It was a night of upsets at the annual MTV Video Music Awards in New York late Thursday, with favourites The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Latin pop queen Shakira failing to score in any major categories.
NEW YORK: It was a night of upsets at the annual MTV Video Music Awards in New York late Thursday, with favourites The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Latin pop queen Shakira failing to score in any major categories.
Instead, the night belonged to the likes of Las Vegas punk band Panic! at the Disco, who walked away with the best video award for their I Write Sins Not Tragedies, less than a year after releasing their debut album.
The viewers' choice award, which MTV said had received more than 40 million votes, was picked up by alternative band Fall Out Boy for their Dance, Dance.
British singer James Blunt was a less surprising winner, taking best male video and best cinematography for his platinum hit You're Beautiful.
Best female award, one of the most crowded categories with nominations for diva Madonna, pop pin-up Christina Aguilera and tipped to go to favourites Shakira and Nelly Furtado instead went to underdog Kelly Clarkson.
The Texas-born singer/songwriter, who was discovered in 2002 by television talent show American Idol, won with Because of You, in an early hint of the night of surprises to come.
California's funk-punk Chili Peppers were nominated in seven categories but had to make do with best art direction for their Dani California.
Colombian-born Shakira, favourite for the top gong, second favourite in the female and pop categories and nominated in four other categories, picked up just one: best choreography for her Hips Don't Lie.
The best group video went to The All-American Rejects for their Move Along, seeing off favourites Gnarls Barkley and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
California rockers AFI topped the rock category with their Miss Murder, while the Black Eyed Peas picked up the best hip-hop award for My Humps, and Pussycat Dolls won best dance category for Buttons.
Gnarls Barkley, whose hit song Crazy has proved a massive hit for DJ Danger Mouse and rapper Cee-Lo, took home a disappointing two technical awards, for best direction and best editing.
The awards, hosted by actor, comedian and musician Jack Black, were this year held at New York's Radio City Music Hall, returning to the city after two years in Miami, Florida.
The star-studded programme of live acts included Justin Timberlake, whose album SexyBack is currently topping Billboard's Hot 100 chart, and Beyonce, who won best R&B award for Check on It.
Grammy-winning rapper Lil' Kim made an appearance dressed in an orange jump suit, almost two months after being released from jail having served a 10-month sentence for lying to a grand jury over a gunfight involving her entourage.
"You can't keep a good bitch down," she told the screaming crowd.
But perhaps the biggest cheer of the night went to former vice president Al Gore who appeared to extended applause and appealed to the MTV generation to do more to protect the environment.
"Our planet is in trouble. Many of you already know this... We can solve it but we must act quickly. You are the generation that can and will literally save our world," he said.
There was no repeat of the controversial 2003 awards, when Madonna, the holder of more than 20 so-called Moon Men trophies, kissed Britney Spears and Aguilera live on stage.
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