NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR "THE 48TH ANNUAL GRAMMY� AWARDS" WITH WINNERS TO BE NAMED ON A SPECIAL TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM STAPLES CENTER IN LOS ANGELES, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, Gwen Stefani, U2 and Kanye West Are Nominated For Album of the Year Mariah Carey, John Legend and Kanye West Lead The Nominations With Eight GRAMMY Awards Each; 50 Cent, Beyonc� Knowles and Stevie Wonder Receive Six Nominations Each; Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Gwen Stefani and U2 Receive Five Nominations Each; Common, Destiny's Child, Jermaine Dupri, Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Neptunes, Brad Paisley, Phil Tan and Gretchen Wilson Receive Four Nominations Each This Year's Nominations Spotlight Diverse Collaborations, Multiple Genres Within The Top Categories And Music That Spans Generations

Nominations have been announced for THE 48TH ANNUAL GRAMMY� AWARDS with winners of the awards, generally recognized as the most prestigious in the recording field, to be announced during a special to be broadcast live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, on Wednesday, Feb. 8 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. This year's nominations spotlight diverse collaborations, multiple genres within the top categories and music that spans generations.

Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, Gwen Stefani, U2 and Kanye West are nominated for Album of the Year. Carey, Gorillaz featuring De La Soul, Green Day, Gwen Stefani and Kanye West are nominated for Record of the Year. R&B singer Ciara, rockers Fall Out Boy, Brit popsters Keane, soul singer John Legend and country artist SugarLand are nominated for Best New Artist.

Mariah Carey, John Legend and Kanye West received eight nominations each; 50 Cent, Beyonc� Knowles and Stevie Wonder received six nominations each; Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Gwen Stefani and U2 received five nominations each; and, Common, Destiny's Child, Jermaine Dupri, Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Neptunes, Brad Paisley, Phil Tan and Gretchen Wilson received four nominations each.

Mariah Carey is nominated for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best R&B Song. John Legend is nominated for Song of the Year, Best New Artist, Best R&B Song, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Album and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Kanye West is nominated for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best R&B Song, Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap/Sung collaboration, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album.

50 Cent received nominations for Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Album and two nominations in the categories of Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Song. Will.i.Am is nominated both individually as a songwriter and as a member of the group The Black Eyed peas for Song of the Year, Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, Best R&B Song, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Song. Beyonc� has four solo nominations and two as Destiny's Child: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best R&B Song, Best contemporary R&B Album and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Stevie Wonder received nominations for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop collaboration with Vocals, Best Male R&B Performance, Best R&B Album and two in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Alicia Keys is nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album. Bruce Springsteen is nominated for Song of the Year, Rock Solo Rock Vocal Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Long Form Music Video. Gwen Stefani is nominated for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. U2 is nominated for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album.

Best Gospel Song is a new category this year and features nominees Israel Houghton & Aaron Lindsey; Yolanda Adams, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis & James Q. Wright; Erica Campbell, Joi Campbell, Trecina Campbell & Warryn Campbell; Joeworn Martin; and James Moss.

Highlights of this year's nominations include:

RECORD OF THE YEAR

WE BELONG TOGETHER -- Mariah Carey -- Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri & Manuel Seal, producers

FEEL GOOD INC. -- Gorillaz Featuring De La Soul -- Cox, Danger Mouse, Dring & Gorillaz, producers

BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS -- Green Day -- Rob Cavallo & Green Day, producers

HOLLABACK GIRL -- Gwen Stefani -- The Neptunes, producers

GOLD DIGGER -- Kanye West -- Jon Brion & Kanye West, producers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

THE EMANCIPATION OF MIMI -- Mariah Carey -- Mariah Carey, Brian Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Young Genius, Scram Jones, The Legendary Traxster, LROC, The Neptunes, James Poyser, Manuel Seal, Kanye West & James "Big Jim" Wright, producers

CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD -- Paul McCartney --Nigel Godrich, producer

LOVE. ANGEL. MUSIC. BABY. -- Gwen Stefani -- Andre 3000, Dallas Austin, Dr. Dre, Nellee Hooper, Jimmy Jam, Tony Kanal, Terry Lewis, The Neptunes, Linda Perry & Johnny Vulture, producers

HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB -- U2 -- Brian Eno, Flood, Daniel Lanois, Jacknife Lee, Steve Lillywhite & Chris Thomas, producers

LATE REGISTRATION -- Kanye West -- Jon Brion, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Just Blaze, Devo Springsteen & Kanye West, producers

SONG OF THE YEAR

BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD -- Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna & Marcus Hummon, songwriters (Rascal Flatts)

DEVILS & DUST -- Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)

ORDINARY PEOPLE -- W. Adams & J. Stephens, songwriters (John Legend)

SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN -- U2, songwriters (U2)

WE BELONG TOGETHER -- J. Austin, M. Carey, J. Dupri & M. Seal, songwriters; (D. Bristol, K.S. Johnson, P. Moten, S. Sully & B. Womack, songwriters) (Mariah Carey)

BEST NEW ARTIST

CIARA

FALL OUT BOY

KEANE

JOHN LEGEND

SUGARLAND

BEST POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE

IT'S LIKE THAT -- Mariah Carey

SINCE YOU BEEN GONE -- Kelly Clarkson

GOOD IS GOOD -- Sheryl Crow

I WILL NOT BE BROKEN -- Bonnie Raitt

HOLLABACK GIRL -- Gwen Stefani

BEST POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE, MALE

SITTING, WAITING, WISHING -- Jack Johnson

FINE LINE -- Paul McCartney

WALK ON BY -- Seal

LONELY NO MORE -- Rob Thomas

FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART -- Stevie Wonder

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL

DON'T LIE -- The Black Eyed Peas

MR. BRIGHTSIDE -- The Killers

MORE THAN LOVE -- Los Lonely Boys

THIS LOVE -- Maroon 5

MY DOORBELL -- The White Stripes

BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS

GONE GOING -- The Black Eyed Peas & Jack Johnson

VIRGINIA MOON -- Foo Fighters Featuring Norah Jones

FEEL GOOD INC. -- Gorillaz Featuring De La Soul

A SONG FOR YOU -- Herbie Hancock Featuring Christina Aguilera

A TIME TO LOVE -- Stevie Wonder Featuring India.Arie

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

EXTRAORDINARY MACHINE -- Fiona Apple

BREAKAWAY -- Kelly Clarkson

WILDFLOWER -- Sheryl Crow

CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD -- Paul McCartney

LOVE. ANGEL. MUSIC. BABY -- Gwen Stefani

BEST DANCE RECORDING

GALVANIZE -- The Chemical Brothers Featuring Q-Tip

SAY HELLO -- Deep Dish

WONDERFUL NIGHT -- Fatboy Slim & Lateef

DAFT PUNK IS PLAYING AT MY HOUSE -- LCD Soundsystem

I BELIEVE IN YOU -- Kylie Minogue

GUILT IS A USELESS EMOTION -- New Order

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM

THE ART OF ROMANCE -- Tony Bennett

IT'S TIME -- Michael Bubl�

ISN'T IT ROMANTIC -- Johnny Mathis

MOONLIGHT SERENADE -- Carly Simon

THANKS FOR THE MEMORY� THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK VOLUME IV -- Rod Stewart

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE

Revolution -- Eric Clapton

SHINE IT ALL AROUND -- Robert Plant

DEVILS & DUST -- Bruce Springsteen

THIS IS HOW A HEART BREAKS -- Rob Thomas

THE PAINTER -- Neil Young

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL

SPEED OF SOUND -- Coldplay

BEST OF YOU -- Foo Fighters

DO YOU WANT TO -- Franz Ferdinand

ALL THESE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE -- The Killers

SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN -- U2

BEST ROCK SONG

BEST OF YOU -- Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

BEVERLY HILLS -- Rivers Cuomo, songwriter (Weezer)

CITY OF BLINDING LIGHTS -- U2, songwriters (U2)

DEVILS & DUST -- Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)

SPEED OF SOUND -- Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay)

BEST ROCK ALBUM

X&Y -- Coldplay

IN YOUR HONOR -- Foo Fighters

A BIGGER BANG -- The Rolling Stones

HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB -- U2

PRAIRIE WIND -- Neil Young

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE

DOESN'T REMIND ME -- Audioslave

THE HANDS THAT FEEDS -- Nine Inch Nails

TIN PAN VALLEY -- Robert Plant

LITTLE SISTER -- Queens Of The Stone Age

B.Y.O.B. -- System Of A Down

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

FUNERAL -- The Arcade Fire

GUERO -- Beck

PLANS -- Death Cab For Cutie

YOU COULD HAVE IT SO MUCH BETTER -- Franz Ferdinand

GET BEHIND ME SATAN -- The White Stripes

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE

1 THING -- Amerie

WISHING ON A STAR -- Beyonc�

WE BELONG TOGETHER -- Mariah Carey

FREE YOURSELF -- Fantasia

UNBREAKABLE -- Alicia Keys

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE

CREEPIN' -- Jamie Foxx

ORDINARY PEOPLE -- John Legend

LET ME LOVE YOU -- Mario

SUPERSTAR -- Usher

SO WHAT THE FUSS -- Stevie Wonder

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL

SO AMAZING -- Beyonc� & Stevie Wonder

CATER 2 U -- Destiny's Child

IF THIS WORLD WERE MINE -- Alicia Keys Featuring Jermaine Paul

SO HIGH -- John Legend Featuring Lauryn Hill

HOW WILL I KNOW -- Stevie Wonder Featuring Aisha Morris

BEST R&B SONG

CATER 2 U -- Rodney Jerkins, Beyonc� Knowles, Ricky Lewis, Kelly Rowland, Robert Waller & Michelle Williams, songwriters (Destiny's Child)

FREE YOURSELF -- Craig Brockman, Missy Elliott & Nisan Stewart, songwriters (Fantasia)

ORDINARY PEOPLE -- W. Adams & J. Stephens, songwriters (John Legend)

UNBREAKABLE -- Garry Glenn, Alicia Keys, Harold Lily & Kanye West, songwriters (Alicia Keys)

WE BELONG TOGETHER -- J. Austin, M. Carey, J. Dupri & M. Seal, songwriters; (D. Bristol, K. Edmonds, S. Johnson, P. Moten, S. Sully & B. Womack, songwriters) (Mariah Carey)

BEST R&B ALBUM

ILLUMINATION -- Earth, Wind And Fire

FREE YOURSELF -- Fantasia

UNPLUGGED -- Alicia Keys

GET LIFTED -- John Legend

A TIME TO LOVE -- Stevie Wonder

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION

1,2 STEP -- Ciara Featuring Missy Elliott

THEY SAY -- Common Featuring Kanye West & John Legend

SOLDIER -- Destiny's Child Featuring T.I. & Lil Wayne

NUMB/ENCORE -- Jay-Z Featuring Linkin Park

RICH GIRL -- Gwen Stefani Featuring Eve

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE

TESTIFY -- Common

MOCKINGBIRD -- Eminem

DISCO INFERNO -- 50 Cent

NUMBER ONE SPOT -- Ludacris

U DON'T KNOW ME -- T.I.

GOLD DIGGER -- Kanye West

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP

DON'T PHUNK WITH MY HEART -- The Black Eyed Peas

THE CORNER -- Common Featuring The Last Poets

ENCORE -- Eminem Featuring Dr. Dre & 50 Cent

HATE IT OR LOVE IT -- The Game Featuring 50 Cent

WAIT (THE WHISPER SONG) -- Ying Yang Twins

BEST COUNTRY SONG

ALCOHOL -- Brad Paisley, songwriter (Brad Paisley)

ALL JACKED UP -- Vicky McGehee, John Rich & Gretchen Wilson, songwriters (Gretchen Wilson)

BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD -- Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna & Marcus Hummon, songwriters (Rascal Flatts)

I HOPE -- Keb Mo, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines & Emily Robison, songwriters (Dixie Chicks)

I MAY HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING -- O. Blackmon, songwriter (Lee Ann Womack)

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

FIREFLIES -- Faith Hill

LONELY RUNS BOTH WAYS -- Alison Krauss And Union Station

TIME WELL WASTED -- Brad Paisley

ALL JACKED UP -- Gretchen Wilson

JASPER COUNTY -- Trisha Yearwood

BEST LATIN POP ALBUM

SOLO -- Ricardo Arjona

ECO -- Jorge Drexler

ANDREA ECHEVERRI -- Andrea Echeverri

CITIZEN -- Kevin Johansen

ESCUCHA -- Laura Pausini

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR A MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION OR OTHER VISUAL MEDIA

THE AVIATOR -- Howard Shore, composer

THE INCREDIBLES -- Michael Giacchino, composer

MILLION DOLLAR BABY -- Clint Eastwood, composer

RAY -- Craig Armstrong, composer

STAR WARS EPISODE III -- REVENGE OF THE SITH -- John Williams, composer

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR -- NON CLASSICAL

DANGER MOUSE

NIGEL GODRICH

JIMMY JAM, TERRY LEWIS

STEVE LILLYWHITE

THE NEPTUNES

BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM

THE ADVENTURES OF GUY NOIR -- Garrison Keillor

THE AL FRANKEN SHOW PARTY ALBUM -- Al Franken

CHRONICLES � VOLUME ONE (BOB DYLAN) -- Sean Penn

DREAMS FROM MY FATHER (SENATOR BARACK OBAMA) -- Senator Barack Obama

WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS? (GEORGE CARLIN) -- George Carlin

BEST GOSPEL SONG

AGAIN I SAY REJOICE -- Israel Houghton & Aaron Lindsey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed)

BE BLESSED -- Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis & James Q. Wright, songwriters (Yolanda Adams)

HEAVEN -- Erica Campbell, Joi Campbell, Trecina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary)

LIFT HIM UP -- Joeworn Martin, songwriter (Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir)

WE MUST PRAISE -- James Moss, songwriter (J Moss)

Additional nominations were announced in a number of categories in the fields of rock, country, jazz, pop, dance, alternative, R&B, classical, gospel, soundtracks, Latin, blues, reggae, folk, rap, new age, music videos and children's recordings. Composers' awards will be presented in several fields, as will awards for various crafts.

THE 48TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS are produced by Cossette Productions, in association with Ken Ehrlich Productions for The Recording Academy. John Cossette and Ken Ehrlich are executive producers, Walter C. Miller is producer/director and Tisha Fein is the coordinating producer.