Norah aims to best Boss with top album

VETERAN rocker Bruce Springsteen and two of pop music's bright young stars, Norah Jones and Avril Lavigne, led the nominations for the music industry's top prize, the Grammys, yesterday.

Other artists grabbing multiple nominations included rappers Eminem and Nelly, and singer Vanessa Carlton.

Springsteen's poignant album The Rising, in part inspired by the September 11 attacks on the US, was nominated for Album of the Year, along with chanteuse Jones's debut album, Come Away With Me, at a news conference in New York's Madison Square Garden.

Jones picked up four other nominations, including Record of the Year for her track Don't Know Why, Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and also the Best Pop Vocal Album. Springsteen also nabbed nominations for Song of the Year for the title track on The Rising, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, Best Rock Song (The Rising) and Best Rock Album. Singer/songwriter Lavigne also was nominated for Best New Artist, and in four other categories.

The Grammys will be presented on February 23 in New York, the first time since 1998 the award ceremony will take place in the city.

The awards, by The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, honour artists in 104 categories, ranging from pop, rock and soul to classical, spoken word and polka.