Women sweep the Grammys; Taylor Swift wins best album for record 4th time

Women have swept the top awards at the Grammys with Taylor Swift winning album of the year for the fourth time, the only artist to win the top music industry prize so many times during their career.

Swift won the honour on Sunday for her album Midnights and surpassed music icons Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder with the most wins of the top Grammy.

Swift, who took her producer Jack Antonoff and fellow nominee Lana Del Rey with her onstage, said the moment was wonderful, but was comparable to many moments in her work from “rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show”.

“For me, the award is the work,” the 34-year-old said. “I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award too.”

Billie Eilish, 22, claimed song of the year, which honours songwriting, for What Was I Made For?, a ballad written for the Barbie soundtrack, while 31-year-old Miley Cyrus won record of the year, which recognises an overall performance, for her song Flowers.

Best new artist went to R&B and pop singer Victoria Monet.

Swift, who is the midst of her Eras tour, went into Sunday’s ceremony with six nominations, including best song and best record.

She scored one other prize, for best pop vocal album.

As the pop superstar accepted the award, she announced she would release a new studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19.

Swift’s previous three album of the year wins were for Fearless, 1989 and Folklore.

She has been re-recording her first six albums so she can control their rights.

The Grammy winners are chosen by the musicians, producers, engineers and others who make up The Recording Academy. The group has worked to diversify its membership in recent years by inviting more women and people of colour to join its ranks.