51st Annual Grammy Awards

Performances

Presenters

• LL Cool J
• Duffy
• Whitney Houston
• T-Pain
• Al Green
• Natalie Cole
• Kanye West
• Herbie Hancock
• Green Day
• Blink-182
• Sean Combs
• Morgan Freeman
• Charlie Haden
• Estelle
• Jack Black
• Zooey Deschanel
• will.i.am
• Queen Latifah
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Craig Ferguson
• Simon Baker

  Awards

Special merit awards

• Neil Diamond

• Gene Autry
• The Blind Boys of Alabama
• The Four Tops
• Hank Jones
• Brenda Lee
• Dean Martin
• Tom Paxton

• George Avakian
• Elliott Carter
• Allen Toussaint

• Clarence "Leo" Fender
• Universal Audio

• Clive Davis

  General

• "Please Read the Letter" – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• *T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer
• "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
• * Eg White, producer; Tom Elmhirst & Steve Price, engineer/mixers
• "Viva la Vida" – Coldplay
• *Markus Dravs, Brian Eno & Rik Simpson, producers; Michael Brauer & Rik Simpson, engineers/mixers
• "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis
• * Simon Cowell, Clive Davis & Ryan "Alias" Tedder, producers; Craig Durrance, Phil Tan & Ryan "Alias" Tedder, engineers/mixers
• "Paper Planes" – M.I.A.
• * Diplo, producer; Switch, engineer/mixer

• Raising Sand – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• * T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer; Gavin Lurssen, mastering engineer
• Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends – Coldplay
• * Markus Dravs, Brian Eno & Rik Simpson, producers; Michael H. Brauer, Markus Dravs, John O'Mahoney, Rik Simpson & Andy Wallace, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer
• Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne
• * Babyface, Brisco, Fabolous, Jay-Z, Kidd Kidd, Busta Rhymes, Juelz Santana, D. Smith, Static Major, T-Pain & Bobby Valentino, featured artists; Alchemist, David Banner, Vaushaun "Maestro" Brooks, Cool & Dre, Andrews "Drew" Correa, Shondrae "Mr. Bangladesh" Crawford, Darius "Deezle" Harrison, Jim Jonsin, Mousa, Pro Jay, Rodnae, Skillz & Play, D. Smith, Swizz Beatz, Robin Thicke, T-Pain & Kanye West, producers; Angel Aponte, Joshua Berkman, Andrew Dawson, Joe G, Darius "Deezle" Harrison, Fabian Marasciullo, Miguel Scott, Robin Thicke, Julian Vasquez & Gina Victoria, engineers/mixers; Vlado Meller, mastering engineer
• Year of the Gentleman – Ne-Yo
• * Chuck Harmony, Ne-Yo, Polow Da Don, StarGate, Stereotypes, Syience, Shea Taylor & Shomari "Sho" Wilson, producers; Kirven Arrington, Jeff Chestek, Kevin "KD" Davis, Mikkel Eriksen, Jaymz Hardy Martin, III, Geno Regist, Phil Tan & Tony Terrebonne, engineers/mixers; Herb Powers, Jr., mastering engineer
• In Rainbows – Radiohead
• * Nigel Godrich, producer; Nigel Godrich, Dan Grech-Marguerat, Hugo Nicolson & Richard Woodcraft, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer

• "Viva la Vida"
• * Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters
• "American Boy"
• * William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray & Kanye West, songwriters
• "Chasing Pavements"
• * Adele Adkins & Eg White, songwriters
• "I'm Yours"
• * Jason Mraz, songwriter
• "Love Song"
• * Sara Bareilles, songwriter

• Adele
• Duffy
• Jonas Brothers
• Lady Antebellum
• Jazmine Sullivan

  Pop

• "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
• "Love Song" - Sara Bareilles
• "Mercy" - Duffy
• "Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis
• "I Kissed a Girl" - Katy Perry
• "So What" - Pink

• "Say" – John Mayer
• "All Summer Long" - Kid Rock
• "That Was Me" - Paul McCartney
• "I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz
• "Closer" - Ne-Yo
• "Wichita Lineman" - James Taylor

• "Viva la Vida" – Coldplay
• "Waiting in the Weeds" - Eagles
• "Going On" - Gnarls Barkley
• "Won't Go Home Without You" - Maroon 5
• "Apologize" - OneRepublic

• "Rich Woman" – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• "Lesson Learned" - Alicia Keys & John Mayer
• "4 Minutes" - Madonna, Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
• "If I Never See Your Face Again" - Maroon 5 & Rihanna
• "No Air" - Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown

• "I Dreamed There Was No War" – Eagles
• "Love Appetite" - Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere
• "Fortune Teller"- Fourplay
• "Steppin' Out" - Stanley Jordan
• "Blast!" - Marcus Miller

• Jingle All the Way – Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
• Sax for Stax - Gerald Albright
• Greatest Hits Rerecorded Volume One - Larry Carlton
• The Spice of Life - Earl Klugh
• A Night Before Christmas - Spyro Gyra

• Rockferry – Duffy
• Detours - Sheryl Crow
• Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
• Spirit - Leona Lewis
• Covers - James Taylor

  Dance

• "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger " – Daft Punk
• "Ready for the Floor" - Hot Chip
• "Just Dance" - Lady Gaga & Colby O' Donis
• "Give It 2 Me" - Madonna
• "Disturbia" - Rihanna
• "Black & Gold" - Sam Sparro

• Alive 2007 – Daft Punk
• New York City - Brazilian Girls
• Bring Ya to the Brink - Cyndi Lauper
• X - Kylie Minogue
• Last Night - Moby
• Robyn - Robyn

  [Traditional Pop]

• Still Unforgettable – Natalie Cole
• The Sinatra Project - Michael Feinstein
• Noël - Josh Groban
• In the Swing of Christmas - Barry Manilow
• Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall - Rufus Wainwright

  Rock

• "Gravity" – John Mayer
• "I Saw Her Standing There" - Paul McCartney
• "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" Bruce Springsteen
• "Rise" - Eddie Vedder
• "No Hidden Path" - Neil Young

• "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon
• "Rock N' Roll Train" - AC/DC
• "Violet Hill" - Coldplay
• "Long Road Out of Eden" - Eagles
• "House of Cards" - Radiohead

• "Inside the Fire" - Disturbed
• "Visions" - Judas Priest
• "Wax Simulacra" – The Mars Volta"
• "Saints of Los Angeles" - Mötley Crüe
• "Lords of Salem" - Rob Zombie

• "Heroes of Our Time" - DragonForce
• "Nostradamus" - Judas Priest
• "My Apocalypse" – Metallica
• "Under My Thumb" - Ministry
• "Psychosocial" - Slipknot

• "Castellorizon" - David Gilmour
• "Suicide & Redemption" - Metallica
• "34 Ghosts I-IV" - Nine Inch Nails
• "Hope " - Rush
• "Peaches En Regalia" – Zappa Plays Zappa featuring Steve Vai & Napoleon Murphy Brock

• "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" – Bruce Springsteen
• "House of Cards - Radiohead
• "I Will Possess Your Heart" - Death Cab for Cutie
• "Sex on Fire" - Kings of Leon
• "Violet Hill" - Coldplay

• Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends – Coldplay
• Rock N Roll Jesus - Kid Rock
• Only By The Night - Kings of Leon
• Death Magnetic - Metallica
• Consolers of the Lonely - The Raconteurs

  Alternative

• In Rainbows - Radiohead
• Modern Guilt - Beck
• Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie
• The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley
• Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket

  R&B

• "Superwoman" – Alicia Keys
• "Me, Myself and I "- Beyoncé
• "Heaven Sent" - Keyshia Cole
• "Spotlight" - Jennifer Hudson
• "Need U Bad" - Jazmine Sullivan

• "Miss Independent" – Ne-Yo
• "You're the Only One" - Eric Benét
• "Take You Down" - Chris Brown
• "Can't Help But Wait" - Trey Songz
• "Here I Stand" - Usher

• "Stay with Me " – Al Green & John Legend
• "Ribbon in the Sky" - Boyz II Men
• "Words" - Anthony David & India.Arie
• "I'm His Only Woman" - Jennifer Hudson & Fantasia
• "Never Give You Up" - Raphael Saadiq feat. Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton

• "You've Got the Love I Need" – Al Green & Anthony Hamilton
• "A Change is Gonna Come" - Wayne Brady
• "Baby I Know" - Linda Jones with Helen Bruner & Terry Jones
• "Love That Girl" - Raphael Saadiq
• "In Love With Another Man" - Jazmine Sullivan

• "Be OK" – Chrisette Michele & will.i.am
• "Say Goodbye to Love" - Kenna
• "Wanna Be" - Maiysha
• "Many Moons" - Janelle Monáe
• "Lovin You " - Wayna & Kokayi

• "Miss Independent" – Ne-Yo
• "Bust Your Windows" - Jazmine Sullivan
• "Customer" - Raheem DeVaughn
• "Heaven Sent" - Keyshia Cole
• "Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson

• Jennifer Hudson – Jennifer Hudson
• Love & Life - Eric Benét
• ' - Boyz II Men
• Lay It Down - Al Green
• The Way I See It - Raphael Saadiq

• Growing Pains – Mary J. Blige
• Back of My Lac - J. Holiday
• First Love - Karina
• Year of the Gentleman - Ne-Yo
• Fearless'' - Jazmine Sullivan

  Rap

• "A Milli" – Lil Wayne
• "Roc Boys..." – Jay-Z
• "Paris, Tokyo" – Lupe Fiasco
• "N.I.*.*.E.R. " – Nas
• "Sexual Eruption" – Snoop Dogg

• "Swagga Like Us" – Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
• "Royal Flush – Big Boi featuring Raekwon & Andre 3000
• "Mr. Carter – Lil Wayne featuring Jay-Z
• "Wish You Would" – Ludacris featuring T.I.
• "Put On" – Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West

• "American Boy" – Estelle featuring Kanye West
• "Low" – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
• "Green Light" – John Legend & Andre 3000
• "Got Money" – Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain
• "Superstar" – Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos

• "Lollipop"
• * D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer & R. Zamor, songwriters
• "Low"
• * T. Dillard, M. Humphrey & T-Pain, songwriters
• "Sexual Eruption"
• * Calvin Broadus, S. Lovejoy & D. Stewart, songwriters
• "Superstar"
• * Lupe Fiasco & Soundtrakk, songwriters
• "Swagga Like Us"
• * D. Carter, S. Carter, Clifford Harris & Kanye West, songwriters

• Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne
• American Gangster – Jay-Z
• The Cool – Lupe Fiasco
• Nas – Nas
• Paper Trail – T.I.

  Country

• "For These Times" - Martina McBride
• "What I Cannot Change" - LeAnn Rimes
• "Last Name" – Carrie Underwood
• "Last Call" - Lee Ann Womack
• "This Is Me You're Talking To" - Trisha Yearwood

• "You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins
• "In Color" - Jamey Johnson
• "Just Got Started Lovin' You" - James Otto
• "Letter to Me" – Brad Paisley
• "Troubadour" - George Strait

• "God Must Be Busy" - Brooks & Dunn
• "Love Don't Live Here" - Lady Antebellum
• "Every Day" - Rascal Flatts
• "Blue Side of the Mountain" - The Steel Drivers
• "Stay" – Sugarland

• "Shiftwork" - Kenny Chesney & George Strait
• "Killing the Blues" – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• "House of Cash" - George Strait & Patty Loveless
• "Life in a Northern Town" - Sugarland, featuring Jake Owen & Little Big Town
• "Let the Wind Chase You" - Trisha Yearwood & Keith Urban

• "Sumatra" - Cherryholmes
• "Two Small Cars In Rome" - Jerry Douglas & Lloyd Green
• "Sleigh Ride" - Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
• "Is This America? " - Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Jerry Douglas & Bruce Hornsby
• "Cluster Pluck" – Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert & Steve Wariner

• "Dig Two Graves" - Randy Travis
• "I Saw God Today" - George Strait
• "In Color" - Jamey Johnson
• "Stay" – Sugarland
• "You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins

• That Lonesome Song - Jamey Johnson
• Sleepless Nights - Patty Loveless
• Troubadour – George Strait
• Around the Bend - Randy Travis
• Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love - Trisha Yearwood

• ' - Cherryholmes
• Del McCoury Band — Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - Del McCoury Band
• The Ultimate Collection / Live At The Ryman - Earl Scruggs
• – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder'
• Wheels'' - Dan Tyminski

  New Age

• Peace Time – Jack DeJohnette
• Meditations - William Ackerman
• Pathfinder - Will Clipman
• Ambrosia - Peter Kater
• The Scent of Light - Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra

  Jazz

• Randy in Brasil – Randy Brecker
• Floating Point – John McLaughlin
• Cannon Re–Loaded: All–Star Celebration of Cannonball Adderley – Various Artists
• Miles from India – Various Artists
• Lifecycle – Yellowjackets featuring Mike Stern

• Loverly – Cassandra Wilson
• Imagina: Songs of Brasil – Karrin Allyson
• Breakfast on the Morning Tram – Stacey Kent
• If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything – Kate McGarry
• Distances – Norma Winstone

• "Be–Bop" – Terence Blanchard
• "Seven Steps to Heaven" – Till Brönner
• "Waltz for Debby" – Gary Burton & Chick Corea
• "Son of Thirteen" – Pat Metheny
• "Be–Bop" – James Moody

• The New Crystal Silence – Chick Corea & Gary Burton
• History, Mystery – Bill Frisell
• Brad Mehldau Trio Live – Brad Mehldau Trio
• Day Trip – Pat Metheny featuring Christian McBride & Antonio Sánchez
• Standards – Alan Pasqua, Dave Carpenter & Peter Erskine

• Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard – Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

• Song for Chico – Arturo O'Farrill and The Afro–Latin Jazz Orchestra

  Gospel

• "Get Up" – Mary Mary
• "East to West" - Casting Crowns
• "I Understand" - Kim Burrell, Rance Allen, BeBe Winans, Mariah Carey, & Hezekiah Walker's LFC
• "Shall We Gather at the River" - Take 6
• "Waging War" - CeCe Winans

• "Help Me Believe" – Kirk Franklin
• * Kirk Franklin, songwriter
• "Cover Me" - 21:03 with Fred Hammond, Smokie Norful, & J Moss
• * James L. Moss, songwriter
• "Get Up" - Mary Mary
• * Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Warryn Campbell, & Eric Dawkins, songwriters
• "Give Me Your Eyes" - Brandon Heath
• * Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters
• "You Reign" - MercyMe
• * Jim Bryson, Steven Curtis Chapman, Nathan Cochran, Barry Graul, Bart Millard, Mike Scheuchzer, & Robby Shaffer, songwriters

• Alive and Transported – tobyMac
• Hello - After Edmund
• ' - Flame
• We Need Each Other - Sanctus Real
• Rock What You Got - Superchick

• Thy Kingdom Come – CeCe Winans
• This Moment - Steven Curtis Chapman
• What If We - Brandon Heath
• Opposite Way - Leeland
• Hello Love - Chris Tomlin

• Lovin' Life – Gaither Vocal Band
• Room For More - Booth Brothers
• Steps to Heaven - Charlie Louvin
• Hymned Again - Bart Millard
• Ephesians One - Karen Peck and New River

• Down in New Orleans – The Blind Boys of Alabama
• I'll Say Yes - Carol Cymbala & The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
• Take It Back - Dorinda Clark-Cole
• Voices in Unity: Together In Worship - Deitrick Haddon
• No Limit - Bishop Charles E. Blake presents the West Angeles Church of God in Christ Choir

• The Fight of My Life – Kirk Franklin'
• Reflections - Jason Champion
• The Sound - Mary Mary
• Donald Lawrence Introduces: Family Prayer - The Murrills
• Stand Out'' - Tye Tribbett & G.A.

  Latin

• La Vida... Es Un Ratico – Juanes

• 45 – Jaguares

• – Wisin & Yandel

• Señor Bachata – José Feliciano

• Amor, Dolor y Lágrimas: Música Ranchera – Mariachi los Camperos de Nati Cano
• Canciones de Amor – Mariachi Divas

• Viva La Revolucion – Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution

• Raíces – Los Tigres del Norte

• No Es De Madera – Joan Sebastian

  Blues

• One Kind Favor – B.B. King
• The Blues Rolls On - Elvin Bishop
• Skin Deep - Buddy Guy
• All Odds Against Me - John Lee Hooker, Jr.
• Pinetop Perkins and Friends - Pinetop Perkins and Friends

• City That Care Forgot – Dr. John And The Lower 911
• Peace Love & BBQ - Marcia Ball
• Like a Fire - Solomon Burke
• Maesteo - Taj Mahal
• Simply Grand - Irma Thomas

  Folk

• "At 89" – Pete Seeger
• "Coal"-Kathy Mattea
• "Comedians & Angels"-Tom Paxton
• "Bring Me Home"-Peggy Seeger
• "Strangers In Another Country"-Rosalie Sorrels

• "Raising Sand"- Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• "Day After Tomorrow"- Joan Baez
• "I, Flathead"- Ry Cooder
• "Sex & Gasoline"- Rodney Crowell
• "All I Intended to Be"- Emmylou Harris

• ' – Various artists

• Ikena – Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho

• Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival'' – BeauSoleil & Michael Doucet

  [Reggae]

• Jah Is Real – Burning Spear
• Let's Get Physical - Elephant Man
• Vibes - Heavy D
• Repentance - Lee "Scratch" Perry
• Intoxication - Shaggy
• Amazing - Sly and Robbie

  World music

• – Ladysmith Black Mambazo

• Global Drum Project – Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju & Giovanni Hidalgo
• nominee Angels & Almas – David Maldonado

  Polka

• Let the Whole World Sing – Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra

  Children's

• Here Come the 123s – They Might Be Giants

• Yes To Running! Bill Harley Live – Bill Harley

  Spoken word

• An Inconvenient Truth – Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon & Blair Underwood

  Comedy

• It's Bad for Ya – George Carlin
• Anticipation - Lewis Black
• Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
• For Your Consideration - Kathy Griffin
• Songs of the Bushmen - Harry Shearer

  Musical show

• In the Heights – Original Broadway Cast with Lin-Manuel Miranda & Others
• * Kurt Deutsch, Alex Lacamoire, Andrés Levin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joel Moss & Bill Sherman, producers; Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer/lyricist

  Film, television and other visual media

• Juno
• American Gangster
• August Rush
• Mamma Mia!
• '

• The Dark Knight - James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - John Williams
• Iron Man - Ramin Djawadi
• There Will Be Blood - Johnny Greenwood
• WALL-E - Thomas Newman

• "Down to Earth" – Peter Gabriel'''
• "Ever Ever After" - Carrie Underwood
• "Say" - - John Mayer
• "That's How You Know" - Amy Adams
• "Walk Hard" - John C. Reilly

  Composing and arranging

• "The Adventures of Mutt" – John Williams
• * John Williams, composer

• "Define Dancing" – Thomas Newman
• * Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, arrangers

• "Captain Of Her Heart" – Project Grand Slam & Judie Tzuke
• * Ron Thaler, Haim Cotton, arrangers

  Package

• Death Magnetic – Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffatt & David Turner, art directors

• In Rainbows – Stanley Donwood, Mel Maxwell & Xian Munro, art directors

  Album notes

• Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition – Francis Davis, album notes writer

  Historical

• Art Of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music Documented By Art Rosenbaum – Steven Lance Ledbetter & Art Rosenbaum, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer

  Production, non-classical

• Consolers of the Lonely – The Raconteurs
• * Joe Chiccarelli, Vance Powell & Jack White III, engineers

• Rick Rubin
• * Death Magnetic
• * Home Before Dark
• * Mercy
• * Seeing Things
• * Weezer
• Ron Thaler
• *In The Margins
• *No One, As I Am - The Super Edition
• *Captain Of Her Heart
• *Everything Changed

• "Electric Feel"
• *, remixers Justice

  Production, surround sound

• Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain; Prelude to Khovanshchina – Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra – Michael Bishop & Robert Woods

  Production, classical

• David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis – Traditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago – Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

• David Frost
• * Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique – Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic
• * Right Through The Bone—Julius Röntgen Chamber Music
• * Schubert: Sonata in D major; Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy – Min Kwon
• * Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago – Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Yo-Yo Ma, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

  Classical

• Kurt Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny – James Conlon, conductor

• Bernard Haitink, conductor – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4

• Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny – James Conlon, conductor; Fred Vogler, producer; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald – Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Wörle Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and Chorus

• Symphony of Psalms – Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master – Berlin Philharmonic; Rundfunkchor Berlin

• Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn – Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos

• Gloria Cheng – Piano music of Salonen, Stucky, and Lutosławski

• Pacifica Quartet – Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5

• Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale – Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary

• Hila Plitmann – Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan – JoAnn Falletta

• Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan – John Corigliano

• Simple Gifts – King's Singers

  Music video

• "Pork and Beans" – Weezer
• * Mathew Cullen, video director; Bernard Rahill, video producer

• Runnin' Down a Dream – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
• * Peter Bogdanovich, video director; Skot Bright, video producer

  Cancelled performances

• Rihanna's 51st Grammy Awards performance was cancelled due to treatment caused by domestic violence by her then-boyfriend, Chris Brown.
• Chris Brown had been arrested the same day as the event took place due to the assault on his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

  Records

• Alison Krauss became the sixth female solo artist to have won five Grammys in one evening. The artists who won five before her are Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Beyoncé Knowles, and Amy Winehouse. However, at the ceremony next year, Beyoncé surpassed the record by gaining six such awards.

  In Memoriam

Trivia

• The four Grammys Lil Wayne won were the first ever Grammy Award wins in his Career.
• George Strait also won his first ever Grammy Award.
• After a four-year hiatus, pop-punk band Blink-182 announced their reunion before giving the award for rock album of the year to alternative rock band Coldplay.
• LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews band, died on August 19, 2008. The video tribute to musicians who had died in the previous year excluded Moore, disappointing and angering fans. Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, responded with a statement noting that Moore was included in a list of deceased musicians in the program for the event, and "unfortunately we are unable to include all of the talented and wonderful people within the allotted timeframe." This created a tremendous outrage from the band's fans and many other music celebrities.

  Artists with multiple nominations and awards

• Eight: Lil Wayne
• Seven: Coldplay
• Six: Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West
• Five: Alison Krauss, John Mayer, Robert Plant, Radiohead and Jazmine Sullivan
• Four: Adele, Danger Mouse, Eagles, Lupe Fiasco, George Strait, and Stargate, T.I..

• Five: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
• Four: Lil Wayne
• Three: Coldplay
• Two: Adele, John Mayer, Ne-Yo, Daft Punk