Source Billboard.com
Jive label mates Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears dominated the 1999 Billboard
Music Awards, held yesterday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Although each
received four honors, it was Backstreet Boys who snagging the coveted artist and
album of the year awards, for "Millennium."Spears was no slouch,
though, netting female artist and new artist of the year plaudits.
Other multiple award winners included Dixie Chicks, who bagged three awards, including country artist and Country Albums artist honors; and Ricky Martin, who scored the male artist and male Hot 100 Singles artist of the year titles. Metallica and Creed also earned two awards each, although they were not presented during the broadcast.
As previously announced, Emmylou Harris received the 1999 Billboard Century Award, the magazine's highest honor for artistic creativity, while Aerosmith was presented with the artist achievement award. Mariah Carey also was recognized as the artist of the decade.
In addition, Red Hot Chili Peppers were presented with a special award for setting an all-time Billboard record the most weeks at No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart (with their song "Scar Tissue").
Hosted by actors Kathy Griffin and Adam Carolla, the 1999 Billboard Awards featured performances by Spears, Martin, Jennifer Lopez, LeAnn Rimes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Blink 182. Metallica also played, accompanied by a full orchestra.
The show honored this year's No. 1 artists and songs, as determined by the 1999 year-end Billboard charts. (The year-end statistics are compiled from Billboard's weekly charts published from December 1998 to December 1999.)
