U2 lead Grammys race

U2 are hoping to add to last year's three awards

Veteran rock band U2 have emerged as favourites in the race for the Grammys 2002, after being nominated for eight awards.

The Irish group - who won three awards last year - will be up for some of the most prestigious prizes at February's ceremony, including record, album and song of the year.

Click here to see the main nominees

Soul singer India Arie was close behind with seven nominations, while R&B star Alicia Keys and classical conductor Pierre Boulez are up for six awards each.

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Arie, whose debut album Acoustic Soul was released last year, said she was thrilled by the nominations.

"I don't know what to do. My spirit is flying and I want to jump and shout," she said.

The nominations for the main prizes covered a wide range of musical styles, with no sign of last year's controversy when the awards were dominated by protests over the recognition of rapper Eminem.

U2's 10th album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, faces competition in the album of the year category from India Arie, Bob Dylan, OutKast and the bluegrass artists who appeared on the soundtrack to film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

U2 also have a chance to take the record of the year title for the second year in a row.

Their single Beautiful Day won in 2001, while Walk On is up against competition from India Arie, Alicia Keys, OutKast and Train this year.

Nelly Furtado is challenging for the title of best new artist

Another U2 tune, Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, is nominated in the song of the year category, alongside India Arie's Video, Fallin by Alicia Keys, Drops of Jupiter by Train and I'm Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado.

Country singer Alison Krauss, R&B vocalist Brian McKnight and hip-hop stars OutKast have five nominations each.

The artists with four nominations are T-Bone Burnett, Train, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, Lucinda Williams and Nelly Furtado.

Canadian pop singer Furtado is among those hoping to be named best new artists.

She faces competition from acoustic rocker David Gray and nu-metal band Linkin Park as well as Arie and Keys.

Lifetime achievements

The nominations for the prestigious awards were announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Friday.

The Grammys cover all genres of music in 100 categories.

The awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 27 February.

Count Basie, Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, Al Green and Joni Mitchell had already been named as recipients of lifetime achievement awards for 2002.

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Main categories:

Record of the Year
Video by India Arie
Fallin' by Alicia Keys
Ms. Jackson by OutKast
Drops of Jupiter by Train
Walk On by U2

Album of the Year
Love and Theft by Bob Dylan
Acoustic Soul by India Arie
Stankonia by OutKast
All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2
O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, various artists.

Song of the Year
Drops of Jupiter by Charlie Colin, Rob Hotchkiss, Pat Monahan, Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood
Fallin' by Alicia Keys
I'm Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of by U2 Video by India Arie
Six July by Broady and Shannon Sanders

New Artist
Nelly Furtado, David Gray, India.Arie, Alicia Keys, Linkin Park

Pop Vocal Album
Whoa, Nelly! by Nelly Furtado
All For You by Janet Jackson
Songs From the West Coast by Elton John
Celebrity by 'N Sync
Lovers Rock by Sade

Rock Album
Gold by Ryan Adams
Just Push Play by Aerosmith
Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea by PJ Harvey
Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park
All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2

Rap Album
Scorpion by Eve
Pain Is Love by Ja Rule
The Blueprint by Jay-Z
Back For the First Time by Ludacris
Stankonia by OutKast

Country Album
One More Day by Diamond Rio
Set This Circus Down by Tim McGraw
Rainbow Connection by Willie Nelson
Timeless - Hank Williams Tribute by various artists
Inside Out by Trisha Yearwood

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