Beyonce, Taylor Swift win Grammys

    Beyonce once again tied a record for most wins by a female performer at the Grammys by netting five trophies,
including song of the year for “Single Ladies,” but the Kings of
Leon’s “Use Somebody” trumped her “Halo” to win record of the
year Sunday night.
    The southern rock group’s inspirational, romantic ode also beat
out Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me,” Lady Gaga’s “Poker
Face” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” for the honor
of the year’s top record.
    The quartet of three brothers and a cousin admitted they were
already celebrating when they accepted their trophy, the third of
the night.
    “I’m not going to lie, we’re all a little drunk. But we’re
happy drunks,” said lead singer Caleb Followill.

MORE: See photos of celebs walking the red carpet at the Grammys

MORE: See photos of country sensation Taylor Swift, R&B superstar Beyonce and the strange, but talented Lady Gaga.

    Beyonce, who in 2004 won five Grammys on the strength of her
debut album “Dangerously in Love,” tying the mark held by the
likes of Alicia Keys, Norah Jones and Lauryn Hill, reached that
milestone again Sunday.
    She won the songwriting trophy along with three writers for her
omnipresent anthem “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).” The
superstar also won best R&B contemporary album for “I Am ... Sasha
Fierce” among her other awards, and still had the opportunity to
win the evening’s remaining top award — album of the year.
    Beyonce wasn’t on hand to accept her early trophies: She was
preparing for her dramatic onstage rendition of “If I Were A
Boy,” one of several hits from her top-selling third CD.
    Lady Gaga delivered the early show-stopper with an eye-popping
performance with Elton John.
    Lady Gaga, who won two Grammys during the pre-telecast ceremony, kicked off the night with a sequined green leotard with massive shoulders as she sang her Grammy-nominated hit “Poker Face” amid an elaborate stage that included dramatic choreography and pyrotechnics.
    Moments later, she scaled things down a bit — as much as Lady
Gaga can — and brought out Elton John as they melded her song
“Speechless” and his classic “Your Song” together in a
performance that featured dueling pianos, and glitter-painted
faces.
    Taylor Swift, who was second to Beyonce in Grammy nominations with eight nods, won three early awards, including best country album. Though the 20-year-old has won just about every award imaginable over the past year for her best-selling CD “Fearless,” she was wide-eyed when she accepted her trophy for country album.
    “I just keep thinking back to when you’re in second grade and
you sing in the talent show for the first time and people joke
around and say, ’Maybe we’ll see you at the Grammys some day.’ But that just seems like an impossible dream,” she said. “I just feel
like I’m standing here accepting an impossible dream.”
    The Grammy for best new artist went to the Zac Brown Band, while
best rock album went to Green Day for “21st Century Breakdown.”
    The Black Eyed Peas also had three trophies from the
pre-telecast, and other double winners were Jay-Z, Eminem, and
Maxwell.
    Maxwell, up for six awards, also won his first Grammys — best
R&B male vocal for the ballad “Pretty Wings” and best R&B album
for “BLACKsummers’ night.” The album marked the R&B crooner’s
return after an absence of eight years from the music business.
    While Beyonce has won a caseload of Grammys during her career, she hasn’t won album of the year, but that had the potential to change Sunday. The superstar was nominated for album of the year for “I Am ... Sasha Fierce,” along Swift’s “Fearless,” the most
popular album of any genre last year.
    Rounding out the album of the year category were the Black Eyed
Peas’ “The E.N.D.,” Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” and the Dave
Matthews Band’s “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.” The latter
album was the band’s first release since the death of founding
member and saxophonist LeRoi Moore.
    Many participants in the program wore red cross buttons in
support of Haiti earthquake relief.
    The show also included a special 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson
featuring a video clip he made of “Earth Song” as Usher, Carrie
Underwood, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson sang along.
    Jackson’s young children, Prince and Paris, accepted a lifetime
achievement award for their late father.
    “Through all his songs his message was simple, love. We will
continue to spread his message and help the world,” Prince said.
 

MORE: See photos of celebs walking the red carpet at the Grammys

MORE: See photos of country sensation Taylor Swift, R&B superstar Beyonce and the strange, but talented Lady Gaga.