Mary J. Blige Garners Most Grammy Noms With 8

It’s being called the biggest album the 35-year-old singer has ever put out – it’s sold 2.6 million copies and has now been cited in the R&B album of the year category for the music industry’s top honour. The single Be Without You is nominated for record and song of the year.

“That’s a beautiful thing, that I’m still going,” Blige said. “The Breakthrough is about triumph, about not being a victim, but being a victor. It’s about loving yourself.”

And she wasn’t the only veteran receiving multiple Grammy nominations. Rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers were nominated for six statuettes for their disc Stadium Arcadium and the single Dani California.

It was among the album of the year nominees, and competes with the Dixie Chicks’ Taking the Long Way, Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere, John Mayer’s Continuum, and Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds.

Mayer, the Dixie Chicks, British pop singer James Blunt and the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am were also multiple nominees.

British pop-soul singer Corrine Bailey Rae was a surprise addition to the esteemed Record of the Year category for her song Put Your Records On. That track competes with Blunt’s You’re Beautiful, Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, and the Dixie Chicks’ Not Ready to Make Nice.

Rae is also up for best new artist, competing with R&B singer Chris Brown, Imogen Heap, Blunt, and former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood. Surprisingly, Gnarls Barkley didn’t make the cut despite receiving four other nominations.

The Dixie Chicks’ nominations were seen as a coup for a group that dealt with boycotts and a drop in record sales after lead singer Natalie Maines criticized U.S. President George W. Bush in 2003.

Nelly Furtado, Neil Young and Diana Krall are among the Canadians nominated for awards. Furtado is up for best pop collaboration with vocal for her hit song Promiscuous, which she recorded with Timbaland.

She competes with Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder for their collaboration For Once In My Life, Mary J. Blige and U2 for One, Sheryl Crow and Sting for Always On Your Side, and Shakira & Wyclef Jean for Hips Don’t Lie.

Furtado’s a previous Grammy winner – she won best female pop vocal performance for a track from her breakthrough debut, Whoa Nelly.

Young is up for best rock album and best rock solo vocal performance, while Krall is up for best jazz vocal album.

Other Canadian nominees include Daniel Powter, who sings the ubiquitous track Bad Day’, polka king Walter Ostanek, Northern Cree and Friends, Gordie Sampson, and the Duhks.

The 49th Grammy Awards will be handed out on Feb. 11.

Image Credit: Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Nominees announced Thursday in top categories for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards:

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.

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.

Song of the Year: “Be Without You,” Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jason Perry (Mary J. Blige); “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson (Carrie Underwood); “Not Ready to Make Nice,” Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson (Dixie Chicks); “Put Your Records On,” John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou and Corinne Bailey Rae (Corinne Bailey); “You’re Beautiful,” James Blunt, Amanda Ghost and Sacha Skarbek (James Blunt).

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 and Allen Toussaint; “Continuum,” John Mayer; “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” Justin Timberlake.

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.

R&B Album: “The Breakthrough,” Mary J. Blige; “Unpredictable,” Jamie Foxx; “Testimony: Vol. 1, Life and Relationship,” India.Arie; “3121,” Prince; “Coming Home,” Lionel Richie.

Rap Album: “Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor,” Lupe Fiasco; “Release Therapy,” Ludacris; “In My Mind,” Pharrell; “Game Theory,” the Roots; “King,” T.I.

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.

Latin Pop Album: “Adentro,” Arjona; “Lo Que Trajo El Barco,” Obie Bermodez; “Individual,” Fulano; “Trozos De Mi Alma 2,” Marco Antonio Solis; “Limon Y Sal,” Julieta Venegas.

For the complete list of Grammy nominees, visit www.grammy.com/