Sign up for our free newsletter:

Kanye who?

Many music critics presumed Kanye West would walk away with most of the major awards at Wednesday night's Grammy Awards. So did the immensely talented but not-so-humble West.

But surprise: The big tropies went to the old guys, veteran Irish rockers U2, who pocketed five awards, including the biggest of them all, Album of the Year, for How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

On receiving that award, frontman Bono said, "If you think this is going to go to our heads, it's too late."

Noting that his late father, who died in 2001, was the main inspiration behind the album, Bono said, "He was the atomic bomb in question, and when he died it set off a kind of chain reaction in me."

U2 won Grammys for all five categories in which they were nominated. They also picked up awards for Song of the Year ("Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own"), Best Rock Album ("Atomic Bomb"), Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal ("Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own"), and Best Rock Song ("City of Blinding Lights").

In the Gospel categories for albums, Audio Adrenaline, which recently announced its retirement at the end of this year, won Best Rock Gospel Album for Until My Heart Caves In; Casting Crowns won Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for Lifesong; Amy Grant won Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album for Rock of Ages … Hymns & Faith; Donnie McClurkin won Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for Psalms, Hymns, & Spiritual Songs; CeCe Winans won Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for Purified; and Gladys Knight, serving as choir director with the Saints Unified Voices, won Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album for One Voice. Winans also won Best Gospel Performance for "Pray" (from her Purified album), and Yolanda Adams won Best Gospel Song for "Be Blessed" (from Day by Day).

As for Kanye West, he wasn't totally shut out. He was nominated for eight awards and picked up three, including Best Rap Album. But earlier in the show, he made it clear he thought he should win more: "I've been here two years in a row, and if I don't win it's fixing to be a problem."

For a complete list of winners, click here.

Copyright © Christian Music Today. Click for reprint information.

				Try an Issue of Today's Christian RISK-FREE! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Today's Christian coming, honor your invoice for just $17.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issues are yours to keep, regardless. Give Today's Christian as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!