The 35th edition of American Music Awards had in the center of the prize-attention two American Idol stars.

Former competitors in the popular show Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry won a hat-trick of awards each, leading in the top winning artist of the Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater event.

Underwood, who has very recently won three more awards at Country Music Association Awards, received three more at AMA, including favorite female country artist, country album and the special award, the T-Mobile Text-in Award.

The other top winner, Chris Daughtry, who took part in the American Idol show in 2006, won along with his band three awards, for the best pop/rock album – their homonymic album winning the tough fight with Justin Timberlake’s “FutureSex/LoveSounds.” Daughtry were acknowledged at the Adult Contemporary and Breakthrough categories.

Justin Timberlake scored two awards, for best pop/rock male artist and favorite Soul/ Rhythm & Blues album, “FutureSex/Love Sounds”.

Rihanna and Akon were the favorite Soul/ R&B female, respectively male artists. The favorite soundtrack album went to Disney’s “High School Musical 2,” TI, who couldn’t make it for the show due to his home arrest on weapon charges received the favorite hip-hop artist and album awards.

 The International Artist Award, a distinctive recognition that we were accustomed to see granted to great names such as Michael Jackson or Aerosmith, went to Beyonce.

This year’s host of the show was Jimmy Kimmel, who joked that he had the interdiction to be funny due to the writers’ strike. The night’s guests were Duran Duran with their new song “Falling Down” and their older hit “Hungry Like the Wolf”, Celine Dion who performed her latest release “Taking Chances” and Lenny Kravitz’s “I'll Be Waiting.” Beyonce sang her “Irreplaceable” featuring Sugarland.