Awards Fever: The 51st Grammy Awards

Robert Plant (L), Alison Krauss (C) and producer T Bone Burnett pose with their awards backstage at the 51st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles - Reuters photo.

AIRED in the wee hours of February 9, PST (it was still Feb 8 in the US), the 51st Grammy Awards was as sublime, melodic and glamourous as the first performance of the night — Al Green`s Let`s Stay Together.

The Grammys, annually presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and held at The Staples Centre in Downtown Los Angeles for the sixth time in a row, brought again the vastly diverse music industry to the forefront, to celebrate works of diverse artistes who are making waves across the global music industry.

Now in its 51st year, the event has undergone a lot of changes to portray itself more viewer-friendly for the stake of raising its plummeting ratings of last year. Gone are the monstrous categories numbering to 31 from the live show, leaving only 12 during the show`s three-and-a-half-hour broadcast.

Throughout the event dazzling performances by the who`s-who`s of the present industry as well as the legends of yesteryear conglomerated to lend class to the event, which at the end seemed more about greeting the new while heralding the old. The end result, as unofficial sources say, raised the rating 11 per cent which for an award show is phenomenal. The rest of the major and minor categories (over 100) were exclusively broadcast as a pre-telecast event over the Internet at the Grammys` official web site.

The night on the telly, however, belonged to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss who both grabbed five Grammys in whole for their Bluegrass-inspired album, Raising Sand.

The 60-year-old former Led Zeppelin front-man Robert Plant with US singer Alison Krauss dominated the ceremony, having won thrice before in the pre-show award. He won Record of the Year for Please Read the Letter and Best Pop Collaboration for Rich Woman, both tracks were from the Best Contemporary Folk/Americana-winning album Raising Sand at the Grammy night. Plant said while accepting the show`s final honour “In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it`s a good way to spend a Sunday.”

Coldplay scooped up two awards including Best Rock Album and Song of the Year for Viva La Vida. During their song acceptance speech, the band half-joked, “Thank you and sorry to Paul McCartney for blatantly recycling the Sgt. Pepper outfits.”

Jennifer Hudson won the best R&B album of the year for her self-titled album. Sugarland won for the Country Performance Vocals for Stay and Adele, another British who won, took the New Artiste Award. Lil Wayne, the one with the most nomination, won three in the pre-show and took four golden gramophones home for Tha Carter III.

Kick starting the show and the 26 performances were U2 with their new song, Get on your Boots. Both Rihanna and Chris Brown dropped out of the show because Chris Brown was detained by the Los Angeles Police Department for an investigation in a felony charge.

Taking their place at the last moment in a hastily put together ensemble were Al Green, Justin Timberlake, Boyz 2 Men and Keith Urban accompanying on the guitar.

Surprising the performance on Al Green song Let`s Stay Together set the mood for the whole evening and (personally for me) was the theme song for the show. Coldplay`s Chris Martin sang Lost with Jay-Z giving a cameo in between. After which he joined in with the band playing Viva La Vida.

Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson both of American Idol fame performed songs from their album. Last Name from Underwood was a joyous, fun-filled number while Hudsons You Pulled Me Through left her in tears (it was her second big public event after her mother, brother and nephew were killed in October).

Teen heartthrobs were not left far behind in the performance arena. Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift sang Taylors song Fifteen, Jonas brother teamed up with Stevie Wonder for two songs, Burnin` Up and Wonder`s Superstition.

Other performances were by Kid Rock, Katie Perry, Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl crooning the Beatles` I Saw Her Standing There.

The big rap fiesta included Tip, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne T.I. and the nine-month-pregnant M.I.A. who performed Swagga Like Us. Kanye West and Estelle dueted on American Boy. Justin Timeberlake and T.I. did the latter`s Dead and Gone.

Jamie Foxx and Neyo joined Smokey Robinson and original member Duke Fakir for a medley of Four Tops hits, including Reach Out I`ll Be There and I Can`t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch), while John Mayer, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Keith Urban paid tribute to Bo Diddley. Neil Diamond also brought the sweet fragrance of yesteryear with Sweet Caroline. The winners of the night — Robert Plant and Alison Krauss` Rich Woman and Gone Gone Gone — brought the performance to an end.

Being overbearingly musical for the past couple of years, the 51st ceremony presented itself with a tinge of freshness that made the event seem like a breezy marathon of awards and songs. The idea of a host-less show worked wonders. Let`s see how the Oscars handle themselves this year.

1. Adele

2. Coldplay

3. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

4. Lil Wayne

5. Jennifer Hudson

Record of the Year

Please Read the Letter; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Album of the Year

Raising Sand; Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; T. Bone Burnett, producer

New Artiste

Adele

Male Pop Vocal Performance