TWO known and controversial women in the music scene are leading this year’s MTV Europe award nominations.

Excerpt:

LONDON — Despite their personal problems, Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse remain a favorite with fans and lead the nominations for best act at this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards, it was announced Monday.

Singer Beyonce is also up for an award and is expected to perform at the November 6 event in Liverpool, northwest England.

The 27-year-old former member of Destiny’s Child is competing against Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Kanye West and Lil Wayne in the ‘ultimate urban’ category, one of 10 awards at the event voted for by music fans.

In the ‘best act of 2008′ category, Spears will be up against soul singer Winehouse, who has struggled with drugs and alcohol, as well as Coldplay, Leona Lewis and Rihanna.

POOR Britney. Her return to MTV at the Video Music Awards, which she kicked off with the highly anticipated premiere performance of her new “Gimme More” single, is almost too painful to watch.

I know she’s been through a lot, but if you’re going to try to make a comeback, do it with a bang instead of what looks like a half-hearted, barely rehearsed performance.

Check out this clip from SPIKE Powered by IFILM (don’t you just love saying that, heh. Ah, remember the good old days before MTV bought IFILM in 2005?) — you be the judge.

By Associated Press

LAS VEGAS, Nevada–Not only rappers fight at award shows: Kid Rock and Tommy Lee tussled in the audience at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.

Photo shows Tommy Lee (center) being escorted out by security.

MTV VJ Sway said on the post-show that he saw Kid Rock walk up to the Motley Crue drummer, who was sitting next to Diddy, and “deck him.” The incident was confirmed by Palms Hotel and Casino public relations representative Larry Fink.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Agence France-Presse

LAS VEGAS, Nevada–Teenage R&B star Rihanna and pop sensation Justin Timberlake were the big winners at the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday, in a star-studded evening that saw Britney Spears make her stage comeback.

Rihanna picked up the most-sought-after Video of the Year award and Monster Single of the Year for her “Umbrella,” notably beating R&B starlet Beyonce, Timberlake, rapper Kanye West, British soul singer Amy Winehouse.

“Wow. Video of the Year. This was definitely the most important one for me of the night… the most unexpected for me,” Rihanna said, accepting the top Moonman, as the astronaut-themed statuettes are known.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Nekesa Mumbi Moody
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS, Nevada–This has long been a place for escape when life gets too boring. So after a spate of forgettable Video Music Awards shows and a ratings dive, MTV has planted the broadcast in Sin City.

Sunday night’s show is being beamed from the Palms hotel — home to the Playboy Club — and will feature the much-hyped comeback performance of tabloid queen Britney Spears, who hasn’t graced the MTV stage since she famously locked lips with Madonna back in 2003.

“The MTV awards have never been about the awards, it’s always been about the party and the music,” says Entertainment Weekly executive editor Lori Majewski. “What better place to party than Vegas?”

[Read the rest of this entry »]