In the fifteen years since Jennifer Lopez first blazed onto the music scene, the dynamite diva has become a tour de force. From her countless catalogue of classics, to clothing lines, movies, and fragrances, the star – for many – serves the blueprint of what it means to be more than an artist, but to be a brand.
As such, it’s little surprise that Billboard have chosen the singer to receive the highest honor at the upcoming Billboard Music Awards.
Details below…
The industry juggernaut today revealed that Lopez will be the recipient of the Billboard Icon Award at this year’s ceremony – which takes place on May 18th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
According to the official press announcement, the Icon Award is deemed the BBMA’s ultimate prize as the accolade recognizes lifetime achievement and an artist’s remarkable and enduring contribution to popular music. 44-year-old Lopez becomes the first woman (and fourth artist overall) to be hailed as such, joining past winners Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Neil Diamond.
It was also confirmed that the mom of two will take to the stage to perform new single ‘First Love’, which is lifted from new album ‘A.K.A’ (due June 17th). The singer will also grace the stage to perform with comrade Pitbull to premiere the official anthem of this year’s FIFA World Cup, ‘We Are One (Ole Ola)’.
Speaking on why Lopez was picked for the honor, Larry Klein – produce of the Billboard Music Awards – said:
“Jennifer Lopez is one of the most iconic performers of her generation. We are thrilled to honor her historic career with the 2014 Icon Award and will be on the edge of our seats like everyone else when she takes the stage.”
Congrats! While we certainly feel La Lopez is more deserving than certain others who’ve been christened icons in recent times, it’s clear many will debate her nomination in the run to the show and beyond.
Still, whichever way it’s looked at, it’s a great look for her album campaign.
Very well deserved! I cant wait to watch it!
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.. Why are they giving her the Icon award when has has won only ONE Billboard Award in her entire career? In 2001 for Top Female Pop Artist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Jennifer_Lopez
Even Ashanti has 8 Billboard awards. I guess Ashanti will be honored with the Legend Award since it only takes 1 previous Billboard win to get you the Icon award.
Icon for what? Certainly not music.
Great job JLO!! Congrats to you
And what is historic about her career? The most iconic thing J Lo does is red carpets. This award has offcially lost all credibility. I was already sceptical about Rihanna, this has confirmed it.
Girl BOOO! J lo helped start latin pop on a grand scale in the US .. she & ricky martin brought latin music fused with dance not to mention her star on the hollywood walk of fame, successful fashion and perfumes, ACTING, producing, business ownership! She shoulda been had one! It looks bad that an icon like JLO was considered after Rihanna (where they do that s*** at?)
How so exactly when Jlow just bandwagons every ‘in’ genre of the time?
I don’t really think she is an icon musically speaking but good for her
Jennifer who? Is this the same Jennifer who hasn’t had a successful album since 2005? The same Jennifer who’s latest hit without Pitbull was also in 2005? The same Jennifer who launched her first worldwide tour in 2012 despite debuting over a decade before that? I’m not seeing the iconic status. Maybe from that time she wore that one dress?
Says the fool that Stans for an artist who’s previous album has failed to go diamond yet alone all more than 3 million records despite having 6 number one singles from that album
K @ you bringing up Diamond albums as if J.Lo is racking them up. Katy launched two worldwide concert tours before J.Lo despite debuting over a decade after J.Lo. That is who I stan for. Fool is the one giving an icon award for a mediocre h** with a mediocre career.
Hey boo JLO had no reason to embark on worldwide tour after dropping an album especially since most of her albums did very well worldwide! Even to a point where her whole discography has sold more than Katy you would have realized if you had done your research. Katy’s last album has failed to go past the 3 million mark despite having 6 number one hit singles a number one movie based on that album and a re-release. Just shows her longevity as an artist I bet you ten years from now she will be forgotten by many of her brainless “fans” including you
Jennifer never needed to go on tour because she was making 15Mil a movie. She was the biggest thing behind Britney Spears.
Congrats to JLO she deserves it, she’s a triple threat (acting,music,dancer) and of course the haters as usual and since when an icon had to be known only for music? Really you guys are sad
Billboard awards is about music is it now? If it isn’t why do they only award musicians?
it is the billboard MUSIC awards
You officially get the award for the most retarded comment ever posted on TGJ. Congrats dumbass….
First of all honey I meant It overall you retarded fool obviously the billboard MUSIC award is about music I was just saying she’s getting awarded for the her overall contribution In pop culture (music,dancing,acting) the overall billboard is also about pop culture and music so please have a seat before replying with your retatded ass comment y’all are so damn stupid seriously lmaoooo
OMG YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! A REAL QUEEN DETECTED! STAY PRESSED BEYAWNCE AND COWRIAH FANS!
Mariah won’t be performing this year for sure then.
Lol! This officially puts the nail in the coffin for this award. She getting an icon award yet can’t win a Grammy after 30 years. I guess Mari
Maria you were right*
Is the billlboard music awards not the Grammys so it does not matter if she’s hasn’t won any Grammys
And shes only won ONE Billboard award in her whole 2 decades! The struggle. Now they wanna call her an icon?
Can the church say AMEN! It’s nice to see Jenny getting her rightfully earned love! She’s still got it and she deserve her flowers now!
it gets no better than j.lo
LOL These fake awards are hilarious! lmao
Good for her.
Oh Billboard. All I know is they are going to struggle with the VT highlighting her achievments which will be even more tragic than the one before which included instagram followers *dies*
Than the AMA one before*
While the only thing I’ve ever seen her an icon for is fashion and her entrepreneur actions/decisions, I can give her an applause. Like Shady Sam said, this looks damn good for that album campaign. Congrats Beautiful. I still love that orange lipstick and nail color. I’ve been looking forever to find it.
But seriously if ANYONE knows where I can get that lipstick, reply. Thanks.
yasssss well deserved. A true Latin icon. Very proud to be Latino and from the Bronx. Much love I luh ya mami
She is indeed an Icon, she’s not a newbie, i remember during 2003-4, she was massive, she was everyday in the news, her relationship with Ben Affleck was one of the most talked about of all times, none of the Pop girls besides Britney Spears, has ever experienced this kind of exposure/superstardom in the media’s, she’s a force in Pop Culture, and one of the few superstars who doesn’t need Grammys, Oscars, big sales to be on the level that she is, most of the fans of recent music stars, name Janet Jackson and Madonna as their favorites main influence but Pop stars like Beyonce molded the way she presented herself to the industry after J.Lo, her message was ’embrace your curvaceous body’, every single Latina/hispanic actress in hollywood has cited her as their main influence and the goal to reach, fashion icon, business woman, an empire, one of the greatest performer in Pop music of all times, still at 44 and as if that were not enough, the b**** looks better than all of our favorites, even her derriere has a career on its own, having inspired millions of women to get implants on their rearguard to look like her, from Nicki Minaj to Kim Kardashian, all of them has been inspired by that a$$, i don’t blame them, that mystical a$$ needs to be named The Eighth Wonder of the World
And thats the problem. All that and barely anything to do with musical achievments.
she is an icon especially to latino women, no doubt about that but its not because of her music. personally am not even aware of anyone who said jlo is their inspiration as an artist/singer/musician…I could be wrong though and am open for correction.
I could name 2000 people who said they are inspired by Beyonce, but is really her music to influence them, music is very limited today, it all comes from what the greats did back in the day, so to think that people like Jennifer, Rihanna, Beyonce, or Britney will have any impact in music itself is stupid because none of them has done anything to innovate music, they make Pop music, that’s it.
None of them have ever said they are inspired by her musically
Jlo musically.
Is this the Billboard music awards or beauty image awards?
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck affair was as talked about as many many others throughout the years, not one of the most of all time, just one more.
And if that´s one of the best things you can say about her then WOW 🙂
are we tryin to forget that before ben affleck there was just as much noise about jlo and p diddy? this is hilarious. i just posted yesterday how jlo has done damn little as far as record sales for years and the same goes for her flop movies. here she is getting an award for being an icon. the media deems who’s a superstar and an icon (accomplishments be damned)!! this definitely proves that point.
WELL, SHE ALREADY WON THE World Icon Award IN LATINOAMERICA LAST YEAR!
SHE IS A BIG INTERNATIONAL STAR ♥
J lo is an icon in celebrity culture. But that does not pertain to what this award should really be about. This is were these awards are going downhill, and losing worth. It is a music award show and the things that make J Lo iconic have nothing to do with that. Its all about image and fashion. Sad times. Because J Lo has done absolutley nothing iconic in music.
Its not a big deal some you all are just big haters stop tryna deny someones impact.
What impact has J-Lo had lol
I think she’s made a impact as a triple threat singing dancing and acting. I see nothing wrong with her getting this.
JLOW can neither sing nor act well. The only thing she is decent at is dancing but she isn’t even on the level of people like Janet, Paula, or Mya. Hell, even your fave Ciara is way more fluid and precise and is a better freestyler than JLOW.
Sam make a post on how everyone is saying Ariana stole Mariah Carey’s Honey dance moves
Lol shes a flop though. No one cites her as a musical inspiration, no grammys, no iconic hits, poor sales, no impressive tours, no iconic performances. Like are they ok? Great promo for her new album though!
I know some if y’all not coming for Jenny when she has a longer career than our faves. While some of y’all stanning for 5 year wonders JLO has shown that she can last and have success in several areas.
The green Versace @ the 2000 Grammys alone is more iconic than some artists’ ENTIRE careers
How much did she pay for this? You cannot seriously expect people to think this is legit. While I agree that she might be a pop culture icon(I.e. her slutty fashion and inflated ass), calling her a music icon is reaching beyond belief. This h** has made no impact in the music industry, in fact she has even stole from people. She is a joke, point blank.
The irony, in fact i i gree that she is not a music icon but neither is Beyonce, a pop culture icon, yes! but she has done nothing for music, i considered music icons The Beatles, Elvis and the likes, you know the ones that are musicians.
She deserves on alone for being Beyonce’s biggest inspiration.
Agreed
@ dumbass s******
Why are you bringing up Bouncy as if I am a fan. What type of a fan calls someone and their husband a h** and pimp? Use logic and stop clogging up my response space with your stupidity.
@miss
That is a weak point and you know it. Fraudonce copies everyone. JHOE is not special, in fact the s**** has stolen from other people as well( both in music and acting).
@New
Thank you
Congrats Jlo! Well deserved! This woman has been an force in pop music since the late 1990s. She may have had some set backs but she’s still here. I think its half and half, in terms of her success in movies and music. She was one of the first successful triple threats. She had her hands in everything. Lots of people in Hollywood lined her success up with Elizabeth Taylor in her glory days.
Well she did sell over 80 Mil records and grossed over 2 billion in movies. That alone doesn’t make her a flop. She also has successful fragrances for over 10 years now.
And not people talking about movies. Is this a f****** movie award? Its Billbard. What real ICONIC impact has she had on BILLBOARD? And I mean ICONIC not whats cute/good about her?
People complaining for J.Lo getting a music award recognition when Beyonce received the artist of the Millenium, it’s that alone is not an insult to MUSIC itself, i don’t know what it is, these days everyone could be a music icon, it’s not about the music anymore.
Trying to distract J Los LACK in anything musically with Beyonce does not change truth. She does not deserve this.
And are people seriously comparing her to Beyonce. I don’t stan for her but she achieved things MUSICALLY that makes her an icon minus celeb culture. She has iconic hits in pop, she has musical acclaim, she has musical stats to back it up. J Lo does NOT.
Clearly an icon. I think y’all are mixing icon with legend. Music legend? Hell no! Pop icon? Hellz yea. J.Lo made Mariah have a breakdown, gave birth to Beyonce (cause before 2002, she was Beyonce Knowles and those were two different girls. Bey was pretty ghetto before 2002. Plus the singer/dancer/actress/hollywood red carpet, Bey took a page out of Jenny’s book.)
No she didn’t her image just evolved and sopisticated with fame. She can’t help her creole genes make her look more latina than the average black girl with blond weave.
Omg this comment is so stupid. So J Los an icon because she made mariah have a breakdown and Beyonce looks like her sometimes? Yes its sounds bery dumb doesnt it?
How in THE HELL did she make Mariah have a breakdown. Come on Mark! Sometimes your comments are great but others make no sense at all.
Tommy’s SPELL made Mariah have a breakdown not J-Ho
^If it was Tommy, he used J.lo as the weapon. I said that cause people are saying she done nothing musically, but from 1999 to 2005, J.lo was that chick. Hint MC came back in 2005 while J.lo started to fall. This girl went from a fly girl, Janet’s back up dancer to actress, pop star, fashion icon. Give credit.
Yes, J-Ho is a HISPANIC/POP ICON but to say she made Mariah have a breakdown is pushing it. Also, muscially speaking “Charmbracelet” lyrically, melodically & vocally slays any J-Ho album. The bish dont even write nor produce. Also, that lil voice aint nothing studio wise or live. Mariah may have had a struggle in the early 00’s but still achieved 4 albums to sell over 3 – 8 million copies (respectively) between 1999 – 2004. But yes, J-HO is a icon & is very well passed due her icon award for sure.
JLO
*3 MULTI – platinum Albums
– On The 6
– J.LO (#1 BB200 Album)
– This Is Me … Then
*Platinum Albums
J-to tha L-O! Remixes (went on to become the 3rd best selling remix album after Madonna & MJ’s remix albums)
*4 #1’s (BB100)
– If You Had My Love
– I’m Real
– Ain’t It Funny
– All I Have
*10 top 10’s (BB100)
*80 Records Million Sold
*52+ Million (World Tour)
*Biggest hit of her Career: “On The Floor” (12 years after career start)
^ If this is a flop, gimme one of those!
S/N: For all those bringing up Bey & pretending that she doesn’t have a claim to make (when it comes to contributing to Pop culture) see me in a couple of years I’m still adding up receipts!
I forgot to add that JLO is definitely one of the video Goddesses (that can be mentioned with names like Janet, Beyonce and Madonna)! She does have several iconic videos!
I do agree with you just because she doesn’t sell like she used to doesn’t take away her achievements. It seems anyone who sold before 2005 is considered a flop. A flop is someone who never sold anything and never achieved something.
^ Exactly! That flop word should just be retired until people comprehend the true meaning of it.
But that doesnt make her an icon^
Yeah a flop is someone who is popular now but easily forgotten tomorrow I can give you a long list of flops
Blondie BLACK WOMEN inspired the public to get big asses not J-HO
He is and has always been a confused idiot, what do you expect?
No. Just no. I like her though.
Wtf!!! This is the billboard awards shouldnt the icon award be based off billboard iconicness? Mariah, madonna, rihanna, usher, katy, gaga have better stats.
f*** off , jlo s generation . she is the queen
Love her but her billboard stats are week. Good god even bey places ahead of her
Isn’t J-Ho the biggest Latin Pop Star Ever…
Nope, J-ho fuckked her way to the top. W****!!!
Why are they giving her the Icon award when has has won only ONE Billboard Award in her entire career? In 2001 for Top Female Pop Artist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Jennifer_Lopez
Even Ashanti has 8 Billboard awards. I guess Ashanti will be honored with the Legend Award since it only takes 1 previous Billboard win to get you the Icon award.
The FIRST woman to receive a BILLBOARD Icon Award just had to be JLO,lol…Now she joins the likes of Stevie Wonder and Neil Diamond.OK,congratulations Jennifer Lopez
Hahahaha the irony. Fox is doing J Lo is big ol fat PR favor with this one.
OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG well deserved mama . u r the queen . cant wait !!!!!!!!!!!!
Any other music award show i get! But billboard? Also why now? If she had a hit album ala justin i would get that but sh hasnt been doing all that great lately. Give it to bey a least her album caused a stir and she is nominated for a handful of aeards this year alone! Or shakira! She has songs on the actual chart
But she has had a geat run and she is to some degree an icon. She represented the latino community and that ass deserves its own icon award
Revolution Replied:
May 5th, 2014 at 3:54 pm
And shes only won ONE Billboard award in her whole 2 decades! The struggle. Now they wanna call her an icon?
Kiiiiii
YUP
And I’m sitting here, counting all 33 of Janet Jackson’s Billboard Music Awards.
Shaking my f****** head right now…
Think I’m gonna spend your cash I won’t even if you were broke my love don’t cost a thing!!
No one can deny that Jlo was racking up hits back in the day and selling albums.
Previous winners of this award:
-Stevie Wonder
-Prince
…and now J Lo. Are you kidding me!?
Give it to Janet Jackson, who has the most Billboard Music Awards in history, Madonna, Aretha…s***, even Rihanna has had more of an impact on music.
Jennifer Lopez is incredibly famous and a very successful brand, but not an artist at the caliber of Stevie and Prince.
The awards show airs on Fox. Some strings were definitely pulled with this award…
Just makes me sad that essentially the importance of this award is now null and void.
hahhahaa all the haters , JEalous , snatch them wigs JLO