Mariah Carey News

The Grammy Awards are the music industry's biggest bash, but the event long ago lost the TV popularity race to "American Idol."

Last year, the two shows went head-to-head on a Wednesday, with "Idol" pulling in almost 29 million viewers, while the Grammys sank to a record low of 17 million, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The Grammys, which air on Sunday from Los Angeles against lesser competition, may be short on tone-deaf singers and vicious judges, but they occasionally have their moments. To wit:

2006 - Irish rockers U2 win five awards, including album of the year. Reclusive funk music pioneer Sly Stone makes his first major public appearance in almost 13 years during an all-star tribute to his band, Sly and the Family Stone. Eight-time nominee Mariah Carey wins just three awards.

2005 - Ray Charles wins five posthumous awards. John Mayer takes song of the year, and jokes he will share the base of the statuette with fellow nominee Alicia Keys. Pop band Maroon 5 are embarrassed to beat disgruntled rapper Kanye West for best new artist.

2004 - Stroke-afflicted R&B singer Luther Vandross wins four Grammys. Goth-rock band Evanescence, whose founding members aren't talking to each other, win best new artist. Fellow nominee rapper 50 Cent storms the stage in disgust.

2002 - The bluegrass-tinged soundtrack to the cult movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is the surprise winner of the album of the year, overshadowing acclaimed works by U2 and Bob Dylan.

2001 - Grizzled rock duo Steely Dan win album of the year Grammy, a prize everyone had assumed would go to rapper Eminem, who countered accusations of homophobia by performing with Elton John.

2000 - Guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana wins eight Grammys, tying Michael Jackson's 16-year-old record for "Thriller." But Jennifer Lopez's revealing Versace dress is bigger news.

1998 - A shirtless performance artist with "Soy Bomb" emblazoned on his chest jumps up on stage while an unruffled Bob Dylan performs. Later, rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard interrupts song of the year winner Shawn Colvin's acceptance speech to declare that his rap collective Wu-Tang Clan should have won the rap album award that went to Sean "Puffy" Combs.