LOS ANGELES — Mumford & Sons’ “Babel” won the Grammy for album of the year Sunday night.
“One after the other, it was like, ‘And the Black Keys…,’ so I think we just sort of resigned ourselves to like, last year was Adele’s year and this year would be the Black Keys,” said lead singer Marcus Mumford, who thought his band would lose album of the year to the Black Keys.
Then Mumford added in a loud scream once he learned they won: “It’s (expletive) awesome!”
It was the foursome’s second win Sunday night. They also won best long form music video.
“Babel” is platinum-selling success that is still rocking on the charts.
The Mumfords joined Elton John Sunday at Staples Center leading a rousing rendition of the Band’s “The Weight” that also featured T. Bone Burnett and Mavis Staples alongside young Grammy nominees Zac Brown and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes. The Grammy memorial tribute also noted the passing of Americana and bluegrass legends Earl Scruggs, Doug Dillard, Doc Watson and Mike Audridge.
Elton John said he loved the Band’s classic American sound. “You’ve got a lot of British people up there playing American music, because that’s what we love,” he said of the Levon Helm tribute, which John dedicated to “the teachers and students of Sandy Hook Elementary School, whose songs ended too soon.”
On Friday, Mumford & Sons were part of the MusiCares person of the year honoring Bruce Springsteen playing a quiet, acoustic version of “I’m On Fire” in the round that had the crowd leaning in. On Sunday they performed “I Will Wait” for the Grammy crowd. Cameras showed Taylor Swift singing along to chorus.
Bonnie Raitt earned her 10th career Grammy in the best Americana album category for “Slipstream,” beating out a field that included Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers (from Denver) and The Avett Brothers. “I was up against all these guys who had much bigger records and a bigger splash. It makes an old girl feel good,” she said.