Kanye West, Amy Winehouse top Grammy nominations
It’s been a tough year for both performers, but Kanye West and Amy Winehouse came out on top at Thursday’s press conference announcing the nominees for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.
West leads the pack with eight nominations and Winehouse is up for six. Following close behind are the Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and T-Pain, who earned five nods apiece. Bruce Springsteen, Akon, Dierks Bentley, Chris Daughtry, Feist, Tim McGraw, John Newton, Ne-Yo and Riahana each scored four.
The nominations reflect one of the Grammys’ most diverse years ever, with the Album of the Year category alone representing country, hip-hop, jazz, pop and rock genres. Those vying for the honor are Foo Fighters (“Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace”), Vince Gill (“These Days”), Herbie Hancock (“River: The Joni Letters”), Kanye West (“Graduation”) and Amy Winehouse (“Back to Black”).
Winehouse is also competing for Record of the Year, with her hit “Rehab” up against Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable,” Foo Fighters’ “The Pretender,” Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around … Comes Around” and Rihanna’s “Umbrella” featuring Jay-Z.
The “Rehab” singer has her eye on the Best New Artist trophy, as well, with Feist, Ledisi, Paramore and Tylor Swift rounding out the competition.
A new category has been added for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album, and the nods go to Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Lisa Haley, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Pine Leaf Boys, Racines, Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars, and Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience.
The Grammy Awards will be handed out Feb. 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the ceremony will air on CBS-TV.
Nominees in several popular categories are included below; the full list of nominees is available at the Grammy Awards’ website.
GENERAL FIELD
Album of the Year
“Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” – Foo Fighters
“These Days” – Vince Gill
“River: The Joni Letters” – Herbie Hancock
“Graduation” – Kanye West
“Back To Black” – Amy Winehouse
Record of the Year
“Irreplaceable” – Beyonce
“The Pretender” – Foo Fighters
“Umbrella” – Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
“What Goes Around Ö Comes Around” – Justin Timberlake
“Rehab” – Amy Winehouse
Best New Artist
Feist
Ledisi
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Amy Winehouse
Song of the Year
“Before He Cheats” – John Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
“Hey There Delilah” – Tom Higgenson, songwriter (Plain White T’s)
“Like A Star” – Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriter (Corinne Bailey Rae)
“Rehab” – Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
“Umbrella” – Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius “Dream” Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z)
POP FIELD
Best Pop Vocal Album
“Lost Highway” – Bon Jovi
“The Reminder” – Feist
“It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” – Maroon 5
“Memory Almost Full ” – Paul McCartney
“Back To Black” – Amy Winehouse
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
“Steppin’ Out” – Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera
“Beautiful Liar” – Beyonce & Shakira
“Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
“The Sweet Escape” – Gwen Stefani & Akon
“Give It To Me” – Timbaland Featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake
Best Pop Instrumental Performance
“Off The Grid” – Beastie Boys
“Paris Sunrise #7” – Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
“Over The Rainbow” – Dave Koz
“One Week Last Summer” – Joni Mitchell
“Simple Pleasures” – Spyro Gyra
DANCE FIELD
Best Dance Recording
“Do It Again” – The Chemical Brothers
“D.A.N.C.E.” – Justice
“Love Today” – Mika
“Don’t Stop The Music” óRihanna
“Love Stoned/I Think She Knows” – Justin Timberlake
ROCK FIELD
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
“Timebomb” – Beck
“Only Mama Knows” – Paul McCartney
“Our Country” – John Mellencamp
“Radio Nowhere” – Bruce Springsteen
“Come On” – Lucinda Williams
Best Rock Album
“Daughtry” – Daughtry
“Revival” – John Fogerty
“Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” – Foo Fighters
“Magic” – Bruce Springsteen
“Sky Blue Sky” – Wilco
Best Rock Song
“Come On” – Lucinda Williams, songwriter (Lucinda Williams)
“Icky Thump” – Jack White, songwriter (The White Stripes)
“It’s Not Over” – Chris Daughtry, Gregg Wattenberg, Mark Wilkerson & Brett Young, songwriters (Daughtry)
“The Pretender” – Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel & Chris Shiflett, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
“Radio Nowhere” – Bruce Springsteen, songwriters (Bruce Springsteen)
R&B FIELD
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
“Same Girl” – R. Kelly Featuring Usher
“Disrespectful” – Chaka Khan Featuring Mary J. Blige
“Hate That I Love You” – Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo
“Baby” – Angie Stone Featuring Betty Wright
“Bartender” – T-Pain Featuring Akon
Best Contemporary R&B album
“Konvicted” – Akon
“Just Like You “ó Keyshia Cole
“Fantasia” – Fantasia
“East Side”” Story” – Emily King
“Because Of You” – Ne-Yo
Best Urban Alternative Performance
“Make A Baby” – Vikter Duplaix
“That’s The Way of the World” – Dwele
“Daydreamin'” – Lupe Fiasco Featuring Jill Scott
“Fantasy” – Meshell Ndegeocello
“Dream” – Alice Smith
RAP FIELD
Best Rap”Sung Collaboration
“I Wanna Love You” – Akon Featuring Snoop Dogg
“Kiss, Kiss” – Chris Brown & T-Pain
“Let It Go” – Keyshia Cole Featuring Missy Elliott & Lil’ Kim
“Umbrella” – Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
“Good Life” – Kanye West Featuring T-Pain
Best Rap Song
“Ayo Technology” – N. Hills, Curtis Jackson, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (50 Cent Featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
“Big Things Poppin’ (Do It)” – Clifford Harris & Byron Thomas, songwriters (T.I.)
“Can’t Tell Me Nothing” – A. Davis & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West)
“Crank That (Soulja Boy)” – Soulja Boy Tell’Em, songwriter (Soulja Boy Tell’Em)
“Good Life” – A. Davis, F. Najm & K. West, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring T-Pain)
Best Rap Album
“Finding Forever” – Common
“Kingdom Come” – Jay-Z
“Hip Hop Is Dead” – Nas
“T.I. vs T.I.P.” – T.I.
“Graduation” – Kanye West
COUNTRY FIELD
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
“Days Aren’t Long Enough” – Steve Earle & Allison Moorer
“Because Of You” – Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson
“I Need You” – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
“Lost Highway” – Willie Nelson & Ray Price
“Oh Love” – Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood
Best Country Song
“Before He Cheats” – Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
“Give It Away” – Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson, songwriters (George Strait)
“I Need You” – Tony Lane & David Lee, songwriters (Tim McGraw & Faith Hill)
“If You’re Reading This” – Tim McGraw, Brad Warren & Brett Warren, songwriters (Tim McGraw)
“Long Trip Alone” – Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard, songwriters (Dierks Bentley)
Best Country Album
“Long Trip Alone” – Dierks Bentley
“These Days” – Vince Gill
“Let It Go” – Tim McGraw
“5th Gear” – Brad Paisley
“It Just Comes Natural” – George Strait
JAZZ FIELD
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
“Party Hats” – Will Bernard
“Downright Upright” – Brian Bromberg
“Re-Imagination” – Eldar
“River: The Joni Letters” – Herbie Hancock
“He Had A Hat” – Jeff Lorber
Best Jazz Vocal Album
“Avant Gershwin” – Patti Austin
“Red Earth – A Malian Journey” – Dee Dee Bridgewater
“Music Maestro Please” – Freddy Cole
“Nightmoves” – Kurt Elling
“On The Other Side” – Tierney Sutton
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