Following a video clip of Houston singing her signature cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," Cool J set the tone for an evening that Houston's death had suddenly rendered serious rather than silly. "This night is about something truly universal and healing," Cool J said. "This night is about music."
It was also about Adele, the 23-year-old London powerhouse vocalist who won all six awards for which she was nominated, including album of the year, for 21.
"This record is inspired by something that is really normal and that everyone has been through," the singer said in a teary album-of-the-year acceptance speech, "which is a rubbish relationship."
Adele (last name Atkins), whose album 21 sold more than six million copies (an unheard-of figure today in a world of digital file-sharing), won best song for "Rolling in the Deep," which she sang in a knockout performance, her first since undergoing vocal surgery in October. The song also won record of the year.
The Foo Fighters, led by Dave Grohl, won five awards, including best rock album for Wasting Light, which Grohl, wearing a Slayer T-shirt, proudly pointed out was recorded in his garage with producer Butch Vig, with whom he last worked when Grohl played drums for Nirvana.
Indie-rock easy-listening star Bon Iver won the award for best new artist, as well as alternative album. "When I started making music, I did it for the sheer reward of making songs," said singer Justin Vernon, who thanked all the acts "who have never been here and will never be here."
Kanye West, who led with seven nominations, won four awards, including best rap performance for "Otis," the Otis Redding-sampling single from Watch the Throne, his album with Jay-Z. West wasn't there to pick up his award (Taylor Swift chose not to come on stage and pick it up for him). Swift won two Grammys for her anti-bullying song "Mean."
