R&B singer Beyonce Knowles has won five Grammy Awards but has been prevented from making a clean sweep by Coldplay who surprisingly won the coveted record of the year prize.
The 22-year-old frontwoman with R&B trio Destiny's Child was lauded largely for her debut solo release, "Dangerously in Love." She told reporters backstage that she was not disappointed about losing to Coldplay.
"I love that song, and they definitely deserved it. That song was just genius," Knowles said.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin dedicated the record of the year award, for "Clocks", to late country singer Johnny Cash and to leading Democratic presidential hopeful "John Kerry, who hopefully will be your president one day."
Stroke-afflicted soul singer Luther Vandross won for song of the year, hip-hop duo OutKast for album of the year and rock band Evanescence for best new artist.
Vandross, who did not attend the ceremony but sent a recorded message that was played during a tribute segment, won four Grammys. His song of the year prize, which he shared with co-writer Richard Marx, was for "Dance with My Father," the title track from his hit album.
Along with hip-hop duo OutKast, rapper Jay-Z and producer Pharrell Williams, Knowles had led the Grammy contenders with nominations in six categories.
OutKast ended up with three awards, Jay-Z with two and Williams with one as part of producer of the year winners, the Neptunes. Bluegrass singer Alison Krauss also picked up three Grammys, taking her career total to 17 - eighth on the all-time list of Grammy winners.
Amid the fallout from Janet Jackson's breast-baring stunt at the Super Bowl last weekend, CBS broadcast the event with a five-minute time delay.
In an unexpected development, rock band Evanescence was named best new artist - to the chagrin of favored fellow nominee 50 Cent, who briefly took to the stage while the band was accepting its award.
Other double-winners included rapper Eminem, rock band White Stripes, jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, late singer/songwriter Warren Zevon and Timberlake.