Ed Sheeran’s smash hit “Thinking Out Loud” won Song of the Year at the 2016 Grammy Awards on Monday. The British singer also won the Best Pop Solo Performance award for the same song. Sheeran’s win stopped Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” from becoming the first ever rap song to win the award. Lamar took a host of prizes though, winning five of them after getting the highest number of nominations – 11 – for his critically acclaimed album “To Pimp A Butterfly”.
Among the other big awards, Taylor Swift won the Best Album award for her "1989", the second time she has taken home this trophy. "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars won the Record of the Year.
Broadway musical "Hamilton" became an unlikely highlight of the evening, winning the Best Musical Theatre Album category. The period musical chronicles the life of United States Founding Father Alexander Hamilton through its wildly popular anachronistic R&B songs. The cast of Hamilton performed at the awards to resounding applause.
The rest of the glitzy show featured performances by Adele, Taylor Swift, and a David Bowie tribute by Lady Gaga among other star acts. However, Rihanna caused fans some disappointment by pulling out of her performance at the last minute. According to the pop star’s representatives, she was suffering from bronchitis and had been advised not to perform by her doctor.
Here's a full list of the winners.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!