Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys has earned five Grammy Awards. The Irish rockers U2 earned four of the industry honors, while some little-known artists shared the award of album of the year.
Alicia Keys, who burst onto the music scene just a year ago, won the Grammy for best rhythm and blues album for "Songs in A Minor". She also earned Grammys for best rhythm and blues vocal performance, best rhythm and blues song, and song of the year for "Fallin'".
Backstage, Keys had a message for youngsters like her who dream of making it big in the music business. "My message to kids is that there's nothing that can stop you, and that overall, the outside world doesn't matter. It matters how you feel about yourself, and that will take you so far. So love yourself, and just strive at being the best that you can be. That's my message," Ms. Keys said.
The Irish rockers U2 won four awards, including one for Best Rock Album for "All That You Can't Leave Behind." U2 also received a Grammy for best rock performance by a duo, best pop performance, and record of the year for three individual songs on their album.
The group Train received the Grammy for best rock song for the track "Drops of Jupiter" from the album of the same name.
The rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot earned a Grammy for Best Solo Rap Performance for her song "Get Ur Freak On."
Elliot says each rap artist has a distinctive style. She says her sound is hard-driving and a little tough, but personally she's just the opposite.
She talked about the sources of her inspiration. "I think all the rappers have pretty much got a category of their own. I think probably my words come across tough, but anybody who meets me (knows) I'm a fun person. I like to laugh and play all day. My inspiration comes from God. That's my first inspiration," Ms. Elliot said.
The rapper says she is also inspired by singers Michael and Janet Jackson.
In other awards, the Grammy for Best Female Pop Performance went to Canadian newcomer Nelly Furtado for her song "I'm Like a Bird."
She said she gets her inspiration from her fans. "My fans are so great, the fans who come to the shows and sing every single word to every song. I have fans who come up to me and say all sorts of things, from you've inspired me to be myself, discover my identity, be proud of my heritage. I have people who come and tell me thanks for helping me appreciate all the different kinds of people that are around me. That's the greatest gift to me. It's a beautiful thing," Ms. Furtado said.
One surprise award at the Grammys, the movie sound-track-album from the film "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" received the Grammy for album of the year. That compilation by various artists won over recordings by established performers including Bob Dylan and U2.
Chris Thomas King plays a character in the movie and he went on tour as part of the musical group created for the film. He says the experience is all a bit overwhelming. "I had no idea that after three months of shooting that almost two years later, I'd be on tour, playing Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Universal Amphitheater. Standing up here holding the Album of the Year, a Grammy. I mean, I represent the blues, and blues guys, they get the Grammy, if they get one, in the parking lot," Mr. King said.
Rock veteran Bob Dylan missed the Grammy for album of the year, but he earned an award for best contemporary folk album for "Love and Theft."