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Dec. 8--Mary J. Blige's album lived up to its name yesterday, as "The Breakthrough" landed the Yonkers native a leading eight nominations in the 49th annual Grammy Awards.
Though Blige has been a major force in music since her 1992 debut, The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has only managed three Grammys and none in the major categories. This year, however, her blockbuster hit "Be Without You" is up for record and song of the year, as well as best R&B song, best female R&B vocal performance and best remixed recording.
"That's a beautiful thing -- that I'm still going," Blige told The Associated Press. "'The Breakthrough' is about triumph, about not being a victim, but being a victor."
The Grammy nominations reflected the banner year 2006 has been for veteran artists. Rockers The Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have only two Grammys in their 23-year history, also took a major leap forward, as the ambitious "Stadium Arcadium" double album received six nominations, including album of the year. Prince also scored a comeback of sorts, getting five nominations for his "3121" album.
The Dixie Chicks, who rebounded from being banned from country radio after controversial comments made about President George W. Bush, also received five nods and were the only artists to be nominated in all of the top three categories. The trio's "Not Ready to Make Nice" will compete in the record and song of the year categories, while its "Taking the Long Way" is up for album of the year against "Stadium Arcadium," Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere," Justin Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds" and "Continuum" from John Mayer.
Mayer was another five-time nominee, along with singer-songwriter James Blunt, Black Eyed Pea will.i.am, composer John Williams and producer Rick Rubin -- the Long Beach native behind Grammy-nominated albums from the Chili Peppers, Dixie Chicks and Johnny Cash.
Blunt, the former military man who will compete for best new artist and record and song of the year with "You're Beautiful," is part of a mini British invasion this year, along with newcomer Corinne Bailey Rae, who will face off against Blunt in all three of those categories with her hit "Put Your Records On," best new artist nominee Imogen Heap and first-time nominees Natasha Bedingfield and K.T. Tunstall. Taking on the Brits in the best new artist category will be R&B singer Chris Brown and "American Idol" winner-turned-country-superstar Carrie Underwood.
Among the year's surprises were the snubs for the critically acclaimed album from Bruce Springsteen, whose "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" only received one nomination, for best traditional folk album, and for Rascal Flatts, whose "Me and My Gang" album holds the year's biggest opening sales week, but landed only two nominations, for best country song and for best country performance by a duo or group. Another head-scratcher is Timbaland, responsible for some of the year's biggest hits from Timberlake, Nelly Furtado and others, being shut out of the producer of the year category.
The Grammys are set to be handed out on Feb. 11 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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