Kanye West, Adele lead Grammy nods

LOS ANGELES - Agence France-PrResse

In this Aug. 28, 2011 file photo, singer Adele is shown at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. AP Photo

US rapper Kanye West has won the most nominations for next year's Grammys, followed closely by British singer Adele, continuing her awards success despite recent health woes.
West was nominated Wednesday in seven categories for the music industry's top awards, to be given out February 12, while Adele got six nods -- including three of the key categories -- as did Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars.

Lady Gaga was arguably the star of the nominations show at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, opening and closing the hour-long concert even though she is only nominated in three categories for the 54th annual Grammy Awards.

Gaga sang her new single "Marry the Night" and an unlikely duo with country music duo Sugarland, while other highlights included pioneering hip hop DJ Grandmaster Flash and Rihanna joining the show from London.

But the substance of the evening was the nominations, which can make careers and add a lucrative boost to any artist or record.

Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was tipped for Record of the Year, along with Bon Iver's "Holocene," Hawaiian crooner Bruno Mars's "Grenade," "The Cave" by British folk rockers Mumford and Sons, and Katy Perry's "Firework." The London songstress's album "21" also led the nods for Album of the Year, and will fight it out with the Foo Fighters' "Wasting Light," Lady Gaga's "Born this Way," Bruno Mars's "Doo Wops and Hooligans" and Rihanna's "Loud." Kanye West's seven nods include "All of the Lights" for Song of the Year, up against Mumford and Sons' "The Cave," Mars's "Grenade," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and Bon Iver's "Holocene." Although West garnered the most nods, mainly in rap categories, he could come away disappointed. Last year Eminem topped the nominations with 10 nods but went home with only two gongs.

In the running for Best New Artist -- the category Adele won in 2009 -- are The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, rapper Nicki Minaj and Skrillex -- the latter was shortlisted for five awards, as was Lil Wayne.

Adele has continued to attract awards nods and gongs despite being dogged by throat problems which in October forced her to cancel all engagements for the rest of the year and to undergo surgery.

"We're in love with Adele," said the Band Perry's leader singer Kimberly Perry, while Grammy-nominated Canadian R and B singer Melanie Fiona added: "She's just completely rooted in the music.

"She definitely pours her heart out in everything she does." Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan were among the biggest stars at last year's Grammys show -- and the US Recording Academy's boss Neil Portnow hinted Wednesday that acts this year could include heavy metal veterans Van Halen.

"As a fan, I hope they do," he told reporters afterwards.

The big winners at the 53rd Grammys were US country trio Lady Antebellum, and country music remains a strong current in this year's nominations, as well as Wednesday's show.
Lady Gaga's show-closing duet with Sugarland might have raised some eyebrows -- but she pulled it off despite clashing dress and musical styles.
 
"I have a brand new respect for Lady Gaga," Grandmaster Flash -- aka Barbados-born Joseph Saddler -- said, adding that he didn't believe it when told Gaga was going to close the show with the country duo.

"She was amazing tonight," he said.

Grammys organizers this year cut the number of categories in the awards show from 109 to 78, the first restructuring since the music industry's top prizes were first handed out in 1959.