THE GRAMMYS: NOT MANY SURPRISES, THEN

The Grammys - always a reliable indication of who the US music industry most want to be seen to be praising - have passed off without much in the way of shocks or surprises: Bono kept traipsing up to pick up five awards on behalf of U2: everything they were nominated for, and tribute of the yes-man's art. Amongst his speeches, Bono praised his dear old dad, because that honor thy father stuff plays really well in seven of the thirteen key US markets.

Mariah Carey takes away three prizes, including the "Thank You For Not Being Bonkers Anymore" statuette; she'd not had a sniff since 1990 and we'd challenge anyone from the Academy to explain why the stuff she's doing now is in any way different from most of the sludge she's been spreading over the last sixteen years. Still, it confirms Carey has been reaccepted into the fold, which is what she cares about the most.

Kanye West picked up three awards - all in the rap categhettory; he'd prepared some business with a large piece of paper with "Thank You" written on it.

British wins were fairly thin on the ground - I know, it's almost impossible to believe an awards ceremony without at least seven prizes for the Arctic Monkeys, but it actually happened - The Chemical Brothers took best dance recording and electronic/dance album prizes; and Gorillaz won best pop vocal collaboration.

Coldplay? Whatplay?

Kelly Clarkson got a couple; The White Stripes were rewarded for best alternative album, despite the Coca-Cola sponsored band now being more mainstream than the Stones. Indeed, its being rumoured they signed with Coke in the hope it might make the band seem a little more edgy.

The ceremony hasn't aired in the UK yet, but we did catch some of the E! arrivals programme yesterday: we especially liked that, in a desperate bid to try and pretend that their ceremony isn't anything like other showbiz events, the Grammys have a green carpet. That's how crazy they are. There was a bloke called DJM interviewing one of Mudvayne on it when we switched on. We switched off again double quick, I can tell you.

At this point, we would have brought you a full list of Grammy Winners, but the Grammy site seems to have given up trying to list them halfway through. So here's just a partial list:

Record of the year
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Also nominated:
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz
Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
Gold Digger - Kanye West

Album of the year
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - U2
Also nominated:
The Emancipation of Mimi - Mariah Carey
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard - Paul McCartney
Love.Angel.Music.Baby - Gwen Stefani
Late Registration - Kanye West

Song of the year
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - U2
Also nominated:
Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
Devils & Dust - Bruce Springsteen
Ordinary People - John Legend
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey

Best new artist
John Legend
Also nominated:
Ciara
Fall Out Boy
Keane
Sugarland

Best female pop vocal performance
Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
Also nominated:
It's Like That - Mariah Carey
Good is Good - Sheryl Crow
I Will Not Be Broken - Bonnie Raitt
Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani

Best male pop vocal performance
From the Bottom of My Heart - Stevie Wonder
Also nominated:
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing - Jack Johnson
Fine Line - Paul McCartney
Walk on By - Seal
Lonely No More - Rob Thomas

Best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal
This Love - Maroon 5
Also nominated:
Don't Lie - The Black Eyed Peas
Mr Brightside - The Killers
More Than Love - Los Lonely Boys
My Doorbell - The White Stripes

Best pop collaboration with vocals
Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz featuring De La Soul
Also nominated:
Gone Going - The Black Eyed Peas & Jack Johnson
Virginia Moon - Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones
A Song For You - Herbie Hancock featuring Christina Aguilera
A Time To Love - Stevie Wonder Featuring India.Arie

Best pop vocal album
Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
Also nominated:
Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple
Wildflower - Sheryl Crow
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard - Paul McCartney
Love.Angel.Music.Baby - Gwen Stefani

Best dance song
Galvanize - The Chemical Brothers
Also nominated:
Say Hello - Deep Dish
Wonderful Night - Fatboy Slim and Lateef
Daft Punk is Playing at My House - LCD Soundsystem
I Believe in You - Kylie Minogue
Guilt is a Useless Emotion - New Order

Best electronic/dance album
Push the Button - The Chemical Brothers
Also nominated:
Human After All - Daft Punk
Palookaville - Fatboy Slim
Minimum/Maxium - Kraftwerk
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem

Best rock solo vocal performance
Devils and Dust - Bruce Springsteen
Also nominated:
Revolution - Eric Clapton
Shine it All Around - Robert Plant
This is How a Breaks - Rob Thomas
The Painter - Neil Young

Best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal
Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own - U2
Also nominated:
Speed of Sound - Coldplay
Best of You - Foo Fighters
Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand
All These Things That I've Done - The Killers

Best rock song
City of Blinding Lights - U2
Also nominated:
Best Of You - Foo Fighters
Beverly Hills - Weezer
Devils & Dust - Bruce Springsteen
Speed of Sound - Coldplay

Best rock album
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - U2
Also nominated:
X&Y - Coldplay
In Your Honor - Foo Fighters
A Bigger Bang - The Rolling Stones
Prairie Wind - Neil Young

Best alternative album
Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes
Also nominated:
Funeral - The Arcade Fire
Guero - Beck
Plans - Death Cab For Cutie
You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand

Best R&B song
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
Also nominated:
Cater 2 U - Destiny's Child
Free Yourself - Fantasia
Ordinary People - John Legend
Unbreakable - Alicia Keys

Best R&B album
Get Lifted - John Legend
Also nominated:
Illumination - Earth, Wind and Fire
Free Yourself - Fantasia
Unplugged - Alicia Keys
A Time to Love - Stevie Wonder

Best solo rap performance
Gold Digger - Kanye West
Also nominated:
Testify - Common
Mockingbird - Eminem
Disco Inferno - 50 Cent
Number One Spt - Ludacris
U Don't Know Me - TI

Best rap song
Diamonds From Sierra Leone - Kanye West
Also nominated:
Candy Shop - 50 Cent featuring Olivia
Don't Phunk With My Heart - The Black Eyed Peas
Hate It Or Love It - The Game featuring 50 Cent
Lose Control - Missy Elliott Featuring Ciara & Fat Man Scoop

Best rap album
Late Registration - Kanye West
Also nominated:
Be - Common
The Cookbook - Missy Elliot
The Massacre - 50 Cent
Encore - Eminem

Best short form music video
Lose Control - Missy Elliott ft Ciara and Fat Man Scoop
Also nominated:
Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz ft De La Soul
Feels Just Like it Should - Jamiroquai
God's Will - Martina McBride
World on Fire - Sarah McLaclan

music grammys awards u2 bono mariah carey white stripes