Beyonce Sets History with 6 Wins

The show was once again host-less, but comedian Steven Colbert gave the de facto opening monologue. Noting the absence of platinum-selling Susan Boyle, Colbert providing the audience with a sobering reminder:

"Your industry was saved by a 47-year-old cat lady in sensible shoes."

He returned to the stage to accept the award for best comedy album for "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All." For an awards telecast show so light on awards, it was a strange gesture for a show that touts itself as "music's biggest night."

Black Eyed Peas took the stage in sci-fi S&M garb surrounded by dancers dressed as robots that did (can you guess?) the Robot. "I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night," they sang on their irrepressible hit, "I Gotta Feeling." Unfortunately for the band, it wasn't a good night. They didn't win any major awards.

Of the 109 gold-plated gramophones awarded on Sunday at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, 100 were dished out in the pre-telecast ceremony held in the neighboring Los Angeles Convention Center. This oft-unseen element of the awards was streamed online for anyone with a broadband connection and three hours to kill.

Gaga was the first mega-brand name to bounce out of the pre-telecast ether. She won best dance recording for "Poker Face" and best electronic/dance album for "The Fame." But she didn't materialize to accept either award -- presumably in the make-up chair getting her face painted.

Swift had much better manners. The young singer won the first country music award of the night -- best female country vocal performance for "White Horse." Clad in a muted-pink dress, she came gliding down the aisle of the Convention Center, her hand covering her mouth. "This is my first Grammy, you guys!" she exclaimed from the podium in gleeful disbelief. She was onstage again moments later to accept the award for best country song, also for "White Horse."

Levon Helm's "Electric Dirt" won the inaugural award for best Americana album, but he didn't show up to accept it. Best bluegrass album went to comedian-turned-banjo-slinger Steve Martin. The funnyman didn't show, either, but producer John McEuen accepted the award and delivered a zinger in his place: "[Martin] wanted me to tell you he really wanted to be here . . . but he had a massage appointment."

After co-ed crooners Lady Antebellum and country hunk Keith Urban did not materialize to accept their respective trophies, presenter Mick Fleetwood noted, "We need to turn up some of these people. They're missing out!"

They were presumably preparing for the big telecast, something CBS was obviously hoping would bring more viewers than in years past. Last year's ceremony snared a respectable 19.7 million viewers -- not great compared to the show's glory days, but still a 10 percent spike in eyeballs since 2008's barely watched 50th anniversary Grammy blowout.