Left: Singer Mary J. Blige performs 'We Ride (I See the Future)' at the 2006 American Music Awards on Tuesday.  Right: Singer Beyoncé performs at the 2006 American Music Awards. - reuters photos

LOS ANGELES (AP):

They ruled the American Music Awards with three wins, but don't look for the Black Eyed Peas to score another trifecta when Grammy nominations are announced next month.

The band's most recent record, 2005's Monkey Business, was named Favourite Rap/Hip Hop Album Tuesday, but it isn't eligible for consideration for the Grammy Awards in February.

Still, the hybrid hip hop quartet, which blends rap and vocals with jazzy backdrops and groovy basslines, is clearly one of America's favourites, winning Best Group in both the Rap/Hip Hop and Soul/Rhythm & Blues categories.

Meanwhile, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige and Rascal Flatts may have become instant Grammy front-runners with double wins at the American Music Awards on Tuesday. Each has a new album that qualifies for consideration.

Clarkson captured trophies for Pop/Rock Female and Adult Contemporary Artiste. Rascal Flatts won Favourite Country Group and the T-Mobile Text-In Award, which is chosen by fans.

Blige won Favourite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Album for The Breakthrough. She was also the Favourite Female R&B Artiste. She accepted the award from surprise presenter Britney Spears, who looked sleek in a knee-length cream-coloured frock and long blond hair.

Oscar winner Jamie Foxx was named Favourite Male Soul/Rhythm & Blues Artiste.

"I'm like a rookie in this music thing," he said. "This means a lot more than you think, man."

Foxx performed Wish U Were Here from his 2005 album, Unpredictable.

Nickelback took home the trophy for Pop/Rock Album for All the Right Reasons.

Country honours

Among country honours, Favourite Female Artiste went to Faith Hill, Male Artiste went to Toby Keith and Tim McGraw's Greatest Hits Volume 2 was Favourite Album. Country singer and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood was crowned New Breakthrough Artiste.

Eminem took Favourite Male Rap/Hip Hop Artiste. The Male Pop/Rock Artiste Trophy went to dancehall singer Sean Paul. Shakira won Favourite Latin Artiste, and Kirk Franklin captured the award for Contemporary Inspirational Music.

"I know that a lot of people that say that they're Christians - you know, we don't always represent, and we don't always live it, and we do sometimes some very stupid things, and you know we're not doing a good job," said Franklin. "I want to make sure that when you see my life that it's a life that I'm gonna be proud of."

The ceremony, broadcast by ABC from the Shrine Auditorium, was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who launched a skit that placed a lookalike for Spears' ex, Kevin Federline, into a wooden crate that gets dumped into the ocean. Kimmel cracked that Federline was the world's first 'no-hit wonder'.

Beyoncé began the show, belting out her single Irreplaceable while vamping around the stage in a sparkly sequinned mini dress.

Gwen Stefani made a stylish return to the music scene, performing the single Wind It Up from her forthcoming album, The Sweet Escape.

Rapper Jay-Z stepped back into the spotlight, accompanied by scantily clad dancers as he performed the single Show Me What You Got from his new record, Kingdom Come.

Some awards were announced off camera before the broadcast presentations.

The American Music Awards honour the best in pop/rock, country, soul/rhythm & blues, rap/hip hop, Latin, alternative, adult contemporary and contemporary inspirational music. Nominees were chosen based on record sales and winners were selected by a survey of about 20,000 listeners.