Grammy Awards: Eminem and Justin Bieber lose out
The 53rd Grammy Awards produced several surprise results last night, with favoured artists including Justin Bieber and Eminem losing out to lesser-known acts.
A handful of British groups also came away with prizes, with several who were still playing the London pub circuit only three years ago performing at the music industry's highest-profile event.
The coveted album of the year award – which had been expected to go to Eminem for his comeback record 'Recovery', the highest selling of 2010 in the US – went instead to Arcade Fire for 'The Suburbs'.
The Canadian indie group, who have won critical acclaim for all three of their albums since 2004, are now tipped to move into the top flight of mainstream international rock acts.
They echoed the shock of many inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles and watching on television when, in response, they took to Twitter and posted a message repeating “Oh my god” six times.
Eminem, the Detroit-raised rapper who burst on to the charts 12 years ago with 'My Name Is', had a disappointing night. Having been shortlisted for 10 awards, he took away
His loss in the best album category was the third in his career, and the most unexpected. 'Recovery', which won plaudits for its portrayal of prescription drug addiction, was seen as a return to form.
Lady Antebellum, a country trio from Nashville, Tennessee, ended up with the most awards overall, winning five out of six nominations, including the prestigious prizes for song and record of the year.
Meanwhile Bieber, the 16-year-old pop sensation, lost out on the award for best new act to Esperanza Spalding, a relatively obscure 26-year-old jazz singer and bassist from Portland, Oregon.
Spalding, who was the longshot according to every bookmaker, was the first jazz artist to ever win the category. In a stunned acceptance speech, she said: "I take this honor to heart so sincerely”.
She also beat the British acts Florence + The Machine and Mumford and Sons – both of who performed at the ceremony – to the newcomer award.
Both British groups' appearances marked the pinnacle of a remarkable few years in which they have gone from minor alternative favourites at home to world-renowned acts.
Mumford and Sons played onstage with Bob Dylan, while Florence Welch, the 24-year-old frontwoman of the Machine, took part in a tribute medley for Aretha Franklin.
Muse, the Devon-based prog rock group, won the award for best rock album for 'The Resistance', their fifth studio album since debuting in 1999.
Other British winners included La Roux, who picked up best electronic album, Iron Maiden, who took best metal performance, and Sade, who won best R&B performance by a duo or group.
The flamboyant Lady Gaga took three awards – for best female pop performance, best pop vocal album and best music video – after turning heads by arriving at the show in a giant egg carried by servants.
The performance Gaga gave of her new song, 'Born This Way', after “hatching” drew yet another round of comparisons with Madonna in her 1980s pomp.
Jay-Z, the rapper and music industry tycoon, also won three awards, including two for 'Empire State of Mind', his hugely successful tribute to New York recorded with Alicia Keys.