NBC AND CLEAR CHANNEL CELEBRATE MUSIC'S BIGGEST STARS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD AT FIRST EVER "IHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS" LIVE MAY 1 (8-11 P.M. ET/PT)

Blake Shelton, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, Pitbull, Shakira and Thirty Seconds to Mars Among Top Acts for Groundbreaking New Show

Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Steven Tyler, Imagine Dragons, Chris Martin, Lorde, Demi Lovato and More Also Set to Make Appearances

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - April 21, 2014 - The biggest names in music are taking over the city of Los Angeles on May 1 for an all new awards franchise, the "iHeartRadio Music Awards" presented by Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. The inaugural music special airs live on NBC (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) from the Shrine Auditorium.

Artists who will be performing include Blake Shelton, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, Pitbull, Shakira and Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Other performers from the telecast include Ariana Grande, Luke Bryan, Arcade Fire and Ed Sheeran.

Those set to make appearances include Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Steven Tyler, Imagine Dragons, Chris Martin, Lorde, Demi Lovato and more.

The iHeartRadio Music Awards is taking a groundbreaking approach to the award show format, offering viewers live performances, storytelling and an intimate atmosphere. In addition to performances at the glamorous-tabled show at the Shrine, the event will also feature artists playing the stages of some of Los Angeles' most iconic venues from The Roxy to the Hotel Caf�.

The event will highlight the music world's top stars in taking over Los Angeles telling viewers their "L.A. story" -- what brought them to and through the City of Angels and how it helped make their careers.

Category finalists for the iHeartRadio Music Awards were announced on March 26. Music fans have used hashtags to cast more than 55 million votes across Facebook and Twitter to catapult their favorite artists and songs.

Artist of the Year:
Imagine Dragons
Justin Timberlake
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Maroon 5
Rihanna

Song of the Year:
"Hold On We're Going Home" - Drake ft. Majid Jordan
"Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
"Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
"Stay" - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
"The Monster" - Eminem ft. Rihanna

Best Collaboration:(Most voted on category with more than 3.9 million votes cast)
"Holy Grail" - JAY Z ft. Justin Timberlake
"Stay" - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
"Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake ft. JAY Z
"The Monster" - Eminem ft. Rihanna
"Timber" - Pitbull ft. Kesha

Best New Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Icona Pop
Imagine Dragons
Lorde
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Passenger

Country Song of the Year:
"Boys 'Round Here" - Blake Shelton
"Highway Don't Care" - Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift
"It Goes Like This" - Thomas Rhett
"Mine Would Be You" - Blake Shelton
"That's My Kind of Night" - Luke Bryan

Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year:
"Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell
"Hold On We're Going Home" - Drake ft. Majid Jordan
"Holy Grail" - JAY Z ft. Justin Timberlake
"Pour It Up" - Rihanna
"Started From The Bottom" - Drake

EDM Song of the Year:
"Get Lucky" - Daft Punk ft. Pharrell
"Stay The Night" - Zedd ft. Hayley Williams
"Summertime Sadness" - Lana Del Rey ft. Cedric Gervais
"Sweet Nothing" - Calvin Harris ft. Florence Welch
"Wake Me Up" - Avicii

Alternative Rock Song of the Year:
"Demons" - Imagine Dragons
"Do I Wanna Know?" - Arctic Monkeys
"Pompeii" - Bastille
"Royals" - Lorde
"Safe And Sound" - Capital Cities

Best Lyrics:
"Wake Me Up" - Avicii (Vocals by Aloe Blacc)
"I Love It (ft. Charli XCX)" - Icona Pop
"Say Something" - A Great Big World
"Same Love" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
"Wrecking Ball" - Miley Cyrus

Best Fan Army:
Arianators - Ariana Grande
Little Monsters - Lady Gaga
Lovatics - Demi Lovato
Mahomies - Austin Mahone
Rihanna Navy - Rihanna
Swifties - Taylor Swift

Round two voting at iHeartRadio.com/awards will continue through April 25 as millions of fans rally behind their favorite artists and songs to vote for which nominee they want to win each category. Listeners can tune into their local Clear Channel radio stations for a chance to win their way into the iHeartRadio Music Awards, featuring never-before-done duets and collaborations, celebrity guest appearances and live award presentations.

The "iHeartRadio Music Awards" will be executive produced by Clear Channel's John Sykes ("MTV Music Awards") and Tom Poleman, Ryan Seacrest Productions and Ian Stewart and Hamish Hamilton ("The 2014 Academy Awards," "Super Bowl XLVIII") of Done and Dusted Inc., for NBC Studios. Hamilton will also direct.

For breaking news and exclusive iHeartRadio Music Awards content, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards