FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR �THE 2006 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS�

SPECIAL AIRS LIVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, ON FOX

Nickelback, Rascal Flatts, T.I. and Mary J. Blige Lead Finalists in Multiple Categories

Pharrell and Young Jeezy to Perform

Finalists have been announced for THE 2006 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS which will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Monday, Dec. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

Tony Bennett will receive the Century Award and the special will feature performances by Janet Jackson, Fergie, The Killers, Gwen Stefani, The Fray, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, Pharrell and Young Jeezy. THE 2006 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS recognizes the year's leading artists and songs as determined by actual performance on Billboard's weekly charts. The show celebrates the record-buying, Internet-downloading and radio-listening public's favorite songs, albums and performers, creating a true souvenir of the year in music.

Based on sales data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and radio information monitored by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, Billboard's music charts are the world's most authoritative. Winners are determined by the 2006 year-end charts, which reflect the weekly charts that Billboard published from December 2005 through November 2006.

Finalists and winners for the BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS are based on the more than 250 annual chart recaps in Billboard�s Year In Music issue, dated Dec. 23.

The finalists, by category, of THE 2006 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS are as follows (artists are listed in alphabetical order):

Artist of the Year: Chris Brown Nickelback Rascal Flatts

Male Artist of the Year: Chris Brown Ne-Yo Sean Paul

Female Artist of the Year: Beyonc� Mary J. Blige Rihanna

Duo/Group of the Year: Nickelback The Pussycat Dolls Rascal Flatts

New Artist of the Year: Chris Brown The Fray Ne-Yo

Album of the Year: "All the Right Reasons," Nickelback "High School Musical," Soundtrack "Some Hearts," Carrie Underwood

Hot 100 Single of the Year: "Bad Day," Daniel Powter "Promiscuous," Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland "Temperature," Sean Paul

Pop Single of the Year: "Hips Don't Lie," Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean "Promiscuous," Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland "Temperature," Sean Paul

Soundtrack Album of the Year: "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" "High School Musical" "Walk the Line"

R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year: Mary J. Blige Jamie Foxx T.I.

Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year: Jamie Foxx Ne-Yo T.I.

Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year: Beyonc� Mary J. Blige Mariah Carey

Duo/Group R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year: Dem Franchize Boyz The Isley Brothers Three 6 Mafia

R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year: "The Breakthrough," Mary J. Blige "King," T.I. "Unpredictable," Jamie Foxx

R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year: "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige "So Sick," Ne-Yo "Unpredictable," Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris

Rap Artist of the Year: Sean Paul T.I. Yung Joc

Rap Album of the Year: "Tha Carter, Vol. 2," Lil Wayne "Curtain Call: The Hits," Eminem "King," T.I.

Rap Single of the Year: "It's Goin' Down," Yung Joc "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It," Dem Franchize Boyz featuring Lil Peanut & Charlay "Snap Yo Fingers," Lil Jon featuring E-40 & Sean Paul of the YoungBloodz

Country Artist of the Year: Kenny Chesney Rascal Flatts Carrie Underwood

Male Country Artist of the Year: Kenny Chesney Toby Keith Tim McGraw

Female Country Artist of the Year: Faith Hill Carrie Underwood Gretchen Wilson

Duo/Group Country Artist of the Year: Brooks & Dunn Rascal Flatts Sugarland

Country Album of the Year: "Me and My Gang," Rascal Flatts "Some Hearts," Carrie Underwood "The Road and the Radio," Kenny Chesney

Country Single of the Year: "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)," Rodney Atkins "Summertime," Kenny Chesney "The World," Brad Paisley

Modern Rock Artist of the Year: AFI Red Hot Chili Peppers Shinedown

Modern Rock Single of the Year: "Animal I Have Become," Three Days Grace "Dani California," Red Hot Chili Peppers "The Kill (Bury Me)," 30 Seconds to Mars

Rock Artist of the Year: Disturbed Nickelback Shinedown

Rock Single of the Year: "Animal I Have Become," Three Days Grace "Dani California," Red Hot Chili Peppers "Speak," Godsmack

Rock Album of the Year: "All the Right Reasons," Nickelback "Back to Bedlam," James Blunt "Stadium Arcadium," Red Hot Chili Peppers

EDITOR�S NOTE: Listed below are the artists who are finalists in multiple award categories.

NICKELBACK (5 categories) Artist of the Year Duo/Group of the Year Album of the Year Rock Artist of the Year Rock Album of the Year

RASCAL FLATTS (5 categories) Artist of the Year Duo/Group of the Year Country Artist of the Year Duo/Group Country Artist of the Year Country Album of the Year

T.I. (5 categories) R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year Rap Artist of the Year Rap Album of the Year

MARY J. BLIGE (5 categories) Female Artist of the Year R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Female R&B Hip-Hop Artist of the Year R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year

CARRIE UNDERWOOD (4 categories) Album of the Year Country Artist of the Year Female Country Artist of the Year Country Album of the Year

NE-YO (4 Categories) Male Artist of the Year New Artist of the Year Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist R&B/Hip-Hop Single

JAMIE FOXX (4 categories) R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Male R&B Hip-Hop Artist of the Year R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year (featuring Ludacris)

KENNY CHESNEY (4 categories) Country Artist of the Year Male Country Artist of the Year Country Album of the Year Country Single of the Year

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS (4 categories) Modern Rock Artist of the Year Modern Rock Single of the Year Rock Single of the Year Rock Album of the Year

CHRIS BROWN (3 categories) Artist of the Year Male Artist of the Year New Artist of the Year

SEAN PAUL (3 categories) Male Artist of the Year Hot 100 Single of the Year Pop Single of the Year

NELLY FURTADO (featuring Timbaland) (2 categories) Hot 100 Single of the Year Pop Single of the Year

�HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL� (2 categories) Album of the Year Soundtrack Album of the Year

BEYONC� (2 categories) Female Artist of the Year Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist

YUNG JOC (2 categories) Rap Artist of the Year Rap Single of the Year

DEM FRANCHIZE BOYZ (2 categories) Duo/Group R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year Rap Single of the Year (featuring Lil Peanut & Charlay)

SHINEDOWN (2 categories) Modern Rock Artist of the Year Rock Artist of the Year

THREE DAYS GRACE (2 categories) Modern Rock Single of the Year Rock Single of the Year

Now in its 112th year, Billboard is the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events and brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also consists of Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Books, Billboard Licensing & Events and Radio & Records. Billboard�s many strategic partners include Microsoft, Hands-On Mobile, Reuters, Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, Univision Radio, ABC Radio Networks, Azteca America, BigChampagne and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. These partnerships leverage Billboard�s proprietary data, charts and information resources to develop broadcast entertainment, digital and mobile platforms and contextual commerce applications that expand Billboard�s franchise and consumer reach.

MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar De La Hoya vs. Bernard Hopkins and George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer; concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, Janet Jackson, Billy Joel, Sting, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to THE BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS on FOX, the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children Benefit and the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMA).

THE 2006 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS is executive-produced by Greg Sills and Michael Levitt. Bruce Gowers will direct and Wylleen May is the executive in charge of production.