Adele sweeps Grammy's biggest categories, winning 5 awards overall

It was Adele from start to finish at the 59th Grammys on Sunday as the British songstress took five honours, including song of the year and record of the year for Hello, album of the year for 25, and best pop vocal album and pop solo performance.

Competition in the record of the year category included Beyoncé's Formation, Rihanna and Drake's Work, twenty one pilots' Stressed Out and Lukas Graham's 7 Years. Adele shared the award with producer Greg Kurstin.

The final award of the night was for album of the year, with Adele recognizing her main competition.

"But I can't really accept this award. And I'm very humble and I'm very grateful and gracious, but my artist of my life is Beyoncé. This album you made, the Lemonade album, is so monumental," Adele said. "The way you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel is empowering. And they stand up for themselves. And I love you. I always have."

Adele told the press backstage that she cast her Grammy ballot for Lemonade for album of the year.

It is the second time Adele has accomplished the song-record-album sweep, having done so in 2011 with Rolling in the Deep from the album 21.

Adele, who had trouble with her live performance at last year's Grammy Awards, earlier asked to restart her tribute to George Michael on Sunday, telling the audience: "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 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, though Adele was teary eyed.

At last year's show, the British singer had a hiccup after a microphone inside a piano fell onto the instrument's strings.

Adele also kicked off the broadcast with a rendition of Hello.

Beyoncé would win for best music video (Formation) and urban contemporary album (Lemonade).

In glittery gown, gilded crown and gold choker, the pregnant Beyoncé took the Grammy stage in a lengthy performance of two songs from Lemonade. She was introduced by her mother and former stylist, Tina Knowles: "Ladies and gentlemen, with my mother's pride, my daughter, Beyoncé."

Beyoncé sang on top of a long table, even leaning back on a chair while singing Love Drought. She later sang Sandcastles while sitting down in a chair that tilted alarmingly backward, hitting high notes.

She earned a loud applause from the audience, including daughter Blue Ivy and husband Jay Z.

Bowie honoured with 4 awards

David Bowie, who died last year from cancer, prevailed in all four categories he was nominated for, including best rock song for Blackstar.

Blackstar, his final album released days before he died, also won best alternative music album, rock performance, and engineered album, non-classical (Bowie is listed as one of the engineers on Blackstar.) In the latter category, Bowie was honoured over a list of artists that included Prince, who also died in 2016.

Prince was the subject of a musical tribute segment during the broadcast, featuring his Minneapolis colleagues The Time, as well as Bruno Mars.

Chance takes 2

Chance the Rapper won the first award in the live telecast for best new artist. He also won best rap album, besting Drake and Kanye West.

"I didn't think we were gonna get this one," said Chance, who also won best rap performance.

James Corden, hosting the Grammys for the first time, rapped some of his monologue at the top of the show, namedropping Prince, Rihanna and Drake.

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.

In the pre-telecast, Beyoncé's younger sister, critical R&B darling Solange, won her first Grammy for best R&B performance (it was her first-ever nomination). Drake, who didn't attend the live show, won best rap song and rap/sung performance for the smash hit, Hotline Bling.

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Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling! — which is nominated for an Oscar — won best song written for visual media. His No.1 hit is from the Trolls soundtrack. Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott won two Grammys in the Christian category for the album she recorded with her family. Scott, who has won seven Grammys with Lady A, cried onstage both times when accepting the wins.

"We've been crying since this project started," her father, Lang Scott, said.

Emotional Joey + Rory win

Best new artist nominees The Chainsmokers won best dance recording for the pop hit Don't Let Me Down, while album of the year nominee Sturgill Simpson won best country album for A Sailor's Guide to Earth.

The country music rebel 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.

"My wife's dream was to make a hymns album. She didn't have the chance to do it until she'd been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, so she'd sing in hotel rooms while she did chemotherapy and radiation," said Rory, who added that his wife said if they were nominated he had to attend the Grammys. "She got a big smile on her face and she said, `Remember, if we win, I'll know before you will."

Canadian connections

The second performer of the night was Toronto native the Weeknd, who was introduced by Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson.

The Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, and Justin Bieber of Stratford, Ont., who did not attend, scored Grammy nominations but did not earn any hardware on the night.

Canadian songwriter Bernie Herms came out an early winner at the pre-telecast Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday.

The London, Ont.-born and Edmonton-raised musician took home a golden gramophone for best contemporary Christian music performance or song for Thy Will by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family.

Scott, who is a singer in Lady Antebellum, also won best contemporary Christian music album for Love Remains, which features Herms' song.

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