Bruno Mars owned the Grammys with his R&B-inspired album 鈥�24K Magic,鈥� winning all six awards he was nominated for at a show where hip-hop was expected to have a historical night.

Jay-Z, the leading nominee with eight, walked away empty handed Sunday 鈥� a year after his wife lost album of the year to Adele, causing fans and peers to criticize the Recording Academy for not properly rewarding Beyonce鈥檚 bold 鈥淟emonade鈥� project.

And though Kendrick Lamar won five awards, he lost in the top categories, marking another year where rappers were restricted to wins in the rap categories, instead of earning coveted prizes like album of the year.

Mars picked up album of the year for 鈥�24K Magic,鈥� record of the year for the title track, and song of the year 鈥� shared with seven co-writers 鈥� for the No. 1 hit, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 What I Like.鈥�

Jay-Z and Lamar could have become the first rapper to win song or record of the year, and the third rap-based act to win album of the year.

But Mars鈥� win still marked some growth for the Academy: His is one of the few R&B albums to win the top prize. He dedicated his win to songwriters who have made history in R&B music, including Babyface, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Lamar鈥檚 wins at Madison Square Garden in New York City included best rap album, best rap song, best rap performance, best rap/sung performance and best music video. He has a career total of 12 Grammys.

Lamar also won with his performance: He kicked off the Grammys with a powerful and poignant performance featuring video screens displaying a waving American flag behind him, as background dancers dressed as army soldiers marched and moved behind him. At one point, Lamar鈥檚 background dancers, dressed in red, were shot down as he rapped lyrics, later coming back to life as fire burst to end the six-minute performance.

But the night鈥檚 top performer was Kesha, who was passionate and striking onstage with the help of powerful women behind her, including the Resistance Revival Chorus, Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels, Andra Day and Bebe Rexha. Dressed in white, they won over the audience while singing Kesha鈥檚 鈥淧raying鈥� and hugged at the song鈥檚 end as some audience members cried, including Hailee Steinfeld.

Kesha , who earned her first pair of Grammy nominations this year, has been in a legal war with former producer and mentor Dr. Luke. Janelle Monae introduced the performance with strong words.

鈥淲e come in peace but we mean business. To those who would dare try to silence us, we offer two words: Time鈥檚 Up,鈥� Monae said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just going on in Hollywood. It鈥檚 not just going on in Washington. It鈥檚 here in our industry, too.鈥�

Before the performance, Maren Morris, Eric Church and Brothers Osborne performed an emotional rendition of Eric Clapton鈥檚 鈥淭ears In Heaven鈥� 鈥� written after his son died 鈥� in honour of the 58 people who died at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas last year. The names of victims were displayed behind them as they performed.

The performances were two of the show鈥檚 serious moments. Dozens of artists and music industry players also sported white roses in support of the Time鈥檚 Up and #MeToo movements against sexual abuse and harassment.

鈥淏lack is beautiful, hate is ugly,鈥� rapper Logic said onstage after performing the suicide prevention anthem 鈥�1-800-273-8255.鈥� The performance, with best new artist winner Alessia Cara and Khalid, included a group of suicide attempt and loss survivors selected by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Sting鈥檚 performance was somewhat political as he sang his 1987 song, 鈥淓nglishman in New York,鈥� which includes the lyrics, 鈥淥h, I鈥檓 an alien, I鈥檓 a legal alien, I鈥檓 an Englishman in New York.鈥�

Chris Stapleton paid tribute to Tom Petty with Emmylou Harris and also won three awards, including best country album, best country song and best country solo performance.

鈥淲e always try to make great records 鈥� and I guess this is a testament to that,鈥� Stapleton said.

Little Big Town, who beautifully sang their Taylor Swift-penned No. 1 hit 鈥淏etter Man,鈥� won best country duo/group performance with the song.

Others who shined onstage included Lady Gaga, who won over the audience with a rousing performance of the songs 鈥淛oanne鈥� and 鈥淢illion Reasons鈥�; Sam Smith gave a powerful performance of the song 鈥淧ray鈥�; and Pink was a vocal powerhouse while she sang 鈥淲ild Hearts Can鈥檛 Be Broken.鈥�

During the pre-telecast, The Rolling Stones picked up their third career Grammy 鈥� for best traditional blues album for 鈥淏lue & Lonesome鈥� 鈥� while Ed Sheeran won best pop vocal album. Emmy and Golden Globe winner Childish Gambino, who picked up best traditional R&B performance, gave a smooth and sultry performance of 鈥淭errified鈥� in all-white featuring screeching high notes. Gambino was joined by young singer-actor, JD McCrary, who matched his vocals and sings on the original track.

The show, hosted by James Corden, also featured some comedy. Hillary Clinton , John Legend, Cher, Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and DJ Khaled won over the audience in a skit when reading lines from Michael Wolff鈥檚 book, 鈥淔ire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.鈥� Corden said the book could compete for the best spoken world album Grammy next year.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the one,鈥� Corden said in the video after Clinton, a 1997 spoken word Grammy winner, spoke. It earned a rousing applause from the crowd.

Dave Chappelle, who was part of Lamar鈥檚 opening performance, won best comedy album during the televised show.

鈥淚 am honoured to win an award, finally, and I wanted to thank everyone at Netflix, at 鈥楽aturday Night Live,鈥� at 鈥楾he Chappelle Show,鈥欌�� he said.

Puppies were passed to the losers of best comedy album, including Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman and Jim Gaffigan.

Posthumous Grammys were awarded to actress Carrie Fisher, singer Leonard Cohen and engineer Tom Coyne, who worked on Mars鈥� 鈥�24K Magic鈥� album.

Double winners included Jason Isbell, Justin Hurwitz and CeCe Winans.

Mesfin Fekadu, The Associated Press

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