Billboard Music Awards 2013: Review Revue

Robbie Daw | May 20, 2013 8:21 am

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards are now behind us, but the winners, performances and crazy, neck-breaking moments will live on the Internet forever, for us to dissect. Online critics had plenty to say about Billboard‘s annual shindig, this year staged at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. From Miguel‘s stage jump to Madonna‘s acceptance speech to the surprisingly audible heckling Justin Bieber faced when he stepped up to receive his Milestone Award, the Internet had its choice of topics to cover. 

:: HitFix tore into Madonna’s lengthy acceptance speech: “Even with all its little quirks, Madge’s speech was basically only for her crew, who we doubt were even watching. She had a chance to come across as human, and instead she just read a laundry list of thank yous and the fans came last. She should have thanked them for waiting for hours at several of her MDNA shows.”

:: Entertainment Weekly‘s Music Mix commented on the boos for Bieber: “As the singer made his way toward the stage to accept that last award, something funny happened: Beneath the high-pitched shrieks that greet Bieber wherever he goes, there was a low, rumbly, distinct chorus of boos. The heckling continued as Bieber delivered his acceptance speech, swelling when he made an impromptu plea to the audience…”

:: USA Today, however, was focused on Miguel’s disastrous stage jump: “Miguel’s leap over the audience was one of the most exciting moments of Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards. Unless you were the fan he accidentally landed on.”

:: Zap2It.com thought Tracy Morgan was the wrong choice for host: “Towards the end of the awards show, Billboard only seemed to use Morgan for strange in-show commercials promoting Las Vegas. At least he tried to save the day after Bieber’s ill-received Milestone Award acceptance speech, saying, ‘Don’t be booin’ nobody, this ain’t ‘Showtime at the Apollo’.’ In the end, many probably won’t leave the Billboard Music Awards with good feelings about Morgan’s hosting abilities, but we’ll argue that it’s not entirely his fault.”

:: The Daily Beast had this to say about on particular artist: “Like all things pertaining to Chris Brown, the highlight of his performance Sunday night happened when he shut his mouth.”

:: TV Line quipped the following about Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne’s raunchy “High School” performance: “Even if you consider her crotch-grabbing kid-friendly, the lap dance she gives her fellow rapper – and the ample screen time given to her ample posterior – definitely aren’t. (Oh, and yes, the wife-beater and pajama bottoms Lil’ Wayne wears do have me rethinking Justin Bieber’s Worst Dressed designation.)”

:: The Las Vegas Review Journal noted, “Really though, this was an awards show where the awards were an afterthought — only a couple were ever presented, on average, per hour. Instead, this night was all about the party, one as flashy and high-watt as its host city, with some local flourishes worked in…”

What were your own thoughts on the Billboard Music Awards? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!