Coldplay and Lil Wayne hit big at Grammy Awards

Coldplay and Lil Wayne led the way at yesterday's (03.12.08) nominations for the 51st Grammy Awards.

Both look set to dominate the prestigious music ceremony - which is being held at Los Angeles' Staples Centre on February 8 - after Coldplay secured seven nods and Lil Wayne an even more impressive eight. Lil Wayne, whose record 'Tha Carter III' went five-times platinum after selling over five million copies, has been nominated in categories including the prestigious Album of the Year and Best Rap Album. Coldplay will challenge Lil Wayne for Album of the Year with their fourth studio album 'Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'.

The title track is also a contender for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, making Coldplay the only artists to receive nods in each of the top three categories this year. The British band could also scoop the Best Rock Album category, which sees them competing against Metallica's 'Death Magnetic' and Kings of Leon's 'Only By the Night'. Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West have each received six nominations, with Radiohead hot on their heels with five. Radiohead are competing in the Album of the Year category with their release 'In Rainbows'.

The band caused controversy when they announced the record would be available for fans to download, adding those buying it could pay what they thought it was worth. Pop group The Jonas Brothers are up for the Best New Artist accolade, alongside breakthrough British singers Adele and Duffy.

51st Grammy Awards nominations, top categories:

Album of the Year
Coldplay - 'Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'
Lil Wayne - 'Tha Carter III'
Ne-Yo - 'Year of the Gentleman'
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - 'Raising Sand'
Radiohead - 'In Rainbows'

Record of the Year
Adele - 'Chasing Pavements'
Coldplay - 'Viva la Vida'
Leona Lewis - 'Bleeding Love'
M.I.A - 'Paper Planes'
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - 'Please Read the Letter'

Song of the Year
William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray and Kanye West, songwriters (Estelle featuring Kanye West) - 'American Boy' Adele Adkins and Eg White, songwriters (Adele) - 'Chasing Pavements' Jason Mraz, songwriter (Jason Mraz) - 'I'm Yours' Sara Bareilles, songwriter (Sara Bareilles) - Love Song' Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, songwriters
(Coldplay) - 'Viva La Vida'

Best New Artist
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Pop Vocal Album
Sheryl Crow - 'Detours'
Duffy - 'Rockferry'
Eagles - 'Long Road Out of Eden'
Leona Lewis - 'Spirit'
James Taylor - 'Covers'

Best Rap Album
Jay-Z - 'American Gangst'
Lil Wayne - 'Tha Carter III'
Lupe Fiasco - 'The Cool'
Nas - 'Nas'
T.I. - 'Paper Trail'

Best Rock Album
Coldplay - 'Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'
Kid Rock - 'Rock N Roll Jesus'
Kings of Leon - 'Only By the Night'
Metallica - 'Death Magnetic'
The Raconteurs - 'Consolers of the Lonely'

Best Country Album
Jamey Johnson - 'That Lonesome Song'
Patty Loveless - 'Sleepless Nights'
George Strait - 'Troubadour'
Randy Travis - 'Around the Bend'
Trisha Yearwood - 'Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love'