Irish rockers U2 had prepared themselves to go home empty-handed from the Grammy Awards ceremony, in which they scooped five gongs as the major winners of the night, they said today.

Some early Bob Dylan recordings will be saved thanks to a grant from the Grammys organisers.

U2 and piano songstress Alicia Keys are among the favourites to claim US Grammy nominations in a competition shaping up as far less inflammatory than last year’s event.