Lil Wayne, Coldplay eye Grammys glory
2009-02-08

People Madonna Jay-Z Kid Rock Bruce Springsteen James Taylor Chris Martin Kanye West Carrie Underwood Paul McCartney Justin Timberlake Gwyneth Paltrow Event 2009 Grammy Awards Bands Coldplay Radiohead Gnarls Barkley Metallica

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne and hugely popular British rockband Coldplay are vying for top honors at the 51st Grammy Awards here Sunday, the music-industry's equivalent of the Oscars.

Lil Wayne leads the field with eight nominations, reflecting the phenomenal success of his best-selling 2008 album "Tha Carter III: The Rebirth," while Coldplay are vying for seven awards.

"Tha Carter III" is up for album of the year, where it faces competition from Coldplay's "Viva la Vida", Ne-Yo's "Year of the Gentleman," "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Radiohead's "In Rainbows."

At least four of the five contenders hoping for album of the year are due to play live at the Staples Center, where a glittering array of talent is due to perform in between the awards ceremony.

Among other acts due to appear are Irish supergroup U2, former "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood and fresh-faced teen idols the Jonas Brothers.

Lil Wayne is one of several hip-hop artists up for multiple awards, with Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West each garnering six nods apiece, although the Grammys have been notoriously reluctant to recognize rap over the years.

That tradition -- and some of Lil Wayne's sexually explicit lyrics -- could work in Coldplay's favor when the awards are handed out at the Staples Center starting at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT) on Sunday.

Meanwhile, singer-guitarist John Mayer, duo Krauss and Plant, Radiohead and R&B artist Jazmine Sullivan have five nominations.

In best record of the year, nominees include "Chasing Pavements" by Adele, Coldplay's "Viva La Vida," "Bleeding Love" by British artist Leona Lewis, "Paper Planes" by M.I.A and "Please Read The Letter" by Krauss and Plant.

Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" is also nominated for best performance by a duo or group, competing against the reunited Eagles with "Waiting in the Weeds," "Going On" by Gnarls Barkley, Maroon 5's "Won't Go Home Without You" and "Apologize" by OneRepublic.

The awards could be a family affair for Coldplay singer Chris Martin, whose wife, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, is nominated for best spoken word album for children for "Brown Bear and Friends."

Madonna and Justin Timberlake are nominated for best collaboration with vocals for "4 Minutes." Madonna is also nominated for best dance recording for "Give It 2 Me," along with Daft Punk for "Harder Better Faster Stronger" and "Disturbia" by Rihanna.

Australian heavy metal veterans AC/DC -- who released their first album in eight years, "Black Ice" -- are nominated for best rock performance by a duo or group. Fellow metal stars Metallica received three nominations including one for best rock album.

Bruce Springsteen's "Girls in Their Summer Clothes," a track from his album "Magic," is nominated for best rock song, a category focused on songwriting. Coldplay are nominated in the same category for "Violet Hill," as are Radiohead for "House of Cards" and Death Cab for Cutie for "I Will Possess Your Heart."

Former Beatle Paul McCartney is nominated for best male pop vocal performance for the track "That Was Me."

Ne-Yo is also nominated in the same category for "Closer," as were John Mayer for "Say," 1970s icon James Taylor for "Wichita Lineman," Kid Rock for "All Summer Long" and Jason Mraz for "I'm Yours."