Jackson up for posthumous awards

Jackson has won 20 American Music Awards as a solo artist

Singer Michael Jackson has been posthumously nominated for five American Music Awards (AMAs), including artist of the year.

The pop star is lined up against Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift and rapper Eminem in the key category.

Jackson, who died in June, is also in the running for favourite male artist, but country singer Swift came ahead of him with a total of six nominations.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles on 22 November.

Career honours

The event will be televised on America's ABC network.

The awards will be determined by an online vote by fans, while the nominees were selected through a measurement combining sales and radio airplay.

Jackson remains the solo artist who has amassed the most AMAs - 20 to date, including an award for artist of the century.

In 1983, he won eight gongs at a single ceremony in the wake of his Thriller album, a feat equalled by Whitney Houston a decade later.

One of the singer's more recent accolades came in 2001 when he was inducted as a solo artist into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

His other career honours include 13 Grammy awards.

Fellow nominees the Black Eyed Peas, along with Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lopez, are expected to perform at the ceremony next month.