LOS ANGELES - Country-pop starlet Taylor Swift, whose true-life tales of teen heartbreak and longing struck a chord with young fans worldwide, made music history on Sunday by becoming the youngest artist to win the coveted Grammy for album of the year.

Swift, who turned 20 in December, ended with four awards after being nominated eight times.

She was overshadowed in the overall count by R&B star Beyonce, who went home with six statuettes -- the most ever won by a woman in a single night.

"I just hope that you know how much this means to me ... that we get to take this back to Nashville," said Swift, whose second album "Fearless" was the biggest-selling release in the United States last year.

In winning album of the year, she broke a record held since 1996 by Alanis Morissette, who was 21 when she won for "Jagged Little Pill," an album with decidedly more adult content.

Swift also won the Grammy for best country album, and a pair of awards for her song "White Horse."

Beyonce, 28, beat her in the song of the year race -- a songwriters award -- with her anthemic hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)."

Both were overshadowed for record of the year by surprise winners Kings of Leon with their pop-radio hit "Use Somebody."