Bieber Cleans up

It may have been his first time at the American Music Awards, but that didn't stop Justin Bieber from sweeping the show, outpacing nomination leader Eminem by winning four awards, including Artist of the Year.

The Canadian singer, who is the youngest performer to ever win Favorite Artist of the Year, invited mentor Usher to join him onstage while accepting the award. "I feel it's only right to invite him up here to share this with me," said Bieber. "He's not only my mentor, but my best friend and my big brother. I love you, man."

Bieber also won Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album and the audience-voted T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist award. "I come from the smallest town in the world of like 30,000 people and I never thought this was possible," the Stratford, Ont.-raised singer said.

Other winners at the American Music Awards, which took place Sunday night at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, included Eminem for Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Male, Rihanna for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist and Taylor Swift for Favorite Country Female Artist.

Swift, sporting straight hair and a Collette Dinnigan metallic dress, thanked her fans while accepting her award, saying, "I think it's something really wonderful and rare to feel understood, and to my fans, I just want to say you guys get me and you know where I'm coming from and I can't thank you enough for that."

The show opened with Rihanna performing a medley of songs from her new album, Loud. Other performances included Enrique Inglesias and Pitbull teaming up for "I Like It," Miley Cyrus singing "Forgiveness and Love," and the Black Eyed Peas performing first single "The Time (Dirty Bit)" from their new album, The Beginning. Bon Jovi also got the crowd moving with a medley of their past hits, including "Shot Through the Heart" and "It's My Life."

Going into the show, Eminem and Lady Antebellum were leading the nominations with five nods each, followed closely by Justin Bieber with four nominations. Surprisingly, Lady Gaga (who did not attend) failed to win any awards despite dominating the music scene for the past year.

The show closed with the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block coming together to perform a medley of both groups' biggest hits.

The winners:

-Favorite Soul R&B Album: Usher, Raymond vs. Raymond

-Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Group or Duo: The Black Eyed Peas

-Favorite Country Female Artist: Taylor Swift

-Favorite Latin Music Artist: Shakira

-Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist: Rihanna

-Favorite Country Male Artist: Brad Paisley

-T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist: Justin Bieber

-Favorite Pop/Rock Male: Justin Bieber

-Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Male: Eminem

-Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Justin Bieber, My World 2.0

-Favorite Country Album: Carrie Underwood, Play On

-Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group: Lady Antebellum

-Favorite Alternative Rock Artist: Muse

-Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist: Michael Buble

-Favourite Soul/R&B Male: Usher

-Favourite Artist of the Year: Justin Bieber