Paulina Rubio was the first performer to take center stage with an introductory interpretation of The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” which melded into her recent smash hit “Ni Una Sola Palabra.” Following her energetic performance was the Dominican reggaetonero Don Omar who made his way to the spotlight on horseback. Duranguense diva Diana Reyes sparkled on stage and set the audience mood with a medley of hits.

This year’s event provided probably one of Billboard’s best performance lineups thus far from Calle 13’s steamy “Tango del Pecado,” which left the audiences’ body temperatures a few degrees higher, to performances by Rakim y Ken-y, Paulina Rubio & Miguel Bosé, El Gran Combo (who sang with Gilberto Santa Rosa and Víctor Manuelle) to Lupillo Rivera’s homage to his idol Pedro Infante.

Tears weren’t spared when Juanes presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Miguel Bosé who reacted with great emotion saying he was honored to be receiving the award from such a talented musician. As if that wasn’t enough, later in the show after Héctor Montaner sang “Hijos Del Sol” with undoubted excellence, he handed the Spirit of Hope Award to his father Ricardo Montaner with a heartfelt dedication that went something like this: “I can’t help but feel great joy as I hand this award to a person with such humility, to the best of the best, and the greatest of all fathers”.

The night ended with performances by Juan Luis Guerra, David Bisbal and Wisin Y Yandel.