NINE-TIME GRAMMY(R) AWARD WINNER MARY J. BLIGE TO PERFORM ON "A VERY GRAMMY(R) CHRISTMAS," FRIDAY, DEC. 5 ON CBS

LL COOL J TO HOST THE ONE-HOUR EVENT

The New One-Hour Special Will Feature Performances of Holiday Songs and Current Pop Hits, Along with Artists Sharing Favorite Holiday Memories and GRAMMY Moments

Nominations for "The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards(R)" Will Be Announced the Morning of Dec. 5, with Album of the Year Nominees Revealed on the Broadcast

CBS Television Network's new one hour entertainment special, A VERY GRAMMY(R) CHRISTMAS, has added nine-time GRAMMY Award winner Mary J. Blige as the latest performer. Two-time GRAMMY winner LL COOL J will host the special, which will include performances of holiday songs and current pop hits, as well as artists sharing their favorite holiday and GRAMMY memories. Previously announced performers include singer/songwriter Ariana Grande, three-time GRAMMY-winning group Maroon 5, three-time GRAMMY winner Tim McGraw and seven-time GRAMMY winner Pharrell Williams. A VERY GRAMMY CHRISTMAS will be broadcast Friday, Dec. 5 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Additional performers will be announced shortly.

In addition to performances, the nominations for Album of the Year for THE 57TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS(R) will be announced during A VERY GRAMMY CHRISTMAS. All other nominations (82 of 83 categories) will be revealed earlier that morning, on Dec. 5, with further details to come.

A VERY GRAMMY CHRISTMAS will take place Tuesday, Nov. 18 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Tickets to the general public are on sale now and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com or via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at 866-448-7849.

The road to Music's Biggest Night(R) begins with A VERY GRAMMY CHRISTMAS and culminates with THE 57TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/delayed PT) at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Last year's broadcast of THE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS CONCERT LIVE!! - COUNTDOWN TO MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT helped lead to stellar ratings for THE 56TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, which ultimately garnered more than 30 million viewers - the second-largest audience for the awards broadcast since 1993. The broadcast was the biggest social television event at that time, with 34 million social media interactions (with statistics compiled by Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter).

A VERY GRAMMY CHRISTMAS is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC. Ken Ehrlich is the executive producer.

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Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards - the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music - The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on Foursquare, GetGlue, Google +, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr and YouTube.