British acts dominate Grammy nominations

British talent dominated the nominations for record of the year at the US Grammy Awards today.

Coldplay, who earned a total of seven nominations, will compete with fellow Britons Adele, Leona Lewis, Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and MIA for the major honour at the awards show next year.

The British rock band, Radiohead, and Plant will also face each other in the album of the year category while Welsh singer Duffy, who shot to number one with her catchy single, Mercy, and fellow British soul singer Adele were among those nominated for best new artist.

Coldplay were only outdone by Rap's most ubiquitous and successful artist Lil Wayne, who won a leading eight nominations.

In the coveted record of the year category, Coldplay was nominated for Viva La Vida, or Death and All His Friends - its first album in three years and a huge hit.

It will be up against Adele for Chasing Pavement, MIA for Paper Planes, Leona Lewis for Bleeding Love, and Plant and Alison Krauss for Please Read the Letter.

For the album of the year honour, Grammy favourites Coldplay will take on Radiohead's groundbreaking album In Rainbows, which sold not in stores but on a pay-what-you-think-it-is-worth basis through the band's website.

It was an instant viral sensation, and also shook up the already beleaguered recording industry, which is struggling with its traditional business model.

But the band later released the album traditionally via a record label.

Krauss and Plant's Raising Sand will also vie for the title. Plant linked up with Grammy darling and bluegrass artist Krauss for a CD that pushed both in different musical directions.

Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III and Ne-Yo's Year of the Gentleman will also compete for best album.

In the best new artist category, British singers Duffy and Adele will take on US teen sensations The Jonas Brothers, singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan, and breakout country act Lady Antebellum.

US singer Katy Perry, who had one of the year's biggest hits with I Kissed a Girl, missed out of the top categories, including record of the year and best new artist.

The top nominees were revealed live during a prime-time concert special on CBS which replaced the Recording Academy's traditional morning roll call of nominee names at a staid press conference ahead of the awards show on February 8.

Former Grammy winner Mariah Carey, dressed in a short red minidress, opened the night with a song from her classic Christmas album.

The live show also included performances from Christina Aguilera, who sang a version of (I Love You) Porgy from the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess, and the Foo Fighters, who covered Carly Simon's classic You're So Vain.

Last year's award ceremony drew 17.2 million viewers, making it one of the least-watched Grammys and continuing the trend of shrinking audiences for awards shows.