Rapper Kendrick Lamar led the Grammy winners on Monday with five wins, but Taylor Swift nabbed album of the year - the night's top prize - in an upset victory.

Swift took home three awards out of her seven nominations, including best pop vocal album for "1989", the world's best-selling album of 2014.

Compton, California rapper Lamar went into the awards with 11 nominations, and had looked on course to take album of the year for his critically-acclaimed "To Pimp A Butterfly."

But it was country-turned-pop artist Swift who won, and delivered an acceptance speech about female empowerment.

R&B singer Bruno Mars and producer Mark Ronson won record of the year for their upbeat track "Uptown Funk!"

"Thank you guys so much. This is dedicated to the fans. We wouldn't be up here if it wasn't for the people dancing to this song," Mars said.

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran won his first Grammy awards on Monday, including song of the year for "Thinking Out Loud."  - Reuters