MTV Europe: Madonna, Eminem Win

By Stephen M. Silverman

06/30/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

With two trophies each, Madonna and Eminem led the winners in the 7th annual MTV Europe Music Awards in Stockholm on Thursday night, while British artist Robbie Williams took the best song honor. "It's very fitting that I should be here at the European MTV music awards because I always end up working with Europeans," the Material Mom, 42, who won for best dance and best female artist, told the gathering as she acknowledged her "Music" video director, Jonas Aackerlund, who hails from Sweden. Eminem won for best hip hop and best album with "The Marshall Mathers LP." "I worked long and hard to have this award, and I finally got it, and I can't tell you what it means to me," the controversial musician told the crowd via a recorded message. The Backstreet Boys took the award for best group for the second year running. The Spice Girls, however, walked away empty handed. But as the very vocal Mel C insisted to reporters afterward, "We don't compete with anybody, and we don't imitate anybody. People like all sorts of music these days, so there is room for everybody."