Usher, Keys, OutKast, Kayne — win 27 Billboard awards.

Usher, Keys, OutKast, Kayne — win 27 Billboard awards.

R&B singer Usher has won 11 awards at Wednesday night's Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Other big winners included Alicia Keys with 7, OutKast with 5 and Kanye West with 4.

Chart-bursting singer, Usher, walked away with a leading 11 awards at the music biz's biggest popularity contest, including trophies for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Confessions and Hot 100 Single of the Year for Yeah! (featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris). His Confessions has sold more than 7 million copies in the U.S. since it dropped in March.

The R&B star, Usher, who opened the show by descending from the ceiling, was relaxed and humble backstage on Wednesday  — hard to believe for a man who has dominated 2004, monopolizing the charts (he became the first artist in more than three decades to top Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart four times in a calendar year), sweeping the American Music Awards last month and racking up eight Grammy nods this week. He cashed in on all but two categories he was up for at the Billboard gala.

"I'm just happy that year after year every time I put out an album, it's recognized," Usher said following the ceremony, which was held as Las Vegas' MGM Grand Casino and telecast on Fox. "It's a great compliment to receive awards."

Per Billboard tradition, the hardware was doled out on the basis of radio airplay, album and single sales and Internet downloading--all of which boil down to determining the year's most popular acts. The categories correspond to the various charts tracked in the trade magazine.

Among Alicia Keys' haul is Female Artist of the Year.

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