Swift fast to win five AMAs, Jackson takes four from grave
By Jeffrey Jolson
Taylor Swift growing up fast
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 11/23/09 — Taylor Swift, 19, completed a hat trick at award shows this year. She won top honors and the 2009 American Music Awards with five statues including Artist of the Year, she took the Academy of Country Music Awards, Country Music Awards and CMT for her album “Fearless” and video and is a front-runner for the Grammys come February.
It was only last year she was nominated for Grammy best new artist, and there are lots of folks with cars older than her. Along the way she has won MTV, BMI, Teen Choice, Nashville Music Awards, plus even Canadian and Thailand Music awards. The teenager’s award mantle must bow like a ten-dollar horse.
Yet the crossover country/pop (even a little rock, as with “Photograph” with Def Leppard) artist still looks and acts as innocent as a lamb, in her stunning video “Love Story” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15KwQs4gnUc&NR=1) and when graciously accepting awards, which in the case of last night’s AMAs was done via satellite from London where she is rehearsing for a show at Wembley Arena. this year
She held out high praise for Michael Jackson, whose four posthumous prizes bring his AMA total to 25. Jermaine Jackson, white sequined glove and all, accepted for MJ, saying “It’s not just about the winnings, the awards, it’s mainly the message. The message that Michael had will live on forever.”
Michael was also up for Artist of the Year as was Lady Gaga yet Michael obviously had little new material or tours for America this year, and Lady Gaga seemed almost a novelty act (she’s not) next to the heartfelt songs from Swift. There is a reason why the wee Swift has so many statuettes.
“American Idol” star Adam Lambert made a fool of himself with bondage leather-clad male dancers on leashes and some sort of fuzzy silver suit. Plus spiked hair and more eye makeup than Tammy Faye Baker. Adam, we get it. You came out of the closet after the “Idol” season ended (as if there was still a person in America who didn’t know), and wanted to assert yourself before your first album comes out today. But I know David Bowie and you are no David Bowie. He would have pulled it off with the right mix of flash and fine songs.
Performance highlights included Green Day, who is finally singing about war instead of drugs, though we don’t know which is worse for killing off American youth (answer: drugs). The band, usually referred to as a punk band, though they are actually just inventive rockers. The trio won the Record of the Year Grammy in 2006 for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and sold 22 million copies of their eight albums, in the U.S. alone.
Other perfs included Janet Jackson, who had a vocal malfunction as she apparently lip-synced the show-opener featuring a medley of her hits, and standout duets from Jay-Z and Alicia Keyes, who pounded out a hot “Empire State of Mind,” minus Lil Mama outburst, and Eminem’s with 50 Cent’s “Crack a Bottle,” which had more ABC-TV bleeps than lyrics.
Keith Urban singled out his wife Nicole Kidman when he won his award. “I just love you so much baby. This is for you and Sunday,” he said.
Whitney Houston sang “I Didn’t Know my Own Strength” with a powerful gospel choir. She later won International Artist of the Year, though the AMAs neglected to tell us which country her native New Jersey is actually in.
It was like Halloween. J-Lo came out in a boxer’s outfit and ended up on her bum during a stunt of climbing up her dancer’s backs. A re-defined Rihanna was shackled in a mad scientist’s laboratory, who sparks life into her with cups on her breasts, so she can sing her rock anthem “Hard.”
A nearly-clad Lady Gaga (well, a flesh-colored cat suit) had to break through glass to get to the stage, and when she got there the piano was on fire. Pretty much summed up the evening.
Complete list of winners at the 2009 AMAs:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift
POP/ROCK
- Male Artist: Michael Jackson
- Female Artist: Taylor Swift
- Band, Duo or Group: Black Eyed Peas
- Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson
SOUL/R&B
- Male Artist: Michael Jackson
- Female Artist: Beyoncé
- Band, Duo or Group: Black Eyed Peas
- Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson
RAP/HIP-HOP
- Male Artist: Jay-Z
- Album: Blueprint 3, Jay-Z
COUNTRY
- Male Artist: Keith Urban
- Female Artist: Taylor Swift
- Band, Duo or Group: Rascal Flatts
- Album: Fearless, Taylor Swift
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
- Artist: Taylor Swift
ALTERNATIVE ROCK
- Artist: Green Day
LATIN
- Artist: Aventura
CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
- Artist: Mary Mary
SOUNDTRACK
- Album: Twilight
T-MOBILE BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
- Gloriana
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Whitney Houston
14 responses so far ↓
1 Max // Nov 23, 2009 at 7:51 am
Yeesh, cut Adam some slack, it’s his first big live performance ever. Of course an amateur headliner’s not going to perform as well as “David Bowie,” a seasoned veteran. I think you need to lower your expectations.
2 Steve // Nov 23, 2009 at 8:57 am
No, Lambert doesn’t deserve “slack” as Max, #1 said. He made a complete and total fool out of himself, and it was horrible. The FCC is going to be all over this. Yeah, we get it, you’re gay, but Jesus, have some couth and some class.
3 AneHoward // Nov 23, 2009 at 9:28 am
No slack or lowered expectations for Adam’s awful performance. Bowie wasn’t a seasoned veteran when he first sang “Space Oddity” acoustic in 1969, wearing a simple orange dress. Everyone in the audience sat there with their jaws hanging open — before breaking out in wild applause when they realized they just saw something good enough to someday tell their grandchildren about. Same when Elton first sang “Your Song” at the Gaslight in NYC. Back then just a guy on a piano, wearing a fisherman hat and horn-rimmed glasses.
Adam’s performance just didn’t have the cool, class or understated raw power those two had. And they didn’t try to add a circus to their performance. Which two of the three performances discussed here would you remember when old and gray?
4 dorice mcfadden // Nov 23, 2009 at 9:35 am
Umm.The awards show last night was one of the best I have viewed.The seasoned artist over 40 really represented!Unfortunately, Lambert was the worst part of the show.Everything was perfect until the end
5 AneHoward // Nov 23, 2009 at 9:41 am
That’s probably why they made Adam last. Dick Clark Productions didn’t want to chase the viewers away with a vanity production number from a singer not fit to carry the luggage of some of the other acts on the show.
6 Sam // Nov 23, 2009 at 9:58 am
They should have cut Adam L. off when he started pushing a male head in his crotch etc. That was just gross and inappropriate…I can’t stand him.
7 regina falange // Nov 23, 2009 at 10:00 am
Best AMA’s in recent memory. Until Lambert’s low class talentless performance, that is.
8 annonymous // Nov 23, 2009 at 10:37 am
Adam grabbing the womens crotch, dragging the women on stage , and pushing the mans head to his crotch in a humping action, I find offensive. He has crossed the line. Yippy what a great role model for our youth … NOT…
9 sierra // Nov 23, 2009 at 1:22 pm
I switched over after football and the last freaky act grossed me out. Adam what’s his name tried to hard to be cool and ended up making a fool of himself. Lady Gaga he’s not! The singing was horrendous as well and the fall was hilarious. Can’t believe he won that cheesy show!
10 Talent Network // Nov 23, 2009 at 1:53 pm
that is some amazing talent. glad you impress a lot of new people
11 Allyson // Nov 23, 2009 at 1:56 pm
I think the writer was kind in his assessment of Adam Lambert’s performance. Adam proved to be nothing more than an over-hyped circus act. If he thinks he’s cool, he better look up the meaning because cool he’s not. A novelty act perhaps, but that’s about all he is.
The audience reaction to him showed what is really thought of him and his performance. I’ve heard more clapping at a golf tournament.
12 Nancy@Ice Tea Maker // Nov 23, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Wow, I enjoyed the AMA awards and thought Taylor Swift was gracious to mention Michael Jackson during her acceptance speech. I really enjoyed seeing all genres of music performed. I think Adam accomplished what he set out to do; we’re all talking about him.
13 gjb // Nov 23, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Not sure why Taylor won all those awards — listen to that voice without the music and all will realize she is a far cry from a great singer… and she is not a country preformer by any means… I hope she goes pop and stays there – I want my good country music back with voices singing that are great singers… She may have PR people that are great – but they do a better job than she is worth… Keith Urban — and Rascal Flatts… GREAT WORK!
14 Faces The Changes // Nov 24, 2009 at 9:15 am
Oh come on, girls kissing girls, three ways on T.V. shows, Vampires sucking blood , get a grip we all are hoping that something happens on these LIVE shows. Adam is not the first Elvis, Bowie, MJ, Madona the list goes on, with malfunctions and adjustments.
Face it we are creatures of habits we love to watch. Turn and face ourselves
Changes
David Bowie
I still don’t know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where’s your shame
You’ve left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can’t trace time
Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I’m going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock ‘n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you’re gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time
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