48th Grammy Awards - Performances

Performances

• Madonna and the animated group Gorillaz opened the show with a medley of "Feel Good Inc." and "Hung Up": first the Gorillaz performed on screen (using technology to make the animation seem three-dimensional - Musion Eyeliner) with a short visit from the real-life De La Soul, then a pre-filmed Madonna joined them. This merged into Madonna performing on stage with her dancers.
• System of a Down played "B.Y.O.B." at the awards;
• Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder led a sing-along of "Higher Ground";
• Coldplay performed "Talk";
• John Legend performed "Ordinary People";
• Sugarland performed "Something More";
• U2 performed "Vertigo" and "One", the latter with Mary J. Blige;
• Kelly Clarkson performed "Because of You";
• Paul McCartney performed "Fine Line" and "Helter Skelter" introduced by Ellen DeGeneres;
• Mariah Carey performed "We Belong Together" and "Fly like a Bird", James "Big Jim" Wright on piano and organ, the latter with Hezekiah Walker and The Love Fellowship Choir. "Fly like a Bird" also induced the night's only standing ovation, and prompted Teri Hatcher, presenting an award after the performance, to proclaim, "it's like we've all just been saved."
• Keith Urban performed "You'll Think of Me" and then joined Faith Hill in her song "The Lucky One", introduced by Jenna Elfman;
• A Sly & the Family Stone tribute, introduced by Dave Chappelle, and featuring performances of several Family Stone songs ("Family Affair", "If You Want Me to Stay", "Everyday People", "Dance to the Music", and "I Want to Take You Higher"). The performers featured included Joss Stone, Van Hunt, John Legend, Fantasia, Devin Lima, Maroon 5, Ciara, will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, and Robert Randolph. During Tyler, Perry, and Randolph's performance of "I Want to Take You Higher", Sly Stone and the original Family Stone (with Rusty Allen in place of original bassist Larry Graham) took the stage with the rest of the performers. Sly Stone, making his first public appearance onstage since 1987 and sporting a large cockatoo-style mohawk, briefly contributed vocals and keyboards to the performance before walking offstage and leaving the other performers to finish the number;
• Paul McCartney, Linkin Park and Jay-Z performed a mash-up of The Beatles' "Yesterday" and Jay-Z & Linkin Park's "Numb/Encore";
• Bruce Springsteen performed "Devils & Dust" introduced by Tom Hanks;
• Kanye West and Jamie Foxx performing "Gold Digger" along with two short skits and a short rendition of "Touch the Sky" The "band" featured with West and Foxx were actually members of the Florida A & M University Marching 100;
• Christina Aguilera and Herbie Hancock performed Leon Russell's "A Song for You";
• Allen Toussaint with Bonnie Raitt, The Edge, Irma Thomas and Dr. John performed "We Can Can";
• Sam Moore, Bruce Springsteen and an ensemble band performed Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" with Irma Thomas joining in on vocals.