Rock in Rio artists, Vegas residents coming to Billboard Music Awards

As long as you’re in the neighborhood …

The Billboard Music Awards bring a big enough party to town in their own right. But Sunday’s return of the ABC special lands on an already crazy weekend. Why not just invite everyone? Especially if you know Taylor Swift is in town and you think she just might show up.

Resident headliners Mariah Carey and Britney Spears are already in town and on board for the three-hour broadcast from the MGM Grand Garden, co-producer Robert Deaton says.

But the awards show comes right after the wrap of Rock in Rio, the massive outdoor pop festival that booked some of the stars also tied to the Billboards: Swift, Ed Sheeran and John Legend (Sam Smith was on board too but had to cancel both after announcing he needs vocal cord surgery).

The two events are “independent as far as the thinking is concerned, but certainly there will be crossover,” Deaton said.

Tickets are sold to the Billboards for those who want to be there in person at 5 p.m. locally, though local affiliate KTNV-TV, Channel 13 delays it for prime-time broadcast at 8 p.m.

Officially, the Billboard awards honor the record industry’s top-selling artists as determined by Billboard magazine, the industry’s trade bible. In reality, the awards are more of a pretense to pack in as many performances from as many genres as possible.

If the Grammy Awards are more like the Oscars, then the Billboards are more the Golden Globes — a comparison that Deaton doesn’t dispute.

“One’s a party and one’s superserious, and that’s what makes this fun,” he says.

“Because it’s in Las Vegas and because it’s in May it’s about having a good time,” he adds. “It’s party time, and I love that. It doesn’t have to be so superserious. It feels a little different than any other show because of the time of the year and the location.”

Deaton is new this year to the Billboards, which are staged by Dick Clark Productions. The veteran director of live shows and music videos previously helmed the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill live residency “Soul 2 Soul” at The Venetian.

That explains why he’s excited about the teaming of Hill with Little Big Town for their single “Girl Crush.”

At the time of the phone conversation, Deaton didn’t seem sure how much he could talk about then-fresh news that the show opener will be the premiere of Swift’s video for “Bad Blood.” Since it would be odd for the big opening number to be a film and not live in the arena, might we expect the 25-year-old superstar to turn up in person, too?

“I’m going to do whatever Taylor wants me to do. How’s that?” he said with a laugh.

Older viewers might get more excited about the David Lee Roth-fronted performance by Van Halen, or Molly Ringwald introducing Simple Minds to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “The Breakfast Club” with “Don’t You (Forget About Me).”

OK, so younger folks might know that one, too, thanks to Anna Kendrick and “Pitch Perfect.”

“I was having breakfast this morning and all of a sudden the song comes on. It just makes you feel good,” Deaton adds.

Spears, who canceled recent Planet Hollywood Resort shows because of an ankle injury, might leave the faster footwork to Iggy Azalea when the two team up for the first live version of their new collaboration “Pretty Girls.”

Carey will debut her new single, “Infinity,” after so far performing it only at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The singer comes to this year’s broadcast with the record number of Billboard Music Award wins at 14.

Celine Dion, who shares the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, will be a Billboard presenter, as will 50 Cent, Ne-Yo and Rita Ora. Ludacris reprises his hosting role from last year, this time joined by Chrissy Teigen.

Performers include Kelly Clarkson, Hozier and Nick Jonas, with special duet moments promised by TV’s “Empire” cast members Jussie Smollett and Bryshere “Yazz” Gray with Estelle, Fall Out Boy featuring Wiz Khalifa, Spears and Meghan Trainor with Legend.

“I love the fact of how broad it is,” Deaton said. “I love the fact that within 30 minutes you’ll see Fallout Boy and Mariah Carey. At the same time you’ll see Little Big Town and Faith Hill on a show with Britney Spears.”

Read more from Mike Weatherford at bestoflasvegas.com. Contact him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com