Adele came out on the winning side of the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, taking home five trophies including Album of the Year for 21 and Record and Song of the Year for “Rolling in the Deep.” The British songstress also won Pop Solo Performance for “Someone Like You” and Pop Vocal Album.
Though the Grammy’s are usually a robust frolic through the music business, this year’s show was overshadowed by the death of Whitney Houston, just one day before the awards ceremony. Host LL Cool J opened the show by offering a brief prayer, saying, “We’ve had a death in the family.”
Other artists paying tribute to Houston included Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder, as well as Jennifer Hudson, who gave a last-minute, emotional rendition of Houston’s biggest hit, “I Will Always Love You.”
Etta James was also mourned at the ceremony, with Bonnie Raitt and Alicia Keys singing “A Sunday Kind of Love.” Also, Glen Campbell, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, gave a farewell performance.
The Beach Boys also played a reunion performance of “Good Vibrations” after Maroon 5 and Foster the People offered their own takes on “Surfer Girl” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.”
Foo Fighters, Bon Iver, and Kanye West also came out big winners in Sunday’s ceremony.
