Here Are the Big Grammy Winners

And all the buzzworthy performances
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 15, 2016 7:12 PM CST
Here Are the Big Grammy Winners
Taylor Swift arrives at the 58th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Monday in Los Angeles.   (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Taylor Swift kicked off the 58th Grammy Awards at LA's Staples Center with a performance of "Out of the Woods," followed by a rousing greeting from host LL Cool J, taking the award show's reins for the fifth time. Ice Cube and his son presented the first award of the night for Best Rap Album to Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly. Check back for updates throughout the night.

  • Nominees Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood took to the stage for a duet of their respective songs "Take Your Time" and "Heartbeat."
  • Ariana Grande introduced a dapper-looking The Weeknd, who performed soulful renditions of "Can't Feel My Face" and "In the Night." That was followed by Andra Day and Ellie Goulding, teaming up to croon their nominated "Rise Up" and "Love Me Like You Do."
  • Presenter Gary Sinise gave a shoutout to our service members, then presented Best Country Album to Traveller by Chris Stapleton, who thanked Taylor Swift for glitter-bombing him earlier on.

  • Next up: a funky celebration of Lionel Richie, the award show's MusiCares Person of the Year, with John Legend, Tyrese, Demi Lovato, Luke Bryan, and Meghan Trainor trying their hand at the Commodores' hits "Easy (Like Sunday Morning)" and "Brick House" and Richie's "Hello," "Penny Lover," and "You Are the Sun, You Are the Rain." Richie then jumped onto the stage to wow the crowd with "All Night Long."
  • Country group Little Big Town ran through a dramatic version of "Girl Crush," complete with orchestral arrangement.
  • Stevie Wonder and Pentatonix offered a moving a cappella tribute to Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire, who died in early February, then presented the award for Song of the Year to Ed Sheeran for "Thinking out Loud."
  • And the tributes kept coming, with the remaining members of the Eagles and Jackson Browne paying their respects to Eagle Glenn Frey, who died Jan. 18, with "Take It Easy."
  • "Timeless songs" and "perfect voices" is how presenter Anna Kendrick introduced the next performers, Tori Kelly and James Bay, who sang subdued acoustic versions of Bay's "Let It Go" and Kelly's "Hollow."
  • Stephen Colbert presented a Grammy first, ideal for this Presidents Day airing: a live performance from Broadway of the musical Hamilton, broadcast from the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The set immediately got people buzzing on Twitter and had one commenter declaring: "MUST. SEE. HAMILTON." (Hamilton also won for Best Musical Theater Album, with star Lin-Manuel Miranda freestyling his acceptance speech. )
  • One of the most anticipated acts of the night was Kendrick Lamar, who LL Cool J promised would deliver a "very controversial" performance, per Us. Lamar came out with his entourage draped in prison chains before launching into what the Wrap calls an "explosive, powerful" medley that touched on politics and history, with an eye-catching stage set that included a roaring bonfire and dancers decked out in traditional African dress. "After Lamar everyone should just go home," actress Debra Messing tweeted.
  • Gwen Stefani was behind another Grammy first after Lamar exited the stage: a live performance and filming for her new single " Make Me Like You," which will be used as her music video for the song, per Vulture.
  • Miguel performed a snippet of Michael Jackson's "She's Out of My Life" before heading into the nominees for Best Rock Performance, which went to Alabama Shakes for "Don't Wanna Fight."
  • Bruno Mars brought Adele onto the stage next for her heart-wrenching performance of "All I Ask," which Mars co-wrote with her.
  • Justin Bieber kicked off the next performance with an acoustic version of "Love Yourself." He soon threw his guitar down (literally) and jumped up onto the main stage, where he was joined by Skrillex, Diplo, and the DJ duo known as Jack Ü for a percussion-heavy "Where Are You Now."
  • The Best New Artist award was presented by last year's winner, Sam Smith, who handed over the reins to an emotional Meghan Trainor, most famous for her cheeky song "All About That Bass."
  • Lady Gaga delivered in a cosmic, colorful tribute to David Bowie.
  • Bonnie Raitt introduced yet another tribute: a bluesy salute by Raitt, Chris Stapleton, and Gary Clark Jr. to the legendary BB King, who died in May.
  • Alabama Shakes performed their song "Don't Wanna Fight," followed by supergroup Hollywood Vampires, featuring Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp (yes, that Johnny Depp) in an old-school performance filled with smoke, guitar shredding, and more than a little metal.
  • While those acts were noteworthy, 12-year-old Indonesian jazz pianist Joey Alexander, this year's youngest nominee, held his own in a stirring ivory-tickling number that got a standing ovation from the crowd.
  • The memorial segment honored Bowie, of course, as well as Ben E. King, Percy Sledge, Scott Weiland, Natalie Cole, Rene Angelil, and many other major contributors to the music industry who passed within the past year.
  • Earth, Wind, and Fire presented the award for Album of the Year, which went to Taylor Swift for 1989. (She seems to have taken a shot at Kanye West in her acceptance speech.)
  • And Record of the Year went to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars for "Uptown Funk."
  • The party wasn't quite over after that last award: Pitbull closed the show out with "Taxi" and a new song called "Bad Man," performed with Robin Thicke, Joe Perry, and Travis Barker.
Head to the Grammys website to see all of the winners. (More Grammy Awards stories.)

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