Teenager Bieber's impressive haul of eight included trophies for Fan Favorite, Digital Artist, New Artist, Digital Media Artist and Pop Album (My World 2.0), but rap icon Eminem landed the night's biggest honors - among them Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Rap Album (Recovery) and Rap Song (I Love the Way You Lie).
Bieber, wearing a shimmering gold and black dinner jacket, made a point of not making a big deal of his date for the evening - Selena Gomez - as he accepted his awards, thanking his mother, who was sitting right next to his girlfriend, but not the Disney star.
Taylor Swift won the night's first award for Album Artist of the Year and went on to claim two more. The other triple winners were Taio Cruz, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and acclaimed British folk act Mumford & Sons, who picked up the Rock Album of the Year award. Double victors included Katy Perry, Train and Usher.
It was a great night for performances, too - Millennium Award winner Beyonce and Viral Innovator Cee Lo Green's sets were among the highlights. Feisty Beyonce performed new song Run The World (Girls) with a synchronized backdrop and an army of female dancers; Green played through a medley of hits while spinning through the air above the stage, seated at a suspended piano.
Rihanna and Britney Spears opened the show from the MGM Grand with a sexy S&M duet, while Black Eyed Peas also performed hits during an energetic five-minute set.
Spears also joined Nicki Minaj for a brief performance of their Till The World Ends remix - an appropriate choice of tune considering an evangelical broadcaster had predicted the world would end 24 hours before the Billboard Music Awards took place. The two hit-makers will hit the road together this summer.
The almost flawless awards ceremony, hosted by The Hangover star Ken Jeong, also featured live sets from Keith Urban, Pitbull and Ne-Yo, Taio Cruz and Neil Diamond, who took home the Icon Award. He closed the show with rousing sing-alongs of his classic tunes Sweet Caroline and America.
The full list of winners is:
Album Artist of the Year - Taylor Swift
Digital Artist of the Year - Justin Bieber
Song of the Year - Dynamite by Taio Cruz
Country Song of the Year - Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
Millennium Award - Beyonce
Top Duo/Group - Black Eyed Peas
Viral Innovator Award - Cee Lo Green
Radio Artist of the Year - Rihanna
Best New Artist - Justin Bieber
Top Latin Album - Euphoria by Enrique Iglesias
Top Latin Artist - Shakira
Country Artist of the Year - Taylor Swift
Artist of the Year - Eminem
Male Artist of the Year - Eminem
Female Artist of the Year - Rihanna
Hot 100 Artist of the Year - Katy Perry
Digital Songs Artist of the Year - Katy Perry
Top Touring Artist of the Year - U2
Top Social Artist of the Year - Justin Bieber
Streaming Artist of the Year - Justin Bieber
Digital Media Artist of the Year - Justin Bieber
Pop Artist of the Year - Lady Gaga
R&B Artist of the Year - Usher
Rap Artist of the Year - Eminem
Rock Artist of the Year - Train
Alternative Artist of the Year - Mumford & Sons
Dance/Electronic Artist of the Year - Lady Gaga
Christian Artist of the Year - Chris Tomlin
Album of the Year - Recovery by Eminem
Pop Album of the Year - My World 2.0 by Justin Bieber
R&B Album of the Year - Raymond v. Raymond by Usher
Rap Album of the Year - Recovery by Eminem
Country Album of the Year - Speak Now by Taylor Swift
Rock Album of the Year - Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons
Alternative Album of the Year - Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons
Dance/Electronic/Electronic Album of the Year - The Fame by Lady Gaga
Christian Album of the Year - Awake by Skillet
Digital Song of the Year - Dynamite by Taio Cruz
Radio Song of the Year - Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
Streaming Song of the Year - Just a Dream by Nelly
Streaming Song (Video) of the Year - Baby by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
Pop Song of the Year - Dynamite by Taio Cruz
R&B Song of the Year - OMG by Usher featuring will.i.am
Rap Song of the Year - Love the Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna
Rock Song of the Year - Soul Sister by Train
Alternative Song of the Year - Animal by Neon Trees
Latin Song of the Year - Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) by Shakira
Dance/Electronic Song of the Year - Stereo Love by Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina
Christian Song of the Year - Our Good by Chris Tomlin
Billboard Fan Favorite - Justin Bieber
Billboard Icon Award - Neil Diamond
Dreamseeker Artist of the Year - Gentlemen Hall
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