Rapper Kanye West gets 'scary' 10 Grammy nods

LOS ANGELES - Chicago rapper Kanye West, who survived a near-fatal car crash to record a debut album that ranked among the year's biggest sellers, led the field of Grammy Award contenders with 10 nominations, organizers said on Tuesday.

R&B singers Alicia Keys and Usher picked up eight nominations each, followed by late "Genius of Soul" Ray Charles with seven, and punk rock band Green Day with six.

Jazz pianist Norah Jones, country veteran Loretta Lynn, funk musician Prince and engineer Al Schmitt each earned five.

"If I get any nominations, I'm good," West told Reuters after a press conference where the nominations were announced. "But 10 is like overwhelming. I won't even lie. It's really just as much scary as it makes you happy."

West, already a successful producer for the likes of rapper Jay-Z, began recording his first album in 2001. But work was halted in October 2002 when he was involved in a car crash.

Although his jaw was wired shut, he returned to record the track "Through the Wire," which related his experience.

His debut album, "The College Dropout," a soulful mix of hip-hop and gangsta rap, has sold over 2.5 million copies in the United States, making it the year's fifth-biggest seller.

It will compete for the coveted album of the year Grammy with Charles' posthumous duets album "Genius Loves Company," Green Day's "American Idiot," Keys' "The Diary of Alicia Keys" and Usher's "Confessions.

There were few surprises among the main categories, although Irish rock band U2's new single "Vertigo" failed to make the key song and record of the year categories. The song landed three nominations in the rock and video categories.

Although the Grammys honor excellence rather than success, most of the leading nominees have in fact sold millions. Usher's "Confessions" was the biggest seller in the United States this year with sales to date of 7 million copies.

The presence of relative newcomers like West, country singer Gretchen Wilson and rock bands Los Lonely Boys and Hoobastank in the main categories will help allay criticism that Grammy voters tend to favor safe and proven acts.

"You've got a whole group of new, up-and-coming artists -- the next generation in many genres, whether it's country, rap. pop, R&B. But you've got the tried and trues," said Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, which hands out the Grammys.

West was also cited in the leading key categories of song of the year for "Jesus Walks," in which he implores God to show him the way amid the carnage of inner-city living, and for best new artist. Half of his 10 nominations were in the rap field, and he will compete against himself with two songs in the best rap/sung collaboration category.

The other best new artist nominees included Los Lonely Boys, Wilson, pop band Maroon5, and young English soul singer Joss Stone. Wilson took three nominations in the country category, with two for her hit single, "Redneck Woman."

"I feel like my voice is being heard and that's really all that a singer and a songwriter wants is to make sense to people, and for people to find some sort of empowerment in music," Wilson told Reuters.

The other songs nominated for song of the year, a prize for songwriters, were singer/songwriter John Mayer's "Daughters," Keys' "If I Ain't Got You," country singer Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" and Hoobastank's "The Reason."

Record of the year nominees were funk band Black Eyed Peas with "Let's Get It Started," Charles and Jones with the duet "Here We Go Again," Green Day with "American Idiot," Los Lonely Boys' "Heaven" and Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris with their former US chart-topper "Yeah!"

Winners of the 47th annual Grammy Awards will be announced on Feb. 13 during ceremonies at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.