Keys Has That Winning Combo

Alicia Keys’ trifecta in the best song, album and female vocal categories is a heartening referendum on the year’s neoclassical urban music trend, which was spearheaded by this singer-pianist. Though it has to be one of the evening’s least surprising developments, Keys’ Grammy mother lode represents perhaps the most pleasing convergence of quality and record sales that the academy has achieved for the last few years.