This year, the academy is pulling out all the stops again with a glittering array of duets, from Lady Gaga joining Sugarland to sing You & I to the original members of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five teaming up with Common, Lupe Fiasco and LL Cool J for a rendition of 1982's The Message. We'll also find out who the nominees are in 78 categories.
10:57 p.m.: Topping off the night: Lady Gaga and Sugarland perform for the first time together. Gaga switches from skeletal face paint to raccoon face, and instead of panties and a bra, a giant bow-laden ballgown. Instead of dancing, she takes a seat at the piano, looking across to Sugarland's newlywed, Jennifer Nettles. The two women rarely break eye contact, while Kristian Bush, focuses on playing guitar nearby.
10:53 p.m.: LL Cool J checks on his friend, Bruno Mars. "Gimme a moment LL," says the beaming singer."Amazing."
10:51 p.m.: A bubblegum-pink Katy Perry announces the big one, album of the year: Congrats to: Adele, Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Rihanna.
10:43 p.m.: Usher, Valerie Simpson and Mike Stoller salute late music legends Nick Ashford and Jerry Lieber. All three, seated at grand pianos, start off an homage to Ashford & Simpson's You're All I Need to Get By and Stand By Me.
10:34 p.m.: To celebrate the induction of their 1982 classic, The Message, into the Grammy Hall of Fame, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five teams up with Common, the show's host LL Cool J, Rick Ross and Lupe Fiasco for a rousing, loud rendition. LL Cool J hops into the crowd and sidles up to Nicki Minaj before returning to the stage.
10:33 p.m.: Bruno Mars announces the best new artist nominees: Skrillex, Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, J. Cole.
10:23 p.m.: Two worlds collide, in a good way: Host LL Cool J introduces the next collaboration, Jason Aldean and Ludacris. But that's not the only surprise — country crooner Aldean breaks out a twangy rap before handing over the stage to the pro, Ludacris, for a Grammy-fied performance of Aldean's Dirt Road Anthem.
10:19 p.m.: Actress Taraji P. Henson announces song of the year nominees: The Cave by Mumford and Sons, Grenade by Bruno Mars, All of the Lights by Kanye West, Holocene by Bon Iver, and Rolling in the Deep by Adele.
10:18 p.m.: The Band Perry, the rising country trio made up of two brothers and their sister, takes a softer approach with their ballad Independence. Kimberly, in a glittery, drapey dress in the color du jour, cobalt blue, leads the band in a rendition of Tom Petty's Free Fallin.'
10:07p.m.: Rihanna, from London's O2 Arena, performs her No. 1 hit single with U.K. DJ Calvin Harris, We Found Love.
10:05 p.m.: Nicki Minaj presents record of the year nominees: The Cave by Mumford & Sons, Rolling in the Deep by Adele, Holocene by Bon Iver, Grenade by Bruno Mars and Firework by Katy Perry.
10:01 p.m.: Five-time Grammy winner Lady Gaga opens the show by performing Marry the Night in skull face paint, black bra and panties, a black cape and surrounded by lithe dancers in black. Other than a tiny stumble down the stairs, a well-done opening.
