iHeart Radio Music Festival ReCap

Queen, Elton John Highlight The First Day

Even the most forward-looking Top 40 diehard switches over to the oldies station every once in a while, and the first evening of the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival acted as that much-appreciated change-up.

Billboard reports the Internet radio platform's yearly gathering at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas always turns a bunch of performances of massive artists from dissimilar styles into a once-in-a-lifetime live playlist, and the lineup on Friday night once again suggested that EDM, down-home country, quirky alt-rock and bubblegum pop could all exist under one roof and dazzle one audience.

While performers like Katy Perry, Chris Brown, Muse and J. Cole made their cases as enduring artists while the gargantuan showcase slithered on, a pair of wily veteran artists -- Elton John and Queen -- effectively stole the show, with timeless songs that music fans of all genres can sing along to.

Queen w/Adam Lambert

Perry may have more than a half-dozen No. 1 singles on the Hot 100, but Queen has "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" to pull out as back-to-back finales.

2^nd Night: Paul McCartney Opens, Bruno Mars Delivers

Billboard notes the two-day event, which concluded its third annual stint on Saturday (Sept. 21) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is set up up like an awards show minus the awards, with presenters introducing a dozen high-wattage performers, all in the name of Clear Channel's Internet radio platform.

Unlike an awards ceremony, however, each artist taking the stage is given roughly 20 minutes to perform instead of a single number -- meaning that, more often than not, the audience at the Garden Arena is treated to a medley of each artist's most ubiquitous songs.