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 Tuesday, December 6, 2005 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 every category.
Artist of the Year
- 50 Cent - 50 has had a very strong year, and no other Rap artist can match him. The Massacre is one of the biggest hit albums of the year, and we were listening to hits like "Candy Shop," "Disco Inferno," and "Just a Lil Bit" all year.
- Mariah Carey - Mariah's album The Emancipation of Mimi spent months in the top 5 of the album chart and "We Belong Together" turned into one of the biggest pop singles of all time. This category should belong to her.
- Kelly Clarkson - Clarkson outgrew her American Idol origins this year. Breakaway spent the entire year in the top 20 of the album chart, and "Since U Been Gone" is one of the most memorable pop hits of the decade so far.
- Green Day - Billie Joe Armstrong and company had one of the best years for a rock band in quite some time. The hits seemed to just keep coming from American Idiot once "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" broke through early in the year.
Group of the Year
- The Black Eyed Peas - Commercially it was the Peas' biggest year yet. Older fans complained about artistic compromises on the part of the band. Regardless of any controversy, "Don't Phunk With My Heart" spent months on radio playlists, and the late year success of "My Humps" kept the album Monkey Business in the top 10.
- Destiny's Child - These women went out in style this year. They began the year still riding hits from their album Destiny Fulfilled and closed the year with a classy greatest hits album.
- Green Day - This should be Green Day's category. This may be the year that bought them a future ticket to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
- The Killers - This Las Vegas group made a huge splash and the single "Mr. Brightside" got many fans through the winter doldrums.
Hot 100 Song of the Year
- Mariah Carey - "We Belong Together" - This is one of the biggest pop hit singles of all time and dominated radio airwaves all summer long.
- Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone" - This is one of the most memorable pop hits of the year, and it will endure as a classic.
- Mario - "Let Me Love You" - Mario would win the award for the most romantic hit of the year. It is a top-notch date song.
- Gwen Stefani - "Hollaback Girl" - No one is likely to forget Gwen's cheerleader rock any time soon. It just misses being the single of the year.
