Producer Jack Antonoff accepted an award on behalf of Swift in a smaller ceremony before the gala, putting the pop singer on speakerphone.
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Lamar is nominated for 11 Grammys, more than any artist in a single night except late King of Pop Michael Jackson.
Tony Bennett, who is 89, won best traditional pop vocal album for “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern”.
Swift has since said through a publicist that she did not give her blessing for the track, though West has stated on Twitter that she gave her approval.
“I told you you were going to get a Grammy”, Wonder says to Sheeran as he came to the stage.
He also shared the best music video win for Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood”, which he collaborated on.
Mavis Staples won her third Grammy, this time for best American roots performance, with See That My Grave Is Kept Clean.
For the second year in a row, a thoughtful album by a black artist lost to one that-though great-might not have had the same cultural impact.
Stapleton, who has written for dozens of country acts, won best country album for “Traveller”.
Louis CK’s Live at Madison Square Garden took best comedy album, Jimmy Carter became the first US president to win two spoken word Grammys with his honor for A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety, and The Steeldrivers’ The Muscle Shoal Recordings finally garnered best bluegrass album for the group after four nominations.
Adele, Rihanna and The Weeknd are set to perform at the ceremony, along with Swift, who will open the show.
In one of the night’s more uncomfortable moments, Lady Gaga and Nile Rogers paid tribute to the late David Bowie by trying to cram as many of his hits into as short a time as possible, switching from song to song at breakneck pace.
The Grammy Awards may seem like a young person’s affair, but they heaped praise on some of their older nominees, including former President Jimmy Carter.
Collaborative performances were one of the themes of the Grammys: Carrie Underwood sang with Sam Hunt; Ellie Goulding and Andra Day performed; and while Lovato, Legend, Luke Bryan and Tyrese sang with Lionel Richie to honor the icon. Swift was nominated for “Blank Space” alongside The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face”, but it was Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars who won for “Uptown Funk”.
Swift immediately turned to hug Lamar upon her victory, which prompted gasps backstage.
Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry’s band The Hollywood Vampires made their television debut performing a tribute to Motorhead frontman Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, who died in December.
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Talk show host Stephen Colbert later introduced a live link to NY where the cast of Broadway hit show Hamilton performed for the Grammys audience before they were presented with the best musical theatre album award. Other double winners in the pre-telecast include D’Angelo, Skrillex, Diplo, Kirk Franklin and Jason Isbell.
