The Billboard Music Awards are the only major pop music awards based on the weekly music charts. The awards will be telecast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Monday, December 4, 2006 at 8 p.m. EST on Fox Television.
My predictions are simply that...predictions. It will be up to computer tabulation of the music charts to determine the actual winners. My predicted winner in each category is in bold type. I have included comments on each nominee. I am making predictions only in the Pop/Rock category. Check the full listing of nominations to see who is up for awards in all pop categories.
Artist of the Year
- Chris Brown - Chris Brown has had a fantastic year for a new artist. His debut single "Run It!" ranks as one of the top debut singles of all time by an artist. He followed that song with hits like "Yo (Excuse Me Miss" and "Say Goodbye," while his self-titled album sold well all year long.
- Nickelback - Nickelback's album All the Right Reasons is a massive hit. It first spun off the long-running top 5 smash single "Photograph" and then an even bigger hit "Far Away" this past summer. This is Nickelback's year.
- Rascal Flatts - Me and My Gang, this year's album from Rascal Flatts, enjoyed the biggest sales week of the year the week it debuted on the chart. It also generated the country crossover hit "What Hurts the Most." The group also released their well received version of "Life Is a Highway" from the soundtrack to the movie Cars.
Album of the Year
- Nickelback - All the Right Reasons - Nickelback spent the entire year near or in the top 10 with the biggest album of their recording career so far.
- Soundtrack - High School Musical - Although it is the biggest selling album of 2006, I think the teen stars of High School Musical will miss this award by a hair due to the fact the album didn't hit the chart until some weeks into the chart year.
- Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts - Carrie Underwood's collection is the biggest debut album yet by an American Idol champion.
Pop Single of the Year
- Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean - "Hips Don't Lie" - This is the song that finally brought Shakira to the top of the pop chart in the U.S.
- Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland - "Promiscuous" - Nelly Furtado's breakthrough hit as a major artist turned out to be the song of the summer 2006. It should be the pop hit of the year.
- Sean Paul - "Temperature" - Sean Paul's uptempo dancehall hit was irresistible.
New Artist of the Year
- Chris Brown - Chris Brown had one of the hottest debut years in recent history. He electrified pop and r&b audiences alike. He should walk away with this award.
- The Fray - This Colorado-based band generated two of this year's most memorable pop hits, "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "How to Save a Life." However, their album sales didn't quite match the popularity of their singles.
- Ne-Yo - If there was an award for hottest songwriter of the year, Ne-Yo would be competing for the top. He was no slouch as an artist either with the big hits "So Sick" and "Sexy Love."
