Mumford & Sons’ Babel wins

Folk-rockers grab top-album Grammy; Black Keys snare four

— Mumford & Sons wrapped up an unpredictable Grammy Awards by taking home album of the year for Babel.

It was an event that even shocked the London folkrockers.

“We figured we weren’t going to win anything because The Black Keys have been sweeping up all day, rightfully so,” Marcus Mumford said.

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys ended up the night’s top winner with four trophies, including producer of the year and three rock category victories with bandmate Patrick Carney. But it was hardly a clean sweep as The Recording Academy’s thousands of voters spread the love for the year’s top singles.

Fun. took home major awards - for best new artist over Frank Ocean, and song of the year for the transcendent anthem “We Are Young,” featuring Janelle Monae.

“I didn’t think we were going to win this one,” lead singer Nate Ruess said after the best-new-artist win. “Frank Ocean. The Lumineers. Everybody, amazing.”

Like Mumford & Sons, Gotye busted up the predictions, taking record of the year for 2012’s top-selling single, the haunting “Somebody That I Used to Know,” featuring Kimbra, and finished with three awards.

Jay-Z and Kanye West had three wins - sharing one award with Ocean - along with Skrillex, and a slew of nominees had two wins apiece, including former best-new-artist winner Esperanza Spalding.

Ocean was shut out in the major categories, but took home two trophies, including best urban contemporary album. Only Chris Brown, with whom Ocean scuffled last month, remained seated as the 25-year-old R&B winner walked to the stage during a standing ovation. Ocean bested Brown, who attended with girlfriend Rihanna, in the category.

Ocean won also won best rap/sung collaboration for“No Church in the Wild” with fellow top nominees Jay-Z and West, and The-Dream. The win came after victories for Jay-Z and West for best rap song and best rap performance for “Niggas in Paris,” another Watch the Throne track.

“We Are Young” helped fun. earn a starring role at these Grammys with nominations in all four major categories after the release of their first album, matched only by Christopher Cross in 1981, and six overall.

The Black Keys took best rock performance for “Lonely Boy” during the main telecast and earlier in the day won best rock song for “Lonely Boy” and best rockalbum for El Camino.

Other winners included Rihanna, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift, who opened the show as the Mad Hatter. Swift dressed in white top hat, tails, shorts and tall boots during the surreal version of her hummable hit “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” that included a troop of mime clowns and a guy on a tricycle with a flamethrower attached.

Jack White brought both his male and female bands on stage, tearing through “Love Interruption” and “Freedom at 21” before a standing ovation from the crowd. And Elton John, Mavis Staples, Brown, Mumford & Sons and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes paid tribute to the late Levon Helm with a spirited rendition of “The Weight.”

Adele won the first award of the night on the main telecast, taking home best popsolo performance for “Set Fire to the Rain (Live).”

Carrie Underwood won best country solo performance for “Blown Away,” Zac Brown Band won best country album for Uncaged , and Kelly Clarkson won best pop vocal album for Stronger.

Skrillex won best dance recording for “Bangarang,” featuring Sirah, best dance/ electronica album for Bangarang and best remixed recording a year after winning those same awards in his first appearance at the Grammys.

Front Section, Pages 3 on 02/11/2013

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