SAM SMITH TO PERFORM ON "A VERY GRAMMY(R) CHRISTMAS," FRIDAY, DEC. 5 ON CBS

BIG SEAN TO JOIN ARIANA GRANDE IN A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

The New One-Hour Special, Hosted by LL COOL J, 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

Singer/songwriter Sam Smith and hip-hop artist Big Sean, who joins Ariana Grande in a special performance, are the latest artists announced for A VERY GRAMMY(R) CHRISTMAS. Two-time GRAMMY Award 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 nine-time GRAMMY Award winner Mary J. Blige, singer/songwriter Ariana Grande, three-time GRAMMY-winning group Maroon 5, three-time GRAMMY Award winner Tim McGraw, and seven-time GRAMMY Award 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.

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 will be revealed the morning of Dec. 5, starting at 8:30 AM, ET, with four categories broadcast live on CBS THIS MORNING. From 9:00 AM-2:00 PM, ET, various artists and celebrities will announce additional categories via videos posted to Twitter. At 2:00 PM, ET, a list of nominations in 82 of 83 categories will be posted on CBS.com and GRAMMY.com, with a complete list of nominations and a final release posted at 10:00 PM, ET following the announcement of Album of the Year nominations on the one-hour special.

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. LL COOL J is co-producer, and Louis J. Horvitz is director.

About The Recording Academy

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.