In a major Grammys upset, Canadian rock band Arcade Fire won the coveted album of the year, helping reduce favored contender Eminem to also-ran status.

In a ceremony dominated by pop, R&B and hip-hop acts, few pundits had given the defiantly independent Montreal band any chance of taking the top prize.   

They were so shocked to hear their name called by presenter Brabra Streisand that they delivered an unscheduled performance to close the show. The band was honored for its album ``The Suburbs,'' which topped the US and Canadian charts last year.   

Country trio Lady Antebellum ended up with the most awards, winning five out of its six categories, including the key song and record of the year races.   

Eminem, who led the field with 10 nominations, ended up with just two awards in the rap field. Riding a natural high after a successful comeback album recounted his near-fatal struggle with addiction, he had been expected to dominate the event.

Flamboyant pop singer Lady Gaga and rapper Jay-Z won three awards each, both of them beating Eminem along the way.
   
The winner of the best new artist prize was also a shock, as American bassist Esperanza Spalding took the honor over a pair of red-hot Canadian idols, Justin Bieber and Drake.

The following are the award winners:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR - Arcade Fire, "The Suburbs"
   
RECORD OF THE YEAR - Lady Antebellum, "Need You Now"
   
SONG OF THE YEAR - "Need You Now" (Lady Antebellum,
 performers)
   
BEST NEW ARTIST - Esperanza Spalding
   
BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Lady Gaga, "Bad
Romance"

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Bruno Mars, "Just the Way
You Are"

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM - Lady Gaga, "The Fame Monster"
   
BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM - Michael Buble, "Crazy
Love"

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM - La Roux, "La Roux"
   
BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Paul McCartney, "Helter
Skelter"

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE - Them Crooked Vultures, "New
Fang"

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE - Iron Maiden, "El Dorado"
   
BEST ROCK SONG - "Angry World" (Neil Young)
   
BEST ROCK ALBUM - Muse, "The Resistance"
   
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM - The Black Keys, "Brothers"
   
BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Fantasia,
"Bittersweet"
   
BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Usher, "There Goes My
Baby"

BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE - Cee Lo Green, "F***
You!"
   
BEST R&B SONG - "Shine" (John Legend and the Roots)
   
BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM - Usher, "Raymond v. Raymond"
   
BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE - Eminem, "Not Afraid"
   
BEST RAP SONG - "Empire State of Mind" (Jay-Z and Alicia
Keys, performers)
   
BEST RAP ALBUM - Eminem, "Recovery"
   
BEST FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Miranda Lambert,
"The House That Built Me"

BEST MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE - Keith Urban, "'Til
Summer Comes Around"

BEST COUNTRY SONG  - "Need You Now" (Lady Antebellum,
performers)
   
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM - Lady Antebellum, "Need You Now"
   
BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM - The Stanley Clarke Band,
"The Stanley Clarke Band"
   
BEST AMERICANA ALBUM - Mavis Staples, "You Are Not Alone"
   
BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM - Buddy Guy, "Living Proof"
   
BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK ALBUM - Ray LaMontagne and the
Prairie Dogs, "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise"

BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM - Verdi: Requiem (Ildar Abdrazakov,
Olga Borodina, Barbara Frittoli & Mario Zeffiri; Chicago
Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus)