2012 American Music Awards: Review Revue
We’ve seen all the performances, we’ve analyzed the winners’ list, we’ve recapped the whole thing and we’ve pointed out the show’s highlights and lowlights. So at this point, you guys probably know where we at Idolator stand on the 2012 American Music Awards. But what did everybody else think of the massive 40th anniversary show? Find out right now, with our roundup of reactions below.
:: We weren’t the only ones confused about Nicki Minaj‘s lack of energy. E! noted that “she just seemed tired (or other things) on stage.” Also like us, the network was enthralled by Christina Aguilera‘s performance: “Her song was to celebrate everyone for who they are (a little “Born This Way” type), which is great. For once, she wasn’t the one wearing the most makeup on stage.”
:: Over at Yahoo! Music, they gave Pink the unofficial audience appreciation award for her stunning “Try” rendition. On the other end of the spectrum, the site said Xtina would get the award for leaving “millions of viewers most dumbfounded” in a “medium-level train wreck…which had a lot more bulging going on than blossoming.” Even our own Xtina expert Sam Lansky winced at that line.
:: The TV gurus at HitFix put the spotlight on some of the show’s overlooked performances, calling Ke$ha‘s “Die Young” “perhaps the most energetic performance of the night,” thanks to K-Dolla “bringing a sense of infectious fun to the stage with her acrobatic dance moves, surprisingly-decent live vocals and one inspired moment that saw her taking pounding forcefully on a bongo drum while surrounded by a troupe of skull-faced dancers.” So, “surprisingly-decent live vocals”…she’ll probably take it. The Wanted, meanwhile, failed to make up any ground with One Direction, thanks to “uninspired staging and a noticeable lack of energy from at least one of the guys (Siva, is anybody home?) [leaving] the whole thing feeling a little lifeless.“
:: The L.A. Times was particularly taken by the hidden message of PSY sharing the stage with MC Hammer, a tag team “illustrating the here-today gone-tomorrow hits that the show has come to celebrate…Wonder if the Korean rap phenom can appreciate the irony.”
:: Glamour asked the important question: “This is a room full of crazy rock stars—why does it run like a smooth machine?” The mag also reminded readers that “it’s interesting that [Taylor Swift] won for Best County Artist at the AMAs but didn’t take any awards at the CMAs this year.” Lastly, their blogger perfectly articulated our Chris Brown thoughts: “He didn’t do anything too terrible tonight, but every time he gets applause, my heart dies a little inside. Ugh, I can’t even. And will somebody tell him to stop taking his shirt off all the dang time?”
