Taylor Swift's 1989 has won the coveted album of the year award at this year's Grammys in Los Angeles.

The singer - who is the first woman to win the award twice - also won best pop vocal album and best music video for her track Bad Blood.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar won the most prizes on the night with five awards.

British singer Ed Sheeran also won his first two Grammys for song of the year and best pop solo performance for his number one hit Thinking Out Loud.

A surprised Sheeran beat Lamar, Swift, country group Little Big Town and Wiz Khalifa to the song of the year accolade.

"We wrote [the song] on a couch in my house. Thanks to my parents who've flown to the Grammys every year for the last four years and every time I lose I say 'maybe next year'," he said as he collected the award.

"If you'd told my 11-year-old self I would receive an award from Stevie Wonder I'd be chuffed."

Swift was equally surprised at winning the top honour. Her album, which was released in 2014, came out too late to be eligible for last year's awards so was finally recognised at this year's ceremony.

She gave a powerful acceptance speech saying: "As the first woman to win album of the year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to young women: There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame.

"But if you focus on your work and don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you'll look around and you'll know it was you and the people that love you that put you there. And that will be the greatest feeling in the world."

Lamar's wins included best rap album for To Pimp A Butterfly; best rap song and rap performance for Alright; best rap/sung collaboration and best music video, which he shared with Swift for Bad Blood.

Alabama Shakes and The Weeknd were among the multiple winners at the pre-ceremony, which also saw Tony Bennett collect his 18th Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album.

British rock band Muse also won best rock album for Drones.

Recording artists Demi Lovato, Tyrese Gibson and Meghan Trainor perform onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS/AFP

Outside the main categories, Amy Winehouse won a posthumous Grammy thanks to Asif Kapadia's documentary on her life, with Amy winning best music film.

Actress Hailee Steinfeld (3rd from Left), singer Joe Jonas (2nd from R), TV personality Randy Jackson (R) and DNCE attend Universal Music Group 2016 Grammy After Party presented by American Airlines and Citi at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown LA on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Universal Music Group/AFP

Swift opened the ceremony with a rendition of her song Out of the Woods and was one of many who performed during the show, along with Adele, Ellie Goulding, James Bay and The Weeknd.

Rihanna had also been due to perform, but pulled out at the last minute on doctor's orders due to bronchitis.

There were also a number of acts who gave tribute performances - Lady Gaga sang a medley of David Bowie songs, Jackson Browne and The Eagles performed in honour of Glenn Frey and Stevie Wonder remembered Earth Wind and Fire's Maurice White.

Hollywood Vampires - a supergroup made up of stars including Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry - also performed in tribute of Motorhead's Lemmy.