Singer Adele was the big winner at the prestigious Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, winning six prizes including record, song and album of the year.

She also made her live comeback at the ceremony, performing for the first time since having throat surgery last year.

Rock band Foo Fighters won five prizes, while rapper Kanye West scooped four.

The event also saw heartfelt tributes to pop star Whitney Houston, who died on Saturday, while Amy Winehouse received a posthumous award.

Winehouse's parents accepted her prize for best pop duo/group performance for Body And Soul, her duet with Tony Bennett, which was the last recording Winehouse made before she died in July.

Adele won every award she was nominated for, including record of the year, song of the year and best short form music video for Rolling In The Deep. Her second album 21 was named album of the year.

She said: "This record is inspired by something that is really normal and everyone's been through it, just a rubbish relationship, and it's gone on to do things I can't tell you how I feel about it, it's been the most life-changing year."

And accepting the trophy for best pop solo performance for her song Someone Like You, she said: "Seeing as it's a vocal performance, I need to thank my doctors, I suppose, who brought my voice back."

The south London singer was forced to cancel all live dates last year, but earned a standing ovation after her return to the stage with Rolling in the Deep.

Her producer Paul Epworth, who also worked with Foster The People, Florence and the Machine and Cee Lo Green, was named best non-classical producer.

'Special record'

Foo Fighters' awards included best rock album, best rock song, best rock performance and best hard rock/metal performance.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl joined Sir Paul McCartney on stage

"This is a great honour because this record was a special record for our band," frontman Dave Grohl told the crowd.

"Rather than go to the best studio, we made this one in my garage with some microphones and a tape machine. It shows that the human element of making music is what's most important."

Kanye West's solo album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy earned three awards, including best rap song and best rap album, while the track Otis, from Watch the Throne, his collaboration with Jay-Z, was named best rap performance.

That takes West's career Grammy total to 18 - but neither he nor Jay-Z were present to pick up their awards this year.

Bon Iver, fronted by US singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, were named best new act - five years after their acclaimed debut album was released. Their self-titled second LP also won best alternative album.

Other British victors included soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae, who scooped best R&B performance for Is This Love, and Sir Paul McCartney, whose deluxe reissue of Wings' Band On The Run was named best historial album.

US dance DJ Skrillex won three prizes, with double winners including folk duo The Civil Wars, country star Taylor Swift and gospel singer Kirk Franklin.

Chris Brown won the trophy for best R&B album for F.A.M.E., returning to the event for the first time since assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna before the 2009 ceremony.

He and Rihanna were both present this time. She was among the night's performers, taking to the stage with British band Coldplay.

Also playing live were Bruce Springsteen, Sir Paul McCartney, the Beach Boys and Kelly Clarkson.

Jennifer Hudson gave a rendition of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, while Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt sang a duet of A Sunday Kind of Love in tribute to Etta James, who died last month.