U2 scooped three major Grammy Awards in Los Angeles last night.

Beautiful Day, which was the band's only release eligible for entry at this year's Grammy nominations, won in each of the three categories in which it was nominated.

And U2 performed a sensational version of the song for the live audience and an estimated 175m viewers.

Rapper Eminem also collected three gongs while country singer Shelby Lynne won the best new artist prize.

U2 won the closely watched record and song of the year Grammys, as well as the prize for rock performance by a duo or group, all for "Beautiful Day."

'It is an unusual emotion I feel now,' Bono said upon collecting their third trophy. 'It is called humility.'

He said soulful rocker Macy Gray - who earlier won a Grammy -- should have won record of the year, and he praised other bands such as Radiohead and Los Angeles and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

U2 now have 10 Grammys to their credit, while Eminem has five.

Other winners last night included R&B trio Destiny's Child for R&B performance by a duo or group ("Say My Name"), Dianne Reeves for jazz vocal album and Colombian singer Shakira for Latin pop album.

The first award went to soul ingenue Macy Gray as her mournful ballad "I Try" won the female pop vocal performance Grammy, the first of Gray's brief career.

Jazz-rock duo Steely Dan, Grammy-free for their 30-year career, won the pop vocal album category for Two Against Nature, their first release in 20 years.

Several Grammy favorites racked up even more honours, including B.B. King who now has 11 Grammys. He shared his awards with Dr. John and Eric Clapton.

Johnny Cash, an old friend of U2, won the male country vocal Grammy for his version of Neil Diamond's 'Solitary Man', taking the country icon's total to 10.

Emmylou Harris won her 10th Grammy in the contemporary folk category for her 'Red Dirt Girl'.

Another Irish Boy Band?

Band Acceptance Speeches