The defiant Dixie Chicks dominated the 49th annual Grammy Awards tonight, garnering all five awards for which they were nominated and sweeping the album, record, and song of the year categories.

The awards, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, marked a triumph for the group, which was criticized and abandoned by much of country radio following singer Natalie Maines' criticism of President Bush in 2003.

"I, for the first time in my life, am speechless," Maines said in accepting the song of the year award. She thanked bandmates Martie Maguire and Emily Robison "for sticking by me...I told you I'd take you to the Grammys."

The night saw several other artists land multiple awards, with Red Hot Chili Peppers nabbing four, including best rock album for Stadium Arcadium. Mary J. Blige, who led all nominees coming into the event with eight, grabbed three awards in the R&B category, including best R&B album for The Breakthrough.

An emotional Blige said she was grateful to reach a peak in her life after some difficult years.

"I want to use this success to build bridges, not to burn them," she said.

Country singer and former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood earned two awards, including best new artist, and the songwriters of her track "Jesus, Take the Wheel" took home the award for top country song.

"This is absolutely unbelievable," Underwood said. Underwood performed the Eagle's hit "Desperado" and "San Antonio Rose" during the telecast. "I owe everything to American Idol."

The night featured a host of much-hyped performances, most notably by The Police, who planned to announce details of their reunion at a press conference Monday at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles. The legendary trio performed a jazzy, plodding version of their 1978 hit single "Roxanne."

Justin Timberlake, who took home two Grammys, performed twice, playing a charged rendition of "What Goes Around..." with his band before dueting later with 18-year-old unsigned singer Robyn Troup, who won the "My Grammy Moment" contest. The pair teamed up on Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and Timberlake's "My Love."

Gnarls Barkley (pictured, left) also won two awards and performed their smash hit "Crazy" in costumes inspired by the movie Catch Me If You Can.

Double winners also included John Mayer and John Legend, who performed together along with Corinne Bailey Rae.

Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Ludacris, gospel star Kirk Franklin, late saxophonist Michael Brecker, jazz pianist Chick Corea, film composer John Williams, and classical conductor Michael Tilson Thomas also won two awards apiece.

Christina Aguilera, who won the best female pop vocal performance for her song "Ain't No Other Man," delivered a stirring performance of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." Brown, the Godfather of Soul, died last December.

Here's the list of nominees, with winners in bold:

Record of the Year

Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You"

James Blunt - "You're Beautiful"

Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready To Make Nice"

Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"

Corinne Bailey Rae - "Put Your Records On"

Album of the Year

Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

John Mayer - Continuum

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds

Song of the Year

Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You" (Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Jason Perry)

Carrie Underwood - "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson)

Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready to Make Nice" (Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, and Dan Wilson)

Corinne Bailey Rae - "Put Your Records On" (John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou, and Corinne Bailey Rae)

James Blunt - "You're Beautiful" (James Blunt, Amanda Ghost, and Sacha Skarbek)

Best New Artist

James Blunt

Chris Brown

Imogen Heap

Corinne Bailey Rae

Carrie Underwood

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Christina Aguilera - "Ain't No Other Man"

Natasha Bedingfield - "Unwritten"

Sheryl Crow - "You Can Close Your Eyes"

Pink - "Stupid Girls"

KT Tunstall - "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

James Blunt - "You're Beautiful"

John Legend - "Save Room"

John Mayer - "Waiting On the World to Change"

Paul McCartney - "Jenny Wren"

Daniel Powter - "Bad Day"

Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal

The Black Eyed Peas - "My Humps"

Death Cab for Cutie - "I Will Follow You Into the Dark"

The Fray - "Over My Head (Cable Car)"

Keane - "Is It Any Wonder?"

The Pussycat Dolls - "Stickwitu"

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder - "For Once In My Life"

Mary J. Blige and U2 - "One"

Sheryl Crow and Sting - "Always On Your Side"

Nelly Furtado and Timbaland - "Promiscuous"

Shakira and Wyclef Jean - "Hips Don't Lie"

Best Pop Vocal Album

Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics

James Blunt - Back to Bedlam

Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint - The River In Reverse

John Mayer - Continuum

Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds

Pop Instrumental Album

Gerald Albright - New Beginnings

Larry Carlton - Fire Wire

Fourplay - X

Peter Frampton - Fingerprints

Spyro Gyra - Wrapped in a Dream

Best Dance Recording

Depeche Mode - "Suffer Well"

Goldfrapp - "Ooh La La"

Madonna - "Get Together"

Pet Shop Boys - "I'm With Stupid"

Justin Timberlake & Timbaland - "Sexy Back"

Best Electronic/Dance Album

Goldfrapp - Supernature

Madonna - Confessions On a Dance Floor

Oakenfold - A Lively Mind

Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental

Zero 7 - The Garden

Best Rock Song

Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars" (Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Tom Simpson, and Paul Wilson)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California" (Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, and Chad Smith)

Neil Young - "Lookin' For a Leader" (Neil Young)

Bob Dylan - Someday Baby (Bob Dylan)

The Killers - "When You Were Young" (Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, and Ronnie Vannucci)

Best Rock Album

John Mayer Trio - Try!

Tom Petty - Highway Companion

The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Neil Young - Living With War

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance

Beck - "Nausea"

Bob Dylan - "Someday Baby"

John Mayer - "Route 66"

Tom Petty - "Saving Grace"

Neil Young - "Lookin' for a Leader"

Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal

Coldplay - "Talk"

The Fray - "How To Save A Life"

The Raconteurs - "Steady, As She Goes"

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"

U2 and Green Day - "The Saints Are Coming"

Best Hard Rock Performance

Buckcherry - "Crazy Bitch"

Nine Inch Nails - "Every Day Is Exactly the Same"

System of a Down - "Lonely Day"

Tool - "Vicarious"

Wolfmother - "Woman"

Best Metal Performance

Lamb of God - "Redneck"

Mastodon - "Colony of Birchmen"

Ministry - "Lies, Lies, Lies"

Slayer - "Eyes of the Insane"

Stone Sour - "30/30-150"

Best Rock Instrumental Performance

Arctic Monkeys - "Chun Li's Flying Bird Kick"

The Flaming Lips - "The Wizard Turns On..."

Peter Frampton - "Black Hole Sun"

David Gilmour - "Catsellorizon"

Joe Satriani - "Super Colossal"

Best Alternative Music Album

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

Beyonce - "Ring the Alarm"

Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You"

Mariah Carey - "Don't Forget About Us"

Natalie Cole - "Day Dreamin"

India.Arie - "I Am Not My Hair"

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

John Legend - "Heaven"

Ne-Yo - "So Sick"

Prince - "Black Sweat"

Lionel Richie - "I Call It Love"

Luther Vandross - "Got You Home"

R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals

George Benson and Al Jarreau - "Breezin'"

Jamie Foxx featuring Mary J. Blige - "Love Changes"

Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Yolanda Adams and Carl Thomas - "Everyday (Family Reunion)"

John Legend, Joss Stone, and Van Hunt - "Family Affair" (Sly and the Family Stone tribute)

Prince and Tamar - "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed"

Best R&B Song

Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You" (Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Jason Perry)

Prince - "Black Sweat" (Prince)

Beyonce featuring Jay-Z - "Déjà vu" (Shawn Carter, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Beyonce Knowles, Makeba, Keli Nicole Price, and Delisha Thomas)

Mariah Carey - "Don't Forget About Us" (Johnta Austin, Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Jermaine Dupri)

India.Arie - "I Am Not My Hair" (Drew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders, and India Arie Simpson)

Best R&B Album

Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough

Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable

India.Arie - Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship

Prince - 3121

Lionel Richie - Coming Home

Best Contemporary R&B Album

Beyonce - B'Day

Chris Brown - Chris Brown

Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O.

Kelis - Kelis Was Here

Ne-Yo - In My Own Words

Best Urban/Alternative Performance

Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"

Sergio Mendes Featuring Erykah Badu and Will.i.am - "That Heat"

Sergio Mendes Featuring The Black Eyed Peas - "Mas Que Nada"

Outkast - "Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me)"

Prince - "3121"

Best Rap Solo Performance

Busta Rhymes - "Touch It"

Missy Elliott - "We Run This"

Lupe Fiasco - "Kick, Push"

Mos Def - "Undeniable"

T.I. - "What You Know"

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group

Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone - "Ridin'"

Ludacris and Field Mob (Featuring Jamie Foxx) - "Georgia"

Nelly Featuring Paul Wall, Ali, and Gipp - "Grillz"

Outkast - "Mighty 'O'"

The Roots - "Don't Feel Right"

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Akon Featuring Eminem - "Smack That"

Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z - "Déjà Vu"

Eminem Featuring Nate Dogg - "Shake That"

Jamie Foxx Featuring Ludacris - "Unpredictable"

Justin Timberlake Featuring T.I. - "My Love"

Best Rap Song

Yung Joc - It's Goin' Down (Chadron Moore and Jasiel Robinson)

Lupe Fiasco - "Kick, Push" (Wasalu Muhammad Jaco)

Ludacris Featuring Pharrell - "Money Maker" (Christopher Bridges and Pharrell Williams)

Chamillionaire Featuring Krayzie Bone - "Ridin'" (Anthony Henderson, J. Slainas, O. Salinas, and Hakeem Seriki)

T.I. - "What You Know" (A. Davis and Clifford Harris)

Best Rap Album

Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Ludacris - Release Therapy

Pharrell - In My Mind

The Roots - Game Theory

T.I. - King

Best Country Album

Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way

Alan Jackson - Like Red On A Rose

Little Big Town - The Road To Here

Willie Nelson - You Don't Know Me: The Songs Of Cindy Walker

Josh Turner - Your Man

Country Song

Dierks Bentley - "Every Mile a Memory" (Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley, and Steve Bogard)

Gretchen Wilson - "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" (Matraca Berg and Jim Collins)

Carrie Underwood - "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Gordie Sampson)

Alan Jackson - "Like Red on a Rose" (Melanie Castleman and Robert Lee Castleman)

Rascal Flatts - "What Hurts the Most" (Steve Robson and Jeffrey Steele)

Female Country Vocal Performance

Miranda Lambert - "Kerosene"

Martina McBride - "I Still Miss Someone"

LeAnn Rimes - "Something's Gotta Give"

Carrie Underwood - "Jesus, Take the Wheel"

Gretchen Wilson - "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today"

Male Country Vocal Performance

Dierks Bentley - "Every Mile a Memory"

Vince Gill - "The Reason Why"

George Strait - "The Seashores of Old Mexico"

Josh Turner - "Would You Go With Me"

Keith Urban - "Once in a Lifetime"

Best Country Performance By a Duo or a Group

Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready to Make Nice"

Duhk - "Heaven's My Home"

Little Big Town - "Boondocks"

Rascal Flatts - "What Hurts The Most"

Wreckers - "Leave the Pieces"

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals

Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles - "Who Says You Can't Go Home"

Solomon Burke and Dolly Parton - "Tomorrow Is Forever"

Kenny Rogers and Don Henley "Calling Me"

Rhonda Vincent and Bobby Osborne - "Midnight Angel"

Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks - "Love Will Always Win"

Traditional Folk Album

Ramblin' Jack Elliott - I Stand Alone

Odetta - Gonna Let It Shine

Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy - Adieu False Heart

Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome -- the Seeger Sessions

Ralph Stanley - A Distant Land to Roam

Contemporary Folk/Americana Album

Jackson Browne - Solo Acoustic Vol. 1

Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac

Guy Clark - Workbench Songs

Bob Dylan - Modern Times

Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris - All the Roadrunning

Best Gospel Performance

Yolanda Adams - "Victory"

Israel and New Breed - Not Forgotten"

Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers - "The Blessing Of Abraham"

Chris Tomlin - "Made To Worship"

Tye Tribbett and G.A. - "Victory"

Reggae Album

Buju Banton - Too Bad

Ziggy Marley - Love Is My Religion

Matisyahu - Youth

Sly and Robbie - Rhythm Doubles

UB40 - Who You Fighting For

Short Form Music Video

Big and Rich - "8th of November"

The Killers - "When You Were Young"

OK Go - "Here It Goes Again"

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"

Underoath - "Writing on the Walls"