LOS ANGELES - Pop diva Mariah Carey, whose commercial success has not translated into awards show acclaim, was snubbed at the American Music Awards on Tuesday, despite scoring three nominations.

The big winners this year were the Los Angeles funk band Black Eyed Peas, who won all three categories in which they were nominated. Veteran funk-rock combo the Red Hot Chili Peppers won two awards. Canadian rock band Nickelback, another three-time nominee, won a single award.

Carey, 36, who was nominated for four awards last year and won one, was a no-show. She went zero for six in 1997.

No-show winners are a tradition at this event. The Peas and the Peppers sent in acceptance speeches from Costa Rica and London, respectively. Other MIA acts included rapper Eminem (favorite male rap/hip-hop artist), husband-and-wife country stars Faith Hill (female country artist) and Tim McGraw (country album), Toby Keith (male country artist), and Colombian bombshell Shakira (Latin artist).

Country trio Rascal Flatts, soul diva Mary J. Blige, and former "American Idol" champion Kelly Clarkson also won two awards apiece. Rascal Flatts and Blige attended, Clarkson did not.

The American Music Awards are a more populist version of the Grammys, which are determined by music industry insiders and will take place in February.

The Black Eyed Peas won for favorite group in both the rap/hip-hop and soul/R&B categories, and favorite rap/hip-hop album for "Monkey Business." The Red Hot Chili Peppers won for favorite pop/rock group and alternative music artist.

Nickelback won for favorite pop/rock album with "All the Right Reasons," a chart-topping effort that was released just over a year ago. Frontman Chad Kroeger said he thought the Chili Peppers were going "to clean the house tonight."