2015 Billboard Music Awards – winners

The Billboard Music Awards held their ceremony Sunday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

25 year old singer-songwriter Taylor Alison Swift was the evening's biggest winner, taking a total of eight awards. After premiering her “Bad Blood” music video at the top of the show, she went on to win for Top Artist, Top Female artist, Billboard Chart Achievement Award, Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top 100 Hot Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist and Top Streaming Song (Video). Going into the night, she had been nominated for a total of 14 awards.

In accepting her award for Top Female Artist, she thanked “all the girls I talk to on the Internet and we talk about your feelings and you teach me your teen slang.” When she later received the Top Streaming Song (Video) Award, she added, “Honestly, the fans -- I’m obsessed with you. You guys are the reason this year has happened the way that it's happened.”

Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea and Pharrell trailed well behind with three awards. One Direction, Hozier, Jason Aldean, Enrique Iglesias and John Legend each picked up a pair of prizes.

2014 Billboard Music Awards – winners

Justin Timberlake received seven Billboard Music Awards Sunday, taking home trophies for Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album ("The 20/20 Experience") in a three-hour show at at the MGM Grand Arena.

Imagine Dragons was right behind JT, receiving five awards, with Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Duo/Group and Top Rock Artist among their tally. "Blurred Lines" earned Thicke, T.I. and Williams four trophies: Top Hot 100 Song, Top Digital Song, Top Radio Song and Top R&B Song. Thicke performed his new single, "Get Her Back," on the show.

Fans voted to give the Milestone Award to Carrie Underwood. In addition to her two performances, Jennifer Lopez delivered a passionate and emotional speech in accepting the Icon Award. A dozen awards were handed out on air in between 19 musical performances.

2014 Billboard Music Awards – nominations

With help from pop R&B singer Jason Derulo live this morning on “Good Morning America,” dick clark productions and Billboard, the ultimate authority in music and home of the iconic Billboard charts defining success in music, today announced the finalists for the 2014 Billboard Music Awards, honoring the year’s most successful artists in 40 categories. The 2014 Billboard Music Awards will broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 18, on ABC from 8:00 PM–11:00 PM ET, with performances from music’s biggest stars. The “2014 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Allen Shapiro and Mike Mahan are Executive Producers. Larry Klein and Barry Adelman are Producers.

Derulo appeared in the 8:00 AM ET hour of “Good Morning America” today, to announce his participation as a performer in this year’s Billboard Music Awards. Derulo also announced five of the 40 finalist categories, including: Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Female Artist, Top R&B Artist, and Top Country Artist.

Finalists Imagine Dragons and Lorde lead with twelve categories each. Imagine Dragons is vying for its first Billboard Music Award this year. The quartet burned up the charts in 2013 with its album "Night Visions" (which is also a finalist for Top Rock Album) and its many hit singles. Among those is the smash hit "Radioactive," which broke the record for the most weeks ever on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lorde broke through in 2013 as well with her inescapable No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single "Royals" and debut album "Pure Heroine." The two musical acts go head-to-head in nine categories, including Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Rock Artist, Top Rock Album, Top Hot 100 Song, Top Digital Song, Top Streaming Song (Audio), and Top Rock Song.