The star of the show, though, had to be Jennifer Hudson, who has emerged an icon of survival. Innocently clutching her purse, she accepted a statue with thanks to her family, including "those who are in heaven" - a reference to the murders of her mother, brother, and nephew. Later Hudson brought down the house singing about "this hole in my soul" in "You Pulled Me Through." Her last notes arrived on top of tears, but she never seemed to be milking sympathy.
U2 opened the night with a lightning version of "Get on Your Boots" in front of a screen beaming the lyrics to the world. The song? OK. Bono's eyeliner? Exquisite. While U2 delivered an arena-size wallop, Coldplay - dressed in Sgt. Pepper jackets in Teletubbies colors - took a more intimate approach. Chris Martin, who loves to bare his belly button as much as possible, twisted around the band as he cried out "Viva La Vida." This after singing "Lost" with only a piano and, at the end, Jay-Z.
Introduced by a fawning Gwyneth Paltrow, Radiohead was far more mind-blowing, playing "15 Step" backed by the USC Marching Band. Looking as much like Clay Aiken as ever, Thom Yorke did the digital rock star strut while the music shook the house. Not to fear: Neil Diamond took the rock-star vibe old school again with "Sweet Caroline." The guy doesn't sing so much as preside.
The night's other big production numbers featured Katy Perry, deposited onstage from a giant banana to deliver "I Kissed a Girl," and the arrival of what Queen Latifah announced as the Rap Pack: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, T.I., and M.I.A., trading verses on "Swagga Like Us." Nine months pregnant, M.I.A. held her own, rocking her belly without seeming winded.
The Grammys love to force odd collaborations that, sometimes, work. Adele and Sugarland on "Chasing Pavements"? Why not, especially when they harmonized so sweetly at the end. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus? Makes sense. The friends went unplugged for a duet on Swift's "Fifteen."
