Carrie Underwood performs at 2009 AMA's
(AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
The 2009 American Music Awards featured some excellent performances by a host of musical acts. From Daughtry to Eminem, Kelly Clarkson to Mary J. Blige, here's the top five performances from the 2009 AMA's.
**Updated with new fan poll (11/24)**
Be sure to check out the videos below, which feature each listed performance, as well.
1) Jay-Z and Alicia Keys: While the song is practically old news now and the duo have performed this track at the MTV VMA's and World Series, Alicia has never sounded better and Jay-Z's white suit was classy.
2) Carrie Underwood: Underwood was the center of attention on stage, as the backup dancers swooned for the country artist as she performed her single "Cowboy Casanova." With an up-tempo sound and a touch of burlesque, this was one of the night's best performances.
3) Rihanna: Prefaced with a video that made Rihanna look like Frankenstein (or a "Saw" victim), she performed her new single off her upcoming album "Rated R." With a skin-exposing outfit and colored laser beams in the background, Rihanna's edgier new sound made for a great performance.
4) Lady Gaga: Another odd yet entrancing performance by Lady Gaga on Sunday night. Performing "Bad Romance" was solid at best, but it Gaga going Cukoo that was most satisying. Performing "Speechless," Gaga broke glass and shattered bottles all while playing a piano that was on fire.
5) Whitney Houston: A simple, elegant performance by Whitney Houston, who performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength." With her daughter Bobbi Kristina in attendance, Whitney brought deep emotion to her performance and received a rousing applause from the appreciative audience.
Honorable Mentions: Janet Jackson, Daughtry, and Alicia Keys.
Be sure to vote in the fan poll below for your favorite performance at the 2009 American Music Awards.
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Comments
I disagree. Kelly Clarkson was simple and classy and he voice was hands down the best of the night. Whitney is not the singer she used to be
I really would put Kelly Clarkson's performance up on the list. She sounded great, and the strings and the arrangement sounded fantastic.
Kelly should be at the top of that list! She sounds great and actually sang! Rihanna and Lady Gaga-please! And Carrie Underwood sounded terrible and looked even worse!
Where is Kelly's name. She was the tops to me.
What happened to Kelly Clarkson? I thought her performance was classy and beautiful. She deserved the top honor. I thought she had the best vocal out of all of them.
Hello, anybody home? Kelly Clarkson was simply the best last night, all class and gorgeous vocals. What were you listening to last night?
Kelly was hands-down the best last night. Rihanna, really? Whitney sounded old, and tired.
Rihanna? Seriously? She didn't sing on note on tune and looked like an electrocuted cat. Kelly Clarkson definitely deserves to be on this list and Lady Gaga should be at #1
Kelly, although she sang great, was a little lackluster. What made it good was the song rendition. Lady Gaga was intense and should have been at least second or first. Come on! Jay-Z, really? Looked to me like he got upstaged by Keys.
Are you people deaf? Kelly was the best of the whole night....The rest were basically doing P..ORN onstage...Shameful ABC! Kelly showed class and raw pure TALENT! the others need to learn from her example. She is the ONLY one I would actually buy a record from....AND what the f... is up with that ADAM LAMBERT? He just ended his career last night.
Lady Gaga should be at #1
Lady Gaga was the best !!
Well, I'll join the majority in my surprise that Kelly Clarkson didn't top your list, this being a MUSIC awards show, not a lame-dancing/lipsyncing show. Her vocals were exquisite. She kept it simple, with no pageantry to hide or excuse weak singing. She is a true star, who will be around for decades. I've never watched that Idol show, but am so thankful it exists, if only because it found her for us to enjoy.
Kelly Clarkson was by far the best performance. No one can touch her vocals. She doesn't need to hide behind dancers and gimmicks.
U KNOW UR ON TOP WHEN EVERYONE HATE ON U, KEEP DOING UR THING J. THAT SONG, PERFORMANCE, WAS CLASSIC.
Kelly Clarkson was the class act of the night...she was one of the few who graced the stage with true talent....she made me proud to be a fan
Are you People insane? well at least you have to be deaf or we didn't watched the same show,KELLY CLARKSON was the best vocals of the night,she actually sang live!!!perfect pitch,beautiful performance from a SINGER!!!!that's why be look up to this people right?because we love music and we like to see people singing,that's why we spend our money in their cds right??last night..way too many clowns and strippers...just a couple of singers really,and one of them was KELLY CLARKSON!!
My vote for Kelly.
Her’s was haunting
I HATE 99.9% of mainstream music for obvious reasons displayed at the AMA. What the hell was that? Music is about voice and instruments harmoniously fused for people to enjoy. If you want to see strippers and dancers, that is an entirely different form of entertainment. Most of those "singers" can NOT sing live and are just there to "shock" people. People are basically buying fake images associated with simplistic beats. Even the non-lipsynching singers like Carrie underwood and Adam Lambert are awful. One is sharp and the other screeching. I hate American Idol but must admit that Kelly Clarkson was the best singer of the night. Pure and powerful vocals and nearly pitch perfect.
Yeah. Add one more for Kelly Clarkson. She really was the class of the night. Don't be fooled by the glitter, just listen to the voice.
too subjektif.. Look Kelly Clarkson yes!! and she didnt need to practically have sex on stage! Kelly rocked this performance with class and elegance! she is? THE original IDOL!.
it is so funny, kelly carkson not nominated, she's the? best musician, the best singer.
she should get the awards last night.
after the ama performance.. she is up from 28 to 18 on itunes.. good job!! i hope her rankings will go higher.. it's the highest position so far she? has gone..
Aww that's so awesome! Standing ovation. And she deserved it!? Well done Kelly :)
I nominate Eminem as performer of the night
OMG!!
where's kelly?
she should numbeq 1. she's a true diva, her voice is trully, trully amazing n unbelievable.
carrie underwood was standard performance.
i hope kelly get nominated in billborad music awards n grammy awards, n also she should get the awards, she's the best musician.
she's the best performance last night, all audiences give her standing ovation. rihanna? carrie underwood?
no......
Wait, where is Kelly Clarkson? Seriously, she was amazing! She sang that song so beautifully and haunting. Like what everybody said, she sang it with grace and class. I am tired of people judging music based on sex-themed stupid booty shaking. I would put Clarkson up there. I honestly believe she deserved to be number one. It's just ironic that everybody had to do so many lights and effects and dancers to amuse people but yet Clarkson just simply stood there and sang her face off...which overshadowed every single performances. That's just my opinion.
omg stupid kelly clarkson,
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