Singer Adele swept every award she was nominated for, including record of the year, song of the year and best short form music video for Rolling in The Deep. Her second album 21, the year biggest-seller, was named album of the year.

The south London singer, who had recently reclaimed her lost voice after a throat surgery, made her first live comeback performance at the ceremony.

Held at the Staples center in downtown Los Angeles, the 54th Grammys annual show celebration was overshadowed by the sudden death of pop star Whitney Huston on Saturday.

Opening the show,  host, LL Cool J offered a prayer for a woman we loved, for a fallen sister.  More heartfelt tributes followed from the 48-year-old singer’s peers as the celebration proceeded and the winners announced.

Rock band Foo Fighters won 5 awards, including best rock album, best rock song, best rock performance and best hard rock/metal performance, while Kanye West scooped 3 awards for his solo album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, including best rap song and best album, and won the best rap performance award for his collaboration with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne.

Brit solo singer Corinne Baily Rae took home the best R&B performance for Is This Love, and Sir Paul McCarneys deluxe reissue of Wings Band On The Run was named best historical album.

Returning to the Grammys for the first time since assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna before the 2009 ceremony, Chris Brown won the trophy for best R&B album F.A.M.E. Rhianna was one of the nights performers.

Other live performers at the ceremony included Bruce Springsteen, who kicked open the show with a rocking performance, Sir Paul McCarthey, The Beach boys, Adele, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Hudson, who gave a rendition of Whitney Houstons I Will Always Love You.