Why 51-year-old AMAs is ‘forever young’
Back when it was being held towards the end of the year in the fall, I thought of the American Music Awards (AMAs) as the harbingers of who will win at the Grammy Awards, which would be held early in the following year.
Winners at the AMAs are fan-voted and therefore those choices carry a lot of weight. That is not the case anymore though.
Now on its 51st year, the AMAs has changed its schedule to early summer and it was held at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas last May 26. This means that it is no harbinger anymore but just another epilogue to the Grammys that was held last February.
As a result, this year’s winners of the American Music Awards were nearly all similar to those of the Grammys. Very deserving yes but no surprises at all.
Well, Kendrick Lamar who got the most AMA noms did not fare as well. His Not Like Us got only one trophy, Best Hip Hop Song. Maybe because Billie Eilish has more voting fans. She got the most wins, seven in all, including Artist of the Year.
Beyonce was once again queen of country music with two wins — Best Female Country Artist and Best Country album for Cowboy Carter. Of course, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ Die with a Smile was not missed. The duet was named both Best Collaboration and Best Music Video.
However, the American Music Awards more than made up for its predictable showing by serving up a line-up of truly iconic performers as guests. It can indeed be said that the evening’s winners, including the gorgeous host Jennifer Lopez, all paled in comparison to those who ascended the stage to perform and receive awards.
Janet Jackson is winner of 11 AMAs and now the recipient of the Icon Award. The lovely 59-year-old Janet heated up the evening performing a medley of her hits Someone to Call My Lover and All for You complete with hip-hop killer moves. And she did not even have to go back to Nasty or When I Think of You to get that standing ovation.
Latin hitmaker Gloria Estefan marked 50 years of hits at the American Music Awards and she easily proved that she still has the vocals and the conga chops for her to bring audiences to their feet. She introduced a new song from her 31st album, “La Vecina,” did Rhythm is Gonna Get You and then closed with Conga.
Still a long way away from celebrating her 50th year in the business on the AMAs stage but definitely showing she will make it there was Gwen Stefani. She marked the 20th year of release of her breakthrough solo album “Love, Angel Music Baby” in 2005 by performing her big hit Hollaback Girl and introducing a cut from her upcoming album, “Bouquet.”
And then there was this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awardee, a sprightly 80-year-old rocker named Rod Stewart. I guess since everyone is already familiar with his music, the AMAs saw no need for him to do a medley of his hits.
That would have been a very long one. Instead, he just chose one song which I believe in a way describes the great artists who came out for the American Music Awards this year — Forever Young.
Stewart did Forever Young accompanied by an orchestra that included kilted bagpipers and step dancers in recognition of his British origins. It turned out to be another addition to the many memorable moments that fans enjoy going back to at the American Music Awards.
Come to think of it, in a way, given the audience response to the show and the on-line reactions, it can indeed be said that the American Music Awards is also Forever Young.
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