Following her successes at the sales based Billboard Music Awards earlier this week, Mary J Blige yesterday dominated as the nominations for next year's peer voted Grammy Awards were announced, appearing on eight shortlists, including the one for Record Of The Year though, somewhat surprisingly, not Album Of The Year.
Other multiple nominees include Red Hot Chili Peppers, who are up for six awards, and James Blunt, Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Danger Mouse, Prince, Rick Rubin, will.i.am and John Williams who all got five nominations. Both Blunt and Dixie Chicks are up for all three of the big awards - Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year - leading some to suggest that while Blige and RHCP lead in terms of nominations, it might be one of them that dominate the awards themselves, when they take place in LA on 11 Feb.
Blunt is also up for Newcomer Of The Year alongside fellow UK artist Corinne Bailey Rae and former American Idol Carrie Underwood.
Media commentators were split in their opinion regarding Justin Timberlake's performance in the shortlists. Some think it is surprising that he is only up for four awards, while others expressed surprise his second album 'FutureSex/LoveSounds', which got a mixed critical reception, is up for Album Of The Year, especially when other hot contenders, including Blige's 'The Breakthrough' and Bob Dylan's 'Modern Times', are not.
Launching the lengthy nominations list, Neil Portnow of the US Recording Academy, who stage the awards, told reporters: "These nominations truly reflect a diverse and vibrant community of music makers and creators who represent some of the most remarkable music of the year".