Many predicted a big Grammy night for Mariah Carey to complete her comeback year behind her mutliplatinum album, Emancipation of Mimi.

Multitalented rapper Kanye West and soul crooner John Legend were tabbed for similar success tonight, with all three garnering eight Grammy nominations.

But even though its album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released 15 months ago, U2, the biggest rock band on the world, was the big winner of the night.

The Irish rockers won five Grammy awards tonight, taking home the prize for album of the year for How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and song of the year for "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own." The band also won the award for best rock album, best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal ("Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own") and best rock song ("City of Blinding Lights").

That tally brought U2's career Grammy total to 22, putting it among those with the most Grammys won ever.

"I don't know what to say. It's really a big night for our band," U2 singer Bono said, as the band accepted the second album of the year award of its career.

Carey still fared well, landing three Grammys, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "We Belong Together," her smash hit produced by Jermaine Dupri, and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Emancipation of Mimi.

Carey was bested in the female pop vocal performance category by "American Idol" champion Kelly Clarkson, who gave a tearful speech that didn't mention the television show that started her career.

"I don't know what is going on but thank you Jesus and God and everyone else who supported my career," she said.

Carey's fellow eight-category nominees also landed three awards, with West winning Best Rap Album for Late Registration, Best Rap Solo Performance for "Gold Digger," and Best Rap Song for "Diamonds From Sierra Leone."

Soul crooner John Legend also won three awards, including Best New Artist, Best R&B Album for Get Lifted, his debut, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Ordinary People."

Green Day bested both West and Carey for record of the year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

Bluegrass fiddler Alison Krauss, who also won three Grammys tonight with her band Union Station by sweeping the three categories in which they were nominated, joined U2 among the all-time Grammy winners.

Krauss won for country performance by a duo or group with vocals ("Restless"), best country instrumental performance ("Unionhouse Branch"), and best country album for Lonely Runs Both Ways.

Here's a list of winners:

RECORD OF THE YEAR

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" -- Green Day

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

"How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" -- U2

SONG OF THE YEAR

"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" -- U2, songwriter (U2)

BEST NEW ARTIST

John Legend

BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"Since U Been Gone" -- Kelly Clarkson

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"From the Bottom of My Heart" -- Stevie Wonder

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL

"This Love" -- Maroon 5

BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS

"Feel Good Inc" -- Gorillaz Featuring De La Soul

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE

"Caravan" -- Les Paul

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

"At This Time" -- Burt Bacharach

POP VOCAL ALBUM

"Breakaway" -- Kelly Clarkson

BEST DANCE RECORDING

"Galvanize" -- the Chemical Brothers Featuring Q-Tip

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM

"Push the Button" -- The Chemical Brothers

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM

"The Art of Romance" -- Tony Bennett

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"Devils and Dust" -- Bruce Springsteen

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL

"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" -- U2

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE

"B.Y.O.B." -- System of a Down

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE

"Before I Forget" -- Slipknot

BEST ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE

"69 Freedom Special" -- Les Paul and Friends

BEST ROCK SONG

"City of Blinding Lights" -- U2, songwriter (U2)

BEST ROCK ALBUM

"How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" -- U2

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

"Get Behind Me Satan" -- the White Stripes

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"We Belong Together" -- Mariah Carey

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"Ordinary People" -- John Legend

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS

"So Amazing" -- Beyonce and Stevie Wonder

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"A House Is Not a Home" -- Aretha Franklin

BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE

"Welcome to Jamrock" -- Damian Marley

BEST R&B SONG

"We Belong Together" -- Johnta Austin, Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, songwriters (Mariah Carey)

BEST R&B ALBUM

"Get Lifted" -- John Legend

BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM

"The Emancipation of Mimi" -- Mariah Carey

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE

"Gold Digger" -- Kanye West

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP

"Don't Phunk With My Heart" -- the Black Eyed Peas

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION

"Numb/Encore" -- Jay-Z Featuring Linkin Park

BEST RAP SONG

"Diamonds From Sierra Leone" -- D. Harris, Kanye West, J. Barry, and D. Black, songwriters (Kanye West)

BEST RAP ALBUM

"Late Registration" -- Kanye West

BEST FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"The Connection" -- Emmylou Harris

BEST MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE

"You'll Think of Me" -- Keith Urban

BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL

"Restless" -- Alison Krauss + Union Station

BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS

"Like We Never Loved at All" -- Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

BEST COUNTRY INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE

"Unionhouse Branch" -- Alison Krauss + Union Station

BEST COUNTRY SONG

"Bless the Broken Road" -- Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna, and Marcus Hummon, songwriters (Rascal Flatts)

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

"Lonely Runs Both Ways" -- Alison Krauss + Union Station

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM

"The Company We Keep" -- the Del McCoury Band

BEST LATIN POP ALBUM

"Escucha" -- Laura Pausini

BEST LATIN ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ALBUM

"Fijacian Oral, Vol. 1" -- Shakira

BEST TRADITIONAL TROPICAL LATIN ALBUM

"Bebo De Cuba" -- Bebo Valdes

BEST SALSA/MERENGUE ALBUM

"Son Del Alma" -- Willy Chirino

BEST MEXICAN/MEXICAN-AMERICAN ALBUM

"Mexico En La Piel" -- Luis Miguel

BEST TEJANO ALBUM

"Chicanisimo" -- Little Joe Y La Familia

BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM

"The Way Up" -- Pat Metheny Group

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM

"Good Night, and Good Luck" -- Dianne Reeves

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL SOLO

"Why Was I Born?" -- Sonny Rollins, soloist

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM, INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP

"Beyond the Sound Barrier" -- Wayne Shorter Quartet

BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM

"Overtime" -- Dave Holland Big Band

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM

"Listen Here!" -- Eddie Palmieri

BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE

"Pray" -- CeCe Winans

BEST GOSPEL SONG

"Be Blessed" -- Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis, and James Q. Wright, songwriters (Yolanda Adams)

BEST ROCK GOSPEL ALBUM

"Until My Heart Caves In" -- Audio Adrenaline

BEST POP/CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM

"Lifesong" -- Casting Crowns

BEST SOUTHERN, COUNTRY, OR BLUEGRASS GOSPEL ALBUM

"Rock of Ages...Hymns and Faith" -- Amy Grant

BEST TRADITIONAL SOUL GOSPEL ALBUM

"Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs" -- Donnie McClurkin

BEST CONTEMPORARY SOUL GOSPEL ALBUM

"Purified" -- CeCe Winans

BEST NEW AGE ALBUM

"Silver Solstice" -- Paul Winter Consort

BEST TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM

"80" -- B.B. King & Friends

BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM

"Cost of Living" -- Delbert McClinton

BEST TRADITIONAL FOLK ALBUM

"Fiddler's Green" -- Tim O'Brien

BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK ALBUM

"Fair and Square" -- John Prine

BEST NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC ALBUM

"Sacred Ground -- A Tribute to Mother Earth" -- various artists

BEST HAWAIIAN MUSIC ALBUM

"Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar -- Vol. 1" -- various artists

BEST REGGAE ALBUM

"Welcome to Jamrock" -- Damian Marley

BEST TRADITIONAL WORLD MUSIC ALBUM

"In the Heart of the Moon" -- Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate

BEST CONTEMPORARY WORLD MUSIC ALBUM

"Eletracustico" -- Gilberto Gil

BEST POLKA ALBUM

"Shake, Rattle and Polka!" -- Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra

BEST MUSICAL ALBUM FOR CHILDREN

"Songs From the Neighborhood -- The Music of Mister Rogers" -- Dennis Scott, producer (various artists)

BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM FOR CHILDREN

"Marlo Thomas and Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long" -- Christopher Serf and Marlo Thomas, producers (various artists)

BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM

"Dreams from My Father (Senator Barack Obama)" -- Barack Obama

BEST COMEDY ALBUM

"Never Scared" -- Chris Rock

BEST MUSICAL SHOW ALBUM

"Monty Python's Spamalot" -- John Du Prez and Eric Idle, producers. John Du Prez, composer. Eric Idle, composer/lyricist. Original Broadway Cast Including David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry, Hank Azaria, and Sara Ramirez

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION OR OTHER VISUAL MEDIA

"Ray" -- Ray Charles

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION OR OTHER VISUAL MEDIA

"Ray" -- Craig Armstrong, composer

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION OR OTHER VISUAL MEDIA

"Believe" (from The Polar Express), Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri, songwriters (Josh Groban)

BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION

"Into the Light" -- Billy Childs, composer (Billy Childs Ensemble)

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARRANGEMENT

"The Incredits" -- Gordon Goodwin, arranger (various artists)

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARRANGEMENT ACCOMPANYING VOCALIST(S)

"What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?" -- Billy Childs, Gil Goldstein, and Heitor Pereira, arrangers (Chris Botti and Sting, artists)

BEST RECORDING PACKAGE

"The Forgotten Arm" -- Aimee Mann and Gail Marowitz, art directors (Aimee Mann)

BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE

"The Legend" -- Ian Cuttler, art director (Johnny Cash)

BEST ALBUM NOTES

"The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax" -- John Szwed, album notes writer (Jelly Roll Morton)

BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM

"The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax" -- Jeffrey Greenberg and Anna Lomax Wood, compilation producers. Adam Ayan and Steve Rosenthal, mastering engineers (Jelly Roll Morton)

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL

"Back Home" -- Alan Douglas and Mick Guzauski, engineers (Eric Clapton)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL

Steve Lillywhite

BEST REMIXED RECORDING, NON-CLASSICAL

"Superfly (Louie Vega EOL Mix)" -- Louie Vega, remixer (Curtis Mayfield)

BEST SURROUND SOUND ALBUM

"Brothers In Arms - 20th Anniversary Edition" -- Chuck Ainlay, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Chuck Ainlay and Mark Knopfler, surround producers (Dire Straits)

BEST SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO

"Lose Control" -- Missy Elliott Featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop (Missy Elliott and Dave Meyers, video directors; Joseph Sasson, video producer)
BEST LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO

"No Direction Home" -- (Bob Dylan) (Martin Scorsese, video director; Margaret Bodde, Susan Lacy, Jeff Rosen, Martin Scorsese, Nigel Sinclair, and Anthony Wall, video producers)