9:44 Rapper Missy Elliott pitches for Reebok in a killer 60-second spot.

9:46 'N Sync pitches for Chili's. Spot not so killer.

9:50 The Dave Matthews Band performs "The Space Between." The delivery is low key, simple. Or, alternatively, boring.

9:55 Kid Rock pays respects to "the late great Waylon Jennings." Then U2's back on stage, taking honors for best rock performance, thanks to "Elevation." Bono pays homage to the wonders of a "rock 'n' roll band in full flight," and talks about how the band survived "lousy haircuts and the '80s." So, anyone else wonder what Michael Stipe thought about U2's triumphant 2001 victory lap across America? Ten years ago U2 and R.E.M. were vying to be the best -- and most important -- rock band on the planet, busy taking musical chances, churning out rock cornerstones and sending sales sky high. As the '90s ended, both bands found themselves adrift, trying to figure out their place in a teenager's business. R.E.M. quietly faded -- its 2001 CD "Reveal" sold just a few hundred-thousand copies -- while U2 regrouped and started all over again.

10:07 Bob Dylan demonstrates why his latest album, "Love and Theft," despite the hosannas from the critics, never caught on commercially, even a little bit, like the cherished "Time Out of Mind" of 1997. "Love and Theft" was for people who live and breathe Dylan -- people who can't wait for his latest interpretation of the American landscape, melody be damned. Soy Bomb where were you when we needed you?

10:07 Janet Jackson's freakishly flat stomach presents album of the year to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" A crowd of singers and producers flood the stage to accept the award. Fans wonder, where's George Clooney? Watch next week as the four-time platinum album, currently No. 13 on Billboard's chart, breaks the Top 10 for the first time and climbs all the way to No. 5.

10:18 R&B queen Mary J. Blige delivers one of the night's only truly emotional performances, belting out "No More Drama," singing, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired."

10:22 Songwriting award goes to Alicia Keys for "Fallin'." "Thank you for loving the song as much as I do," she says from the stage. Even after 100 listens, there's something that still lures you in, which is why it's song of the year.

10:30 Grammy chief Michael Greene, who took home $2 million last year running the nonprofit organization, reads riot act to computer users. Telling viewers that illegal file sharing is "out of control," "criminal" and a "life-and-death issue," he warns that today's acts are in "danger of being marginalized out of our business" by a "World Wide Web of theft and indifference." He presumably has to say stuff like that so he's not marginalized out of a pretty decent salary.

10:45 Rap act Outkast performs "Ms. Jackson": "I'm sorry Ms. Jackson/ I am for real/ Never meant to make your daughter cry/ I apologize a trillion times."

11:00 National treasure Alan Jackson, who's not actually nominated for anything this year, performs his Sept. 11 anthem, "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." The accompanying string section does Jackson no favors. If ever there was a song that doesn't need any extra oomph, it's this reflective hymn that Americans will be listening to well into the second half of this century. The line "But I know Jesus and I talk to God" ranks alongside Linus' soliloquy from "Charlie Brown Christmas" as one of pop culture's great, true expressions of faith.

11:10 Poor India.Arie, the forgotten Grammy girl. Up for seven awards, the appealing R&B singer makes her first appearance three hours into the telecast to sing, "I'm not your average girl from the video and I'm not built like a supermodel." Unfortunately, a nation of young, impressionable girls is already in bed. Give someone in India.Arie's camp credit, though. Just two weeks ago Grammy producers had planned to shun the singer to the closing medley performance. With a fistful of nominations she deserved her own spot up on stage, and got one in the end.

11:15 Record of the year honors. If U2 wins, it's U2's night. If Keys wins it's hers: She'll walk with six Grammys and the record for the most won by a female performer. So who gets the headlines in Thursday's papers? U2. Bono, paraphrasing Quincy Jones, says, "God has walked through the room on our record and I want to give thanks. Amen."

11:23 Gospel closing number. Brian McKnight, Al Green (dressed head to toe in gold), Hezekiah Walker and two choirs. (No Kirk Franklin?) Looked good on paper, but too many preachers in the chapel.

Then again, it's only February and the music industry sure could use a lot of prayers this year.

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