Live stream: 2012 American Music Awards

Evan Agostini, Invision via AP
Rihanna is positively smoking as she performs at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Nov. 7 in New York. The show will be broadcast on Dec. 4 on CBS.

by Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY

Published: 11/18/2012 10:08am

Sure, it's a big popularity contest with none of Grammys' credibility or creative pizzazz, but as an overview of the year's hottest music, the American Music Awards bring plenty of heat.

The show celebrates its 40th anniversary with a star-studded blowout from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles (ABC, 8 p.m. ET live/PT tape-delayed Sunday) delivered by a huge cross section of contemporary hit-makers.

Taylor Swift, Usher, Pink and Pitbull will take the stage. Christina Aguilera, Linkin Park, Nicki Minaj, No Doubt, Carrie Underwood and Ke$ha also will perform.

Fans voting online will determine winners in pop/rock, country, rap/hip-hop, soul/R&B, alternative, adult contemporary, Latin and contemporary inspirational.

Minaj and Rihanna lead the pack with four nominations each, followed by Drake, Justin Bieber, Maroon5, One Direction and Usher with three each. Underwood, Chris Brown, fun, Gotye, J. Cole, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan and Pitbull each garnered two nods.

David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Skrillex compete in the newly added electronic dance music category.

And Bieber, Drake, Maroon 5, Perry and Rihanna are up for the 2012 Artist of the Year prize