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Great Sounds at the American Music Awards

The 2006 American Music Awards were held last week in the Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles, California and the audience was treated to great music the entire evening. The best bands and performers around were nominated, based on their record sales and after 20,000 listeners surveyed their music. Triple winners of the awards were ? unsurprisingly ? the Black Eyed Peas, twice for the best group in two different categories, and once for best rap/hip-hop album (?Monkey Business?). The band accepted their awards via satellite from Costa Rica to the sound of thunderous applause from the audience.

Britney Spears made a surprise appearance at the Awards when she handed out the first prize of the night to Mary J. Blige for her album, ?Breakthrough.? Blige also won an award for favorite R&B artist. Other two-time winners included Kelly Clarkson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rascal Flatts. The favorite male soul singer was Jamie Foxx who performed a song from his ?Unpredictable? album.

The audience enjoyed a wide array of live music, including an opening number by Beyonce (?Irreplaceable?) and Gwen Stefani with a song called ?Wind me Up?. Lionel Richie was introduced by his famous daughter, Nicole, and sang a medley of his greatest hits. Another old favorite, Barry Manilow, also wowed the audience with songs from his new album that honors songs from the sixties