Katy Perry at the Grammy Awards 2009
The most surprising news from the awards has to be the unrivalled success of Led Zeppilin frontman Robert Plant who bagged five gongs with a little help from Country singer Alison Krauss. The pair won the Grammy for best album of the year with Raising Sand, which was to be expected, but they shockingly beat favourites Coldplay to win the trophy for best record Please Read the Letter. Coldplay did take home the gong for
Viva La Vida, but probably only because the Plant/Krauss super duo weren’t actually nominated in that category!
Plant and Krauss were a Grammy juggernaut that couldn't be stopped, going undefeated with their three additional nominations: pop collaboration with vocals, country collaboration and best contemporary folk/Americana album.
And it’s unsurprising that FemaleFirst weren’t the only one’s totally baffled by Plant’s success; "I'd like to say I’m bewildered," Plant said at the end of the Grammy sweep as he clutched the best-album prize. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but I think it's a good way to spend a Sunday."
Elsewhere though, I did feel a little sorry for The Jonas Brothers - quite what they’re doing performing at the Grammy’s is beyond me anyway - they only had one nomination, for best new artist. That category, after all, usually spotlights solo female artists, as Amy Winehouse and Carrie Underwood were the last two winners.
However, Adele was the lady sitting pretty with her latest award; and quite rightly so. She also bagged the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance; which was a shock after it went up against Duffy’s Mercy which has literally been drummed into our ears over the past 12 months, and Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love and Katy Perry's lesbian anthem; I Kissed A Girl. Also a shock was the fact that Duffy took home Best Pop Album over music legends, the Eagles, who - in my opinion - were cheated out of a bid for best album of the year for their multi-platinum comeback disc. Although the rockers did emerge triumphant in Best Pop Instrumental Performance for I Dreamed There Was No War; but with the other nominees being people I’ve never actually heard of, it was no real surprise in that category! Although elsewhere The Eagles were in for even more disappointment as they lost out to Coldplay in the Best Pop Group Performance Category and Kings Of Leon for the Rock Group Performance… I guess it’s time to let the kids have a go now; those days of Hotel California glory seem nothing but a distant Grammy Memory. There was one category that made me crack a little smile though as Metallica’s My Apocalypse won best metal performance for a sixth time, beating those masked clowns in Slipknot and metal comedians DragonForce. Read our interview with the amazing Robert Plant here
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison Album of the Year: Raising Sand - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Rap Album: Tha Carter III - Lil Wayne Male Pop Vocal Performance: Say - John Mayer Record of the Year: Please Read The Letter - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss New Artist: Adele Rock Album: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends - Coldplay Pop Collaboration With Vocals: Rich Woman - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Song of the Year: Viva La Vida - Coldplay Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: Stay - Sugarland R&B Album: Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Rick Rubin Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost Female Pop Vocal Performance: Chasing Pavements - Adele Pop Vocal Album: Rockferry - Duffy Pop Instrumental Performance: I Dreamed There Was No War - Eagles Pop Instrumental Album: Jingle All the Way - Bela Fleck & The Flecktones Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals: Viva La Vida - Coldplay Alternative Music Album: In Rainbows - Radiohead Solo Rock Vocal Performance: Gravity - John MayerRock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals: Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon Hard Rock Performance: Wax Simulacra - The Mars Volta Metal Performance: My Apocalypse - Metallica Rock Instrumental Performance: Peaches En Regalia - Zappa Plays Zappa Rock Song: Girls in Their Summer Clothes - Bruce Springsteen Rap Solo Performance: A Milli - Lil Wayne Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Swagga Like Us - Jay-Z and T.I. featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne