LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift won album of the year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday for “Midnights,” breaking a record for most wins in the category with four.

She began her speech by thanking her producer and friend Jack Antonoff and added, “I would love to tell you this is the happiest moment of my life” but said she feels just as happy when she creates music and plays shows.

Earlier in the night, Swift used her 13th Grammy win, for best pop vocal album (also for “Midnights”), to announce that her new album, “Tortured Poets Department,” will arrive April 19.

“I know that the way that the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans,” Swift said. “So I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’ I’m gonna go and post the cover right now backstage.”

One of the night’s biggest awards, record of the year, went to Miley Cyrus for “Flowers,” her second-ever Grammy and second of the night.

“This award is amazing. But I really hope that it doesn’t change anything, because my life was beautiful yesterday,” she said in her speech.

Victoria Monét won best new artist.

“Thank you to the Champagne servers tonight,” Monét started her acceptance speech. “Thanks to my mom, a single mom raising this really bad girl.” Then she started to cry, telling the room that this award was “15 years in the making.”

Billie Eilish won song of the year for writing the “Barbie” film hit “What Was I Made For.”

“Thank you to Greta Gerwig for making the best movie of the year,” Eilish said during her acceptance speech.

It was just one of several standount moments from Sunday’s show, broadcast live from Cypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Karol G made Grammy history Sunday by becoming the first female performer to win best música urbana album for her blockbuster “Mañana Será Bonito” record.

“This is my first time at the Grammys,” she told the audience in English. “And this is my first time holding my own Grammy.”

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

The performances were numerous and varied. Olivia Rodrigo brought her bloodsucking ballad “Vampire” – or in this case, bloodletting, as red liquid dripped from the walls behind her. Joni Mitchell, at 80 years old, made Grammy history by performing “Both Sides Now” from her 1969 album “Clouds.” Rap star Travis Scott did a medley of “My Eyes,” “I Know?” and “Fein,” while Burna Boy was joined by Brandy and 21 Savage for “On Form,” “City Boys” and “Sittin’ on Top of the World.”

A long and touching In Memoriam segment celebrated many of the musical greats lost in the year. Stevie Wonder performed “For Once in My Life” and “The Best Is Yet To Come” in honor of Tony Bennett, while Annie Lennox delivered “Nothing Compares 2 U” for Sinéad O’Connor. “Artists for cease-fire, peace in the world,” Lennox said at the end of the song, her fist extended in the air.

Jon Batiste did a medley of “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean On Me” and finally “Optimistic” with Ann Nesby for the late great music exec Clarence Avant. Oprah introduced a fiery Tina Turner tribute of “Proud Mary” by Fantasia Barrino and Adam Blackstone.

SZA also took the stage – performing a medley of her larger-than-life hits “Snooze” and “Kill Bill,” joined by dancers wielding katanas. Later, she’d take home the trophy for best R&B song – for “Snooze,” handed to her by Lizzo. SZA ran to the stage and gave a charming, out-of-breath speech because she was “changing, and then I took a shot,” before starting to tear up and saying, “Hi, Taylor. I’m not an attractive crier. Have a good evening.”

Mariah Carey presented the night’s first award, for best pop solo performance, to Cyrus for “Flowers,” the singer’s first-ever Grammy.

Afterward, Luke Combs delivered a heartfelt rendition of “Fast Car” with Tracy Chapman – his cover of the Chapman classic has dominated country radio and won him song of the year at the 2023 CMAs. In 1989, Chapman won best pop vocal performance, female, for the song.

Dua Lipa opened the show with a high-octane medley: first, a tease of her forthcoming single, “Training Season,” then, her most recent single, “Houdini,” and finally, her disco-pop “Barbie” hit “Dance the Night.”

Eilish and Finneas brought their “Barbie” ballad to the Grammys stage with live string accompaniment, the second of two songs from the blockbuster film in one hour. They were followed by Cyrus, who performed “Flowers” for the first time live on television – moments after receiving her first Grammy.

“Why are you acting like you don’t know this song?” she teased the crowd – John Legend and wife Chrissy Teigen were among those in the audience who got up to dance – and later cheered mid-song, “I just won my first Grammy!”

EARLY WINNERS

Four-time Grammy host and two-time nominee Trevor Noah greeted an excited crowd, starting things off with a kiss on the cheek from Meryl Streep. “The Grammys are gonna win an Oscar,” he joked about the moment.

Best country album went to Lainey Wilson for “Bell Bottom Country” – her first Grammy – as presented by Kacey Musgraves. “I’m a fifth-generation farmer’s daughter,” Wilson told the crowd, adding that she’s a “songwriting farmer,” and that’s where the musical magic came from.

Jay-Z was awarded the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award and used his speech to talk about the hip-hop greats that came before him, and to subtly criticize the Grammys’ history of placing rap on the backburner – or at the very least, not in the televised version of the show. (This year, there were no rap categories on screen, but two pop, one Latin, one country and one R&B.)

“We want you all to get it right,” Jay-Z said. “At least get it close to right,” before switching focus to his wife, Beyoncé. “Most Grammys, never won album of the year. How does that work?”

Indie rock darling Phoebe Bridgers took an early lead, quickly winning four trophies ahead of the main telecast, with her and her Boygenius bandmates bringing an infectious energy to the Premiere Ceremony.

Songwriter Justin Tranter gave her the first award Sunday, best pop duo/group performance, which went to SZA and Bridgers for “Ghost in the Machine.”

She wasn’t on stage for that but skipped her way up with Boygenius – made up of her, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker – clad in matching white suits, when they won their first Grammy as a group for best rock performance for “Not Strong Enough.”

Newcomer Coco Jones won best R&B performance for “ICU” in a stacked competition where she was up against SZA’s “Kill Bill” and Monét’s “How Does It Make You Feel.” SZA’s second win of the night came in the form of the best progressive R&B album for “S.O.S.”

Antonoff took home producer of the year, non-classical for a third year in a row, tying Babyface as the only other producer to do so consecutively. “You need the door kicked open for you,” he said in his acceptance speech. “Taylor Swift kicked that (expletive) door open for me,” referencing their work together.

The first of three new categories in 2024, best pop dance recording, was given out shortly afterward and went to Kylie Minogue for “Padam Padam” – her first win in 18 years.

About 80 Grammys were handed out pre-broadcast. Regional Mexican star Peso Pluma won his first Grammy for his first and only nomination, for best música Mexicana album for his “Genesis.”

Best African music performance – a new category that aims to highlight regional musical traditions and recognizing “recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent” – went to South African singer Tyla for her ubiquitous hit “Water.”

“I never thought I’d say I won a Grammy at 21 years old,” she said in her acceptance speech. “Last year, God decided to change my whole life.”

Killer Mike won three awards in quick succession Sunday night, but somehow ended up in police custody before the main Grammys ceremony began. Police spokesperson Officer Mike Lopez said the Run the Jewels rapper’s detainment stemmed from an altercation inside the arena.

Prior to that, Killer Mike won his first first Grammy in 21 years, taking home best rap performance for “Scientists & Engineers.” Soon afterward, the same tune won for best rap song. And Killer Mike also took home best rap album for “Michael,” cheering, “It is a sweep! It is a sweep!”

Billy Joel was both the penultimate and final performance of the night. First, he brought his new track “Turn the Lights Back on” – his first new music in decades – live to the Grammy stage. Then, after album of the year was announced, he returned to the stage for his 1980 classic, “You May Be Right.”

A welcome surprised was the inclusion of Celine Dion, who handed Swift her record-breaking trophy. “When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” she told the audience. In 2022, Dion revealed she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome, which causes spasms that affect her ability to walk and sing.

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