Top award for 25
Adele’s album, song ‘Hello’ dominate at Grammys.
LOS ANGELES — Adele flubbed during her live performance at the Grammys, but she walked away the belle of the ball: She took home five awards Sunday night, including album, record and song of the year.
She beat Beyonce in the top three categories with her comeback album 25, and repeated her accomplishments from 2012, when the British star also won album, song and record of the year at the Grammys.
Adele cried during her final acceptance speech and spoke directly to Beyonce, who was up against her in both categories.
“We all [expletive] adore you,” she said as Beyonce sat in the audience smiling.
The night for Adele wasn’t all good though: The singer asked to restart her tribute to the late George Michael, telling the audience at the Staples Center in Los Angeles: “I can’t mess this up for him.” She stopped and used an expletive after singing some of a new arrangement of Michael’s “Fastlove,” as videos and photos of Michael played in the background. She re-sang the song and earned applause and support from the crowd, though Adele was teary eyed.
A number of other icons were honored, including Prince: Bruno Mars — rocking a glittery, Prince-like purple blazer, worked the guitar like a pro while singing the star’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” The Time — who worked closely with the Prince — brought the audience to its feet with funky performances of “Jungle Love” and “The Bird.”
Mars was also a winner Sunday — he won for his producing work on Adele’s album. Adele’s other wins included best pop vocal album and pop solo performance.
Until Adele’s abrupt restart, Beyonce was the talk of the show. The pregnant Beyonce took the Grammy stage in a lengthy performance of two songs from her critically acclaimed album Lemonade. She was introduced by her mother and former stylist, Tina Knowles: “Ladies and gentlemen, with my mother’s pride, my daughter, Beyonce.”
Beyonce, who walked into the show with nine nominations, won two: best music video (“Formation”) and urban contemporary album (Lemonade).
David Bowie, who died last year from cancer, won all four awards he was nominated for. Blackstar, his final album released days after he died, won best alternative music album and engineered album, nonclassical — Bowie is listed as one of the engineers on Blackstar. In the latter category, he beat out Prince, who also died last year.
The title track won best rock song and rock performance.
Adele and Mars worked overtime onstage, performing twice. Adele kicked off the show with “Hello,” and Mars and his band performed “That’s What I Like.”
Chance the Rapper won the first award in the live telecast for best new artist. He also won best rap album for Coloring Book — the first streaming-only album to do so — and bested Drake and Kanye West.
“I didn’t think we were gonna get this one,” said Chance, who also won best rap performance.
Twenty One Pilots won best pop duo/group performance for the hit “Stressed Out.” They removed their pants when accepting the award in homage to their earlier days when they watched the Grammys at home in their boxers.
The broadcast turned political at times. A Tribe Called Quest, along with Anderson .Paak and Busta Rhymes, shouted “resist, resist” at their end of their performance, which featured a number of people onstage, including women in hijabs.
In the pre-telecast, Beyonce’s younger sister, critical R&B darling Solange, had her first-ever Grammy nomination and won for best R&B performance. Drake, who didn’t attend the live show, won best rap song and rap/sung performance for the hit, “Hotline Bling.”
Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” — which is on the soundtrack to the movie Trolls and is nominated for an Oscar — won best song written for visual media. Best new artist nominees The Chainsmokers won best dance recording for the pop hit “Don’t Let Me Down,” while Sturgill Simpson, an album of the year nominee, won best country album for A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.
The country musician thanked his wife, who he said told him to quit his job on the railroad years ago and move to Nashville.
Joey + Rory won best roots gospel album for Hymns, and Rory Feek was emotional onstage as he remembered his wife Joey, who died last year from cancer.
Some actors won Grammys, too: Don Cheadle picked up best compilation soundtrack for visual media for Miles Ahead, where he is credited as a compilation producer, and Carol Burnett won the best spoken word album Grammy. Patton Oswalt’s Talking for Clapping won the best comedy album.
The Color Purple won best musical theater album, giving Jennifer Hudson her second Grammy and earning Tony winner Cynthia Erivo and Orange Is the New Black actress Danielle Brooks their first Grammys.