Beyoncé topped the list of nominees for the 52nd Grammy Awards Wednesday, leading the way with 10 nods ahead of teenage country star Taylor Swift with eight.
R&B superstar Beyoncé scooped nominations in the coveted record of the year and album of the year categories, for her single “Halo and her chart-topping double-album “I Am … Sasha Fierce. The former “Destiny’s Child singer also picked up a nod in the song of the year category.
But Beyoncé is likely to face fierce competition in the major categories from Swift, eccentric songstress Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas, who all earned nominations in best album, record and song.
Trailing Beyoncé and Swift in overall nominations were the Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and Kanye West with six nods each.
This year’s nominations were announced at a star-studded concert performance in Los Angeles where Beatles legend Ringo Starr and Katy Perry were among the presenters.
Swift, 19, who has already enjoyed success this year at the American Music Awards and Country Music Awards, earned a nod for her album “Fearless.
Other nominees were the Black Eyed Peas for “The E.N.D , Lady Gaga (“The Fame ) and Dave Matthews Band for “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.
Grammy chief Neil Portnow praised Swift as a “phenomenon in entertainment. “She crosses so many genres and generations. She’s really struck a chord with people because her music is so honest, Portnow said.
In the record of the year race, Beyoncé’s “Halo will go up against Black Eyed Peas infectious pop track “I Gotta Feeling , the Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody, Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face and Swift’s “You Belong with Me.
The nominees for song of the year, awarded to the songwriters, are Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face, Maxwell’s “Pretty Wings, Beyoncé’s No.1 single “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody and Swift’s “You Belong with Me.
Maxwell – who returned from a seven-year hiatus with his album “BlackSummersNight – celebrated his multiple nominations with a rousing performance of Michael Jackson’s “The Lady In My Life.
The 36-year-old Brooklyn based R&B described his raft of Grammy nods as “very surreal.
“I was living in obscurity, so to come back and to make a record based on my own life experiences and not my desire to be number one, and to have this reception – I feel like I’ve already won, he said.
The best rock album nominees meanwhile comprise AC/DC’s “Black Ice, “Live From Madison Square Garden by Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood, “21st Century Breakdown by Green Day, “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by the Dave Matthews Band and “No Line on the Horizon by U2.
The best new artist category saw nods for the Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups and The Ting Tings.
Next year’s Grammy Awards will be presented on Jan. 31 at the Staples Center for Los Angeles. -AFP
