Los Angeles - The Foo Fighters captured five Grammys and Adele won six, including the song of the year trophy for Rolling in the Deep, at a Grammy ceremony that had the difficult task of celebrating music's best while mourning the loss of one of their greatest, Whitney Houston.
Adele, who owned the year's best-selling album with 21, was triumphant in her first performance since vocal cord surgery forced the cancellation of a tour and months of vocal rest. As the world wondered whether her voice would still soar, she answered with her performance of her hit Rolling in the Deep, and received a sustained standing ovation from the crowd.
The song also won her one of the night's most prestigious awards, song of the year, while her Someone Like You won for best pop solo performance.
With six awards, Adele has matched Beyoné for most Grammy wins in a night by a female act.
Adele's six wins on Sunday include album, record and song of the year. Beyoncé set the record two years ago.
Other big winners
Adele was shaking as she won album of the year, almost in tears as she held the award.
"I can't believe I'm getting emotional already," she said after picking up the latter award. "And seeing as it's a vocal performance, I need to thank my doctors, I suppose, who brought my voice back."
Adele's 21 was 2011's best-selling album. It's sold more than six million units in the United States.
The night's other big winners, the Foo Fighters, noted that they made their album Wasting Light in a garage.
"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what's most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do," he said as the band accepted their best rock performance trophy for Walk.
"It's not about being perfect. It's not about sounding absolutely correct. It's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here (your heart) and what goes on here (your head). (...) Long live rock 'n' roll!"