On the other hand, U2 won big. The Irish rock act upstaged everyone by picking up five awards, including Song of the Year (Sometimes you can't make it on your own) and Album of the Year (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb).
The band also won awards for Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group, and colleague Steve Lillywhite was honoured as Producer of the Year.
Both the song and the album, Bono said, were dedicated to his late father, whom he thanked 'for giving me the voice and a bit of attitude to use it.'
The charismatic frontman, wearing a cowboy hat and shades, thanked everyone from Paul McCartney (cryptically, 'for discovering this country') to Gwen Stefani, but summed things up as he accepted the Song Of The Year trophy: 'If you think this is gonna go to our head -- too late!'