It had been a rather nice year in the music industry hasn't it? With the unlikely success of Susan Boyle, the newfound haters for Kanye-West, newfound fans for Taylor Swift, a massive year for Lady Gaga, a #1 solo single for Ke$ha, 5 new acts from this season of American Idol signed, with Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert already released their albums, Danny Gokey and Michael Sarver releasing theirs in 2010, and definitely an outstanding year all-round for almost all the artists. So to end the year, we have the MRAs 2009 to wrap up this whole year.
MRAs 2009:
The first annual MRAs had many of you voting for your favourites at the sidebar, and I'm genuinely happy with whoever won. In Debut Album Of The Year, American Idol Season 8 finalist was a frontrunner, before being overtaken by Kris Allen, but eventually stealing the crown back from Kris earning herself 1, 158 beating Kris by a relatively small margin, with Kris' numbers tallying up to 1, 018. Kris and Allison were the only ones that had votes go above the 1, 000 mark, securing third place would be the controversy-stirring American Idol Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert, who got cancelled by the ABC network twice. Finishing fourth is teen-star Kristinia DeBarge which had her very own taste of success with her debut single Goodbye peaking at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Jessie James follows behind with her self-titled debut studio effort reaching #23 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, containing Top 40 hit Wanted. Last but not least is British singer Alexandra Burke, winning the same television show that previous X Factor UK success story Leona Lewis. Alexandra's album Overcome will be released next year in the US.
Winner of Debut Album Of The Year: Allison Iraheta - Just Like You
Artist of The Year was a tough fight, the divas Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey had to put up a fight with artists from The Black Eyed Peas to Carrie Underwood. Winning Artist Of The Year is reigning R&B crooner Leona Lewis, who released her sophomore effort Echo this year. Country superstar Carrie Underwood was second, winning a handy 17% of the total number of votes cast. The Black Eyed Peas follows behind with 45 votes placed. Gaining 13% of the votes is pop/rock queen Kelly Clarkson who released her fourth studio album All I Ever Wanted which hit the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart. Next is R&B diva who's amassed a total of 18 #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 since her career back in 1990. Losing by 1 vote is Canadian crooner Michael Buble who has had a great year so far, with Crazy Love remaining at #1 for two weeks straight, and not falling out of the Top 15 so far. Garnering 8% of the votes this year is Country/Pop newcomer Jessie James, who released her eponymous debut album in August. Another R&B diva Whitney Houston made a comeback this year with I Look To You, although with mixed results - Her album topped the charts, but her live performances have been sub-standard so far, thus falling into last place here, and not getting even one Grammy nod. Work harder, Whitney.
Winner of Artist Of The Year: Leona Lewis
Pop princess Lady Gaga wins a Music Video Of The Year for Paparazzi, trailed closely behind by teen pop star Miley Cyrus' latest hit Party In The USA. Falling into a respectable third place is Country/Pop crossover hit Jessie James, who impressed with Wanted, not bad for a newcomer, eh? Next is also a country starlet, coming in the form of Carrie Underwood, with her latest hit Cowboy Casanova. Pop/Rock artist Kelly Clarkson returns with her hit #1 single My Life Would Suck Without You, gaining 11% of the votes. Next is Mariah Carey, whose video for Obsessed gained 9% of the total number of votes cast, beating Ne-Yo's video for Miss Independent by just 2 votes.
Winner of Music Video Of The Year: Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
Kelly Clarkson rules Album of The Year as her fourth album All I Ever Wanted edges Rihanna's Rated R and The Black Eyed Peas' comeback album The E.N.D. out of first place with just one vote more than Rihanna and the hip-hop group's The E.N.D.. Leona Lewis' second album Echo and Paramore's Brand New Eyes places fourth and fifth respectively. Mariah Carey's Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel scores 8% of the votes, beaten by one vote by Michael Buble's Crazy Love. OneRepublic's Waking Up gets 22 votes, beating Colbie Caillat's #1 album Breakthrough, who gets 17 votes, which knocks Jessie James self-titled album into tenth place. Whitney Houston clocks in last again as I Look To You finishes with 11 votes.
Winner of Album Of The Year: Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
Lady Gaga bags another MRA with Paparazzi running away with Song Of The Year, beating Britney Spears' latest smash 3. Finishing third is Miley Cyrus' Party In The USA, which managed to beat Leona Lewis' Happy and The Black Eyed Peas' Boom Boom Pow, with 33 votes cast for Boom Boom Pow and 32 for Happy. With 25 votes earned, Carrie Underwood's Cowboy Casanova finishes in sixth winning 11% of the votes, edging Jay Sean into last with Down.
Winner of Song Of The Year: Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
Shakira is the big comeback queen with She Wolf wins Comeback Album of The Year, beating Alicia Keys' The Element Of Freedom and The Black Eyed Peas' The E.N.D. finishing second and third respectively. Whitney doesn't finish last this time, beating Chris Brown by five votes to finish in fourth.
Winner of Comeback Album Of The Year: Shakira - She Wolf
Beyonce wins Live Performance of The Year for her performance of Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) live on MTV's Video Music Awards this year, tailed closely behind by Lady Gaga for her performance of Paparazzi of the same event. Teen star Taylor Swift finishes in third with You Belong With Me getting 21% of the votes, also performed at the same event. The Black Eyed Peas edge Janet Jackson's Scream at the MTV VMAs out for their live performance of Boom Boom Pow at the American Idol Season 8 Finale.
Winner of Live Performance Of The Year: Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It
Beyonce bags her second MRA this year for Tour Of The Year for her I Am.. World Tour, beating the American Idols Top 10 - AMERICAN IDOLS LIVE! Tour by just two votes. Standing at third with 40 votes, is P!nk's Funhouse World Tour. Britney Spears' Circus World Tour fourth, getting 16% of the votes. Demi Lovato's national Summer Tour is fifth, beating David Cook's The Declaration tour.
Winner of Tour Of The Year: Beyonce - I Am.. Tour
British newcomer Pixie Lott bags an MRA for Best Newcomer, shooting to fame with her debut singles Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh) and Boys And Girls topping the UK Singles Charts, and reaching #12 with her third single Cry Me Out. Pixie Lott beat American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen. Allison Iraheta finishes in third place with 278 votes earned. Justin Bieber, Kristinia DeBarge, Adam Lambert, Jessie James and Alexandra Burke are fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.
Winner of Best Newcomer: Pixie Lott
That's it for the MRAs 2009. I'm happy with the results so far and thanks to everyone who voted! =)
