The 60th Grammy Awards came and went with relatively little in the way of drama, despite a flurry of star performances and emotional tributes: what started out as a triumph for Kendrick Lamar quickly turned into disappointment, as Bruno Mars emerged as the winner of the ceremony's biggest prizes.

An overhaul of the voting system had led to an expectation that, after the controversy of last year where artists of colour were left out in favour of white ones; those most deserving of recognition might finally get it. This overhaul turned out to have some merit, but audience members and critics were stlll left wondering why, despite the high number of female artists performing and presenting, the likes of SZA, Kesha, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga and Lorde went home empty-handed.

Earlier on the red carpet, the #TimesUp movement dominated the conversation, with many stars wearing the white rose chosen before the ceremony as a symbol of solidarity from the music industry for victims of sexual harassment.

Kesha stuns with emotional performance of Praying at the Grammys 2018

During the opening performances, Lamar played a dramatic series of tracks from his album DAMN.; Lady Gaga performed an emotional rendition of “Joanne” on the piano with Mark Ronson; and Sam Smith, who was inexplicably dressed like a doctor in a long white overcoat, put on a decent - albeit unremarkable - performance of “Pray”.

There was a audible ripple of consternation around the room as Ed Sheeran was announced as the winner of Best Pop Vocal Performance over the four women nominees: Lady Gaga, Pink, Kesha and Kelly Clarkson. It was widely expected that Kesha would receive recognition for her song “Praying”, after her struggle dealing with a nasty legal battle with former producer Dr. Luke and the song's resonance given the current climate of zero tolerance for sexual harassment and abuse.

Grammys 2018 - in pictures Show all 30 1 /30 Grammys 2018 - in pictures Grammys 2018 - in pictures Lady GaGa arrives on the red carpet REUTERS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Miley Cyrus holds a white rose in her mouth in solidarity with the Times Up movement AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina arrives for the 60th Grammy Awards AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures Chrissy Teigen (and John Legend arrive for the 60th Grammy Awards AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures Jaden Smith arrives for the 60th Grammy Awards AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures Kendrick Lamar (L) and Rihanna, winners of Best Rap/Sung Performance for 'LOYALTY.' pose during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Recording artist Lady Gaga performs onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Luis Fonsi (L) and Daddy Yankee perform onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Childish Gambino (L) and JD McCrary perform onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Pink performs onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Jay-Z, Blue Ivy and Beyonce attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Actor Katie Holmes poses backstage at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Kendrick Lamar attends the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Recording artist Cardi B poses backstage at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures T.J. Osborne, John Osborne, Maren Morris, and Eric Church perform onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Rihanna performs during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show on January 28, 2018, in New York AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures Jay-Z, Blue Ivy, Beyonce and Alicia Keys attends the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Kesha performs onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Kesha (unseen) is hugged by Bebe Rexha, Cindy Lauper, Camila Cabello and Andra Day during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures Host James Corden (L) and actor Hailee Steinfeld attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures anelle Monae poses backstage at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Camila Cabello performs during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show AFP/Getty Images Grammys 2018 - in pictures The Edge, Bono, Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton of U2 perform remotely from the Statue of Liberty to pay tribute to America's immigrants Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Sir Elton John (L) and Miley Cyrus perform onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Ben Platt performs onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Willow Hart, Rihanna and Pink backstage at the 60th Annual GRAMMY awards Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Patti LuPone performs on stage the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Khalid, Logic and Alessia Cara perform onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards Getty Images for NARAS Grammys 2018 - in pictures Bruno Mars accepts album of the year for '24k Magic' Getty Images for NARAS

“Shape of You”, Sheeran’s winning track is catchy, sure, but nothing about the song showcases a vocal performance of any particular merit. At a time when the discussion of representation and acknowledgement of female artists and artists of colour is particularly fraught, awarding Sheeran the Grammy seemed inconceivable. And he didn’t even bother turning up to accept it - a visibly unimpressed Gary Clark Jnr. and Jon Batiste accepted it on his behalf.

Childish Gambino, AKA Donald Glover, put on a flawless live performance, channelling Marvin Gaye with a silky rendition of "Terrified" with his Lion King co-star JD McCrary. Asides from Lamar’s show, most artists favoured slower tempo songs for the live show.

Meanwhile Dave Chapelle’s tribute during his duties as presenter to A Tribe Called Quest felt poignant and necessary, given the hip hop collective were so grievously snubbed in this year’s nominations. Despite receiving critical acclaim for their final album We Got It From Here, Thank You 4 Your Service, Tribe did not receive a single nomination.

Janelle Monae made a strong speech about the Time’s Up movement: “We come in peace,” she told an approving audience, “but we mean business.” Arguably the most powerful performance of the night came from Kesha who played “Praying”, flanked by a chorus of fellow female artists including Cyndi Lauper and Camilla Cabello.

Janelle Monae gives passionate speech in support of Time's Up at the Grammys 2018

On hosting duties, British comedian and Late Late Show James Corden stuck to his nice guy spiel, avoiding controversial subjects, receiving minimal screen time and choosing instead to simply gush about the emotional performances by artists on the night.

Artists including Janelle Monae, Camilla Cabello, U2 and Hillary Clinton all spoke out on issues of sexual harassment, immigration and Donald Trump: Clinton was pictured alongside the likes of Snoop Dogg and John Legend, where she read an excerpt from the controversial political memoir Fire & Fury, about Donald Trump's time in the White House.

Hillary Clinton, John Legend and Cardi B read Fire and Fury at the Grammys 2018

Presenting one of the biggest awards, Song of the Year, Sting commented on the power of song before announcing the winner as Bruno Mars for “That’s What I Like”. Mars was the surprise winner of the night's biggest prizes, also taking home Record of the Year and Album of the Year. Again, as his name was announced for the final, biggest prize of the night, there was a tangible anger in the room as many felt Lamar and his critical and commercial giant DAMN. had been robbed.