SEVERAL GENERATIONS of British musical talent ranging in age from veteran Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant to Adele, only just out of her teens, took home major prizes from the 51st Grammy awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Plant (60), walked away with five Grammys, including album of the year and record of the year, for Raising Sand, his acclaimed collaboration with American bluegrass singer Alison Krauss. Adele was named best new artist while Coldplay took song of the year with Viva La Vida, the title track from the band's multimillion-selling fourth album.
“I’m bewildered,” Plant said. “In the old days, we would have called this selling out – but I think it’s a good way to spend a Sunday.”
Adele (20) beat her fellow Briton, Duffy, to the best newcomer gong, also edging out the Welsh sixties-influenced singer for best female pop vocal performance, which she won for Chasing Pavements. "Duffy, I love you," Adele said collecting her prize, nearly in tears. She need not have worried: Duffy won best pop vocal album for Rockferry, the UK's top-selling album in 2008.
Coldplay also won best rock album for Viva La Vida, as well as a third Grammy for best pop performance for a group with vocals, again for the album's title track. Their occasionally over-serious – even grumpy – singer, Chris Martin, was in ebullient form, describing his group's sound in one speech as "a sort of limestone rock – a little softer but charming". Martin, like his bandmates, took to the stage dressed in a brightly coloured, military-style suit, the band's current chosen look. "I'd like to say first of all, thank you and sorry to Sir Paul McCartney for blatantly recycling the Sergeant Pepper outfits," joked drummer Will Champion.
Other British successes were Radiohead, who won best alternative album for In Rainbows. Estelle, the London-born RB singer, meanwhile, won best vocal collaboration in the rap section for American Boy, her duet with US superstar Kanye West.
Another big winner was the rapper Lil’ Wayne, who won four Grammys: best rap album; best rap song; best rap performance by a duo or group; and best solo rap performance.
The latest crop of Grammys did little to dispel the view that America’s most prestigious pop music awards tend to err on the side of safety, honouring the behemoths rather than crediting innovation. Other winners included the Eagles, Metallica and Al Green, but there were gongs for Kings of Leon and French electro-dance duo Daft Punk.
The event featured performances including a show-opening U2, showcasing their new single, Get on your Boots, while McCartney joined up with Foo Fighters' singer Dave Grohl on drums, and Coldplay took to the stage with Jay-Z. Radiohead performed with the University of Southern California marching band, but MIA, the British dance artist known to her mother as Mathangi Arulpragasam, was more notable, performing at nine months' pregnant.
The biggest emotional moment came when Jennifer Hudson, the US singer and actor whose mother, brother and nephew were murdered in October, won best RB album for her debut album. Hudson thanked “my family in heaven”, in a tearful speech.
– ( Guardianservice)