Lizzie Plaugic: Grammys performances usually land in one of two categories: a tribute to another musician, or a tribute to yourself.

Maybe next time, skip the Ziggy Stardust drag? Hard to believe, I know - but the songs are still recognizable without the outfits. For all her documented love for and indebtedness to David Bowie, it just served as another reminder of how inimitable he was. Lady Gaga's well-intentioned David Bowie tribute felt like an overbusy mail-order Greatest Hits compilation ad -В there was very little depth on display, but that's mostly because Gaga never stayed on one song long enough to find her own personal resonance in it. And some some tributes just make you freshly realize what a void has been left behind.

So maybe it was worth it.Д®mily Yoshida: Sometimes a tribute medley makes you appreciate the tributee in a new light, or at least bask in the warm fuzzy feeling of watching how much joy they brought to the world. I hope she enjoyed her double-double,В at least.Д«ecause of it though. But it was still a bummer to watch the performance with the greatest potential fall apart because of a problem beyond anyoneвЂ™s control. (After the show wrapped, she chalked up the problems to a piano mic that fell on its strings, distorting the sound.) ItвЂ™s not like my faith in the Church of Adele has collapsed: her track record is too robust, her voice too proven. You can imagine my disappointment when the performance was submarined by a microphone mishap, one that introduced unexpected, tinny plonks to the mix and seemingly pushed the British star out of tune. I couldnвЂ™t wait to hear it performed live for millions. The 25 power ballad features her greatest vocal performance to date, an astonishing showcase of her power, grace, and delicacy. Jamieson Cox: When it was announced Adele was using her Grammy slot to perform 'All I Ask,' it felt like my heart skipped a few dozen beats in one leap. The timing was off, and while The Weeknd's strong vocals managed to salvage the performance, there was no replacing Lauryn Hill. The rapid switch from an uptempo hit to a slowed down piano-backed track was rushed and mismatched. Hill, who is notorious for being late at her own shows, reportedly showed up too late to get on stage with The Weeknd, and threw his performance into a tailspin.Дespite doing a remarkable job with the first verse of 'Can't Feel My Face' The Weeknd's lackluster transition into 'In The Night' made it clear as day that a large chunk of the performance was meant to be performed with Hill. And that something was the absence of Lauryn Hill, who was scheduled to perform with The Weeknd and rehearsed with him the morning of the award show. Micah Singleton: The Weeknd's performance at the Grammys was akin to the band on the sinking ship continuing to sing - all the notes may have been hit, but you could clearly tell something was off. Here, the Verge staff ranks the biggest moves and most powerful performances from last night's show. and at least one history-making show-stopper. There were some surprising flubs from heretofore unimpeachable performers, some tearful tributes. And while plenty of awards were handed out, the real competition is in the performances - a great or terrible Grammys performance can leave a career-defining impression.

And even the stars who dared to show up were often plagued with technical and sound problems.Д«ut the show (all three-plus hours of it) had to go on.

The theme for last night's Grammy Awards may have been 'Witness Greatness,' but two performers made that a little hard: Lauryn Hill was a no-show for her duet with The Weeknd, and Rihanna had to drop out of the lineup due to illness.

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