Season 21
The Billboard Music Awards is an American annual music awards ceremony sponsored by Billboard magazine honouring winners based on Billboard's year-end music charts, which are based on Nielsen data for sales, downloads and airplay. Awards were given for the top album/artist/single in every genre.
The awards debuted in 1990 and were held annually on Fox until 2006, after which the awards were cancelled due to contractual disputes. They resumed again in 2011 on new network ABC.
The Billboard Music Awards aired for the first time in South Africa on DStv's Channel O on Wednesday 29 June 2011, at 20h30, beginning with the 2011 awards.
The 2014 Billboard Awards - the 21st edition - aired live on Channel O on Monday 19 May 2014, at 02h00, followed by a rebroadcast later that night at 19h00 and a repeat on Saturday, 24 May at 16h30. The ceremony was three hours long.
2014 Awards
Presented by the Atlanta native and hip hop star Ludacris, this year's ceremony featured some of the biggest names in the global music industry.
A host of emerging pop stars dominated the list of finalists; Lorde and the Imagine Dragons leading the way being named in 12 of the 40 categories, closely followed by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis making the cut in 11 categories, the Billboard Awards were a captivating spectacle.
Other notable stars who also made the final nomination list included Drake, Beyonce, Jason Derulo, Rihanna; who has amassed more than 60 nominations since the inception of the awards, and the happiest man in the game right now: Pharrel.
Amongst some of the highlights of the evening was a world premiere experience of pop legend Michael Jackson's posthumous album Xscape and a special performance from Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez who debuted the official Brazil 2014 World Cup Anthem We Are One (Ole Ola).
J-Lo was also the first female to receive the prestigious Icon Award for her remarkable contributions to popular music on the evening.
Sultry singing sensation Shakira and Blurred Lines superstar Robin Thicke were added to the star-studded line up of performing artists on the night.
As the world's most complete and well-respected database of charts across all music genres, Billboard is one of the world's most influential music brands.
The Billboard music charts are the benchmark of success in music, and this year's ceremony will showcase some of the biggest-selling and accomplished music stars in the digital era with live performances from the likes of Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, John Legend, Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea set to thrill viewing audiences across the globe.
2014 Winners
Top Artist
Miley Cyrus
Imagine Dragons
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Justin Timberlake
Top New Artist
Bastille
Capital Cities
Ariana Grande
Lorde
Passenger
Top Male Artist
Luke Bryan
Drake
Eminem
Bruno Mars
Justin Timberlake
Top Female Artist
Beyonce
Miley Cyrus
Lorde
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Top Duo/Group
Florida Georgia Line
Imagine Dragons
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
One Direction
OneRepublic
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Beyonce
Luke Bryan
Eminem
One Direction
Justin Timberlake
Top Hot 100 Artist
Miley Cyrus
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
Katy Perry
Justin Timberlake
Top Digital Songs Artist
Miley Cyrus
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Katy Perry
Top Radio Songs Artist
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Justin Timberlake
Top Touring Artist
Beyonce
Bon Jovi
Pink
Rihanna
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Top Social Artist
Justin Bieber
Miley Cyrus
One Direction
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
Top Streaming Artist
Miley Cyrus
Imagine Dragons
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Katy Perry
PSY
Top R&B Artist
Beyonce
Pharrell
Rihanna
Robin Thicke
Justin Timberlake
Top Rap Artist
Drake
Eminem
Jay Z
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Pitbull
Top Country Artist
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Darius Rucker
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
Top Rock Artist
Capital Cities
Fall Out Boy
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
Passenger
Top Latin Artist
Marc Anthony
Gerardo Ortiz
Jenni Rivera
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Avicii
Daft Punk
Calvin Harris
Lady Gaga
Zedd
Top Christian Artist
Mandisa
Skillet
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin
Matthew West
Top Billboard 200 Album
Beyonce - "Beyonce"
Luke Bryan - "Crash My Party"
Drake - "Nothing Was The Same"
Eminem - "The Marshall Mathers LP 2"
Justin Timberlake - "The 20/20 Experience"
Top R&B Album
Beyonce - "Beyonce"
R. Kelly - "Black Panties"
Robin Thicke - "Blurred Lines"
Justin Timberlake - "The 20/20 Experience"
Justin Timberlake - "The 20/20 Experience (2 of 2)"
Top Rap Album
J. Cole - "Born Sinner"
Drake - "Nothing Was The Same"
Eminem - "The Marshall Mathers LP 2"
Jay Z - "Magna Carta& Holy Grail"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - "The Heist"
Top Country Album
Garth Brooks - "Blame It All On My Roots: Five Decades of Influences"
Luke Bryan - "Crash My Party"
Florida Georgia Line - "Here's To The Good Times"
The Robertsons - "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas"
Blake Shelton - "Based On A True Story"
Top Rock Album
Lana Del Rey - "Born To Die"
Fall Out Boy - "Save Rock And Roll"
Imagine Dragons - "Night Visions"
Lorde - "Pure Heroine"
Mumford & Sons - "Babel"
Top Latin Album
Marc Anthony - "3.0"
Alejandro Fernandez - "Confidencias"
Jenni Rivera - "1969 - Siempre: En Vivo Desde Monterrey: Parte "
Prince Royce - "Soy El Mismo"
Romeo Santos - "Formula: Vol. 2"
Top Dance/Electronic Album
Avicii - "True"
Daft Punk - "Random Access Memories"
Lady Gaga - "ARTPOP"
Lindsey Stirling - "Lindsey Stirling"
Zedd - "Clarity"
Top Christian Album
Alan Jackson - "Precious Memories: Volume II"
Skillet - "Rise"
Third Day - "Miracle"
Chris Tomlin - "Burning Lights
Various Artists - "WOW Hits 2014"
Top Hot 100 Song
Miley Cyrus - "Wrecking Ball"
Imagine Dragons" - "Radioactive"
Lorde - "Royals"
Katy Perry - "Roar"
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell - "Blurred Lines"
Top Digital Song
Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive"
Lorde - "Royals"
OneRepublic - "Counting Stars"
Katy Perry - "Roar"
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell - "Blurred Lines"
Top Radio Song
Avicii - "Wake Me Up"
Lorde - "Royals"
Katy Perry - "Roar"
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell - "Blurred Lines"
Justin Timberlake - "Mirrors"
Top Streaming Song (Audio)
Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell William - "Get Lucky"
Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive"
Lorde - "Royals"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Ray Dalton, "Can't Hold Us"
Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell - "Blurred Lines"
Top Streaming Song (Video)
Baauer - "Harlem Shake"
Miley Cyrus - "We Can't Stop"
Miley Cyrus - "Wrecking Ball"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz - "Thrift Shop"
Katy Perry - "Roar"
Top Rap Song
Eminem Featuring Rihanna - "The Monster"
Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake - "Holy Grail"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Ray Dalton - "Can't Hold Us"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz - "Thrift Shop"
Pitbull Featuring Ke$ha - "Timber"
Top Country Song
Luke Bryan - "Crash My Party"
Luke Bryan - "That's My Kind Of Night"
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Nelly - "Cruise"
Darius Rucker - "Wagon Wheel"
Blake Shelton Featuring Pistol Annies & Friends - "Boys 'Round Here"
Top Rock Song
Capital Cities - "Safe And Sound"
Imagine Dragons - "Demons"
Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive"
Lorde - "Royals"
Passenger - "Let Her Go"
Top Latin Song
Marc Anthony - "Vivir Mi Vida"
Daddy Yankee - "Limbo"
Enrique Iglesias Featuring Romeo Santos - "Loco"
Prince Royce - "Darte Un Beso"
Romeo Santos - "Propuesta Indecente"
Top Dance/Electronic Song
Avicii -"Wake Me Up"
Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams - "Get Lucky"
Icona Pop Featuring Charlie XCX - "I Love It"
Lady Gaga - "Applause"
Zedd Featuring Foxes - "Clarity"
Top Christian Song
Building 429 - "We Won't Be Shaken"
Mandisa - "Overcomer"
Sidewalk Prophets - "Help Me Find It"
Chris Tomlin - "Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies)"
Matthew West - "Hello, My Name Is"
Billboard Milestone Award
Ellie Goulding
OneRepublic
Carrie Underwood
Icon Award
Jennifer Lopez
About the Awards
The Billboard Music Awards honour winners based on Billboard's year-end music charts, which are based on Nielsen data for sales, downloads and airplay. Awards are given for the top album/artist/single in every genre.
Since 1992, the awards also give out a Billboard Century Award - the magazine's highest honour for creative achievement and named for Billboard's centennial in 1994. The award was renamed the Icon Award in 2011.
Billboard has served the entertainment business since 1894.
Beginning as a weekly for the billposting and advertising business, Billboard and its popular music charts have evolved into the primary source of information on trends and innovation in music, serving music fans, artists, top executives, tour promoters, publishers, radio programmers, lawyers, retailers, digital entrepreneurs and many others.