USHER, LINKIN PARK MULTIPLE RADIO MUSIC AWARD WINNERS

Usher was the big winner at Monday night’s Radio Music Awards in Las Vegas, scoring three nods for Hip-Hop/Rhythmic Artist of the Year, Hip-Hop/Rhythmic Song of the Year (for “Yeah!” featuring Lil’ Jon) and Cingular Artist of the Year, meaning he’s big with people with cell phones, or something like that.

Linkin Park took home two awards, for Rock Artist of the Year and Rock/Alternative Song of the Year, for “Numb.”

Destiny’s Child opened the show with a performance of “Lose My Breath,” while other performers included Train, Chingy, Elton John, Tim McGraw, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Alanis Morissette.

But the most anticipated performance of the Clear Channel-sponsored awards show had to be that of Ashlee Simpson, whose Saturday Night Live vocal-augmentation debacle is still receiving widespread media attention. Simpson sang “Autobiography,” but not before punking the audience by saying “It’s the wrong song!” after her band started playing. After a few seconds, she said she was kidding and launched into the tune.

Host Carson Daly previously had assured the audience Simpson would be singing live.

And the winners are:

Hip-Hop/Rhythmic Artist of the Year: Usher

Top 40 Artist of the Year: Beyoncé

Country Artist of the Year: Tim McGraw

Rock/Alternative Song of the Year: Linkin Park, “Numb”

Hip-Hop/Rythmic Song of the Year: Usher, “Yeah!”

Rock Artist of the Year: Linkin Park

Modern Adult Artist of the Year: Train

Legend Award: Janet Jackson

Cingular Artist of the Year: Usher