Update | Michael Jackson back from the grave at Billboard Awards

The King of Pop and a likely successor, Justin Timberlake, ruled the Billboard Music Awards – though Michael Jackson made a splash via hologram and Timberlake accepted his awards via video from overseas while on tour.

A hologram of Jackson made its debut on Sunday night, mirroring the late icon’s signature dance moves as some members of the audience became emotional. Timberlake won seven prizes, including top artist and Billboard 200 album.

“All the other finalists, Miley, Imagine Dragons, Bruno, Katy, I love you guys, it’s not a competition, but if it is, I won!” Timberlake exclaimed, dancing with his band.

The Jackson hologram performed Slave to the Rhythm, a song from Jackson’s new posthumous album Xscape,, along with a plethora of background dancers. It was easily the biggest moment at the awards show in Las Vegas.

“We tried to do as best we could what we thought Michael would have loved, and those of us who knew Michael really well, we had a good perspective on it,” Epic Records CEO L.A. Reid said backstage. Reid worked on the album and released it. “

Robin Thicke, who won four awards including top Hot 100 song for Blurred Lines, debuted Get Her Back, aiming to win over his actress-wife Paula Patton after they announced in February they were separating. He sang on bended knee and ended with the line: “I gotta get her back tonight.”

The night featured a number of collabourative performances, including an explosive duet from Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, while double winner Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line were crowd favourites when they performed “This Is How We Roll.”