Even though Adele flubbed one of her live performances at the Grammys, she walked away the belle of the ball: She took home all five awards she was nominated for Sunday night, including album, record and song of the year.
She beat Beyonce in the top three categories with her comeback album ``25,'' and repeated her accomplishments from 2012, when the British star also won album, song and record of the year at the Grammys. She's the first artist in Grammy history to sweep the top three categories twice, and now has a total of 15 Grammys.
Adele used her speech to honour Beyonce and her groundbreaking ``Lemonade'' album, which was also nominated. And backstage, she told press she voted for Beyonce when putting in her ballot for album of the year.
``But I can't really accept this award. And I'm very humble and I'm very grateful and gracious, but my artist of my life is Beyonce. This album you made, the 'Lemonade' album, is so monumental,'' Adele said to her fellow singer at the Staples Center in Los Angeles when accepting the album of the year trophy. ``The way you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel is empowering. And they stand up for themselves. And I love you. I always have.''
The night for Adele wasn't all good though: The singer, who had trouble with her live performance at last year's Grammys, asked to restart her tribute to George Michael, telling the audience: ``I can't mess this up for him.'' She stopped and used an expletive after singing some of a new arrangement of Michael's ``Fastlove,'' as videos and photos of Michael played in the background. She re-sang the song and earned applause and support from the crowd, though Adele was teary eyed.
Michael died on Christmas Day. A number of other icons were honoured Sunday, including Prince: Bruno Mars _ rocking a glittery, Prince-like purple blazer _ worked the guitar like a pro while singing the icon's ``Let's Go Crazy.'' The Time, who worked closely with the Prince, brought the audience to its feet with funky performances of ``Jungle Love'' and ``The Bird.''
``Make some noise for Prince y'all,'' Mars yelled.
Mars was also a winner Sunday, he won for his producing work on Adele's album. Adele's other wins included best pop vocal album and pop solo performance.
Until Adele's abrupt restart, Beyonce was the talk of the show. In glittery gown, gilded crown and gold choker, a pregnant Beyonce took the Grammy stage in a lengthy performance of two songs from her critically acclaimed album ``Lemonade.'' She was introduced by her mother and former stylist, Tina Knowles: ``Ladies and gentlemen, with my mother's pride, my daughter, Beyonce.''
Beyonce sang on top of a long table and later sang while sitting down in a chair that tilted alarmingly backward, still hitting high notes. She performed the songs ``Sandcastles'' and ``Love Drought.''
She earned a loud applause from the audience, including daughter Blue Ivy and husband Jay Z. Beyonce, who walked into the show with nine nominations, only won two: best music video (``Formation'') and urban contemporary album (``Lemonade'').
``My intention for the film and album is to create a body of work that would give voice to our pain, our struggles, our doubts, and our history, to confront issues that make us uncomfortable. It's important to me to show images to my children that reflect their beauty, so they can grow in a world, where they look in the mirror, first with their own families as well as in the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the White House and the Grammys and see themselves,'' said Beyonce, reading from a card. ``This is something that I want for every child of every race, and I feel that it's vital that we learn from the past and recognize our tendencies to repeat our mistakes.''
Beyonce's speech wasn't the only political moment: A Tribe Called Quest, along with Anderson .Paak and Busta Rhymes, gave a rousing performance and shouted ``resist, resist!'' at their end of the performance, which featured a number of people onstage, including women in hijabs.
Like Adele, David Bowie, who died last year from cancer, won all four awards he was nominated for. ``Blackstar,'' his final album released days before he died, won best alternative music album and engineered album, non-classical. The title track won best rock song and rock performance.
Rapper Drake emerged as another big winner at the pre-telecast show thanks to ``Hotline Bling,'' which grabbed two Grammys for best rap song and best rap or sung performance.
It brings his career Grammy tally to three, after taking home one for his 2011 album ``Take Care.''
But Drake wasn't in L.A. to accept the honour because he's in the midst of a European tour.
Select winners at the 2017 Grammy Awards:
Album of the year: ``25,'' Adele.
Record of the year: ``Hello,'' Adele.
Best new artist: Chance the Rapper.
Song of the year (songwriter's award): ``Hello,'' Adele and Greg Kurstin.
Best pop solo performance: ``Hello,'' Adele.
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: ``Coloring Book,'' Chance the Rapper.
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.