Beyoncé again and again

A triumphant year for Beyoncé ended with four awards at America's biggest chart ceremony.

The Destiny's Child star was female artist of the year for her solo album Dangerously In Love, plus top R&B artist and a special award for the most weeks at number one in the US.

She arrived at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas and admitted: "This has been an incredible year."

Beyoncé also took the stage surrounded by lookalikes in blonde wigs and identical dresses.

Like the Grammys, to be presented in the New Year, the Billboard Awards suggest that rap and R&B are sweeping aside everything in their path. Singer R Kelly, who faces child pornography charges after allegedly making a video while having sex with an underage girl, also took home four awards, including best producer and R&B songwriter.

Rapper 50 Cent received three awards, including top artist and rap artist.

There was also an honour for Sting, presented with the Century Award for achievement by Stevie Wonder after selling more than 100 million records as a solo artist and with the Police.

TV stations were forced to bleep out part of the awards when presenter Nicole Richie, daughter of singer Lionel Richie, let fly with a string of obscenities.

Fox TV said that its phone banks lit up again with more complaints after singer Pink gave the audience at the MGM Grand the middle finger during her performance.