51st Annual Grammy Awards

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, winning five awards, including Album of the Year for their critically acclaimed album Raising Sand. Krauss became the sixth female solo artist to have won 5 awards in one night, joining Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Beyoncé Knowles, and Amy Winehouse. Lil Wayne received the most nominations, with eight.

The awards broadcast won an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.

Performances

 * Notes
 * Both Rihanna and Chris Brown were scheduled to perform, but their performances were canceled after Brown was arrested after his fight with his former girlfriend.

Presenters

 * Whitney Houston - Presents the award for best R&B album.
 * Dwayne Johnson - Introduces a performance by Justin Timberlake.
 * Simon Baker - Introduces a performance by Coldplay.
 * Keith Urban - Pays tribute to Gene Autry as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and presents a performance by Carrie Underwood.
 * Leann Rimes and Sheryl Crow - Pays tribute to Brenda Lee as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and presents the award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
 * Duffy and Al Green - Presents the award for Song of the Year.
 * Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift - Presents the award for Best Pop Collaboration with vocals.
 * Emily Proctor and Jason Mraz - Introduces a performance by The Jonas Brothers.
 * Blink 182 - Presents the award for Best Rock Album.
 * Craig Ferguson - Introduces a performance by Katy Perry.
 * Kanye West and Estelle - Presents the award for Best New Artist.
 * Morgan Freeman - Introduces a performance by Kenny Chesney.
 * Sean Combs, Herbie Hancock, and Natalie Cole - Presents the award for Record of the Year.
 * Queen Latifah - Pays tribute to Dean Martin as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and introduces a performance by Kanye West, M.I.A., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and T.I.
 * Kate Beckinsale - Introduces a performance by Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl.
 * Jack Black and Charlie Haden - Pays tribute to Hank Jones as the Lifetime Achievement recipient and presents the award for best Male Pop Vocal.
 * Jay Mohr and LL Cool J - Introduces a performance by Sugarland and Adele.
 * Gwyneth Paltrow - Introduces a performance by Radiohead.
 * Samuel L. Jackson - Introduces a performance by T.I. and Justin Timberlake.
 * Neil Portnow - Introduces a performance by Smokey Robinson.
 * Gary Sinise - Introduces a performance by Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke, and Allen Toussaint.
 * Will.i.am and T-Pain - Presents the award for Best Rap Album.
 * Zooey Deschanel - Introduces a performance by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.
 * Green Day - Presents the award for Album of the Year.

Special merit awards

 * MusiCares Person of the Year
 * Neil Diamond


 * Lifetime Achievement Award winners
 * Gene Autry
 * The Blind Boys of Alabama
 * The Four Tops
 * Hank Jones
 * Brenda Lee
 * Dean Martin
 * Tom Paxton


 * Trustees Award winners
 * George Avakian
 * Elliott Carter
 * Allen Toussaint


 * Technical Grammy Award winners
 * Clarence "Leo" Fender
 * Universal Audio


 * President's Merit Award
 * Clive Davis

General
For all of these there are both nominees and winners, the winners are in bold.


 * Record of the Year
 * "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


 * Album of the Year
 * 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


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


 * Best New Artist
 * Adele
 * Duffy
 * Jonas Brothers
 * Lady Antebellum
 * Jazmine Sullivan

Pop

 * Best Female Pop Vocal Performance


 * "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
 * "Love Song" - Sara Bareilles
 * "Mercy" - Duffy
 * "Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis
 * "I Kissed a Girl" - Katy Perry
 * "So What" - P!nk


 * Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
 * "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


 * Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
 * "Viva la Vida" – Coldplay
 * "Waiting in the Weeds" - Eagles
 * "Going On" - Gnarls Barkley
 * "Won't Go Home Without You" - Maroon 5
 * "Apologize" - OneRepublic


 * Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
 * "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


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


 * Best Pop Instrumental Album
 * 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


 * Best Pop Vocal Album
 * Rockferry – Duffy
 * Detours - Sheryl Crow
 * Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
 * Spirit - Leona Lewis
 * Covers - James Taylor

Dance

 * Best Dance Recording
 * "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Alive 2007)" – 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


 * Best Electronic/Dance Album
 * 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

 * Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
 * 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

 * Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
 * "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


 * Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
 * "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


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


 * Best Metal Performance
 * "My Apocalypse" – Metallica
 * "Heroes of Our Time" - DragonForce
 * "Nostradamus" - Judas Priest
 * "Under My Thumb" - Ministry
 * "Psychosocial" - Slipknot


 * Best Rock Instrumental Performance
 * "Peaches En Regalia" – Zappa Plays Zappa featuring Steve Vai & Napoleon Murphy Brock
 * "Castellorizon" - David Gilmour
 * "Suicide & Redemption" - Metallica
 * "34 Ghosts IV" - Nine Inch Nails
 * "Hope (Live For The Art Of Peace)" - Rush


 * Best Rock Song
 * "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


 * Best Rock Album
 * 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

 * Best Alternative Music Album
 * In Rainbows – Radiohead
 * Modern Guilt – Beck
 * Narrow Stairs – Death Cab for Cutie
 * The Odd Couple – Gnarls Barkley
 * Evil Urges – My Morning Jacket

R&B

 * Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
 * "Superwoman" – Alicia Keys
 * "Me, Myself and I" (Live) – Beyoncé
 * "Heaven Sent" – Keyshia Cole
 * "Spotlight" – Jennifer Hudson
 * "Need U Bad" – Jazmine Sullivan


 * Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
 * "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


 * Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
 * "Stay with Me (By the Sea)" – 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


 * Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
 * "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


 * Best Urban/Alternative Performance
 * "Be OK" – Chrisette Michele & will.i.am
 * "Say Goodbye to Love" - Kenna
 * "Wanna Be" - Maiysha
 * "Many Moons" - Janelle Monáe
 * "Lovin You (Music)" - Wayna & Kokayi


 * Best R&B Song
 * "Miss Independent" – Ne-Yo
 * "Bust Your Windows" - Jazmine Sullivan
 * "Customer" - Raheem DeVaughn
 * "Heaven Sent" - Keyshia Cole
 * "Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson


 * Best R&B Album
 * Jennifer Hudson – Jennifer Hudson
 * Love & Life - Eric Benét
 * Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA - Boyz II Men
 * Lay It Down - Al Green
 * The Way I See It - Raphael Saadiq


 * Best Contemporary R&B Album
 * Growing Pains – Mary J. Blige
 * Back of My Lac' - J. Holiday
 * First Love - Karina
 * Year of the Gentleman - Ne-Yo
 * Fearless - Jazmine Sullivan

Rap

 * Best Rap Solo Performance
 * "A Milli" – Lil Wayne
 * "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." – Jay-Z
 * "Paris, Tokyo" – Lupe Fiasco
 * "N.I.*.*.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)" – Nas
 * "Sexual Eruption" – Snoop Dogg


 * Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
 * "Swagga Like Us" – Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
 * "Royal Flush (song) – 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


 * Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
 * "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


 * Best Rap Song
 * "Lollipop"
 * D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer & R. Zamor, songwriters (Lil Wayne featuring Static Major)
 * "Low"
 * T. Dillard, M. Humphrey & T-Pain, songwriters (Flo Rida featuring T-Pain)
 * "Sexual Eruption"
 * Calvin Broadus, S. Lovejoy & D. Stewart, songwriters (Snoop Dogg)
 * "Superstar"
 * Lupe Fiasco & Soundtrakk, songwriters (Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos)
 * "Swagga Like Us"
 * D. Carter, S. Carter, Clifford Harris & Kanye West, songwriters (M. Arulpragasam, N. Headon, M. Jones, J. Mellor, T. Pentz & P. Simonon, songwriters) (Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne)


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

Country

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


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


 * Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
 * "Stay" – Sugarland
 * "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


 * Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
 * "Killing the Blues" – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
 * "Shiftwork" - Kenny Chesney & George Strait
 * "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


 * Best Country Instrumental Performance
 * "Cluster Pluck" – Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert & Steve Wariner
 * "Sumatra" - Cherryholmes
 * "Two Small Cars In Rome" - Jerry Douglas & Lloyd Green
 * "Sleigh Ride" - Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
 * "Is This America? (Katrina 2005)" - Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Jerry Douglas & Bruce Hornsby


 * Best Country Song
 * "Stay" – Jennifer Nettles, songwriter (Sugarland)
 * "Dig Two Graves" - Randy Travis
 * "I Saw God Today" - George Strait
 * "In Color" - Jamey Johnson
 * "You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins


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


 * Best Bluegrass Album
 * Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass: Tribute to 1946 and 1947 – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
 * Cherryholmes III: Don't Believe - 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
 * Wheels - Dan Tyminski

New Age

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

Jazz

 * Best Contemporary Jazz Album
 * 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


 * Best Jazz Vocal Album
 * 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


 * Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
 * "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


 * Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
 * 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


 * Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
 * Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard – Vanguard Jazz Orchestra


 * Best Latin Jazz Album
 * Song for Chico – Arturo O'Farrill and The Afro–Latin Jazz Orchestra

Gospel

 * Best Gospel Performance
 * "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


 * Best Gospel Song
 * "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


 * Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album
 * Alive and Transported – tobyMac
 * Hello - After Edmund
 * Our World: Redeemed - Flame
 * We Need Each Other - Sanctus Real
 * Rock What You Got - Superchick


 * Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
 * Thy Kingdom Come – CeCe Winans
 * This Moment - Steven Curtis Chapman
 * What If We - Brandon Heath
 * Opposite Way - Leeland
 * Hello Love - Chris Tomlin


 * Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album
 * 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


 * Best Traditional Gospel Album
 * 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


 * Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album
 * 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

 * Best Latin Pop Album
 * La Vida... Es Un Ratico – Juanes
 * Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
 * 45 – Jaguares


 * Best Latin Urban Album
 * Los Extraterrestres – Wisin & Yandel


 * Best Tropical Latin Album
 * Señor Bachata – José Feliciano


 * Best Regional Mexican Album
 * Amor, Dolor y Lágrimas: Música Ranchera – Mariachi los Camperos de Nati Cano
 * Canciones de Amor – Mariachi Divas


 * Best Tejano Album
 * Viva La Revolucion – Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution


 * Best Norteño Album
 * Raíces – Los Tigres del Norte


 * Best Banda Album
 * No Es De Madera – Joan Sebastian

Blues

 * Best Traditional Blues Album
 * 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


 * Best Contemporary Blues Album
 * 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

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


 * Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album
 * "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


 * Best Native American Music Album
 * Come to Me Great Mystery: Native American Healing Songs – Various artists (Tom Wasinger, producer)


 * Best Hawaiian Music Album
 * 'Ikena – Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho


 * Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album
 * Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – BeauSoleil & Michael Doucet

Reggae

 * Best Reggae Album
 * 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

 * Best Traditional World Music Album
 * Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu – Ladysmith Black Mambazo


 * Best Contemporary World Music Album
 * Global Drum Project – Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju & Giovanni Hidalgo
 * nominee Angels & Almas – David Maldonado

Polka

 * Best Polka Album
 * Let the Whole World Sing – Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra

Children's

 * Best Musical Album For Children
 * Here Come the 123s – They Might Be Giants


 * Best Spoken Word Album for Children
 * Yes To Running! Bill Harley Live – Bill Harley

Spoken word

 * Best Spoken Word Album
 * An Inconvenient Truth – Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon & Blair Underwood

Comedy

 * Best Comedy Album
 * 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

 * Best Musical Show Album
 * 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

 * Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
 * Juno
 * American Gangster
 * August Rush
 * Mamma Mia!
 * Sweeney Todd — The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street


 * Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
 * 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 - Jonny Greenwood
 * WALL-E - Thomas Newman


 * Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
 * "Down to Earth" (from WALL-E) – Peter Gabriel
 * "Ever Ever After" (from Enchanted) - Carrie Underwood
 * "Say" - (from The Bucket List) - John Mayer
 * "That's How You Know" (from Enchanted) - Amy Adams
 * "Walk Hard" (from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) - John C. Reilly

Composing and arranging

 * Best Instrumental Composition
 * "The Adventures of Mutt" (from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) – John Williams
 * John Williams, composer


 * Best Instrumental Arrangement
 * "Define Dancing" (from WALL-E) – Thomas Newman
 * Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, arrangers


 * Best Pop Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
 * "Captain Of Her Heart" – Project Grand Slam & Judie Tzuke

Package

 * Best Recording Package
 * Death Magnetic – Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffatt & David Turner, art directors (Metallica)


 * Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
 * In Rainbows – Stanley Donwood, Mel Maxwell & Xian Munro, art directors (Radiohead)

Album notes

 * Best Album Notes
 * Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition – Francis Davis, album notes writer (Miles Davis)

Historical

 * Best Historical Album
 * 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 (Various Artists)

Production, non-classical

 * Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
 * Consolers of the Lonely – The Raconteurs
 * Joe Chiccarelli, Vance Powell & Jack White III, engineers


 * Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
 * Rick Rubin
 * Death Magnetic (Metallica)
 * Home Before Dark (Neil Diamond)
 * Mercy (Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy) (Ours)
 * Seeing Things (Jakob Dylan)
 * Weezer (Red Album) (Weezer)


 * Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
 * "Electric Feel" (Justice Remix)
 * (MGMT), remixers Justice

Production, surround sound

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

Production, classical

 * Best Engineered Album, 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


 * Producer of the Year, Classical
 * 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

 * Best Classical Album
 * Kurt Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny – James Conlon, conductor


 * Best Orchestral Performance
 * Bernard Haitink, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4


 * Best Opera Recording
 * 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


 * Best Choral Performance
 * Symphony of Psalms – Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master – Berlin Philharmonic; Rundfunkchor Berlin


 * Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra)
 * Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra) – Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos


 * Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra)
 * Gloria Cheng – Piano music of Salonen, Stucky, and Lutosławski


 * Best Chamber Music Performance
 * Pacifica Quartet – Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5


 * Best Small Ensemble Performance
 * Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale – Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary


 * Best Classical Vocal Performance
 * Hila Plitmann – Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan – JoAnn Falletta (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)


 * Best Classical Contemporary Composition
 * Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan – John Corigliano (JoAnn Falletta)


 * Classical Crossover Album
 * Simple Gifts – King's Singers

Music video

 * Best Short Form Music Video
 * "Pork and Beans" – Weezer
 * Mathew Cullen, video director; Bernard Rahill, video producer


 * Best Long Form Music Video
 * Runnin' Down a Dream – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
 * Peter Bogdanovich, video director; Skot Bright, video producer

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 (2010 Grammy Awards) next year, Beyoncé surpassed the record by gaining six such awards.

In Memoriam
George Carlin, Jerry Wexler, Jerry Reed, Mike Smith, Rick Wright, Eartha Kitt, Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchell, Earl Palmer, Buddy Harman, Freddie Hubbard, David "Fathead" Newman, Johnny Griffin, Jimmy McGriff, Mike Berniker, Teo Macero, Eddy Arnold, Nick Reynolds, Miriam Makeba, Odetta, Pervis Jackson, Cachao López, Norman Smith, Neil Aspinall, William Claxton, Neal Hefti, Jo Stafford, Levi Stubbs, Jheryl Busby, Norman Whitfield, Claude Jeter, Ira Tucker, Dottie Rambo, Larry Norman, Merl Saunders, F.M. Scott III, Delaney Bramlett, Alton Ellis, Shakir Stewart, Static Major, Leonard Pennario, Norman Dello Joio, Alexander Slobodyanik, Henry Z. Steinway, Earle Hagen, Isaac Hayes, Danny Federici and Bo Diddley.

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
The following artists received multiple nominations:
 * 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.

The following artists received multiple awards:
 * Five: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
 * Four: Lil Wayne
 * Three: Coldplay
 * Two: Adele, John Mayer, Ne-Yo, Daft Punk