“I wish so much that I could be there,” Gaga told the MTV live audience in Madrid, wearing little more than a piece of plastic by her third cross. Host Eva Longoria (from TV’s “Desperate Housewives”) apparently annoyed the pop star by joking that she had found the singer’s infamous ‘meat dress’ in a refrigerator backstage. Gaga’s biggest competition on the night was fellow pop star Katy Perry, who was also nominated for five awards, and took out the category of Best Video for her hit song “California Gurls”.

Despite the awards supposedly being about celebrating European music, most of the categories were dominated by American artists, with only one winner not hailing from the States: that honour belonged to 16-year-old pop sensation Justin Bieber, who beat out Eminem and Kanye West to take home Best Male performer.

Performing and appearing on the night was Colombian pop star Shakira, UK rapper Dizzee Rascal (who’s set to visit Australia in February), as well as Kid Rock, Kings Of Leon, Miley Cyrus, and Bon Jovi, who closed the show. Jon Bon Jovi thanked the crowd for his band’s recognition with MTV Europe’s inaugural Global Icon award.

“Thanks for making us icons,” Bon Jovi said. “I want to thank everyone at MTV for this unbelievable ride over a quarter of a century. We’re still doing what we do and we’re doing it well.”

The winners at the MTV Europe Awards were:

Best New Act: Ke$ha

Best Pop: Lady Gaga

Best Female: Lady Gaga

Best Song: Lady Gaga “Bad Romance”

Best Video: Katy Perry for California Gurls

Best Hip Hop: Eminem

Best Alternative: Paramore

Best Male: Justin Bieber

Best Live Act: Linkin Park

Best Rock: 30 Seconds to Mars