By Jill Serjeant and Lisa Richwine
Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish won the top prizes at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in a ceremony that also saw Beyoncé become the most awarded female artist in Grammy history.
Swift's surprise lockdown record "Folklore" was named album of the year and Eilish's "Everything I Wanted" won record of the year. Sunday's win made Swift, 31, the first woman to take home album of the year three times.
Beyoncé's four Grammys on Sunday took her total career wins to 28, surpassing the previous record for a woman set by bluegrass singer Alison Krauss.
British singer Dua Lipa won best pop vocal album for her dance-y "Future Nostalgia."
The writers of "I Can't Breathe" by R&B artist H.E.R won song of the year. It was written in response to the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States last summer.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist and the 26 year-old known for promoting women's empowerment won two more Grammys for her rap performance of single "Savage", featuring Beyoncé.
What would @Beyonce do? Definitely win big at The #GRAMMYs! 😎 Congratulations to @theestallion and Beyoncé for Best Rap Song ✨ pic.twitter.com/EsijjKNodj
— CBS (@CBS) March 15, 2021
Hosted by Trevor Noah, the hybrid ceremony was packed with pre-recorded and live performances by the likes of Lipa, Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Cardi B, DaBaby, Black Pumas and Mickey Guyton.
It took place both indoors and outdoors in Downtown Los Angeles but mostly without the elaborate sets and special effects that traditionally mark the highest honors in the music business.
K-Pop band BTS lost in the best pop duo or group performance against Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande for their single "Rain on Me" but performed their hit English-language single "Dynamite" from South Korea at the close of the show.
Following is a list of winners in key categories.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
"Folklore" — Taylor Swift
RECORD OF THE YEAR
"Everything I Wanted" — Billie Eilish
SONG OF THE YEAR
"I Can't Breathe" — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
BEST NEW ARTIST
Megan Thee Stallion
BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
"Rain On Me" — Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
"Future Nostalgia" — Dua Lipa
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE
"Shameika" — Fiona Apple
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
"Savage" — Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
BEST ROCK ALBUM
"The New Abnormal" - The Strokes
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
"Wildcard" — Miranda Lambert
BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM
"Jesus is King" - Kanye West
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
"Brown Skin Girl" - Beyonce, Blue Ivy, WizKid
BEST MUSIC FILM
"Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice" — Linda Ronstadt
BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ALBUM
"Jagged Little Pill" - Alanis Morissette and original Broadway cast