Taylor Swift wins five American Music Awards

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country crossover star Taylor Swift overshadowed the late Michael Jackson at the American Music Awards on Sunday, winning five prizes including artist of the year.
Jackson, who had been expected to enjoy a clean sweep, ended up with four awards. He and Swift went head-to-head in the artist of the year race, the ceremonys final prize.
Other multiple winners included hip-hop acts Jay-Z and the Black Eyed Peas, with two each.
Swift, 19, was also named Favourite female artist in the pop/rock and country categories, and Favourite adult-contemporary artist. Her 2008 album Fearless, the best-selling release in the United States this year, was named Favourite country album.
She accepted her awards live via satellite from backstage at Londons Wembley Arena, where she will perform a concert on Monday.
Music has never been ultimately about competition, Swift said, after winning the artist of the year prize. She said it was an unimaginable honour to be cited in the same category as Jackson, and thanked the Jackson family.
Rapper Eminem, making a rare awards-show appearance in the wake of his four nominations, went home empty-handed. Glam-pop singer Lady Gaga, rock band Kings of Leon and jailed rapper T.I., who earned three nominations each, were also snubbed.
The Black Eyed Peas were named Favourite group in both the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories. Jay-Z won Favourite male artist and Favourite album in the rap/hip-hop categories. His wife Beyonce, who was performing a show in Dublin, was named Favourite female artist in the soul/R&B category.
Punk rock trio Green Day won the Favourite alternative artist. Rascal Flatts won Favourite country group for the fourth year in a row. The performance-heavy show included some notable scenes. Openly gay American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert kissed a keyboardist of indeterminate gender and rubbed a male dancers face in his crotch. Jennifer Lopez, meanwhile, landed on her bottom after jumping off the arched back of one of her dancers.
Nominees are determined by radio airplay and retail sales, while members of the public determine the winners through online voting. Thats why Jackson got so many nominations, even though he didnt release any new material.