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Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd GRAMMYs in 2000

Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards in 2000

Photo: Scott Gries/WireImage.com

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Remember These 13 Head-Turning GRAMMY Looks? jlo-pharrell-williams-lady-gaga-13-iconic-grammy-fashion-statements

J.Lo, Pharrell Williams, Lady Gaga: 13 Iconic GRAMMY Fashion Statements

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From the simply unforgettable to the bold and the beautiful, these 13 looks prove there are no fashion rules at the GRAMMY Awards
Nic Screws
GRAMMYs
Sep 15, 2017 - 11:53 am

The GRAMMY Awards has long been considered the rebel of award show red carpets — a place where artists are encouraged to flex their sartorial creativity without abandon. "The GRAMMYs have become the occasion for artists to push the envelope a little more and really go there with their fashion," says celebrity stylist and designer Ty Hunter.

Rihanna: GRAMMY Fashion Cam

As so, there is no such thing as an occasion-appropriate dress code for Music's Biggest Night. The only rule for the step-and-repeat is there are no rules. After all, it was at the GRAMMYs where Jennifer Lopez broke the internet (before breaking the internet was a thing) in her now-infamous, plunging Versace gown. It's where Nicki Minaj toted a Pope-impersonator instead of a handbag and Lady Gaga — well, see any of her GRAMMY appearances for an example of a memorable, jaw-dropping ensemble.

With fall and fashion in full bloom, it's an appropriate time to look back on 13 of the most ingenious, stunning and bare-it-all moments at the GRAMMYs in years past.

Cyndi Lauper

26th GRAMMY Awards, 1984

Cyndi Lauper at the 26th GRAMMYs in 1984

Less is definitely not more according to '80s pop icon Cyndi Lauper. The free-spirited songstress made her GRAMMY debut in a colorful and clashing getup, complete with her trademark Aqua Net, firetruck red hair and metallic makeup. The look showcased the madcap, vintage-meets-glam style that made her a MTV-era legend along with her larger-than-life persona and numerous karaoke-worthy hits like "Time After Time" and "Girls Just Want To Have Fun."

Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson

35th GRAMMY Awards, 1993

Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson at the 35th GRAMMYs in 1993

With his penchant for lone white gloves and all-embellished everything, Michael Jackson changed the perception of how a male pop star could look. "Michael was a pioneer in the music industry because he was one of the first artists to use clothing to define their image," says New York-based celebrity stylist Sam Spector. "He understood the power of costume on and off the stage."

Alongside his younger sister Janet, who presented him with the GRAMMY Legend Award at the 35th GRAMMY Awards ceremony, the "Thriller" pop icon showed off his legendary, military-inspired aesthetic in one of his power-shouldered bedazzled jackets, complete with his trademark long curls and oft-present armband. For her part, Ms. Jackson wore a coordinating white pantsuit and her famous Poetic Justice-era box braids. "Current-day artists and fashion fans alike have the Jacksons to thank for showing how to successfully curate their image through style," says Spector.

Jennifer Lopez

42nd GRAMMY Awards, 2000

Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd GRAMMYs in 2000

Since the moment she sashayed onto the scene in the early aughts, armed with one of the most enviable bodies of her generation, Jennifer Lopez reigned as a red carpet queen. But before the glittery, flesh-toned bodysuits and provocative double-slit numbers that have become mainstays of the original triple threat's fearless style, there was that envelope-pushing green dress she wore in 2000. You know the one — the sheer, tropical-print gown by Versace with a neckline so plunging it was open to her waist. At the time, that navel-flaunting moment — which propelled Lopez to megastardom — became the single most popular search query, ever, eventually launching what we now know as Google Images.

Beyond the unforgettable dress, J.Lo debuted a beauty trifecta she still relies on today: the high half-ponytail, bronzed skin and soft pink lipstick combo. "That classic hyper-even golden J.Lo glow played second fiddle to the body," says beauty expert Gwen Flamberg. "The subtlety of the makeup let the dress work its magic."

Toni Braxton

43rd GRAMMY Awards, 2001

Toni Braxton at the 43rd GRAMMYs in 2001

There are high hemlines and then there's the barely-there Richard Tyler dress Toni Braxton wore in 2001. The extreme side-cut outs of the drapey silk number — dubbed the "half-gown" by critics — gave the illusion that the R&B singer was going commando to accept her trophy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "He Wasn't Man Enough." (Hint: She wasn't; the dress had a built-in thong.) But whether you're a fan of the risqué look or not, it definitely took an enviable level of bada**ery by Braxton to create one of the most controversial fashion moments in GRAMMY history.

"It's not the garment, but the confidence a client has in the garment, that sells a look," says Hunter, who counts another saucy body-confident performer as a longtime client — Beyoncé. But according to Flamberg, it was Braxton's unfussy, skin-focused beauty "that kept the little-left-to-the-imagination gown from looking like 'too much.'"

Lil' Kim

44th GRAMMY Awards, 2002

Lil' Kim at the 44th GRAMMYs in 2002

Back when the rap game was a hyper-masculine genre, Lil' Kim — the boundary-pushing, pint-sized female rapper from Brooklyn — became a bona fide superstar of '90s style thanks to her proclivity for breast-baring, blinged-out, fiery fashion statements. Her unabashed sex appeal and tough-but-girlie aesthetic had a lasting impression on the subculture of hip-hop fashion, giving female artists a new visibility to the highly-covetable, high-end fashion houses. An early adopter of the athleisure trend, Kim made one of her many bold entrances in 2002 in a red-hot biker-inspired ensemble with a helmet emblazoned with an iconic designer logo: Chanel.

Kanye West

48th GRAMMY Awards, 2006

Kanye West at the 48th GRAMMYs in 2006

Few figures in music are as divisive as Kanye West. The same can be said about the hip-hop superstar's style — you either love the Yeezy way or you don't, but you seldom forget it. Always one to push boundaries and make fashion showmanship an undeniable part of his personal brand, the eclectic rapper wore a lavender three-piece suit with wide, peaked lapels and a plunging, gender-bending shirt to accept his second consecutive GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for Late Registration.

"2006 was a period where celebrities were dressing more casually," says Spector. "So Kanye really stood out that year by dressing formally, and by his bold choice of color." Or maybe it was the "I told you so!" sign he was seen carrying around between puffs of a cigar at the after-parties.

M.I.A.

51st GRAMMY Awards, 2009

M.I.A. at the 51st GRAMMYs in 2009

Before the very-pregnant rapper M.I.A. took to the stage in 2009 to perform her hit "Swagga Like Us" alongside her rap royalty collaborators Kanye West, T.I., Jay Z and Lil Wayne, she rocked the pre-show in a voluminous multilayer dress by Indian designer Manish Arora. She paired the wildly-patterned frock with a pair of matching blue high-top sneakers before later changing in to a sheer, body-hugging mini dress that really flaunted her nine-month-pregnant belly.

Just days later after grabbing headlines for her daring outfit, M.I.A. gave birth to a baby boy, making her appearance all the more dramatic. "Sunday nite I came home from the GRAMMYs till in the mood to party," the "Paper Planes" singer said on her MySpace page. "I coulda easily gone out but I went home instead. Lucky I did! Coz my early stage labour kicked in around 2am."

Lady Gaga

52nd GRAMMY Awards, 2010

Lady Gaga at the 52nd GRAMMYs in 2010

No current artist champions self-expression quite like Lady Gaga. The eccentric pop star, whose style veers towards the outrageous, is a unique spectacle of celebrity — one who utilizes the power of her larger-than-life image to bolster her music and social messages. Her list of captivating fashion moments — at the GRAMMYs alone — are many, but it was the galactic lavender dress she wore in 2010 that put her in a style universe all her own.

The corseted long-sleeve gown, one of three custom looks she wore that night by Armani Prive, was a take-over-the-carpet type creation that, in typical Gaga fashion, left everyone guessing. The spectacular look included rows of suspended rings of glittered wire, an Ombre yellow wig and a star-shaped ornament in lieu of a sparkly clutch. The result: Enough space-age glitz to outshine the biggest stars at Staples Center that night.

Katy Perry

53rd GRAMMY Awards, 2011

 Katy Perry at the 53rd GRAMMYs in 2011

With her signature, quirky glamour on full display, Katy Perry made an angelic entrance in 2011 in a custom iridescent, asymmetrical-train gown by Giorgio Armani. Complete with a Swarovski crystal-encrusted bustier and feathery angel wings, Perry nearly floated down the red carpet. But it was her pared-down (for Perry) ultra-feminine beauty — including face-framing, dark ringlets and pastel makeup that really made the "California Gurls"' look soar. "The pops of candy-colored makeup really gave the look her trademark, whimsical vibe," says Flamberg.

Nicki Minaj

54th GRAMMY Awards, 2012

Nicki Minaj and the "Pope" at the 54th GRAMMYs in 2012

Wearing what can only be described as a Little Red Riding Hood-like cape, Nicki Minaj strolled into the 54th GRAMMYs with the ultimate attention-nabbing date: the Pope. (Or at least a man dressed like the Pope.) But Minaj's atypical choice of arm candy was the second-most interesting element to her entrance. The first being the intricately-designed scarlet red Versace cloak itself, complete with a beaded silhouette and matching satin gloves, that was intended to replicate a nun’s religious habit. Leave it to the controversial rapper to try to make Catholicism-chic a trend.

Pharrell Williams

56th GRAMMY Awards, 2014

Pharrell Williams at the 56th GRAMMYs in 2014

Never one to go for the expected, multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams created one of the most meme-friendly moments in GRAMMY history when he took to the red carpet in 2014 in a vintage oversized Mountie hat by British designer Vivienne Westwood. "It wouldn't be the GRAMMYs without a couple of wild-cards," says celebrity hairstylist and Axe spokesperson/stylist Amy Komorowski, whose clients include Justin Timberlake and Joe Jonas. "Pharrell's genius styling and bold accessory choice stole the show that night."

The now-infamous Smokey the Bear-inspired topper became such a pop-culture phenomenon that it spawned its own Twitter handle (@pharrellhat) and led to a social media exchange with the fast-food chain Arby's — which uses a similarly-shaped hat as part of its logo — that turned into a philanthropic opportunity that raised $44,100 for Williams' charity, From One Hand to Another.

Beyoncé

56th GRAMMY Awards, 2014

Beyoncé at the 56th GRAMMYs in 2014

Leave it to Beyoncé to wear one of the most talked-about GRAMMY looks ever without even hitting the red carpet or stage in it. After opening the show in 2014 with a performance of her hit "Drunk In Love" with husband Jay Z, Queen Bey changed into a daringly-sheer, body-hugging gown with a stunning, asymmetrical mermaid silhouette to take her front-row seat. The custom hand-sewn gown was the creation of self-taught L.A.-based designer Michael Costello, who designed the dress especially for the occasion after meeting Beyoncé's stylist Hunter at a party.

"As soon as Ty and I spoke about dressing her, I knew it had to be a one-of-a-kind piece," says Costello, whose signature aesthetic is often described as faux-nakedness. "I wanted something that would create the perfect silhouette, make her feel empowered, and highlight her natural beauty." The superstar's berry-stained lips and messy, angular bob added to the drama of the moment. "She had just cut her hair short and it emphasized the look," says Hunter, who also styled the pop icon for her memorable five-minute medley with Prince at the 46th GRAMMY Awards in 2004. "As soon as she put it on, everyone knew it was the one."

Rihanna

57th GRAMMY Awards, 2015

Rihanna at the 57th GRAMMYs in 2015

Music's favorite bad gal shocked fans and critics in 2015 when she opted to show off her sweet side in an ultra-poofy bubblegum pink gown, rather than standout in one of her usual edgy looks. Affectionately dubbed "the cupcake dress," the two-tiered gown by designer Giambattista Valli was actually found by Rihanna on the internet after it debuted on the runway at Paris Couture Fashion Week. RiRi topped off the head-turning number with a simple beauty look: feminine, barely-there makeup and a softy pulled back bun with a few strands framing her picture-perfect face. 

More Fashion: Do Musicians Need A Stylist To Be A Star?

(Nic Screws is a New York-based stylist, writer and fashion consultant. Prior to opening her own firm, NS Style + Creative, she was most recently the style director of Bloomberg Media.)

All Photos: WireImage.com/Getty Images

Kanye West onstage

Kanye West

Photo: Barket/BET/Getty Images

News
2015 GRAMMYs: Full performer list 2015-grammys-whos-performing

2015 GRAMMYs: Who's performing?

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A handy guide to the performances scheduled for the 57th GRAMMY Awards, airing Sunday, Feb. 8 on CBS
Crystal Larsen
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

Music's Biggest Night stands as the richest collection of musical talent on any one show, with three-and-a-half hours of nearly nonstop music from today's hottest performers as well as special GRAMMY Moments that create indelible memories for fans.

The star-studded performance lineup for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards has a bit of everything — a number of first-time GRAMMY performances; a world debut performance of Rihanna's new song with Paul McCartney and Kanye West; a high-voltage performance from rock legends; a performance from global icon Madonna; and the best in country, pop, and hip-hop. And don't forget we've got an all-star lineup of presenters and the coolest host around: LL Cool J.

It's a lot to keep track of, so we've compiled a handy alphabetical guide to artists who will be taking the GRAMMY stage. Of course, be sure to stay logged on to GRAMMY.com and follow GRAMMY Live and our live-blog to complement your GRAMMY experience, and in case there's a surprise or two.

 
And the performers for the 57th GRAMMY Awards are:

  • AC/DC
  • Beck and Chris Martin
  • Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
  • Beyoncé
  • Eric Church
  • Brandy Clark and Dwight Yoakam
  • Common and John Legend
  • Ariana Grande
  • Herbie Hancock, John Mayer, Questlove with Ed Sheeran
  • Hozier and Annie Lennox
  • Jessie J and Tom Jones
  • Juanes
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Lang Lang
  • Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani
  • Jeff Lynne's ELO
  • Madonna
  • Katy Perry
  • Rihanna, Paul McCartney and Kanye West
  • Sia
  • Sam Smith and Mary J. Blige
  • Usher
  • Pharrell Williams

Music's Biggest Night will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 8 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). For updates and breaking news, visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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57 fun facts about the 57th GRAMMY nominees mary-j-blige-katy-perry-57th-grammy-nominee-facts

Mary J. Blige to Katy Perry: 57th GRAMMY nominee facts

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Dig deeper with 57 fun facts about this year's class of GRAMMY nominees, including Iggy Azalea, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, and more
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

By now you've seen the full list of 57th GRAMMY nominees. But with 83 categories, it's a lot of information to absorb. We've dissected the list to bring you factoids about this year's nominees that are sure to make you the star attraction at your group GRAMMY viewing party. So dig in with our list of 57 Fun Facts About The 57th GRAMMY Nominees and mark your calendar for Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 8 from 8–11:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. 

Sam Smith is nominated for each of the "Big Four" awards — Album, Record and Song Of The Year and Best New Artist. At 22, he's the second youngest artist ever to achieve that feat. Mariah Carey was just 20 when she was nominated for all four awards 24 years ago.

Female artists account for four of the five Record Of The Year nominees. It's the first time in 16 years — and only the fourth time in GRAMMY history — that women have dominated the category to that degree.

"Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX is just the second all-female collaboration to receive a Record Of The Year nomination. The first was "The Boy Is Mine," the 1998 smash by Brandy and Monica.

"Shake It Off" is Taylor Swift's third single to receive a Record Of The Year nomination. The sassy smash follows "You Belong with Me" (2009) and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (2012).

Sia's "Chandelier" is the year's only work to be nominated for both Record Of The Year and Best Music Video.

Pharrell Williams is competing with himself for Album Of The Year. He's nominated for his own album, Girl, and as a co-producer for both Beyoncé's Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran's X.

Beck is nominated for Album Of The Year for Morning Phase. He's the first artist to be nominated in this category in each decade from the 1990s through the 2010s. He was previously nominated for Odelay (1996) and Midnite Vultures (2000).

Beyoncé is nominated for Album Of The Year for the second time, for Beyoncé. She was nominated five years ago for I Am… Sasha Fierce. Beyoncé has amassed 53 GRAMMY nominations, more than any other female artist.

Ed Sheeran's sophomore album, X, has the shortest title of any Album Of The Year finalist in GRAMMY history. The old record was held jointly by James Taylor's JT, Peter Gabriel's So and Adele's 21.

Another album titled X, by Chris Brown, is nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Brown won the 2011 award for Best R&B Album for F.A.M.E.

Hozier, a Song Of The Year finalist for "Take Me To Church," was born in Bray County, Wicklow, Ireland. Other Irish songwriters that have been nominated for this top GRAMMY include Gilbert O'Sullivan and U2.

Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," which is nominated both for Record and Song Of The Year, is not the first GRAMMY-nominated song to celebrate a woman's "bass." Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" won for Best Rap Solo Performance for 1992.

Brandy Clark, who is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Country Album, received her first GRAMMY nomination a year ago for Best Country Song. She was a co-writer (with Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves) of Miranda Lambert's hit "Mama's Broken Heart."

Haim, comprising sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, are the first sister trio to receive a Best New Artist nomination.

Two all-female collaborations — "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX and "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj — are competing for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Either would become the first all-female collabo to win in the Pop Field since "Lady Marmalade," the 2001 smash by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, and Pink.

Tony Bennett is vying for his 12th award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. He's nominated for Cheek To Cheek, a collaboration with Lady Gaga. Bennett is by far the most frequent winner in the category. Michael Bublé is second with four wins.

With Cheek To Cheek, Lady Gaga is vying to take best album honors in a third genre. She previously won for Best Electronic/Dance Album for The Fame (2009) and Best Pop Vocal Album for The Fame Monster (2010).

Johnny Mathis, nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Sending You A Little Christmas, received his first GRAMMY nomination in 1960, the third year of the awards. His classic rendition of "Misty" was nominated for Best Vocal Performance, Male — Single Or Track.

Miley Cyrus received her first GRAMMY nomination for Bangerz, which is a finalist for Best Pop Vocal Album. Her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, received a 1992 nomination for Best New Artist.

Coldplay, who are nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album for Ghost Stories, have previously won for Best Alternative Music Album (twice) and Best Rock Album (once).

Katy Perry is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. This brings Perry's career total of nominations to 13. She is looking for her first win.

Deadmau5 is nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for the third time in the past four years. The Canadian musician is nominated for his seventh studio album, While (1

Mary J. Blige is nominated for Best Dance Recording as the featured artist on Disclosure's "F For You." The versatile singer has won nine GRAMMYs in four distinct genres: R&B, rap, pop, and gospel.

Slipknot, nominees for Best Metal Performance for "The Negative One," won the 2005 award in this category with "Before I Forget."

Two tracks from a tribute album to the late Ronnie James Dio are nominated for Best Metal Performance. They are Anthrax's "Neon Knights" and Tenacious D's "The Last In Line." Dio died in 2010.

The Black Keys, nominated for Best Rock Album for Turn Blue, won in that category two years ago with El Camino. Their album before that, Brothers, won the 2010 award for Best Alternative Music Album.

U2's 13th studio album, Songs Of Innocence, is nominated for Best Rock Album. All five of the band's studio albums since 1994, when this category was introduced, have been nominated for this award. U2 have amassed 46 GRAMMY nominations, more than any other group.

Jack White, nominated for Best Alternative Music Album for his second solo album, Lazaretto, won three times in this category with the White Stripes. If he wins again this year, he'll become the first four-time winner in the category's history.

St. Vincent is vying to become just the second female solo artist to win for Best Alternative Music Album. Sinéad O'Connor won the first-ever award in the category for her 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who rose to fame on "The Cosby Show," is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance as a featured artist on Robert Glasper Experiment's "Jesus Children." (The track also features Lalah Hathaway.)

Love, Marriage & Divorce by Toni Braxton and Babyface is nominated for Best R&B Album. It's vying to become the second collaboration to win in that category. Wake Up! by John Legend and the Roots took the 2010 award.

Robert Glasper Experiment are vying for Best R&B Album for Black Radio 2. Their initial Black Radio won the 2012 award in this category.

Two tracks from Lecrae's seventh studio album, Anomaly, were nominated in very different categories. "All I Need Is You" is a finalist for Best Rap Performance. "Messengers," featuring For King & Country, is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

With The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem is vying to win Best Rap Album for the sixth time. Eminem's five previous wins make him the category leader. Kanye West is second with four wins.

Schoolboy Q was featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist, which was last year's winner for Best Rap Album. This year, the Los Angeles rapper is nominated in that category with his own album, Oxymoron.

Childish Gambino, nominated for Best Rap Album for Because The Internet, is the musical persona of actor Donald Glover, best known for his role on the TV series "Community."

Neil Patrick Harris received his first-ever GRAMMY nomination this year. The actor and frequent awards show host is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for Hedwig And The Angry Inch.

Keith Urban, nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for "Cop Car," amassed four GRAMMYs for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in a six-year span (2005 through 2010).

"Meanwhile Back At Mama's" by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. It's their sixth nomination for vocal performance as a team.

The Band Perry are vying to become the third artist to win a GRAMMY for a recording of "Gentle On My Mind." John Hartford (the song's composer) and Glen Campbell both won 1967 GRAMMYs for recordings of the song.

Paul Epworth is vying for his second award in the category of Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. He won three years ago, chiefly for his work on Adele's 21. This year, his projects included Paul McCartney, Foster The People and FKA Twigs.

Swedish hit-maker Max Martin is nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical for the first time. In addition, he's nominated for both Record and Song Of The Year for his work on Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off."

Current nominees Beck and Jack White are among the artists who will perform at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute gala honoring Bob Dylan on Feb. 6.

Aloe Blacc received his first career nomination for Best R&B Album for Lift Your Spirit. Blacc is among the artists who will perform at Lean On Me: A Celebration Of Music And Philanthropy, the 17th Annual GRAMMY Foundation Legacy Concert taking place Feb 5.

Taylor Swift is the lone nominee who is the subject of a current exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum. Featuring personal photographs, handwritten lyrics, tour costumes, and more, The Taylor Swift Experience is on display through May 10.

Iggy Azalea is nominated for Best Rap Album for The New Classic. Should she win, Azalea would become the first female solo artist to take home the award.

Tom Petty's nod for Best Rock Album for Hypnotic Eye with the Heartbreakers is his 18th career nomination. Petty won his first GRAMMY for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for 1989 for Traveling Wilburys Volume One. The Traveling Wilburys featured Petty and, among others, George Harrison, who is one of this year's Special Merit Awards recipients.

Paramore's Hayley Williams and Taylor York are up for Best Rock Song for the group's "Ain't It Fun." This marks the second time the two musicians have received a nomination in a songwriting category. They were previously nominated for "Decode," which was a 2009 finalist for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media.

English rock group Bastille are among this year's nominees for Best New Artist. They are vying to become the first English collective to take home the honor since Sade won the award for 1985.

Former President Jimmy Carter is nominated for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) for A Call To Action. If he takes the award, Carter will become the third former or future president with two GRAMMY wins, joining Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Carter is scheduled to present the award to Bob Dylan at the 2015 Person of the Year gala.

Gloria Gaynor's We Will Survive: True Stories Of Encouragement, Inspiration, And The Power Of Song is also nominated for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling). At 35 years, Gaynor has the longest gap between nominations of any current nominee. Her last nominations were for 1979, including a win for Best Disco Recording for "I Will Survive."

Ziggy Marley and Anoushka Shankar are nominated for Best Reggae Album and Best World Music Album, respectively. Both artists' fathers — Bob Marley and Ravi Shankar — are GRAMMY winners and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Kendrick Lamar's "I" is the lone song with a one-letter title to be nominated this year. It's up for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.

"The Monster" by Eminem featuring Rihanna is among the nominees for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The two stars received a 2010 nomination in this category for "Love The Way You Lie."

"Weird Al" Yankovic and Louis C.K. each received nominations for Best Comedy Album. Each has previously won in the category: Yankovic for Poodle Hat (2003); Louis C.K. for Hilarious (2011).

With six GRAMMY wins, Carrie Underwood has the most GRAMMYs by an "American Idol" alumnus. She's up for two more this year: Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

What do Arcade Fire, Tony Bennett, Glen Campbell, Alison Krauss, Barbra Streisand, Taylor Swift, and U2 have in common? Besides all being current nominees, they've all released albums that have won Album Of The Year honors.

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Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images

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The Week In Music: Bridging The Employment Gap

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Celebrities' jobs before they were stars revealed
Crystal Larsen
GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

Are you currently working your first job? Delivering papers at 4 a.m.? Washing dishes at the local restaurant? McDonald's drive-through? Well, we have a couple reasons to look on the bright side. First, as your boss is apt to tell you, with a 9.1 percent unemployment rate nationwide, you're lucky to have a job. Second, you may be following in the footsteps of people who have gone on to much bigger things, evidenced by TheChive.com's list of top celebrities' humble jobs before they became fame monsters. The list includes such music artists as Madonna (Dunkin' Donuts clerk), Kanye West (Gap clerk), Rod Stewart (gravedigger), and Ozzy Osbourne (appropriately, slaughterhouse worker). So, the next time you're at your wits end because that size-15 shopper wants you to get them into size-6 jeans, remember, you're future could include having one of the most actively followed Twitter accounts.

That's where Forbes' current Best-Paid Celebrities Under 30 list comes in. Yes, this is where all the hard work boxing donuts into baker's dozens pays off. Despite regular claims of the demise of the music industry, the list of young multimillionaire musicians is impressive: Lady Gaga ($90 million per year), Justin Bieber ($53 million), Taylor Swift ($45 million), Katy Perry ($44 million), Beyoncé ($35 million), Rihanna ($29 million), Miley Cyrus ($15 million), Carrie Underwood ($15 million), and Lil Wayne ($15 million). If it's true, as Lady Gaga proclaimed during her HBO special, that the fame monster hates money, she has 90 million reasons to be spiteful.

If you hear a ringing coming from the Nashville home of Jack White, it won't be wedding bells — but joyful divorce bells. White and model/singer wife Karen Elson have announced their plans to divorce, but don't worry, they're not mourning the end of an era — they're celebrating with a party. According to the soon-to-be-separated pair, the breakup blowout is sure to be a "positive, swing bang humdinger" (whatever that means). White and Elson sent out invitations to close friends and family asking them to "please help us celebrate this anniversary of making and breaking of the sacred union of marriage with our best friends and animals." (Animals? That may be the humdinger.) White's former White Stripes partner Meg White has yet to comment on whether she's upset that she wasn't thrown a separation celebration upon their official breakup in February.

The Smoking Gun has long been taking touring artists to task for their demanding backstage riders that spell out every minor luxury the artist expects. Credit the Foo Fighters, whose just-published rider not only shows a sense of humor, but was likely developed with TSG in mind. The 52-page tome is, according to TSG, "brimming with jokes, insults, useless facts, self-deprecation, and pop culture reference." But the site singles out section seven, which details the band's food requirements via a coloring and activity book. It includes a "catering don'ts" word hunt game (don'ts include "cheap-a** soda" and "Dachshund"), a "circle the items that belong in a salad" activity page (belong: carrots, lettuce; don't belong: cockroach, Richard Pryor), and a maze to help guitarist Chris Shiflett find his way to catering at the gig. It all puts Aerosmith's infamous green M&M rider provision to shame.

Paul McCartney's new release of a remastered version of his original 1970 solo album, McCartney, is rehashing old memories of the notorious end to the Beatles. The original album was accompanied by a printed questionnaire with McCartney, since he didn't want to do interviews at the time, containing one especially fateful answer, "No," when asked whether he was planning a new album or single with the Beatles. That single answer led John Lennon, who had informed the band privately that he was leaving, to feel McCartney had jumped the gun in announcing the breakup of the band Lennon had formed, and possibly compounded the bad blood that lingered for years after. Says McCartney now of the events in 1970, in his often unassuming way: "I was not a popular bunny."

In the mood for some "Nookie" this summer? Limp Bizkit is back and ready to give you some in the form of their first studio album since 2005, Gold Cobra. Scheduled for release on June 28, the album will include the title track and break-stuff-inducing songs such as "Douche Bag," "Shotgun," "Bring It Back," and "Killer In You."Another song slated to be included on the album's deluxe edition is "My Own Cobain," a tribute to the late Kurt Cobain, who was a positive influence on Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. "I have my own torture," said Durst. "I've been impacted by his poetry. On this new song, it's another way into my depression and expression of that turmoil." Limp Bizkit is slated to hit the road starting June 24, but Durst infers there will be no depression or turmoil onstage. "We've come full circle to absolutely own who we are as a band, an undisputed five-piece rap rock powerhouse who crushes every stage we play," commented Durst. In the meantime, fans can get rollin' on a preview of Gold Cobra here.

Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" remains atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" is No. 1 on iTunes singles chart.

Any news we've missed? Comment below.

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2011 GRAMMY Nominees Album Available Jan. 25

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Collection features Eminem, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, and more
Crystal Larsen
GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

 (For a complete list of 53rd GRAMMY Awards nominees, please click here.)

The Recording Academy's GRAMMY Recordings has partnered with Jive Records to release the 2011 GRAMMY Nominees album, the 17th edition of the best-selling series, which highlights artists and songs nominated for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. The 19-song collection was released on Jan. 25 with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album benefiting the MusiCares Foundation and the GRAMMY Foundation  — two charitable organizations established by The Recording Academy.

"The exceptional mix of recordings contained on this preeminent compilation provides an incredible playlist from some of this year's remarkable and talented GRAMMY nominees," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "With 19 diverse selections, the nominees album offers quality recordings for all music fans. We are proud and excited to, for the first time, collaborate with Jive Records on this project and we look forward to another successful chart-topping GRAMMY album."

"The 2011 GRAMMY Nominees album showcases some of the year's best artists and songs from all genres and we're honored to partner with The Recording Academy to release this compilation of the signature songs from the past year," said Ivan Gavin, COO of the RCA/Jive Label Group. "In addition to offering great music, the collection also gives music fans the opportunity to support MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation — two charities that benefit the artistic community."

Artists featured on the collection are Arcade Fire, B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars, Michael Bublé, Eminem featuring Rihanna, the "Glee" Cast, Cee Lo Green, Michael Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé, Adam Lambert, Miranda Lambert, Ray LaMontagne And The Pariah Dogs, Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, John Mayer (with Taylor Swift), Paramore, Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, Sade, and Train.

The album includes songs from many of the most widely recognized GRAMMY categories with 19 tracks representing nominees for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals. The album is made possible by a special arrangement with all of the major music distribution companies and rotates labels from year to year.

For a complete track listing, click here. For more information on the album, visit www.2011grammycd.com. Order the 2011 GRAMMY Nominees at Amazon or iTunes. 

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 13 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). For breaking news and exclusive content, visit The Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook, and on YouTube.

2011 GRAMMY Nominees Album

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.