Blige (left) and Timberlake
Tsuni/Gamma; Frank Micelotta/Getty
Five of Blige's nominations are in the R&B field, which includes a nod for best female R&B vocal performance for "Be Without You," which pits her against Beyoncé ("Ring The Alarm"), Mariah Carey ("Don't Forget About Us"), Natalie Cole ("Day Dreaming") and India.Arie ("I Am Not My Hair").
Other multiple nominees are Red Hot Chili Peppers, with six; James Blunt, the Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Danger Mouse, Prince, Rick Rubin, will.i.am and John Williams, with five; and Beyoncé, Bryan-Michael Cox, Gnarls Barkley, Israel Houghton, T.I, and "SexyBack" singer Justin Timberlake, with four, including the coveted album of the year.
In the best R&B album category, Blige's Breakthrough – which on Monday won the singer nine trophies at the Billboard Awards and last month earned her two American Music Awards – will compete with Jamie Foxx's Unpredictable; India.Arie's Testimony: Vol .1, Life & Relationship; Prince's 3121, and Lionel Richie's Coming Home.
In addition to Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds, also in the running for album of the year are Taking The Long Way by the Dixie Chicks, St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley, Continuum by John Mayer, Stadium Arcadium by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Those same group mostly make up the field of record of the year contenders: "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige; "You're Beautiful," James Blunt; "Not Ready To Make Nice," Dixie Chicks; "Crazy," Gnarls Barkley; and "Put Your Records On," Corinne Bailey Rae – who, along with James Blunt, Chris Brown, British Imogen Heap and Carrie Underwood is nominated for best new artist.
The 49th Grammy Awards will air live on CBS from the Los Angeles Staples Center on Feb. 11.
PEOPLE, the Recording Academy and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will hold the official Grammy kickoff party on Dec. 14 at the JET nightclub at the Mirage in Las Vegas, with Jamie Foxx hosting and performances by Fergie, Josh Kelley and John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting.
Here's a rundown of the top categories:
Album of the Year
– Taking The Long Way, Dixie Chicks
– St. Elsewhere, Gnarls Barkley
– Continuum, John Mayer
– Stadium Arcadium, Red Hot Chili Peppers
– FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake
Record of the Year
– "Be Without You", Mary J. Blige
– "You're Beautiful", James Blunt
– "Not Ready To Make Nice", Dixie Chicks
– "Crazy", Gnarls Barkley
– "Put Your Records On", Corinne Bailey Rae
Song of the Year
– "Be Without You" (Performed by Mary J. Blige) Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters
– "Jesus, Take The Wheel " (Performed by Carrie Underwood) Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters
– "Not Ready To Make Nice" (Performed by Dixie Chicks) Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson, songwriters
– "Put Your Records On" (Performed by Corinne Bailey Rae) John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriters
– "You're Beautiful" (Performed by James Blunt) James Blunt, Amanda Ghost & Sacha Skarbek, songwriters
Best New Artist
– James Blunt
– Chris Brown
– Imogen Heap
– Corinne Bailey Rae
– Carrie Underwood
Pop Vocal Album
– Back To Basics, Christina Aguilera
– Back To Bedlam, James Blunt
– The River In Reverse, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
– Continuum, John Mayer
– FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake
Rap Album
– Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco
– Release Therapy, Ludacris
– In My Mind, Pharrell
– Game Theory, The Roots
– King, T.I.
Rock Album
– Try!, John Mayer Trio
– Highway Companion, Tom Petty
– Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs
– Stadium Arcadium, Red Hot Chili Peppers
– Living With War, Neil Young
Country Album
– Taking The Long Way, Dixie Chicks
– Like Red On A Rose, Alan Jackson
– The Road To Here, Little Big Town
– You Don't Know Me: The Songs Of Cindy Walker, Willie Nelson
– Your Man, Josh Turner
R&B Album
– The Breakthrough, Mary J. Blige
– Unpredictable, Jamie Foxx
– Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, India.Arie
– 3121, Prince
– Coming Home, Lionel Richie
Electronic Music/Dance Album
– Supernature, Goldfrapp
– Confessions On A Dance Floor, Madonna
– A Lively Mind, Oakenfold
– Fundamental, Pet Shop Boys
– The Garden, Zero 7
Alternative Music Album
– Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Arctic Monkeys
– At War With The Mystics, The Flaming Lips
– St. Elsewhere, Gnarls Barkley
– Show Your Bones, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
– The Eraser, Thom Yorke
