He also took a couple of notable losses – best R&B song and pop solo performance – but is still contending for record and album of the year.
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By the time she took the stage Monday, Swift had already won two Grammys during the show’s pre-telecast.
Swift, whose album “1989” was by far the best seller among those in contention, also won two early awards and was in contention in the leading categories. She wasn’t in the audience to pick up the award, but Jack Antonoff, the guitarist from the band fun. and a producer on “1989”, went onstage to accept the honor and called Swift on the phone.
The Weeknd, who tied Taylor Swift with seven nominations, took Best Urban Contemporary Album for “Beauty Behind the Madness”, which is also up for Album of the Year.
Offstage, Rihanna made news by canceling her scheduled performance at the last minute, disappointing fans on Twitter who were waiting to see her. Celebrity news website TMZ quoted a representative for the singer as saying she had bronchitis and had pulled out on doctor’s orders.
And the night is young.
The documentary about Amy Winehouse, which is nominated for an Academy Award, has won a Grammy Award.
Before any more awards were revealed, Audra Day and Ellie Goulding performed a duet mashup of “Rise Up” and “Love Me Like You Do”.
Swift’s “Blank Space” is also neck-and-neck with Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars’ mega hit “Uptown Funk” for Record and Song of the Year.
The 58th annual Grammy Awards will be hosted by LL Cool J and airs live on CBS. Chris Stapleton at Universal Music Group: Lucian Grainge’s 2016 Artist’s Showcase presented by American Airlines and Citi at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016 in Los Angeles. The cast of the Broadway hit “Hamilton” performed the musical’s opening number live from NY, and not long after was rewarded with a Grammy for best musical theater album. Not too deep inside Courtney Barnett is breathing a sigh of relief she hasn’t had to come up and speak and then spend the next year explaining “what does this all mean for you?” Ed Sheeran won song of the year for his song “Thinking Out Loud”. Incidentally, Lamar is another part of the Taylor Swift posse having contributed to her Grammy-winning song Bad Blood.
– Best rap album: “To Pimp a Butterfly”, Kendrick Lamar.
The Weeknd won’t know until the end of the month if “Earned It” will earn an Oscar, but he’s definitely taking home a Grammy for the song.
– Best country song: Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush”. Stapleton walked in with four nominations, including album of the year, but lost best country song to “Girl Crush”.
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This story was updated at 9 p.m. with more information.
