MTV News 2000 Grammy Awards RealVideo Report

In 2000, the Grammy Awards belonged to Carlos Santana. And to Jennifer Lopez's dress.

Santana took home a record-tying eight Grammys on a night when, in true Grammy form, the old folks won. The night seemed to honor the guitarist's 30-plus-year career as much as his 1999 chart-topping album, Supernatural. His wins included honors for Album of the Year, and Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Smooth," his collaboration with Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 (the Song of the Year award actually went to songwriters Itaal Shur and Thomas).

The guitarist gave credit to one-time collaborator Lauryn Hill for introducing him to Grammy voters.

"I'm very grateful to ... Lauryn Hill, because she's the one who opened the door for me," Santana said. "She invited me to the Grammys last year, and I'd never been invited, and somehow I made a lot of friends and they all made it possible ... so here we are, thanks to her."

As for Lopez's Versace gown ...

"Well Jennifer," co-presenter David Duchovny said, "this is the first time in five or six years that I'm sure that nobody is looking at me."

While J.Lo's plunging neckline threatened to halt the proceedings, as all in attendance were virtually hypnotized into a drooling, babbling state, the show did in fact go on, with more of the old guard taking home awards. Sting grabbed two (Best Pop Album for Brand New Day and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the title track), and Cher topped Fatboy Slim and Lopez for Pop Dance Recording (for "Believe"). Wily veteran Whitney Houston barely had the gods of experience on her side, as the diva needed all her strength to turn her seven nominations into one Grammy (for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance).

The youngsters were eventually given their due — TLC had a pretty big night as their hit "No Scrubs" landed honors for Best R&B Duo or Group With Vocals and Best R&B Song, and the trio's Fanmail was named Best R&B Album.

Eminem also made a case for the new kids, taking home two awards for Best Rap Solo Performance for "My Name Is" and Best Rap Album for The Slim Shady LP.

In the sole domain of the Grammy virgin, a stunned Christina Aguilera topped Kid Rock, Macy Gray, Susan Tedeschi and fellow teen popster Britney Spears for Best New Artist.

"At age eight or nine years old I remember watching Mariah Carey win Best New Artist," Aguilera said. "I was like, 'God, one day you know, I'm gonna practice up in my room.' "

The singer left the ceremony with second thoughts about her dazed but giddy acceptance speech.

"I'm just really afraid to see the playback, because I know my legs were, like, wobbling," she said of her speech. "I was, like, shaking, and I had no speech prepared. It was crazy."

The Roots also hit Grammy pay dirt for the first time, landing an award for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group for "You Got Me," a song the group recorded with Erykah Badu.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.