Who Won Album of the Year

sweetheart Taylor Swift had the final say in her Grammy Awards battle with Beyonce in Los Angeles - taking out the top award, Album of the Year.

Country music sweetheart Taylor Swift had the final say at the 52nd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, taking out the top honor over her nominee rival R&B glamor girl, Beyonce.

Swift, 20, won the highly contested category for her album, Fearless, beating Beyonce’s I Am...Sasha Fierce, in their stunning showdown at the televised event.

Swift started the night with eight nominations and went home with four trophies while Beyonce collected six awards from 10 nominations.

Beyonce, 28, won Song of the Year, Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song all for Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It); Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her hit Halo; Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance with the song At Last, and Best Contemporary R&B Album for I Am ... Sasha Fierce.

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In addition to the top prize, Swift won Best Country Album - also for Fearless - plus Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song, both for her single White Horse.

Meanwhile American rock trio Green Day picked up Best Rock Album for their album 21st Century Breakdown and, in the shock of the night, fellow American rock band Kings of Leon accepted the award for Record of the Year for their album Use Somebody. Both Beyonce and Swift had been nominated.

Accepting the award from Norah Jones and Ringo Starr Kings frontman Caleb Followill admitted they were "a little drunk, but happy drunk" before thanking their fans, music producers and God. They added that they would shout their producers "shots" once they were off stage.

For Australian music fans there was good news as AC/DC won Best Hard Rock Performance for their song War Machine in early honors, while Keith Urban picked up the gong for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his hit song Sweet Thing

But this year it wasn't just about the awards.

The biggest performance of the night was in honour of Michael Jackson - the late King of Pop - as singers Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood, and Usher joined forces to sing Earth Song.

Jackson's two eldest children then accepted a Recording Academy lifetime achievement award on behalf of their father, who died in June, in their first public appearance since his memorial service.

Prince Michael said he and sister Paris were proud to be on stage to accept the award and went on to thank God "for watching over us for seven months", along with their grandparents.

He then thanked Jackson's fans, saying: "Our father loved you so much, you were always there for him."

Another special performance during the three-and-a-half hour live event saw nine-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige and world-renowned pop tenor Andrea Bocelli join forces to help raise funds for Haiti relief.

The duo performed the Simon & Garfunkel classic, Bridge Over Troubled Water which will now be sold through iTunes with the proceeds going to the American Red Cross to help rebuild Haiti in the wake of January 12’s devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

After the Awards 5000 guests will be attending an invitation-only circus-themed dinner at the Los Angeles Convention Center, which is being catered by celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck.

Album of the Year
Beyoncé – I Am… Sasha Fierce
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Lady Gaga – The Fame
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
** Taylor Swift – Fearless