Pillow fights, tear-jerking nostalgia and good old fashioned rock 'n' roll were all part of the fun at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards.
Sir Paul McCartney was handed an Ultimate Legend Award by Bono, Rick Astley was crowned the Best Act Ever and Barack Obama was hailed the saviour of all nations.
This year's MTV Europe Music Awards really was an evening of firsts.
The first giant pillow fight on stage while rock chick Pink tried to sing through the flying feathers, the first time a giant cherry chapstick opened a major awards show, the first time Katie from the Ting Tings compared under-eye bags with Duffy and the first time Leona Lewis was propositioned by diva Anastacia who asked if she could be her new BFF.
But in true MTV Award-night style, it was also a night of the expected glitz, glamour and after parties.
It's one of the biggest nights in the international music industry, and musicians from all over the world arrived at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, to a backdrop of thousands of fans who weren't lucky enough to buy golden tickets for the show.
One of the night's highlights was McCartney receiving an Ultimate Legend Award, presented by U2 frontman Bono.
Bono hailed the ex-Beatle as "St Paul McCartney" and the "one person in this hall tonight whose work is immortal".
"For someone like me who makes his living in rock and roll to be asked to say a few words about Paul McCartney is like asking a Catholic priest if he wouldn't mind stopping off in Rome to give an award to St Peter.
"This is the man who invented my job. On the way here Paul McCartney, who was driving the car, was pointing out every place in Liverpool he cycled, where he wrote songs, where he bunked school.
"It was like being in the Popemobile with the Pope driving."
Becoming more and more emotional he continued: "In the universere of rock 'n' roll bands, The Beatles were the Big Bang. Tonight is about how much Liverpool means to Paul McCartney and how much Paul McCartney means to Liverpool.
"From the Cavern Club to the Liverpool Institute, Penny Lane to the Liverpool Oratorio, this is the city that gave him his attitude, this is the city that gave him his essence, his inspiration.
"I think we all suspect, someday, when all of us are gone and this great hall is no longer here, in two or three hundred years from now we sense — we fear — our names will be forgotten. There is one person here, in this hall tonight whose songs we know will be heard now and forever.
His songs will continue to be sung, heard and played as long as humans care about beauty and longing, heartbreak and faith."
"There is one person here tonight whose work is immortal. You call him sir, I call him lord, saint Paul McCartney."
Immortal
Running on stage to Love Me Do, Liverpool's favourite son was clearly humbled and touched.
"Liverpool. What can I say? I love you," he started. "Many years ago there were four little boys born here in Liverpool, and we went on to do quite well. Thank you."
Rousing musical performances of the night included Kid Rock, Beyonce Knowles, The Killers, Take That, and Kanye West, among others, with West and British singer Estelle doing her number one hit, American Boy.
It was West's second appearance on stage at the European awards — but the first time by invitation. The rapper stormed the stage at the 2006 show in Copenhagen after he failed to win the Best Video prize, telling the crowd that "if I don't win, the awards show loses credibility".
This year, West was a perfect gentleman, accepting his prize for Ultimate Urban Act with a polite "this is for my fans".
But it was Pink who really went for it. An energetic performance of Rock Star stole the show before dancers added to the atmosphere by starting a giant pillow fight which left white feathers spraying over the audience and into the air.
The big winners of the night were Britney Spears and Jared Leto's band 30 Second to Mars, who both picked up two awards. And though Spears wasn't in attendance to accept, she had prepared a speech that was broadcast via video.
The Best Act Ever Award went to '80s crooner Rick Astley, who is enjoying a career renaissance thanks to the "Rickrolling" phenomenon, in which seemingly unrelated internet links lead to a video of Astley's 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up.
Pride for Obama
Newly elected American president Barack Obama was the other big winner of the night, as stars couldn't help but congratulate from the stage. Energised by the city's musical heritage and the US presidential election, singer Katy Perry, who hosted the show and was also named Best New Act, appeared in a dress emblazoned with Obama's face and joked "maybe Europeans will love us again, now".
But Perry wasn't the only one, as her American co-host, 30 Seconds to Mars singer Jared Leto, wore an Obama T-shirt and managed to get the 15,000-strong crowd at the city's Echo Arena to shout "Congrats, Barack" repeatedly.
Sir Paul McCartney also gave his wishes, saying: "I want to thank my mum and dad, The Beatles, the people of Liverpool, and Americans for voting in Senator Obama."
Winnersof the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards
Most Addictive Track: Pink's So What
Headliner: Tokio Hotel
Rock Out: 30 Seconds To Mars
Album: Britney Spears's Blackout
Best New Act: Katy Perry
Video Star: 30 Seconds To Mars's A Beautiful Lie
Best Act Ever: Rick Astley
Ultimate Urban: Kanye West
Artist's Choice: Lil Wayne
Act of 2008: Britney Spears
MTV EMAs 2008 performances
Beyoncé: If I Were a Boy
Take That: Greatest Day
The Killers: Human
Kanye West: Love Lockdown
Kanye West and Estelle: American Boy
The Ting Tings: That's Not My Name
Kid Rock: So Hott / All Summer Long
Duffy: Mercy
Pink: So What
