Beyonce, Taylor Swift make Grammys history

LONDON: Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish won the top prizes at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in a ceremony that also saw Beyonce become the most awarded female artist in Grammy history.

Swift's surprise lockdown record "Folklore" was named album of the year and Eilish's "Everything I Wanted" won record of the year. Sunday's win made Swift, 31, the first woman to take home album of the year three times.

Beyonce's four Grammys on Sunday took her total career wins to 28, surpassing the previous record for a woman set by bluegrass singer Alison Krauss.

British singer Dua Lipa won best pop vocal album for her dance-y "Future Nostalgia."

The writers of "I Can't Breathe" by R&B artist H.E.R won song of the year. It was written in response to the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States last summer.

Rapper Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist and the 26 year-old known for promoting women's empowerment won two more Grammys for her rap performance of single "Savage", featuring Beyonce.

Hosted by Trevor Noah, the hybrid ceremony was packed with pre-recorded and live performances by the likes of Lipa, Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Cardi B, DaBaby, Black Pumas and Mickey Guyton.

It took place both indoors and outdoors in Downtown Los Angeles but mostly without the elaborate sets and special effects that traditionally mark the highest honors in the music business.

K-Pop band BTS lost in the best pop duo or group performance against Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande for their single "Rain on Me" but performed their hit English-language single "Dynamite" from South Korea at the close of the show.