entertainmentdissected

The 36th annual American Music Awards was held tonight- and, once again, like the Grammy Awards (aka Shammys or Grannies), it had nothing to do with what the best music was over the past year.

Rather, popularity dictates the winners, as it often has on the Grammys. The Grammys hold more clout in the industry, because it’s *supposed* to represent the best music in a given year, but that’s another story- and one to dwell on when Grammy nominations  are announced.

Back to the AMAs- the performances often are more noteworthy than the actual awards, just to see who’s got it and who doesn’t.

Christina Aguilera- promoting her hits compilation Keeps Gettin’ Better- opened the show with a medley of seven hits, but it was a bit much, a disjointed mess of sorts. It didn’t help that she experienced what sounded like one long vocal spasm, shouting, oversinging, you name it.

P!nk performed “Sober,” the second single from her latest album, Funhouse. As usual, she emoted better than most who took the stage, and conveys the spirit of a true pop/rock star- in the process, she left Ms. Aguilera in her proverbial dust.

(Rocker Scott Weiland introduced P!nk, and it looked like he was in the midst of some awful narcotic episode, looking completely out of touch with what was going on. Having past problems with heroin addiction, hopefully he’s not having a relapse).

New Kids on the Block- 20 years after first hitting it big with the Hangin’ Tough album- performed a mix of oldies and new tracks. The cheesy nostalgia was somewhat fun, though also a bit of an annoyance, since it reminded some that they’re now nearly the same age as the nost-so New Kids.

Sarah McLachlan performed one of her best hits, the somber “Angel.” None other than P!nk joined her, once again showcasing the raw talent that’s made her one of the strongest pop acts around.

Other bright spots included Beyonce, Coldplay, Alicia Keys (along with Queen Latifah and opera singer Kathleen Battle), Annie Lennox and Kanye West.

Mariah Carey performed the latest single from E=MC2, but in typical Carey fashion, it was a stiff, uneventful hand-waving affair. Also in typical Carey fashion, her chart accomplishments received some notice, right before her performance.

Hanna Montana herself- that would be Miley Cyrus- “rocked” the ceremony, performing “Fly on the Wall,” in addition to celebrating her 16th birthday. Every generation has its “It” girl, though understanding what makes Cyrus the latest one… well, let’s leave that to the tweens.

With the AMAs now a memory, Grammy nominations come next week- that should provide enough fodder for further awards show dissection.

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