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Paul McCartney (L) and Ringo Starr take their bow after performing at the 56th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California January 26, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

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There was also 71-year-old McCartney, who teamed up with former members of grunge rock band Nirvana, including Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, to win best rock song for "Cut Me Some Slack."

"It was magic for me playing with these guys," said McCartney, adding "I found myself in the middle of a Nirvana reunion and I was very happy."

On Monday, the Recording Academy's "The Night that Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles" will pay homage to the Fab Four's February 1964 performances on the "Ed Sullivan Show," which is credited with launching rock music's so-called British Invasion.

With McCartney at the piano and Starr at his drums on Sunday night - in a surprise reunion - the two played a new song, "Queenie Eye," a catchy tune that hearkened back to the Beatles' trademark hits. It was only the fourth time they had performed together on stage since a 2002 concert to honor the late George Harrison. John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, and son Sean Lennon were in the crowd dancing along on Sunday.

Kicking off the three-and-a-half-hour show, Beyonce and rapper husband Jay Z sang "Drunk in Love," her first public performance since her self-titled album in December, a game-changer in the music industry for its stealth release.

The final performance by Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Grohl and Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham hit a sour note as CBS rolled the end credits over the music.

Nine Inch Nails lead Trent Reznor later sent out a tweet with the words "Music's biggest night ... to be disrespected."