British folk types Mumford & Sons have caused a minor surprise at the 2013 Grammy Awards to beat off strong competition and take home the much-coveted Album Of The Year for Babel.

The banjo-playing, farm-loving Mumfords beat out the likes of Frank Ocean, The Black Keys, Jack White and Fun. to take the top prize at the glossy awards show, and were presented their gong by last year’s Stateside-breaking Brit, Adele. Up for six awards, the folk group were never likely to match Adele’s winning total of the same number last year, but nevertheless their achievement is an impressive one, and also indicative that their brand of nu-folk – prominent for a couple of years in their native UK now – is catching on in a big way Stateside.

Mumford & Sons at the Grammys 2013

Mumford & Sons win was the big surprise of last night's Grammy Awards

If you need proof of that you only need to look at The Lumineers reception last night (February 10, 2013). Though they failed to take a much-touted Grammy for best new band, the American Mumfords had everyone singing along at the event with their live performance of ‘Ho Hey!’ The surprise was such that perhaps the night’s real winners – The Black Keys, who took four awards – have been pushed into the margins thanks to the Mumfords win. And of what lead singer Marcus thought of it? As ABC news reported, it was hard to tell, the vocalist cussing so much during his acceptance speech that much of it was bleeped out.

Check out the video for Mumford & Sons' 'Lover Of The Light'