Perry, Cyrus book-end Music Awards

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Mark Bracco, ABC's VP of alternative series and specials, from left, host Pitbull, and music producer Larry Klein attend the 2013 American Music Awards Red Carpet Rollout and Press Preview Day, Wednesday, Nov., 20, 2013, at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles. The awards will be held on Sunday. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Katy Perry thinks most awards shows are fun, but she especially loves the American Music Awards.

Perry says the Dick Clark-created show "is about serious musicians and their art," and she's thrilled to open the live ABC broadcast Sunday night with her latest single.

Three hours after Perry opens the show at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, Miley Cyrus will close things down. And in between, most of the year's top performers are scheduled to take the AMA stage.

As 2013 nears an end, the question is how can these acts distinguish themselves in an especially memorable year that's included some brinksmanship and plenty of skin?

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are the fan-voted show's top nominees with six, while Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake have five apiece. Pitbull hosts.