Nominations for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards were announced December 3 by The Recording Academy and reflected one of the most diverse years ever with the Album Of The Year category alone representing the rap, R&B, folk and rock genres.
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Singer Celine Dion performs "At Seventeen" at "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!: Countdown to Music's Biggest Night" in Los Angeles December 3, 2008. [Reuters]
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Lil Wayne topped the nominations with eight, Coldplay garnered seven, and Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West each earned six nods. Alison Krauss, John Mayer, Robert Plant, Radiohead and Jazmine Sullivan received five each, and Adele, Danger Mouse, Eagles, Lupe Fiasco, George Strait, and T.I. each received four nominations.
For the first time, nominations for the annual Grammy Awards were announced on prime-time television as part of "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night." The one-hour special — broadcast live on CBS from Nokia Theatre L.A Live — featured past Grammy winners and nominees reading nominations in several categories, as well as performing songs from the Grammy Hall Of Fame in celebration of the grand opening of the Grammy Museum.
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Taylor Swift performs at "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live" in Los Angeles on Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008. [AP]
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Two-time Grammy winner LL Cool J and 50th Grammy Best New Artist nominee Taylor Swift co-hosted the telecast, and presenters/performers included four-time Grammy winner Christina Aguilera, five-time Grammy winners Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, the six-time Grammy-winning Foo Fighters, 14-time Grammy winner B.B. King, five-time Grammy winner John Mayer, and Swift.
"The Grammy Awards process once again has yielded a comprehensive, diverse and eclectic group of excellent nominees across multiple genres," said Neil Portnow, President and CEO of The Recording Academy. "This year's nominations are truly reflective of the talented community of artists and creators who represent some of the highest levels of musical excellence. Coupled with our first-ever prime-time nominations special, featuring stellar performances by past Grammy winners and nominees, we're off to an incredible start on the road to Music's Biggest Night and the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in February."
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John Mayer, left, and B.B. King perform at "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live" in Los Angeles on Wednesday Dec. 3, 2008. [AP]
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