Kanye West, Adele lead Grammy choices

US rapper Kanye West has won the most nominations for next year's Grammys to be given out on February 12. While British singer Adele is nominated in seven categories, Lady Gaga is nominated...

US rapper Kanye West has won the most nominations for next year's Grammys, followed closely by British singer Adele, continuing her awards success despite recent health woes.

West was nominated Wednesday in seven categories for the music industry's top awards, to be given out February 12, while Adele got six nods -- including three of the key categories -- as did Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars.

Lady Gaga was arguably the star of the nominations show at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, opening and closing the hour-long concert even though she is only nominated in three categories for the 54th annual Grammy Awards.

Gaga sang her new single Marry The Night and an unlikely duo with country music duo Sugarland, while other highlights included pioneering hip hop DJ Grandmaster Flash and Rihanna joining the show from London.

But the substance of the evening was the nominations, which can make careers and add a lucrative boost to any artist or record.

Adele's Rolling In The Deep was tipped for Record Of The Year, along with Bon Iver's Holocene, Hawaiian crooner Bruno Mars's Grenade, The Cave by British folk rockers Mumford and Sons, and Katy Perry's Firework.

The London songstress's album 21 also led the nods for Album of the Year, and will fight it out with the Foo Fighters' Wasting Light, Lady Gaga's Born This Way, Bruno Mars's Doo Wops And Hooligans and Rihanna's Loud.

Kanye West's seven nods include All Of The Lights for Song of the Year, up against Mumford and Sons' The Cave, Mars's Grenade, Adele's Rolling in the Deep and Bon Iver's Holocene.

Although West garnered the most nods, mainly in rap categories, he could come away disappointed. Last year Eminem topped the nominations with 10 nods but went home with only two gongs.

In the running for Best New Artist -- the category Adele won in 2009 -- are The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J Cole, rapper Nicki Minaj and Skrillex -- the latter was shortlisted for five awards, as was Lil Wayne.

Adele has continued to attract awards nods and gongs despite being dogged by throat problems which in October forced her to cancel all engagements for the rest of the year and to undergo surgery.

"We're in love with Adele," said the Band Perry's leader singer Kimberly Perry, while Grammy-nominated Canadian R and B singer Melanie Fiona added: "She's just completely rooted in the music. She definitely pours her heart out in everything she does."

Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan were among the biggest stars at last year's Grammys show -- and the US Recording Academy's boss Neil Portnow hinted Wednesday that acts this year could include heavy metal veterans Van Halen.

"As a fan, I hope they do," he told reporters afterwards.

The big winners at the 53rd Grammys were US country trio Lady Antebellum, and country music remains a strong current in this year's nominations, as well as Wednesday's show.

Lady Gaga's show-closing duet with Sugarland might have raised some eyebrows -- but she pulled it off despite clashing dress and musical styles.

"I have a brand new respect for Lady Gaga," Grandmaster Flash -- aka Barbados-born Joseph Saddler -- said, adding that he didn't believe it when told Gaga was going to close the show with the country duo.

"She was amazing tonight," he said.

Grammys organizers this year cut the number of categories in the awards show from 109 to 78, the first restructuring since the music industry's top prizes were first handed out in 1959.

Following is a list of nominees in key categories for the 54th annual Grammy Awards:

Album Of The Year

21- Adele

Wasting Light- Foo Fighters

Born This Way- Lady Gaga

Doo-Waps & Hooligans - Bruno Mars

Loud - Rihanna

Record Of The Year

Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Holocene - Bon Iver

Grenade - Bruno Mars

The Cave - Mumford & Sons

Firework - Katy Perry

Best New Artist

The Band Perry

Bon Iver

J Cole

Nicki Minaj

Skrillex

Song Of The Year (Songwriter's award)

All of the Lights - Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter, Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie)

The Cave - Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford, Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)

Grenade - Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Phillip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars, Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Holocene - Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)

Rolling in the Deep - Adele Adkins, Paul Epworth songwriters (Adele)

Best Pop Vocal Album

21 -Adele

The Lady Killer - Cee Lo Green

Born This Way - Lady Gaga

Doo-Wops & Hooligans - Bruno Mars

Loud- Rihanna

Best Rock Album

Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul - Jeff Beck

Wasting Light - Foo Fighters

Come Around Sundown - Kings of Leon

I'm With You - Red Hot Chilli Peppers

The Whole Love - Wilco

Best Alternative Music Album

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Codes and Keys - Death Cab For Cutie

Torches - Foster The People

Circuital - My Morning Jacket

The King of Limbs - Radiohead

Best R&B Album

F.A.M.E. - Chris Brown

Second Chance - El DeBarge

Love Letter - R. Kelly

Pieces of Me - Ledisi

Kelly - Kelly Price

Best Rap Album

Watch The Throne - Jay-Z and Kanye West

Tha Carter IV - Lil Wayne

Lasers - Lupe Fiasco

Pink Friday - Nicki Minaj

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West

Best Country Album

My Kinda Party - Jason Aldean

Chief - Eric Church

Own The Night - Lady Antebellum

Red River Blue - Blake Shelton

Here For a Good Time - George Strait

Speak Now - Taylor Swift

(List of nominees from Reuters)