Coldplay battle Duffy for Brit awards

COLDPLAY and Duffy led the way at the Brit Awards nominations with four nods apiece.

The recognition caps a remarkable debut year for the Welsh singer-songwriter, whose Rockferry album was the bestseller of 2008.

Duffy was nominated for best album, best single for chart-topper Mercy, best female solo artist and best breakthrough act.

Fresh from leading a British invasion of the Grammys, where they bagged seven nominations, Coldplay will go head to head with Duffy at the Brits for best album for Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends and best single.

They are also up for best live act and will do battle for best group with Girls Aloud, Radiohead, Take That and long-time indie underdogs Elbow.

Radiohead’s In Rainbows and The Ting Tings’ We Started Nothing complete the nominations for best album, while the Verve, newcomers Scouting for Girls and Iron Maiden are all up for best live act.

The Pet Shop Boys will claim the Outstanding Contribution to Music award, while Florence & the Machine were named Critics’ Choice.

Music fans can vote for their favourites from the shortlists.

The best British single will be finally decided on awards night by a live telephone vote.

Reality TV acts fared well at the nominations, with four nods in the best single category: Alexander Burke with her cover of Hallelujah, Girls Aloud with The Promise, Leona Lewis with Better In Time and The X Factor finalists with Hero.