Rihanna, Britney & Beyoncé Shine At The *Awesome* 2011 Billboard Music Awards

By Vanessa Beatriz Soto

Two of the queens of pop music set the the tune for a huge night at 2011 Billboard Music Awards held in Las Vegas's MGM Grand. In a surprise treat, Britney Spears joined Rihanna for a dueling-poles duet performance of her hit song "S&M," before ceding the stage to host Ken Jeong, who hammed it up with Nicki Minaj and Train front man Pat Monahan.

Taylor Swift's album, "Speak Now," which sold over one million copies, took home the first big prize of the night, snagging the Album Artist of the Year. She was joined in the winner's circle by web sensation Justin Bieber (who shared smooch with girlfriend Selena Gomez), and "Dynamite" British pop star Taio Cruz, who snagged a Song of the Year honor, but not my heart. It was a near thing, but then I realized he was chewing gum while he performed a medley of his 2011 hits, "Dynamite" and "Break Your Hearts." Classy!

Shakira and Enrique Iglesias were awarded "Top Latin Artist" and "Best Latin Album" respectively, although neither was able to claim their statuettes onstage at the ceremony. Pitbull and Ne-Yo, Cee-lo Green, Ke$ha and the Black Eyed Peas all took the stage and rocked the house so hard they woke up tourists in hotels on the other end of the Strip.

The night's standout moment came when Beyoncé performed her latest track "Run the World (Girls)" after a star-studded video introduction featuring luminaries such as Michelle Obama, Stevie Wonder and Barbra Streisand, to name a few.

Amid fireworks, shooting flames and backed by what seemed like a hundred dancers, Queen B absolutely KILLED IT. As the lights rose on the thunderously applauding audience, her mother, Tina Knowles, presented Queen B with the first-ever Millennium Award, leaving not a single dry eye in the auditorium. Except maybe her husband, Jay-Z, who likely does not cry. Or maybe that's why he was wearing sunglasses indoors, at night. Awww.

What was your favorite moment of the 2011's Billboard Awards?

Tags 2011 Billboard Awards, Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Cee Lo Green, Enrique Iglesias, Jay Z, Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, Ne-Yo, Nicki Minaj, Pat Monahan, Pitbull, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Shakira, Taio Cruz, Taylor Swift