andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

In the midst of interviewing celebrities on the red carpet, celebrity wrangler Ryan Seacrest received word that Chris Brown is currently under investigation for an alleged assault. The 51st Grammy Awards Show is held in Los Angeles, California.

It was confirmed that Brown was present at the Clive Davis event last night with an unidentified woman. Another unidentified woman has accused Brown of assaulting on the way home from the party. There was an altercation, and the woman claims to have injuries. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the charges, but so far Brown has not been charged with anything.

Brown was supposed to perform at the Grammy’s Award Show, and it has been confirmed that he will not be attending. Brown’s girlfriend Rihanna will not attend the Grammy’s either. Brown has been nominated for two Grammy’s, and Rihanna has been nominated for three.

It is rumored that Justin Timberlake will replace Chris Brown on the stage for his performance.

Jennifer Hudson has a lot on her mind. The 27-year-old singer is still recovering from the tragedy in her family while under the spotlight of the entertainment industry. Her personal life has been the horrifying story of celebrity news since October, but her professional life still manages to flourish. Hudson has been nominated for four awards tonight at the 51st Grammy Awards Show.

E! Online reports that the talented star feels blessed and honored to be among the nominees. “It’s been a childhood dream of mine to release an album, so to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing. I’m extremely honored and humbled by the nominations,” Hudson said in a statement released by Arista Records.

Hudson performed Friday at the MusiCares tribute to Neil Diamond, and received the first standing ovation of the night. She sang a soulful rendition of the 1969 hit ‘Holly Holy’.

Hudson’s self-titled debut is nominated for R&B Album of the Year, while the tune “Spotlight” is a contender for best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Her fourth nomination is a shared one with American Idol buddy, Fantasia. They are in the running for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for their duet entitled “I’m His Only Woman.”

More performers have been announced for this Sunday’s Grammy Awards, including two teen superstars who will join forces.

Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift will take the stage together for a duet, reportedly of Swift’s “Fifteen” off her chart-topping album “Fearless.”

The song speculation comes courtesy of Ryan Seacrest’s Twitter feed, according to Rolling Stone.

Also joining the lineup are Estelle and Kanye West, Adele, Chris Brown, Sugarland and a Four Tops tribute. The latter will feature surviving member Duke Fakir with Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo.

Previous announced performers include U2, Rihanna, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne and many more.

Both Coldplay and Lil Wayne scored top nominations for the 51st annual Grammy Awards.

This year the nominees were announced in a slightly different way – through a televised concert featuring Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, John Mayer and other artists.

Chris Martin and the rest of the guys from Coldplay garnered an Album of the Year nod for “Viva la Vida,” as did Lil Wayne for “Tha Carter III ,“ Neo for “Year of the Gentleman,” and Alison Krauss and Robert Plant for “Raising Sand.” Lastly, Radiohead also received a nomination in the category for the album “In Rainbows.”

Brothers Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas received a Best New Artist nomination. They’re up against Duffy, Adele, R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan and Lady Antebellum .

Record of the Year nominations went to Adele for “Chasing Pavements,” Leona Lewis for “Bleeding Love,” M.I.A. For “Paper Planes,” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss for “Please Read The Letter,” and Coldplay for “Viva La Vida”.

For more Grammy nominees check out www.grammy.com

The show will go on after all at this year’s Grammy Awards.

The Writer’s Guild of America announced Tuesday that they won’t picket the ceremony on Feb. 10., following earlier warnings they would.

This means big-name artists will likely attend the event at L.A.’s Staples Centre. Indeed, Beyonce and Foo Fighters have already confirmed they will perform.

However, MTV reports that the Recording Academy is still trying to strike a deal with the WGA that would allow its staff writers to work on the show.

The ongoing writers’ strike led to a scaled-back Golden Globes earlier this month, and the Oscars ceremony in February still faces the prospect of WGA picketing.

andPOP is blogging the Grammys, live, as they happen. Part 2 is below. If you’d like to send in comments or questions, email adamATandpopDOTcom

8:00 “Ladies and gentlemen, we are The Police and we are back.”

8:01 Reuniting rock legends like The Police puts pressure on the Grammys to bring other bands back together next year. Is it too soon to reunite O-Town? Maybe K-Ci & JoJo?

8:03 There is an area near the stage filled with fans. It looks like a kleenex box.

8:04 The Police performed one song?? One song? After all that?

8:05 Tony Bennett and Steve Wonder performed together? I must download after the show.

8:06 Wyclef is up for best pop collaboration! And….

8:07 Tony and Stevie won best pop collaboration 10 bucks says Steve makes a blind joke.

8:08 I lost 10 bucks. But they cut them off mid-speech.

8:10 Matt called. “How do they cut off Stevie Wonder?” he wonders. Easy, read 8:08.

8:12 The Dixie Chick with the white dress in the middle looks like she could star in Runaway Bride 2.

8:13 Grammy announcer: “Stay tuned for more performances that you can only see on the Grammys.”
Bram: “That’s not true. I’ll find them on Youtube tomorrow.”

8:18 Prince: “One word. Beyonce.” That’s three words, but thanks for making it to the awards show this time.

8:19 I really think Beyonce could be the next Jennifer Hudson in a few years.

8:22 Best R&B Album: Mary J. Blige. I was really hoping for a shutout. How amazing would that have been? Up for eight awards and zilch. But no, the Grammy Jesus had to take that hope away from me. Good for you Mary, you beat Jamie Foxx.

8:26 If all of Mary’s acceptance speeches are so long, the blog will end now. Ya ya, cut her off.

There are three finalists for the “perform with Timberlake on the Grammys” search. I think they are all from 3LW.

8:36 Timberlake’s performing and I have no comments. Let’s see what the room thinks.
Adrienne: Seriously? Unimpressed.
Bram: Sounds like Cry Me a River. Don’t put that in.

Timberlake has grabbed a mini camera and is walking around with it in his face. It’s like, you know when people take their digital cameras and hold out their arm and take a picture of themselves? Ya, it’s like he’s taking a picture of himself but for 60 seconds.

Adam: Weirdo. But to be honest, I think he performed it well and I only have positive things to say about his performance. The camera thing was strange though.

8:39 Female R&B Performance: Mary J. Blige. Uh oh. Get the band ready. She kept it short. Swell.

8:47 Corinne Bailey Rae, John Mayer and John Legend are performing. Starts with Rae singing “Like a Star” with Mayer on guitar, followed by Legend singing “Coming Home” with Rae and Mayer as back-up singers, and then Mayer’s “Gravity.” Best performance so far.

8:58 Best pop vocal album: John Mayer

9:00 Nicole from Toronto emailed this in: “I wonder if John Mayer pulls the same face when he’s pumping Jessica Simpson as he does when he’s ripping a guitar solo.”

9:09 Wyclef and Shakira killed it. Clef should have won.

9:10 Song of the Year: Dixie Chicks

9:12 Mark from Toronto sends this in: “i hate that shakira had to sing hips dont lie at the 2007 grammy’s over the 2006 grammy’s b/c she released the song too late to be considered last year. I hate shakira!”

9:14 Jen from Toronto would like to respond to Nicole’s earlier comment about John Mayer.
“Re: John Mayer Winning Over JT in the last award category.
I wonder how many times JT will get told by John Mayer tonight.”

9:18 Nicole responds to Mark. “Dear Mark from Toronto:
If Shakira’s hips were lying on yours, I don’t think you’d be hating.” True.

9:19 Good to see how the Grammys are focussing on the music and not influenced by their corporate partners. It’s on CBS but you’d have no idea. Oh wait, here are two actors from How I Met Your Mother.

9:20 Great performance by Gnarls Barkley. Nice to see how the backup singers are in psych ward outfits during this performance of “Crazy.” I smell complain letters!

9:23 Best Rap Album: Ludacris (Lupe deserved the win)
Kanye and Common presented the award, and we got this out of that: Common is glad Kanye beat him last year because, “we’re tired of having you crying about not winning.”
Ludacris then said this in his speech, “Special shout out to Oprah and special shout out to Bill O’Reilly.”

9:28: Mark sent this in about Gnarls’s performance: “Hey, i have an idea…why dont we go all out with a full band and choir for a guy that no one, AND I MEAN NO ONE, will remember one year from today?!?!?!”

Mark, Gnarls is a group featuring two people, but I guess that supports your point. And we look forward to your next comment.

9:33 I can’t wait till they remind us who died this year.

9:36 Gregg from St. Louis sends in this note: “Mary J. Blige deserves all the credit she is getting. Loooove her.”

9:37 I really feel if Mary J. Blige keeps singing like this, she can be the next Jennifer Hudson.

9:39 Best Country Album: Dixie Chicks
Alan Jackson’s still around?

9:41 Dixie Chicks had nothing to say last time. This time, Natalie quotes The Simpsons. “Heh heh.”
I really think if The Simpsons keep up the good work, they can become the next Family Guy.

9:42 They have mentioned about 100 times that one of three girls will get to sing a duet with Timbersnake. Does anyone care? I mean, great, let’s see the performance. But every commercial break you remind us about two things. 1) It’s music’s biggest night. 2) One of these girls will sing. If it’s music’s biggest night, talk about the BIG singers, not these amateurs. Think.

9:48 Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood are singing together now. I’ll change the channel for a couple minutes. If something happens in the next four minutes, you won’t read about it here.

9:50 Love Monkey is on MuchMoreMusic at 12:30 a.m. Why did it get cancelled? Why didn’t you watch it?

10:01 Best New Artist: Carrie Underwood
Respect to Tony Romo.

10:06 Fiona from Baltimore writes in, “Adam, why do you have to keep making fun of country music? If you don’t like it, don’t listen, but you don’t have to preach your twisted views on to us country loving folk.”

10:08 Smokey Robinson. Lionel Richie. Chris Brown. One of these is not like the other. One of these just doesn’t belong.

I just sang a duet with Lionel Richie.

Chris Brown ran that performance into the ground.

10:16 Nice back flip off the trampoline, Chris Brown. Wyclef didn’t need the trampoline.

10:18 Nicole: “Chris Brown as a river-dancing skull. Hmmmm.”

10:44 Hasn’t been an award in a while.

10:49 Mark has sent in another comment: “is it me, or did james blunt have a look on his face during his performance of ‘you’re beautiful’ that made you liken him to a serial killer on the loose…with a guitar…and an extremly high pitch voice???”

10:52 Finally, they have chosen someone to sign with JT. Now they can give out some awards. What do you think Clive Davis is thinking sitting in the audience watching a singer who is not signed? Next Whitney! (Whitney could be the next Jennifer Hudson is she cleans up)

10:55 In all honesty, whoever that girl is who just won the chance to sing with Justin, she’s really good. Clive!

10:59 Best Record: Dixie Chicks

11:09 The Grammy announcer said we’re going to be talking about the Chili Peppers performance tomorrow. Let’s see…

11:13 CONFETTI?? That is why I’m going to be talking about the performance tomorrow?

11:14 By cheering for Al Gore, are we cheering for cold?

11:15 Best Rock Album: Red Hot Chili Peppers Was there any doubt?

11:16 Chili Pepper’s drummer: “We’re going streaking!!” No he didn’t say that, but man they look alike.

11:17 Remember when The Police performed?

11:23 Album of the Year: Dixie Chicks

Grammy voters to the world: we hate Bush.

11:26 The guy with the Dixie Chicks sounds like Super Dave.

11:27 The Grammys are over. Big winner is the Dixie Chicks. Good night and thanks for reading. Email comments to adamATandpopDOTcom

If Mary J. Blige is looking to follow up on her stunning Billboard Awards sweep, she’s off to a good start.

It was announced Thursday the R&B singer earned eight nominations for the upcoming U.S. Grammy Awards. She won nine awards this week at the Billboards for her album The Breakthrough.

The 49th Grammy Awards gala is scheduled to air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 11, 2007.

Select List of Grammy Nominees:
General Field
Record Of The Year

• Be Without You
Mary J. Blige
Bryan-Michael Cox, producer; Danny Cheung, Tal Herzberg & Dave “Hard-Drive”
Pensado, engineers/mixers
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records]

• You’re Beautiful
James Blunt
Tom Rothrock, producer; Tom Rothrock & Mike Tarantino, engineers/mixers
Track from: Back To Bedlam
[Custard/Atlantic]

• Not Ready To Make Nice
Dixie Chicks
Rick Rubin, producer; Richard Dodd, Jim Scott & Chris Testa, engineers/mixers
Track from: Taking The Long Way
[Open Wide/Columbia]

• Crazy
Gnarls Barkley
Danger Mouse, producer; Ben H. Allen, Danger Mouse & Kennie Takahashi,
engineers/mixers
Track from: St. Elsewhere
[Downtown/Atlantic]

• Put Your Records On
Corinne Bailey Rae
Steve Chrisanthou, producer; Steve Chrisanthou & Jeremy Wheatley,
engineers/mixers
Track from: Corinne Bailey Rae
[Capitol]

General Field
Album Of The Year

• Taking The Long Way
Dixie Chicks
Rick Rubin, producer; Richard Dodd, Jim Scott & Chris Testa, engineers/mixers;
Richard Dodd, mastering engineer
[Open Wide/Columbia]

• St. Elsewhere
Gnarls Barkley
Danger Mouse, producer; Ben H. Allen, Danger Mouse & Kennie Takahashi,
engineers/mixers; Mike Lazer, mastering engineer
[Downtown/Atlantic]

• Continuum
John Mayer
Steve Jordan & John Mayer, producers; John Alagia, Michael Brauer, Joe Ferla,
Chad Franscoviak, Manny Marroquin & Dave O’Donnell, engineers/mixers; Greg
Calbi, mastering engineer
[Aware/Columbia]

• Stadium Arcadium
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rick Rubin, producer; Ryan Hewitt, Mark Linette & Andrew Scheps,
engineers/mixers; Vlado Meller, mastering engineer
[Warner Bros.]

• FutureSex/LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake
Nate (Danga) Hills, Jawbreakers, Rick Rubin, Timbaland & Justin Timberlake,
producers; Jimmy Douglass, Serban Ghenea, Padraic Kerin, Jason Lader, Andrew
Scheps, Timbaland & Ethan Willoughby, engineers/mixers; Herb Powers, Jr.,
mastering engineer
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

General Field
Song Of The Year

• Be Without You
Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters (Mary
J. Blige)
Track from: The Breakthrough
[Geffen Records; Publishers: Chrysalis Music, Mary J. Blige Music, Naked Under My Clothes Music, Universal Music Corp., Babyboy's Little Publishing, Jason's Lyrics, Noontime South, Reach Global Tunes, WB Music.]

• Jesus, Take The Wheel
Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Some Hearts
[Arista/Arista Nashville/19; Publishers: Dimensional Music of 1091/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Raylene Music/BPJ Administration, No Such Music, Passing Stranger Music/1609 Songs/Music of Windswept.]

• Not Ready To Make Nice
Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Dixie
Chicks)
Track from: Taking The Long Way
[Open Wide/Columbia; Publishers: Woolly Puddin' Music, Chrysalis Music, Sugar Lake Music.]

• Put Your Records On
John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriters (Corinne Bailey
Rae)
Track from: Corinne Bailey Rae
[Capitol; Publisher: Global Talent Publishing.]

• You’re Beautiful
James Blunt, Amanda Ghost & Sacha Skarbek, songwriters (James Blunt)
Track from: Back To Bedlam
[Custard/Atlantic; Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music, David Platz Music.]

General Field
Best New Artist

• James Blunt

• Chris Brown

• Imogen Heap

• Corinne Bailey Rae

• Carrie Underwood

Pop
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group

• My Humps
The Black Eyed Peas
Track from: Monkey Business
[A&M Records]

• I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Death Cab For Cutie
Track from: Plans
[Atlantic Records]

• Over My Head (Cable Car)
The Fray
Track from: How To Save A Life
[Epic]

• Is It Any Wonder?
Keane
Track from: Under The Iron Sea
[Interscope Records]

• Stickwitu
The Pussycat Dolls
Track from: PCD
[A&M Records]

Rock
Best Rock Song

• Chasing Cars
Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Jonny Quinn, Tom Simpson & Paul Wilson,
songwriters (Snow Patrol)
Track from: Eyes Open
[A&M Records; Publisher: Big Life Music.]

• Dani California
Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith, songwriters (Red Hot Chili
Peppers)
Track from: Stadium Arcadium
[Warner Bros.; Publisher: Moebetoblame Music.]

• Lookin’ For A Leader
Neil Young, songwriter (Neil Young)
Track from: Living With War
[Reprise; Publisher: Silver Fiddle Music.]

• Someday Baby
Bob Dylan, songwriter (Bob Dylan)
Track from: Modern Times
[Columbia; Publisher: Bob Dylan.]

• When You Were Young
Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer & Ronnie Vannucci, songwriters (The
Killers)
[Island Records; Publisher: Universal-Polygram Int.]

Rock
Best Rock Album

• Try!
John Mayer Trio
[Aware/Columbia]

• Highway Companion
Tom Petty
[American]

• Broken Boy Soldiers
The Raconteurs
[V2/Third Man Records]

• Stadium Arcadium
Red Hot Chili Peppers
[Warner Bros.]

• Living With War
Neil Young
[Reprise]

Rap
Best Rap Solo Performance

• Touch It
Busta Rhymes
Track from: The Big Bang
[Aftermath/Interscope Records]

• We Run This
Missy Elliott
Track from: The Cookbook
[Goldmind/Atlantic]

• Kick, Push
Lupe Fiasco
Track from: Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

• Undeniable
Mos Def
[Geffen Records]

• What You Know
T.I.
Track from: King
[Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

Rap
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

• Smack That
Akon Featuring Eminem
[SRC/Universal Records]

• Deja Vu
Beyoncé Featuring Jay-Z
[Sony Urban Music/Columbia]

• Shake That
Eminem Featuring Nate Dogg
Track from: Curtain Call – The Hits
[Aftermath/Shady/Interscope Records]

• Unpredictable
Jamie Foxx Featuring Ludacris
Track from: Unpredictable
[J Records]

• My Love
Justin Timberlake Featuring T.I.
Track from: FutureSex/LoveSounds
[Jive Records/Zomba Label Group]

Rap
Best Rap Album

• Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]

• Release Therapy
Ludacris
[Disturbing Tha Peace]

• In My Mind
Pharrell
[Star Trak/Interscope Records]

• Game Theory
The Roots
[Def Jam Recordings]

• King
T.I.
[Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

Country
Best Country Song

• Every Mile A Memory
Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard, songwriters (Dierks Bentley)
[Capitol Records Nashville; Publishers: Dierks Bentley Publishing, Brett Beavers Publishing, Ensign Music, Rancho Papa Music.]

• I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today
Matraca Berg & Jim Collins, songwriters (Gretchen Wilson)
[Epic Nashville; Publishers: Songs of Universal, Hannaberg Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, Make Shift Music.]

• Jesus, Take The Wheel
Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Some Hearts
[Arista/Arista Nashville/19; Publishers: Dimensional Music of 1091/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Raylene Music/BPJ Administration, No Such Music, Passing Stranger Music/1609 Songs/Music of Windswept.]

• Like Red On A Rose
Melanie Castleman & Robert Lee Castleman, songwriters (Alan Jackson)
Track from: Like Red On A Rose
[Arista Nashville/Sony BMG; Publishers: Farm Use Only Music, Cassamel Music.]

• What Hurts The Most
Steve Robson & Jeffrey Steele, songwriters (Rascal Flatts)
Track from: Me And My Gang
[Lyric Street Records; Publishers: Gottahaveable Music, Songs of Windswept Pacific, Almo Music.]

Country
Best Country Album

• Taking The Long Way
Dixie Chicks
[Open Wide/Columbia]

• Like Red On A Rose
Alan Jackson
[Arista Nashville/Sony BMG]

• The Road To Here
Little Big Town
[Equity Music Group]

• You Don’t Know Me: The Songs Of Cindy Walker
Willie Nelson
[Lost Highway]

• Your Man
Josh Turner
[MCA Nashville]

Film/TV/Visual Media
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For

• Brokeback Mountain
Various Artists
[Verve Forecast]

• Cars
Various Artists
[Walt Disney Records/Pixar]

• Grey’s Anatomy – Volume 2
Various Artists
[Hollywood Records]

• Little Miss Sunshine
Various Artists
[Lakeshore Records]

• Walk The Line
Joaquin Phoenix & Various Artists
[Wind-Up Records]

Film/TV/Visual Media
Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion

• The Chronicles Of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Harry Gregson-Williams, composer
[Walt Disney Records]

• The Da Vinci Code
Hans Zimmer, composer
[Decca]

• Memoirs Of A Geisha
John Williams, composer
[Sony Classical]

• Munich
John Williams, composer
[Decca]

• Pirates Of The Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest
Hans Zimmer, composer
[Walt Disney Records]

Music Video
Best Short Form Music Video

• 8th Of November
Big & Rich
Robert Deaton, George Flanigen & Marc Oswald, video directors; Robert Deaton,
George Flanigen, Steve Lamar & Marc Oswald, video producers
[Warner Bros.]

• When You Were Young
The Killers
Anthony Mandler, video director; Gina Leonard, video producer
[Island Def Jam]

• Here It Goes Again
OK Go
Dan Konopka, Damian Kulash, Jr, Timothy Nordwind, Andy Ross & Trish Sie, video
directors; Dan Konopka, Damien Kulash, Jr., Timothy Nordwind, Andy Ross & Trish
Sie, video producers
[Capitol]

• Dani California
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Tony Kaye, video director; Rachel Curl, video producer
[Warner Bros.]

• Writing On The Walls
Underoath
[Solid State/Tooth & Nail]

Music Video
Best Long Form Music Video

• Flow: Living In The Stream Of Music
Terence Blanchard
Jim Gabour, video director; Robin Burgess & Jim Gabour, video producers
[Jazziz Music & Video]

• Directions
Death Cab For Cutie
Noah Gelb, video producer
[Atlantic]

• Demon Days – Live In Manchester
Gorillaz
J.C. Hewlett, video director
[Virgin]

• I’m Going To Tell You A Secret
Madonna
Jonas Akerlund, video director; Susan Applegate, Angela Becker, Keeley Gould,
Shelli Jury & David May, video producers
[Warner Bros.]

• Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
Thom Zimny, video director; Thom Zimny, video producer
[Columbia]

The upcoming 48th annual Grammy Awards is set to feature several high-profile collaborations, mixing rock with R&B, pop with jazz, and country with ? well, country.

According to Billboard, U2 will perform with Mary J. Blige, while Christina Aguilera and Herbie Hancock, Faith Hill and Keith Urban, and Jamie Foxx and Kanye West are also scheduled to pair up.

Specific songs have yet to be confirmed, but Billboard speculates that U2 and Blige will reprise their cover of the classic U2 song, ?One.? The studio version of their duet appeared on Blige’s recent album, “The Breakthrough.”

Meanwhile, Aguilera sang on “A Song for You” from Hancock’s latest album, “Possibilities.”

The first confirmed artists for the Feb. 8 show were West and his fellow top nominees Mariah Carey and John Legend, each with eight nods.

The Recording Academy has also confirmed the show’s first presenters. Country duo Big & Rich and actors Tom Hanks and Terrence Howard will be among those doling out the honours.

Rock veteran David Bowie and late comedian Richard Pryor are among the recipients of the 2006 Grammy Lifetime Achievement awards, reports Billboard.

The awards will be formally acknowledged Feb. 7 and then presented the next evening at the Grammy ceremony, to be broadcast live on CBS.

The other Lifetime Achievement honourees are country icon Merle Haggard, rock group Cream, late blues legend Robert Johnson, opera vocalist Jessye Norman and folk quartet the Weavers.

Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, late country producer Owen Bradley and recording engineer Al Schmitt will be saluted with the Grammy Trustees Award, while Technical Grammys will go to the late Tom Dowd as well as Bell Labs and Western Electric.

This year?s Grammy Awards see Mariah Carey, John Legend and Kanye West leading the field with eight nominations each.