Obamamania met Beatlemania Thursday, as Liverpool hosted an MTV Europe Music Awards show energized by the city's musical heritage and the U.S. presidential election.

Pink and Kanye West took home prizes -- Britney Spears won two -- and stars on the stage included Beyonce, Kid Rock and former Beatle Paul McCartney.

But the absent president-elect was given star status, too.

Singer Katy Perry, who hosted the show and also was named best new act, appeared in a dress emblazoned with Obama's face and quipped that "maybe Europeans will love us again now."

Her co-host, 30 Seconds to Mars singer Jared Leto, wore an Obama T-shirt and urged the 10,000-strong crowd at Liverpool's Echo Arena to yell "Congrats, Barack."

Hometown pride was also on display in the Beatles' birthplace, with McCartney receiving an "ultimate legend" award from U2 singer Bono.

Bono hailed the ex-Beatle as "St. Paul McCartney" and the "one person in this hall tonight whose work is immortal."

McCartney's acceptance speech was more modest. "I want to thank my mum and dad," he said, going on to pay tribute to his bandmates in The Beatles, the people of Liverpool and Americans, "for voting in Senator Obama."

Host Perry emerged at the start of the ceremony in a U.S. football uniform and straddling a giant tube of Chapstick -- a reference to her song I Kissed a Girl that set the tone for a slick, lightly sassy show with plenty of star power.

Beyonce, The Killers, Pink and Kanye West all performed, West alongside British singer Estelle on their hit American Boy.

It was West's second onstage appearance at the European awards -- but the first time by invitation. The rapper stormed the stage at the 2006 show in Copenhagen after he failed to win the Best Video prize, telling the crowd that "if I don't win, the awards show loses credibility." This year West was a perfect gentleman, accepting his prize for "ultimate urban" act with a polite "this is for my fans."