12 weeks at #1 are the most for a song this decade.  Brad Paisley introduced Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert’s new duet “Something Bad”.  The tune is actually in the vein of “We Will Rock You” a bit.  Not sure if anyone picked up on that.  The song in itself is ok I guess.  It didn’t bowl me over.  Nothing from this show did.   Miley Cyrus won Top Streaming Artist.  Do they make up a category every year? Top Country Song was presented to Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly with “Cruise”.  It’s telling that one of the guys thanked pop radio.

Miley Cyrus covered Elton John’s Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.  It was, well, interesting.  The Milestone Award was given to Carrie Underwood.  Robin Thicke performed “Get Her Back”, an apology plea to his wife, ex-wife, whatever they are now.  It was actually a pretty good song; good groove and hook.  Justin Timberlake won Top Artist.  So the night ended well.  Timberlake even thanked “everybody on earth except Donald Sterling”.  The Billboard Icon Award went to Jennifer Lopez.  This was a pretty packed show that I give a 6 out of 10.

 

Hello.  My name is Andy Sullivan.  I received my bachelor’s degree in business from Mid-Continent University in June 2009.  I began writing for beechtree in July 2009.  I enjoy writing, photography, watching basketball and football, and playing guitar.  I also write a blog that encompasses sports and entertainment, called Sports and More, at http://andyuk79.tumblr.com If you have any comments, please leave them in the space below.  Thanks for reading!