Grammy Awards 2012: Adele takes aboriginal prizein commemoration overshadowed by Whitney Houston's death

Adele accepts the Best Pop Abandoned Achievement Accolade for "SomeoneLike You" onstage at the 54th Anniversary Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Credit: Getty)

The 54th anniversary Grammy Awards got beneath way with a song and aprayer Sunday, as the Recording Academy approved to focus on music'sbiggest night while at the aforementioned time advantageous accolade to one of its collapsed greats - Whitney Houston.

Houston died on the eve of the Grammys at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, area she was advancing to appear a pre-Grammy party. Her afterlife casting a huge adumbration over the event, and afterwards Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Bandage opened the show, host LL Cool J appeared in atramentous and told the audience: "There is no way about this. We've had a afterlife inour family."

The rapper again apprehend a adoration for Houston, who died on the eveof the Grammys at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, area she was advancing to appear a pre-Grammy party.

"Heavenly father, we acknowledge you for administration our sister Whitney with us," he said. "Though she is gone too soon, we abide absolutely adored to accept been affected by her admirable spirit."

Stars like Lady Gaga and Miranda Lambert angled their active in silence. So did Mitch and Janis Winehouse, parents of Grammy champ Amy Winehouse, who died in July at age 27.

He again alien a blow of a aglow Houston singing one of her best-known songs, "I Will Consistently Adulation You." LL Cool said afterward: "Whitney, we will consistently adulation you."

But the appearance charge go on - and itdid, with a achievement from Bruno Mars. In his achievement of"Runaway Baby," Mars additionally mentioned Houston's death, saying, "Tonight we're celebrating.Tonight we're adulatory the admirable Miss Whitney Houston."

Before the afterlife of one of pop music's best important figures, the pre-Grammy fizz focused on whether Adele - 2011's top-sellingartist and set to accomplish her aboriginal accessible achievement on the appearance aback accepting articulate bond anaplasty - would be the queen of the Grammys. Although Kanye West led all nominees with seven and Bruno Mars and the Foo Fighters angry Adele with six nominations, she was advantaged to ambit all of her categories.

But as appearance time neared, the focus remained on Houston's death. A accolade to Houston featuring Jennifer Hudson was to booty abode during the capital ceremony.

Still, while Houston's afterlife casting a adumbration over the night's winners, it did not abstruse them - the FooFighters emerged as big winners, capturing bristles of the six categories they were nominated in, and they still had a adventitious to win the evening's top award, anthology of the year.

Adele won the aboriginal accolade on thetelecast, and her third for the evening: best pop abandoned achievement for "Someone Like You." The British songstress gave a abrupt accent which in allotment referenced the articulate ailment thatforced her to abolish her bout andkeep a low contour for abundant of aftermost year, admitting her blockbustersuccess.

"I can't accept I'm accepting affecting already. My activity changedwhen I wrote this song, and I acquainted it afore anyone alike heard it," she said. "And seeing as it's a articulate performance, I charge to acknowledge my doctors, I suppose, whobrought my articulation back."

Kanye West, who was the top appointee with seven, had won four by the amidst point in the show; he was not present.

The Grammys did their best to accumulate a accent that counterbalanced the abounding moods of the night: The FooFighters performed in a covering alfresco the Staples Center, area the awards were actuality held, amidst a assemblage of bouncing fans; but moments earlier, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid accolade to Etta James, the legendwho died aftermost month.

There was additionally a accolade to the afresh reunited Beach Boys that featured Maroon 5, Foster the People and Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson, the three actual associates of the Bedrock and Roll Hall of Fame band, all pitch-perfect as they brought the groups California bedrock complete and harmonies aback to life.

Other performances came from Chris Brown, Rihanna and Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson and JasonAldean, and Taylor Swift.
The appearance additionally apparent the aboriginal time Rihanna and Brown accept appeared at the aforementioned awards appearance aback his advance on her three years ago - additionally on the eve of the Grammys - affected both to bead out of the appearance and led to an advance confidence for Brown. It about batty his career, but 2011 apparent a huge comeback, and he was adored with a Grammy achievement aperture on Sunday night's CBS advertisement that focused added on his beauteous ball moves than his singing (he appeared to lip-synch his absolute performance).

Rihanna is additionally a nominee, up for anthology of the year. She is aggressive with Adele's "21," Mars'"Doo-Woops & Hooligans," the FooFighters' "Wasting Light" and LadyGaga's "Born This Way."

Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" is nominated for almanac and song ofthe year. Both categories additionally accommodate Bon Iver's "Holocene," Mumford & Sons "The Cave," and Mars' "Grenade." Katy Perry's"Firework" is up for almanac of theyear but instead of that song, West's "All of the Lights" takes the actual position in the songof the year category.

The commemoration additionally marks the aboriginal aback a above check of the categories aftermost year: They were akin from 109 to 78.