Coldplay and Duffy head BRITs

Coldplay and Duffy are each up for four awards at this year's BRITs.

Chris Martin and his band are in the running for Best British Group, Best British Live Act, Best British Album for 'Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends' and Best British Single for 'Viva La Vida'.

Welsh songstress Duffy is in the running for Best British Breakthrough Act, Best British Single for 'Mercy' and Best British Album for 'Rockferry'.

Duffy - whose debut LP, 'Rockferry', was the best-selling British album of 2008 - will also battle Adele, Beth Rowley, Estelle and MIA for Best Female Solo Artist.

Leona Lewis - who had a sensational 2008 on both sides of the Atlantic - is up for just one prize Best British Single, for her track 'Better In Time', which is voted for by the public.

Competing in the Best British Male Solo Artist category are Ian Brown, James Morrison, Paul Weller, Mike Skinner of The Streets and Will Young.

Music heavyweights AC/DC, Kings of Leon and The Killers will fight it out against newcomers Fleet Foxes and MGMT for the Best International Album accolade.

The nominations were unveiled last night (19.01.09) at a launch event at London's Roundhouse live music venue.

British star Fearne Cotton hosted the evening which featured performances from Gabrielle Cimli, Scouting For Girls and Florence And The Machine - who will receive the Critics' Choice award.

The prestigious annual ceremony will be held at London's Earls Court on February 18 and will be co-hosted by Kylie Minogue and 'Gavin and Stacey' stars Mathew Horne and James Corden.

Performing on the night will be Kings of Leon, Duffy and Girls Aloud, while Outstanding Contribution winners the Pet Shop Boys will close the show.

BRIT Awards nominations 2009:

British Male Solo Artist: Ian Brown, James Morrison, Paul Weller, The Streets, Will Young
British Female Solo Artist: Adele, Beth Rowley, Duffy, Estelle, MIA
British Group: Coldplay, Elbow, Girls Aloud, Radiohead, Take That
British Single: Adele - 'Chasing Pavements', Alexandra Burke - 'Hallelujah', Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida', Dizzee Rascal - 'Dance Wiv Me', Duffy - 'Mercy', Estelle feat Kanye West - 'American Boy', Girls Aloud - 'The Promise', Leona Lewis - 'Better In Time', Scouting For Girls - 'Heartbeat', X Factor Finalists - 'Hero'
British Album: Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends', Duffy - 'Rockferry', Elbow - 'The Seldom Seen Kid', Radiohead - 'In Rainbows', The Ting Tings - 'We Started Nothing'
British Breakthrough Act: Adele, Duffy, The Last Shadow Puppets, Scouting For Girls, The Ting Tings
British Live Act: Coldplay, Elbow, Iron Maiden, Scouting For Girls, The Verve
International Male Solo Artist: Beck, Neil Diamond, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Seasick Steve
International Female Solo Artist: Beyonce Knowles, Gabriella Cilmi, Katy Perry, Pink, Santogold
International Group, AC/DC, Fleet Foxes, The Killers, Kings Of Leon, MGMT
International album: AC/DC - 'Black Ice', Fleet Foxes - 'Fleet Foxes', The Killers - 'Day and Age', Kings of Leon - 'Only By The Night', MGMT - 'Oracular Spectacular'
British Producer of the Year: Bernard Butler, Brian Eno, Steve Mac Critics' Choice: Florence and the Machine
Outstanding Contribution: Pet Shop Boys