# 2011 Billboard Music Awards

The 2011 Billboard Music Awards were held May 22, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and hosted by Ken Jeong. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from 2010.

## Performances

| Artist(s) | Song(s) |
| Rihanna Britney Spears | "S&M" |
| The Black Eyed Peas | "Just Can't Get Enough" "The Time (Dirty Bit)" "Boom Boom Pow" "I Gotta Feeling" |
| Keith Urban | "Long Hot Summer" |
| Pitbull Nayer Ne-Yo | "Give Me Everything" |
| Beyoncé | "Run the World (Girls)" |
| CeeLo Green Mikky Ekko | "Crazy" "Bright Lights Bigger City" "Forget You" |
| Lady Antebellum | "Just a Kiss" |
| Taio Cruz | "Break Your Heart" "Dynamite" |
| OneRepublic Far East Movement Snoop Dogg | "Good Life" "Rocketeer" "Like a G6" "If I Was You (OMG)" |
| Mary J. Blige Lil Wayne | "Someone to Love Me (Naked)" |
| Kesha | "Animal" "Blow" |
| Nicki Minaj Britney Spears | "Super Bass" "Till the World Ends" |
| Neil Diamond | "Sweet Caroline" "America" |

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed in bold.
| Top Artist | Top New Artist |
| Eminem Justin Bieber Lady Gaga Rihanna Taylor Swift | Justin Bieber Taio Cruz Ke$ha Bruno Mars Nicki Minaj |
| Top Male Artist | Top Female Artist |
| Eminem Justin Bieber Drake Bruno Mars Usher | Rihanna Ke$ha Lady Gaga Katy Perry Taylor Swift |
| Top Duo/Group | Top Billboard 200 Artist |
| The Black Eyed Peas Bon Jovi Lady Antebellum Linkin Park U2 | Taylor Swift Justin Bieber Susan Boyle Eminem Lady Antebellum |
| Top Billboard 200 Album | Top Hot 100 Artist |
| Recovery – Eminem My World 2.0 – Justin Bieber The Gift – Susan Boyle Need You Now – Lady Antebellum Speak Now – Taylor Swift | Katy Perry Ke$ha Bruno Mars Rihanna Usher |
| Top Hot 100 Song | Top Touring Artist |
| "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "California Gurls" – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg "OMG" – Usher featuring will.i.am | U2 Bon Jovi Michael Bublé Lady Gaga Roger Waters |
| Top Digital Songs Artist | Top Digital Song |
| Katy Perry Eminem Ke$ha Bruno Mars Rihanna | "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Airplanes" – B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "California Gurls" – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg |
| Top Radio Songs Artist | Top Radio Song |
| Rihanna Drake Bruno Mars Katy Perry Usher | "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" – Usher featuring Pitbull "OMG" – Usher featuring will.i.am |
| Top Streaming Artist | Top Streaming Song (Audio) |
| Justin Bieber Eminem Lady Gaga Rihanna Shakira | "Just a Dream" – Nelly "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars |
| Top Streaming Song (Video) | Top Digital Media Artist |
| "Baby" – Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris "Not Afraid" – Eminem "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" – Shakira featuring Freshlyground | Justin Bieber Akon Eminem Lady Gaga Rihanna |
| Top Pop Artist | Top Pop Album |
| Lady Gaga Justin Bieber The Black Eyed Peas Ke$ha Katy Perry | My World 2.0 – Justin Bieber The E.N.D. – The Black Eyed Peas Animal – Ke$ha The Fame – Lady Gaga Teenage Dream – Katy Perry |
| Top Pop Song | Top R&B Artist |
| "Dynamite" – Taio Cruz "Just the Way You Are" – Bruno Mars "California Gurls" – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg "Firework" – Katy Perry "Teenage Dream" – Katy Perry | Usher Alicia Keys Monica Rihanna Trey Songz |
| Top R&B Album | Top R&B Song |
| Raymond v. Raymond – Usher Still Standing – Monica Loud – Rihanna Soldier of Love – Sade Passion, Pain & Pleasure – Trey Songz | "OMG" – Usher featuring will.i.am "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)" – Alicia Keys "What's My Name" – Rihanna featuring Drake "Bottoms Up" – Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj "There Goes My Baby" – Usher |
| Top Rap Artist | Top Rap Album |
| Eminem Drake Lil Wayne Ludacris Nicki Minaj | Recovery – Eminem Thank Me Later – Drake Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj I Am Not a Human Being – Lil Wayne My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West |
| Top Rap Song | Top Country Artist |
| "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna "Airplanes" – B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams "Nothin' on You" – B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars "Just a Dream" – Nelly "Like a G6" - Far*East Movement featuring Dev & The Cataracs | Taylor Swift Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Lady Antebellum Zac Brown Band |
| Top Country Album | Top Country Song |
| Speak Now – Taylor Swift My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean Need You Now – Lady Antebellum The Incredible Machine – Sugarland The Foundation – Zac Brown Band | "Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum "If I Die Young" – The Band Perry "The House That Built Me" – Miranda Lambert "Stuck Like Glue" – Sugarland "Mine" – Taylor Swift |
| Top Rock Artist | Top Rock Album |
| Train Kings of Leon Linkin Park Mumford & Sons Muse | Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons Brothers – The Black Keys To the Sea – Jack Johnson Born Free – Kid Rock A Thousand Suns – Linkin Park |
| Top Rock Song | Top Latin Artist |
| "Hey, Soul Sister" – Train "Someone like You" – The Dirty Heads featuring Rome "Dog Days Are Over" – Florence + The Machine "Little Lion Man" – Mumford & Sons "Animal" – Neon Trees | Shakira Enrique Iglesias Pitbull Prince Royce Wisin & Yandel |
| Top Latin Album | Top Latin Song |
| Euphoria – Enrique Iglesias Iconos – Marc Anthony Dejarte de Amar – Camila Prince Royce – Prince Royce Sale el Sol – Shakira | "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" – Shakira featuring Freshlyground "Cuando Me Enamoro" – Enrique Iglesias featuring Juan Luis Guerra "Bon Bon" – Pitbull "Gypsy" – Shakira "Loca" – Shakira featuring El Cata |
| Top Dance Artist | Top Dance Album |
| Lady Gaga The Black Eyed Peas David Guetta Rihanna La Roux | The Fame – Lady Gaga Tron: Legacy (Soundtrack) – Daft Punk The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga The Remix – Lady Gaga Ocean Eyes – Owl City |
| Top Dance Song | Top Alternative Artist |
| "Stereo Love" – Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga "Telephone " – Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé "Bulletproof" – La Roux "We No Speak Americano" – Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup | Mumford & Sons The Black Keys Kings of Leon Linkin Park Muse |
| Top Alternative Album | Top Alternative Song |
| Sigh No More – Mumford & Sons Brothers – The Black Keys To the Sea – Jack Johnson Come Around Sundown – Kings of Leon A Thousand Suns – Linkin Park | "Animal" – Neon Trees "Dog Days Are Over" – Florence + The Machine "Waiting for the End" – Linkin Park "The Cave" – Mumford & Sons "Little Lion Man" – Mumford & Sons |
| Top Christian Artist | Top Christian Album |
| Chris Tomlin Casting Crowns MercyMe Skillet tobyMac | Awake – Skillet The Generous Mr. Lovewell – MercyMe Tonight – tobyMac And If Our God Is for Us – Laura Story WOW Hits 2011 – Various Artists |
| Top Christian Song | Top Social Artist (fan-voted) |
| "Our God" – Chris Tomlin "Live Like We're Dying" – Kris Allen "All of Creation" – MercyMe "Lead Me" – Sanctus Real "Get Back Up" – tobyMac | Justin Bieber Akon Eminem Lady Gaga Rihanna |
| Icon Award | Millennium Award |
| Neil Diamond | Beyoncé |
| Billboard.com Fan Favorite | Viral Innovator of the Year |
| Justin Bieber | Cee Lo Green |

### Artists with multiple wins and nominations

Artists that received multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Artist |
| 18 | Rihanna |
| 17 | Eminem |
| 15 | Lady Gaga |
| 11 | Justin Bieber |
| 11 | Bruno Mars |
| 11 | Katy Perry |
| 10 | Usher |
| 7 | Taio Cruz |
| 7 | Lady Antebellum |
| 7 | Mumford & Sons |
| 7 | Shakira |
| 7 | Taylor Swift |
| 6 | Ke$ha |
| 6 | Linkin Park |
| 5 | Drake |
| 4 | The Black Eyed Peas |
| 4 | Nicki Minaj |
| 3 | B.o.B. |
| 3 | The Black Keys |
| 3 | Enrique Iglesias |
| 3 | Kings of Leon |
| 3 | Mercy Me |
| 3 | Pitbull |
| 3 | Snoop Dogg |
| 3 | tobyMac |
| 3 | Trey Songz |
| 3 | will.i.am |
| 2 | Akon |
| 2 | Jason Aldean |
| 2 | Bon Jovi |
| 2 | Susan Boyle |
| 2 | Florence + The Machine |
| 2 | Freshlyground |
| 2 | Jack Johnson |
| 2 | Alicia Keys |
| 2 | Lil Wayne |
| 2 | Ludacris |
| 2 | Monica |
| 2 | Muse |
| 2 | Nelly |
| 2 | Neon Trees |
| 2 | Prince Royce |
| 2 | La Roux |
| 2 | Skillet |
| 2 | Sugarland |
| 2 | Chris Tomlin |
| 2 | Train |
| 2 | U2 |
| 2 | Hayley Williams |
| 2 | Zac Brown Band |
Artists that received multiple awards :
| Wins | Artist |
| 6 | Justin Bieber |
| 6 | Eminem |
| 4 | Taio Cruz |
| 3 | Lady Gaga |
| 3 | Mumford & Sons |
| 3 | Rihanna |
| 3 | Taylor Swift |
| 3 | Usher |
| 2 | Katy Perry |
| 2 | Shakira |
| 2 | Chris Tomlin |
| 2 | Train |

## Critical reception and controversy

Overall, critics praised the performances in whole. Critics, however, noted Beyoncé as the standout performer of the night. However, some controversy was generated from the show. The Parents Television Council criticized Rihanna and Britney Spears' performance of "S&M", calling it "explicit", with PTC president saying "I cannot imagine what would possibly lead the ABC television network to air a profanity-laced, S&M sex show on primetime broadcast television", while criticizing the choice to air the performance first, on what they claim is a normally family targeted time slot (the show aired at 8:00 p.m.).