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Fergie, Rihanna & Whitney Houston Storm AMA Stage with Triumphant Performances

Entertainment Tonight, Sunday, November 22, 2009, 8:55pm (PST)

By ETonline Editorial Team

The "2009 American Music Awards" boasted many amazing performances by the biggest musicians of the year, including headline-grabbing ladies Fergie, Rihanna and Whitney Houston. ET has all the AMA details after the jump...

Tonight was a good night for Fergie's group the Black Eyed Peas, as they won the first award of the evening for best Pop Rock Group. The awards show featured performances by Janet Jackson, Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson, Shakira, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, Adam Lambert and Keith Urban.

Kate Hudson and her boyfriend Alex Rodriguez took the AMA stage separately. The New York Yankees player introduced Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' performance of their hit song "Empire State of Mind." Jay-Z won his second AMA of his career for Rap/Hip-Hop Male later in the evening and thanked the great city of NYC. "Men lie, women lie, numbers don't," he said when accepting the award.

Meanwhile, Hudson joined Nicole Kidman to announce the Black Eyed Peas' performance. Kidman's husband Urban won for fave Country Male later in the evening. "I love you so much baby girl," he said to his wife when accepting his award.

Rascal Flats won for favorite Country Group, while country singer Taylor Swift accepted her AMA's in London for fave Pop Rock Female Artist, fave Country Female and Artist of the Year. New group Gloriana won their first AMA for Breakthrough Artist and thanked their tour-mate Swift. For rock n' roll awards, Green Day won for Alternative Rock Band before performing later in the night.

Rihanna was a show-stopper, singing her new single "Hard." This was her first solo performance since her domestic dispute with Chris Brown in February. As for fave Soul R&B artist awards, Jermaine Jackson accepted an AMA for his late brother Michael and Beyonce won for fave Soul R&B Female artist. Michael also won for Pop Rock Male.

Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood and Mary J. Blige were amongst the other female singers to take to the AMA stage later in the evening. Whitney Houston was honored with an International Artist of the Year AMA before giving her first live performance in five years.

See the AMA red carpet arrivals!