countdown engines on >> reporter: bonnie raitt, long a friend and colleague of the late bb king, bluesing it up >> chris stapleton asked for me specifically to be part of this. knowing i was good friends with b it was nice. i just have to not turn around and see those photos, it will make me too sad. >> reporter: old school sound via this hitmaker earned the best new artist grammy for meghan trainor. though this tribute to hard rock legend lenny from motor head offered an unexpected new front man in johnny depp. >> what's it going to be like to look at 15 rows of well-known musicians while you're singing? >> i won't be looking. my head will be straight down. yeah, no, i can't. i can't look. i'd drop dead. >> reporter: the entire night a showcase for superstars who have thrived amid the seismic changes in the music business, in the age of digital and streaming. >> adele is a fascinating star. you've got these deep and dark and sort of lonely songs and she's so funny. and she's a very, very likeable character. >> reporter: and a good thing too. late reports and tweets commenting on technica