Every time someone presented one of the show’s major prizes — album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, best new artist — he or she rattled off the line before revealing the winner. It was a small but telling detail that demonstrated how the academy wants to be perceived after years of being portrayed as a shadowy record-industry cabal.

Beyoncé won her first career Album of the Year award tonight at the 67th annual Grammy Awards — a prize presented by representatives of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Presented in a surprise appearance by Diana Ross,