Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
50 Cent, Mariah Carey and Green Day are the top finalists for the 2005 Billboard Music Awards, which will be handed out Dec. 6 live on Fox from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. Rap legend LL Cool J will host the event, which will boast newly confirmed performances from Gwen Stefani and Daddy Yankee with Pharrell.

50 Cent is a finalist in eight categories, followed by Carey with seven and Green Day with six. All three will vie for artist of the year and album of the year for "The Massacre," "The Emancipation of Mimi" and "American Idiot," respectively. The other album of the year finalist is Eminem's "Encore," while Kelly Clarkson is the fourth artist of the year finalist.

Green Day is also a finalist for group of the year, along with the Black Eyed Peas, Destiny's Child and the Killers. In the new artist of the year category, the finalists are Stefani, Fantasia, the Game and Rob Thomas.

Other multiple-award finalists are Fantasia, the Game and Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz (four), Stefani, Clarkson, Eminem, the Killers and Destiny's Child (three) and Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, Mario, Ciara, Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails (two).

As previously reported, Tom Petty will receive the Century Award and Kanye West will be bestowed with the 2005 Artist Achievement Award at the ceremony. Green Day, Toby Keith, R. Kelly and Carrie Underwood will also perform.


A number of surprise collaborations are also expected onstage. Executive producer Bob Bain says that as many as three performances will feature multiple artists.

The presenters' area onstage will resemble a cross between CNN's "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer and the NASDAQ stock market, according to producer Paul Flattery. Screens behind this area will display Billboard charts from throughout the year for the award category being presented. Once the winner is announced, the year-end chart in that category will then be shown in select cases.


Artist of the year:
50 Cent
Mariah Carey
Kelly Clarkson
Green Day

Group of the year:
The Black Eyed Peas

Destiny's Child
Green Day
The Killers

Album of the year:
50 Cent, "The Massacre"
Mariah Carey, "The Emancipation of Mimi"
Eminem, "Encore"
Green Day, "American Idiot"

Hot 100 song of the year:
Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"
Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
Mario, "Let Me Love You"
Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl"

Top selling single of the year:
American Idol Season 4 Finalists, “When You Tell Me That You Love Me”
Bo Bice, “Inside Your Heaven”
The Pussycat Dolls, featuring Busta Rhymes, “Don’t Cha”
Carrie Underwood, “Inside Your Heaven”

Digital song of the year:
Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
The Killers, "Mr. Brightside"
Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl"

New artist of the year:
Fantasia
The Game
Gwen Stefani
Rob Thomas

R&B/hip-hop album of the year:
50 Cent, "The Massacre"
Mariah Carey, "The Emancipation of Mimi"
Destiny's Child, "Destiny Fulfilled"
Eminem, "Encore"

R&B/hip-hop artist of the year:
50 Cent
Mariah Carey
Destiny's Child
Fantasia

R&B/hip-hop song of the year:
Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"
Fantasia, "Truth Is"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris, "Lovers & Friends"
Mario, "Let Me Love You"

Female R&B/hip-hop artist of the year:
Mariah Carey
Ciara
Fantasia
Alicia Keys

Rap artist of the year:
50 Cent
The Game
Ludacris
T.I.

Rap album of the year:
50 Cent, "The Massacre"
Eminem, "Encore"
The Game, "The Documentary"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, "Crunk Juice"

Rap song of the year:
50 Cent featuring Olivia, "Candy Shop"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris, "Lovers & Friends"
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, "Drop It Like It's Hot"
The Game featuring 50 Cent, "How We Do"

Rock artist of the year:
Breaking Benjamin
Green Day
Papa Roach
Velvet Revolver

Modern rock artist of the year:
Foo Fighters
Green Day
The Killers
Nine Inch Nails

Modern rock song of the year:
Foo Fighters, "Best of You"
Gorillaz, "Feel Good Inc."
Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Nine Inch Nails, "The Hand That Feeds"

Country artist of the year:
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Rascal Flatts
Gretchen Wilson

Country album of the year:
Toby Keith, "Greatest Hits 2"
Rascal Flatts, "Feels Like Today"
Shania Twain, "Greatest Hits"
Gretchen Wilson, "Here for the Party"

Country group of the year:
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland

Ringtone of the year:
50 Cent featuring Olivia, "Candy Shop"
Ciara featuring Missy Elliott, "1, 2 Step"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris, "Lovers & Friends"
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, "Drop It Like It's Hot"

twink69 said:

? what? ringtone award?
and how the hell is Alicia Keys still nimonated for an album that was released close to 3 years ago?

who i'd like to see win


Artist of the year:
Mariah Carey
or
Green Day

Group of the year:
The Black Eyed Peas
or
Green Day

Album of the year:
Green Day, "American Idiot"

Hot 100 song of the year:
Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl"

Top selling single of the year:
The Pussycat Dolls, featuring Busta Rhymes, “Don’t Cha”


Digital song of the year:
Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl"

New artist of the year:
Gwen Stefani
Rob Thomas

R&B/hip-hop album of the year:

Mariah Carey, "The Emancipation of Mimi"
or
Destiny's Child, "Destiny Fulfilled"

R&B/hip-hop artist of the year:
Mariah Carey
or
Destiny's Child

R&B/hip-hop song of the year:
Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"


Female R&B/hip-hop artist of the year:
Mariah Carey

Rap song of the year:
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, "Drop It Like It's Hot"

Rock artist of the year:
Green Day


Modern rock artist of the year:

Green DayThe
Killers
Nine Inch Nails


Modern rock song of the year:

Gorillaz, "Feel Good Inc."
Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Nine Inch Nails, "The Hand That Feeds"

Country artist of the year:
Kenny Chesney


Country album of the year:
Shania Twain, "Greatest Hits"


Country group of the year:
Brooks & Dunn

Ringtone of the year:
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, "Drop It Like It's Hot"



[Edited 11/29/05 21:33pm]

It seems like it will be produced by the 'American Idol' people. Even the fact it will be "live on Fox" explains why so many categories feature contestants from the show.

Me thinks there is a conspiracy to FORCE us to listen to Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice ONE MORE TIME! They are making us listen to what THEY think we should be buying and even rewarding! It's a conspiracy I tell you!!!!!

Artist of the year:
50 Cent
Mariah Carey
Kelly Clarkson
Green Day

Group of the year:
The Black Eyed Peas
Destiny's Child
Green Day
The Killers

Album of the year:
50 Cent, "The Massacre"
Mariah Carey, "The Emancipation of Mimi"
Eminem, "Encore"
Green Day, "American Idiot"

Hot 100 song of the year:
Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"
Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
Mario, "Let Me Love You"
Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl"

Top selling single of the year:
American Idol Season 4 Finalists, “When You Tell Me That You Love Me”
Bo Bice, “Inside Your Heaven”
The Pussycat Dolls, featuring Busta Rhymes, “Don’t Cha”
Carrie Underwood, “Inside Your Heaven”

Digital song of the year:
Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
The Killers, "Mr. Brightside"
Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl"

New artist of the year:
Fantasia
The Game
Gwen Stefani
Rob Thomas

R&B/hip-hop album of the year:
50 Cent, "The Massacre"
Mariah Carey, "The Emancipation of Mimi"
Destiny's Child, "Destiny Fulfilled"
Eminem, "Encore"

R&B/hip-hop artist of the year:
50 Cent
Mariah Carey
Destiny's Child
Fantasia

R&B/hip-hop song of the year:
Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together"
Fantasia, "Truth Is"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris, "Lovers & Friends"
Mario, "Let Me Love You"

Female R&B/hip-hop artist of the year:
Mariah Carey
Ciara
Fantasia
Alicia Keys

Rap artist of the year:
50 Cent
The Game
Ludacris
T.I.

Rap album of the year:
50 Cent, "The Massacre"
Eminem, "Encore"
The Game, "The Documentary"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, "Crunk Juice"

Rap song of the year:
50 Cent featuring Olivia, "Candy Shop"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris, "Lovers & Friends"
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, "Drop It Like It's Hot"
The Game featuring 50 Cent, "How We Do"

Rock artist of the year:
Breaking Benjamin
Green Day
Papa Roach
Velvet Revolver

Modern rock artist of the year:
Foo Fighters
Green Day
The Killers
Nine Inch Nails

Modern rock song of the year:
Foo Fighters, "Best of You"
Gorillaz, "Feel Good Inc."
Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Nine Inch Nails, "The Hand That Feeds"

Country artist of the year:
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Rascal Flatts
Gretchen Wilson

Country album of the year:
Toby Keith, "Greatest Hits 2"
Rascal Flatts, "Feels Like Today"
Shania Twain, "Greatest Hits"
Gretchen Wilson, "Here for the Party"

Country group of the year:
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland

Ringtone of the year:
50 Cent featuring Olivia, "Candy Shop"
Ciara featuring Missy Elliott, "1, 2 Step"
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris, "Lovers & Friends"
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell, "Drop It Like It's Hot"

IMHO - the only person/group that deserves to win anything is Green Day. Most of the others don't interest me in the least.

purpleunderground said: