So instead of Chris Brown doing a medley of Michael Jackson’s Thriller hits, AMAs allowed “We Are The World” to be performed.
Just after Lionel Richie took home the Icon Award at the 2022 American Music Awards on Sunday (Nov. 20), Stevie Wonder and Charlie Puth took to the Microsoft Theater stage to pay a lengthy tribute to the superstar.
Appearing on the stage at a set of dueling pianos, the pair engaged in what Puth referred to onstage as a “musical tennis match of Lionel Richie copyrights” — essentially, ping-ponging off each other, performing hits from Richie’s vast catalog.
The two went back and forth for a while, before eventually landing on one of the biggest hits from Richie’s pen, “We Are The World” with Michael Jackson. Much like that original celebrity-packed jam, the stage filled with stars, including Ari Lennox, Muni Long, Melissa Etheridge, Jimmie Allen, Yola, Smokey Robinson and more. As everyone belted the lyrics out, Richie couldn’t help but rush up onto the stage to perform with the group.
In a message to “young superstars” during his acceptance speech for the Icon Award, Richie said, “When you hear the word ‘hip,’ it means today. When you hear the word ‘inspiring,’ it means forever. If you get a chance to have that light on you, understand what God has in store.”
While it is always nice to hear the song, let’s not be mistaken, this was a tribute to Lionel Richie and not Michael Jackson. Chris Brown even decided to give the show a complete miss and did not turn up for his own award.
As it stands, we still do not know why Chris Brown’s performance, including Michael Jackson Thriller tribute, was pulled out the last minute. It could have been a decision from the network ABC, owned by Disney (who had some legal issues with the Michael Jackson Estate) or even the Estate themselves decided to pull out.
