Adele sweeps Grammys but bows to Queen Beyoncé

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Adele sweeps Grammys but bows to Queen Beyoncé

Los Angeles - We're giving you the latest and greatest from the 2017 Grammy awards and who will take home the coveted title of Record of the Year

By Reuters/AP/AFP

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Published: Mon 13 Feb 2017, 1:24 PM

Last updated: Mon 20 Feb 2017, 11:26 AM

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Grammys celebrate Prince as late icon heads to streaming
Bruno Mars channeled Prince on Sunday at the Grammy Awards with an electrifying tribute to the Purple One, as the late pop icon's music returned to major streaming sites.
The tribute on the biggest night on the year for the music establishment - with which Prince long fought - was meant to kickstart a new commercial chapter for the artist who died in April.
Mars put on an uncanny impersonation of Prince, donning a glittering purple jacket and white shirt with a ruffled neck as he played an electric guitar solo to "Let's Go Crazy."
The young star at times even appeared to have the same facial expressions as the artist when he took the stage over from The Time, Prince's Minneapolis contemporaries who featured prominently in the 1984 film "Purple Rain."
"I kind of hate the reason why we're here but I think it's fitting that we are here," The Time's leader Morris Day told reporters.
He described Prince as "one of the best musicians who ever lived" and hailed the performance by Mars.
"I don't think there is an artist who could have pulled it off as perfectly as Bruno did," Day said.
Hours before the announcement, Prince's albums on Warner Brother Records came onto all streaming sites including Spotify and the services of Apple and Amazon.
"We're honored to bring back the work of such a legendary artist to music lovers everywhere," Spotify, the world's largest streaming site, said in a statement.
Prince had a famously turbulent relationship with record labels and the internet, which he accused of putting artists into virtual slavery.
Late in his career the pop icon withdrew his catalog from all streaming sites except Jay Z's upstart Tidal, which he credited with granting him the freedom to release music quickly.
Tidal remains the sole service to stream all of Prince's works.
The new streaming deal pertains only to the artist's work on Warner - which he exited in the mid-1990s after writing "slave" on his cheek and changing his name to the unpronounceable "love symbol" to protest his contractual conditions.
But Warner has Prince's best-selling albums including "Purple Rain" and "1999" as well as two albums he put out simultaneously in 2014.
The streaming absence of Prince's more recent works will likely be short-lived, as his estate last week signed a deal with Warner's rival Universal for rights to works which the Purple One put on his own New Power Generation imprint from 1995.
 9.00 am
Adele wins top Album and Record of the Year Grammys
Adele on Sunday won the top two Grammys of Album and Record of the Year for her blockbuster hit "Hello" and the album "25."
A tearful Adele took the stage and paid tribute to her main award rival Beyonce, heaping praise on her album "Lemonade" and calling it an inspiration.
"All us artists adore you. You are our light," the English balladeer said to a visibly moved Beyoncé.
8:40am
Beyonce, Adele battle for Grammys supremacy
Beyonce on Sunday showed off her new baby bump and made a plea for a more inclusive and representative world as she and Adele each took home Grammys, setting the scene for a clash for the final top two awards.
The British balladeer had three awards including Song of the Year to two for the American diva on the music industry's biggest night, while late rock icon David Bowie's final album "Blackstar" swept in five categories.
The top Album and Record of the Year awards were still up for grabs, with Beyonce and Adele nominated in both categories.
And Bruno Mars, clad in purple, electrified the crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with his tribute to late singer Prince.
The global telecast was, however, marred by technical issues with a tearful Adele asking to start a song over and a microphone off as Metallica performed with pop singer-turned-metalhead Lady Gaga.
Appearing in public for the first time since announcing she was pregnant with twins, Beyonce showed her new, edgier side as she put on a celebration of motherhood.
8:30am
What a performance! Only at the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/c3aGcFKq2O
- Recording Academy (@RecordingAcad) February 13, 2017
 Adele's 'Hello' wins Song of the Year Grammy
Adele's heartache ballad "Hello" won the Grammy on Sunday for Song of the Year, in a new triumph for the blockbuster single that marked the English singer's victorious return.
Adele and the Los Angeles producer Greg Kurstin shared the award, which recognizes best songwriting.
"Thank you for your patience with me and helping to create my favorite song I've ever done," Adele said as she accepted the award, moments after she restarted a performance in her second straight year of technical snafus.
"Hello" beat out Beyonce's edgy "Formation."
It is the second time Adele has won for Song of the Year. She triumphed in 2012 with English producer Paul Epworth for "Rolling in the Deep."
8:00am
Michael Jackson's daughter takes to Grammys stage
Paris Jackson took to the stage at the Grammys, introducing a performance at Staples Center eight years after attending her father's memorial service at the arena.
The 18-year-old wore flowers in her up do and sported a nose ring at Sunday's show. She introduced The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk in the evening's second performance.
It was another step in the emergence of Michael Jackson's only daughter. She recently made the cover of Rolling Stone and gave an extended interview to the magazine. She's dabbling in modeling and acting, and befitting a child of the King of Pop, Jackson also writes music and sings.
Jackson was a guest at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy bash in Beverly Hills on Saturday.
In 2009, Jackson was 11 years old and surrounded by her extended family at her father's memorial when she told the crowd, "Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just want to say I love him so much."
Jackson hustled her way down the red carpet before Sunday night's show, bypassing most media, and wearing a sequined gown with a deep plunging neckline and her hair loose and wavy.
In the Grammy spotlight, Jackson appeared poised and used the moment to call attention to a larger cause.
"We can really use this kind of excitement at a pipeline protest you guys," she told the audience in an apparent reference to the Dakota Access oil pipeline.
Looking out at the audience, she said, "Everyone looks so beautiful, especially Beyonce."
7:30 am 
 
7:00 am
Select winners at the 2017 Grammy Awards
Best new artist: Chance the Rapper.
Best pop vocal album: "25," Adele.
Best traditional pop vocal album: "Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin," Willie Nelson.
Best pop duo or group performance: "Stressed Out," twenty one pilots.
Best dance/electronic album: "Skin," Flume.
Best rock song: "Blackstar," David Bowie.
Best rock album: "Tell Me I'm Pretty," Cage the Elephant.
Best alternative music album: "Blackstar," David Bowie.
Best R&B album: "Lalah Hathaway Live," Lalah Hathaway.
Best urban contemporary album: "Lemonade," Beyonce.
Best rap album:
Best country album: "A Sailor's Guide to Earth," Sturgill Simpson.
Best country solo performance: "My Church," Maren Morris. Best jazz vocal album: "Take Me to the Alley," Gregory Porter.
Best jazz instrumental album: "Country for Old Men," John Scofield.
Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: "Miles Ahead," Miles Davis & Various Artists
Producer of the year, non-classical: Greg Kurstin.
Best music video: "Formation," Beyonce.
 
6:25 am
Maren Morris is the winner of the Grammy Award for best country performance for her song "My Church."
Morris, who was also nominated for a best new artist Grammy, won that honor at November's Country Music Awards.
In her acceptance speech, Morris recounted how 11 years ago she was a participant in the first Grammy camp, which teaches young people about the music business.
She said it was the first time she ever flew alone on an airplane.
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6:15 am
Beyonce has delivered a visually-striking tribute to motherhood during her Grammy Awards performance, which prominently featured her baby bump.
The top-nominated artist at this year's Grammy Awards recently announced she is expecting twins.
She appeared on stage standing sideways with her belly showing.
Her mother, Tina Knowles, introduced her daughter saying she believes Beyonce's success with her album "Lemonade" was a result of qualities the singer developed as a mother.
Beyonce's performance opened with a visually striking pre-recorded dance routine and her delivering spoken-word praise for motherhood. When the singer appeared on stage, she performed "Love Drought" in an opulent golden costume.
Beyonce's husband, Jay Z, clapped enthusiastically after the performance as the couple's daughter, Blue Ivy, stood in front of him.
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6:05 am
The Grammy Award for rock song has been awarded to David Bowie for his song "Blackstar."
It was Bowie's fourth Grammy win on Sunday.
The late rocker won three awards during a pre-telecast ceremony that bestowed him with Grammys for best alternative music album, rock performance and engineered album.
No one spoke for Bowie during Sunday's broadcast, but saxophonist Donny McCaslin proudly accepted the earlier awards during a pre-telecast ceremony.
McCaslin says Bowie's wins mean a lot for his fans.
Bowie died of cancer last year at age 69.
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5:55 am
Laverne Cox is welcoming the change in trophy handlers at the Grammys.
The transgender star of "Orange is the New Black" called it "very exciting" to have transgender model Martina Robledo of San Diego helping hand out awards.
"That's encouraging," Cox said. "It's about having representation that reflects the culture and the citizenry."
The other trophy handlers are model and actor Derek Marrocco and model-actress Hollin Haley. Typically, the job has been carried out by women.
- Beth Harris (at)bethharrisap
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5:45 am
Twenty One Pilots' members bared their souls and then some as they shed their tuxedo pants to accept the Grammy for pop duo or group performance.
The pair won for their song "Stressed Out."
They took off their pants after their names were called.
They said they did so because they were sitting around in their underwear watching a Grammy show on TV, hoping some day they might be on that stage, when it occurred to them if they ever did win a Grammy they should accept it as they were dressed then.
Not to be outdone, James Corden followed them onstage in his boxers.
Corden said he had vowed that if he ever got to host the Grammys he'd appear pantless too.
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5:30 am
Paris Jackson has returned to Staples Center for the Grammys eight years after attending her father's memorial service at the Los Angeles arena.
In 2009, Jackson was 11 years old and surrounded by her extended family when she told the crowd, "Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just want to say I love him so much."
Now 18, the only daughter of the late Michael Jackson introduced a performance by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk.
She wore flowers in her blond hair and sported a nose ring.
"We can really use this kind of excitement at a pipeline protest you guys," she told the audience. "Everyone looks so beautiful, especially Beyonce."
- Beth Harris, (at)bethharrisap
---
5:20 am
Chance the Rapper is the winner of the Grammy Award for best new artist.
It's been a big day for the newcomer, who won a Grammy for rap performance during the non-televised part of the awards ceremony. He is also nominated for best rap album.
His acceptance speech, in which he thanked God and his hometown of Chicago, didn't feature any of the profanity he used during his earlier win, which he called "crazy."
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5:15 am
Adele is back at the Grammy Awards and has opened the show's broadcast with a soaring performance of her hit "Hello."
The singer returned to the Grammys stage alone one year after her performance of "All I Ask" was marred by technical difficulties when a microphone inside a piano fell onto the instrument's strings.
She smiled Sunday and was visibly pleased with her performance when it was over, telling the audience, "Hello, baby."
The Grammys are airing live on CBS and are being hosted by comedian James Corden.
Adele won two Grammys during the pre-televised part of Sunday's competition.
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3:55 am
Adele's "25" is the winner of the best pop vocal album Grammy Award.
Her win came moments after the singer captured the best pop solo performance Grammy during a pre-telecast ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles.
Adele's "25" beat out albums by Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Sia.
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3:45 am
David Bowie's "Blackstar" is the winner of the Grammy for best alternative music album.
The late musician captured three Grammys during Sunday's pre-telecast ceremony.
He was also honored for best rock performance for "Blackstar" and for best engineered album.
Cage the Elephant has won the best rock album Grammy for "Tell Me I'm Pretty."
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3:35 am
Chance the Rapper has won the Grammy Award for rap performance, which could signal a big night for the performer who is also nominated in the best new artist and best rap album categories.
He called his early, pre-televised Grammy win "crazy."
Drake's "Hotline Bling" won for best rap song and for best rap/sung performance.
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3:25 am
It's a gathering of families and firsts on the Grammys red carpet.
Producer Diplo ushered his young sons Lockett and Lazer to their first Grammys, quipping that the event also marked the first time the pair had worn suits.
Hillary Scott walked the red carpet with her parents and 16-year-old sister.
Meanwhile, rapper Desiigner's date was his mom, Sheila.
"He'll always be Sidney," she said with a laugh as she called him by his real name.
- Beth Harris
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3:05 am
Sturgill Simpson's "A Sailor's Guide to Earth" is the winner of this year's Grammy Award for best country album.
Simpson, who is also nominated for album of the year, beat out fellow nominees Brandy Clark, Loretta Lynn, Maren Morris and Keith Urban for the honor.
Tim McGraw's "Humble and Kind," which was written by Lori McKenna, won for best country song.
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2:55 am
Joey + Rory took the Grammy Award for best gospel roots album, a bittersweet honor after last year's death of Joey Feek.
Feek and her husband, Rory, won for "Hymns,"an album they recorded shortly before she died last March at age 40.
"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," Rory Feek said at Sunday's awards ceremony.
When the album was nominated he said his wife made him promise he'd attend the pre-telecast awards ceremony. He says she added with a big smile, "'Remember, if we win, I'll know before you will.'"
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2:35 am
The Chainsmokers is the winner of the Grammy Award for best dance recording.
The DJ duo won for "Don't Let Me Down," one of the most streamed songs on Spotify last year.
The Chainsmokers didn't attend the pre-telecast Grammys ceremony, which happens before top categories are announced during a performance-filled ceremony.
This year's ceremony, hosted by James Corden, airs live on CBS.
Daya, who sings on "Don't Let Me Down," accepted the Grammy on the duo's behalf.
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1:45 am
Beyonce's "Formation" is the winner of the Grammy Award for best music video, but she won't win in all the categories she's nominated in.
The music video Grammy is the singer's first win at Sunday's ceremony, where she is leading artist with nine nominations. She now has a total of 21 Grammys.
The singer did not win the best music film award for her visual album "Lemonade." That honor went to the Ron Howard film "The Beatles: Eight Days A Week The Touring Years."
Beyonce, who's scheduled to perform later Sunday, did not attend the pre-telecast ceremony where dozens of Grammy Awards are handed out.
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1 am
Margaret Cho has kicked off Sunday's Grammy Awards with a few ground rules - keep the speeches short and kiss your loved ones later.
The comedian and Grammy nominee is one of the hosts of the Grammys pre-show, which hands out awards in 75 categories before the main show airs on CBS later Sunday. The early show is being livestreamed on the Grammys website .
Cho, who is nominated for best comedy album, walked out onto the stage in a glittery gown and huge curly hair.
She told winners they should keep their acceptance speeches to 45 seconds and to kiss their loved ones in the audience later because time was so tight. She instructed winners on how to hold their Grammys after their names are called.
She also told nominees to stay in their seats if they don't win and referenced rapper Kanye West, who famously interrupted Taylor Swift's speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Cho says, "Kanye's not here, so that will be fine."
Early winners included actor Don Cheadle and others who created the soundtrack for the Miles Davis biopic "Miles Ahead," and John Williams for the soundtrack for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Cheadle and Williams weren't present to accept their Grammys.
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There are few things Beyonce has not conquered, and the Grammy for album of the year is one of them.
For the third time, Beyonce is nominated for the coveted trophy, an award given to few R&B-based performers and only two hip-hop acts in the Grammy's 59-year history.
She was nominated for the top prize in 2010 with "I Am ... Sasha Fierce" (losing to Taylor Swift) and in 2015 with "Beyonce" (Beck was the surprise winner). Beyonce's "Lemonade" album is competing Sunday, along with its hit "Formation" for record and song of the year.
Beyonce's main competition is Adele, who won album, song and record of the year in 2010.
Beyonce and Adele will perform at the show, airing live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles  
--
The Grammy awards are shaping up to be the ultimate showdown between pop's two biggest female stars as Beyonce and Adele go head-to-head for song, record and album of the year on Sunday.
UAE residents and audiophiles can watch the Live Stream of the Grammy Awards here on Khaleej Times in the video below. 

Despite 62 total Grammy nominations and 20 awards, Beyonce, 35, has never won the coveted album of the year, despite topping the charts with all six of her studio records.
With nine nominations, many fans are hoping Beyonce will overcome her Grammy's curse with "Lemonade," the personally and politically charged album many believe to be about the artist's troubled marriage to rapper Jay Z, layered with themes of black and female empowerment.

Album of the Year nominees

> Adele - 25
> Beyonce - Lemonade
> Justin Bieber - Purpose
> Drake - Views
> Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
Standing in her way, however, is Britain's Adele, 28, who swept the Grammys in 2012 with six wins for "21." She returns with five nominations this year for "25," a collection of personal coming-of-age songs including the power ballad "Hello."

Record of the Year nominees

> Adele - Hello

> Beyonce - Formation
> Lukas Graham - 7 Years
> Rihanna - Work (featuring Drake)
> Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out
Beyonce and Adele have overlapping audience, says Billboard magazine senior editor Jem Aswad, adding that Adele fans likely skew older than the younger "Beyhive" that her rival draws.
"Adele has more fans who are casual music consumers - if they're going to buy one album a year, it'll be hers," Aswad said. "Beyonce's audience are more involved, more active and more interested in what she's doing."
"Lemonade" notched 3.1 million total sales in 2016 while "25" notched 3 million, according to figures from BuzzAngle Music, which measures sales data from retailers and streaming consumption.

Song of the Year nominees

> Beyonce - Formation
> Adele - Hello
> Mike Posner - I Took a Pill in Ibiza
> Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
> Lukas Graham - 7 Years
Canadian rapper Drake however takes the crown for the year's top-selling album - "Take Care," nominated for eight Grammy awards including album and record of the year.
High sales do not necessarily translate into a Grammy win, as Beyonce learned in 2014 when her self-titled album, which had clocked more than 350,000 total sales units, lost out to a record with less than a tenth of the sales, Beck's "Morning Phase."

Best New Artist nominees

> Kelsea Ballerini
> The Chainsmokers
> Chance The Rapper
> Maren Morris
> Anderson .Paak
Among music heavyweights Beyonce, Adele, Drake and Justin Bieber's "Purpose" are competing for album of the year, along with Americana singer Sturgill Simpson, who is "unquestionably" the dark horse in this year's race with "A Sailor's Guide to Earth," Aswad said.

Best Pop Solo Performance nominees

> Adele - Hello
> Beyonce - Hold Up
> Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
> Kelly Clarkson - Piece By Piece (Idol Version)
> Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman
The joke is not lost on Simpson, nominated for album of the year and best country album, who is selling T-shirts with slogans questioning who he is on his website ahead of the ceremony.

Beyonce performs at Grammys 2017
Beyonce performs at Grammys 2017

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