BMI trendsetters Lil Wayne and Chris Brown each garnered three nods. Wayne’s chart-topping year resulted in Rap/Hip-Hop Music Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Album nominations, along with a slot in the multi-genre Artist of the Year list. Brown’s star has enjoyed a meteoric rise, reflected in his Pop/Rock Music Favorite Male Artist, Soul/Rhythm & Blues Music Favorite Male Artist, and overall Artist of the Year nods.

Pop/r&b siren Mariah Carey scored two nods including Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues album for E=MC2. Rihanna ties Carey’s two nominations, and will vie for the Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist award along with the Soul/Rhythm & Blues Favorite Female Artist crown. Kanye West also garnered two nods in the Rap/Hip-Hop category: one for Favorite Male Artist and one in the genre’s Favorite Album field. Daughtry received two nominations as well in the Pop/Rock Favorite Band, Duo or Group and Adult Contemporary Favorite Artist categories. Country titans Rascal Flatts also generated two nods in the Country sphere of the awards, garnering Favorite Band, Duo or Group and Favorite Album taps. Reigning country queen Carrie Underwood also earned two Country Music nominations: her album Carnival Ride will contend for Album of the Year while Underwood is on the short list for Favorite Female Artist.

Slated for Sunday, November 3 and broadcast live on ABC at 8 p.m. EST, the ceremony will be hosted by late night guru Jimmy Kimmel. For more information about the 2008 American Music Awards, click here.

2008 BMI American Music Award Nominees
 
POP/ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Chris Brown
Kid Rock
 
Favorite Female Artist
Mariah Carey
Rihanna
 
Favorite Band, Duo or Group
The Eagles
Daughtry
 
Favorite Album
Long Road Out of Eden by the Eagles
 
COUNTRY MUSIC
Favorite Female Artist
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
 
Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Brooks & Dunn
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
 
Favorite Album
Still Feels Good by Rascal Flatts
Carnival Ride by Carrie Underwood
 
RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Lil Wayne
Kanye West
 
Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Three 6 Mafia
Wu-Tang Clan
 
Favorite Album
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
Graduation by Kanye West
 
SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES MUSIC
Favorite Male Artist
Chris Brown
 
Favorite Female Artist
Rihanna
 
Favorite Album
E=MC2 by Mariah Carey
 
ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Foo Fighters
Linkin Park
 
ADULT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Daughtry
The Eagles
Jordin Sparks
 
LATIN MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Juanes
Wisin & Yandel
 
CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Favorite Artist
Casting Crowns
 
T-MOBILE BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Colbie Caillat
The Jonas Brothers
 
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lil Wayne
Chris Brown
The Eagles

Rodney Atkins nailed the capstone on his red-letter year by receiving six nominations, including Top Male Vocalist, Album and Song of the Year. One of the feel-good stories of 2007, Atkins saw his ACM-nominated project If You're Going Through Hell achieve platinum status. After toiling in Nashville for 10 years in relatively ambiguity, the universally loved honky tonker's hard-earned recognition and fan-driven success slapped smiles on faces all over Music Row.

Duos Big & Rich and Sugarland each scored four nods. Charismatic and eclectic, Big & Rich earned recognition in the prestigious Top Vocal Duo category and Single, Song and Video of the Year for the poignant ballad "Lost in this Moment." Big Kenny landed an additional two nominations for his producing credits. Sugarland underscored their staying power with a Top Vocal Duo nod as well; the pair's stirringly original tune "Stay" became one of the industry's buzz songs, earning nominations for Single Record, Song and Video of the Year. Member Kristian Bush also earned recognition for his production of the tune.

Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift snagged three nods each. Critical darling Lambert's nominations for Top Female Vocalist, Album and Single Record of the Year reflect both the growth of her audience and creativity. Country's favorite wunderkind Taylor Swift's nominations reflect the strength of her year: nods in both Top Female Vocalist and Top New Female Vocalist reiterate the breakout strength of her year.

BMI affiliates swept both the Top Vocal Duo and Top New Male Vocalist categories. Duo nominees include Brooks & Dunn, Halfway to Hazard and Montgomery Gentry; Luke Bryan, Jack Ingram and Jake Owen will vie for the Top New Male Vocalist prize.

Additional BMI nominees include Keith Urban for Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist; Rascal Flatts, also for Entertainer of the Year plus Top Vocal Group; Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood for Top Female Vocalist; Diamond Rio, the Eagles and Little Big Town for Top Vocal Group; Sarah Buxton for Top New Female Vocalist; Lady Antebellum and The Wreckers for Top New Duo Vocal Group; Gary Allan and his latest no. 1 single "Watching Airplanes" for Single Record of the Year; producers Tony Brown, Mark Wright, Nathan Chapman, Scott Borchetta, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank and Byron Gallimore; songwriters Rodney Clawson and Keith Anderson for co-penning Big & Rich's "Lost in this Moment"; as well as Tim McGraw, Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow in the Vocal Event of the Year category.

2008 BMI ACM Award Nominees

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Rascal Flatts
Keith Urban

TOP MALE VOCALIST
Rodney Atkins
Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

TOP VOCAL GROUP
Diamond Rio
Eagles
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

TOP VOCAL DUO
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Halfway To Hazard
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland

TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST
Luke Bryan
Jack Ingram
Jake Owen

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
Sarah Buxton
Taylor Swift

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
Lady Antebellum
The Wreckers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Miranda Lambert (Columbia)

If You're Going Through Hell
Rodney Atkins (Curb)
Co-produced by Rodney Atkins

Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift (Big Machine)
Produced by Scott Borchetta, Nathan Chapman

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Famous In A Small Town"
Miranda Lambert
Columbia

Lost In This Moment"
Big & Rich
Co-produced by Big Kenny
Warner Bros/WRN

"Stay"
Sugarland
Co-produced by Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore
Mercury

"Watching Airplanes"
Gary Allan
Co-produced by Gary Allan, Mark Wright
MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
"Don't Blink"
Co-written by Casey Beathard
Publishers: Lavender Zoo Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Acuff
Rose (BMI)

"Lost In This Moment"
Big & Rich
Co-written by Keith Anderson, Rodney Clawson
Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Writer's Extreme Music (BMI)

"Watching You"
Rodney Atkins
Co-written by Rodney Atkins, Steve Dean
Publishers: Bethar Music (BMI), Mike Curb Music (BMI)

"Stay"
Sugarland

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
"Lost In This Moment"
Big & Rich
Co-produced by Big Kenny

"Stay"
Sugarland
Producer: Kristian Bush, Byron Gallimore

"Watching You"
Rodney Atkins

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
"Because Of You"
Produced by Tony Brown
MCA Nashville

"Find Out Who Your Friends Are"
Featuring Tim McGraw

"What You Give Away"
Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow
Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank
MCA Nashville

Leona Lewis, 2006 X Factor winner, scored nods for British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough, which she’ll be vying for with Mika, who is up for British Single and British Male Solo Artist among others. Producer/DJ/artist, Mark Ronson received three nominations, including British Album, and British Single for “Valerie” featuring Amy Winehouse.

The Brit Awards also acknowledged a few stateside BMI songwriters in the international categories, including Kanye West (International Male Solo Artist) and Rihanna (International Female Artist). U.S. singer/songwriters up for two nods include the Eagles, the Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon vying for awards in the International Group and International Album categories.

Additional BMI 2008 Brit Award nominees include KT Tunstall, Editors, Klaxon, Newton Faulkner, Sugababes, James Blunt, and Mutya Buena.

Established in 1977, the Brit Awards is a charity event that donates all proceeds to the British Record Industry Trust, better known as the Brit Trust, an organization that encourages the exploration and pursuit of the educational, cultural and therapeutic benefits of music.

BMI 2008 Brit Award nominees:

Leona Lewis
British Female Solo Artist
British Breakthrough
British Single
British Album

Mika
British Male solo Artist
British Breakthrough
British Single
British Album

KT Tunstall
British Female Solo Artist

Editors
British Group

Klaxons
British Breakthrough
British Live Act

Mark Ronson
British male solo artist
British single (featuring Amy Winehouse)
British Album

Newton Faulkner
British Male Solo Artist

Sugababes
British Single

James Blunt
British single

Mutya Buena
British single

Kanye West
International Male Solo Artist

Rihanna
International Female Solo Artist

Eagles
International Group
International Album

Foo Fighters
International Group
International Album

Kings of Leon
International Group
International Album

Pictured at the Silver Clef Awards are BMI's Brandon Bakshi, Eagles' bassist Timothy B. Schmit, BMI's Tabitha Capaldi and Eagles' guitarist Joe Walsh.

The California-based quartet, whose hits include such timeless classics as "Hotel California," "Take It Easy," "Desperado" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling," received the Silver Clef's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other BMI honorees included Foo Fighters, who picked up the International Award.

The celebrity-packed luncheon also included a charity auction with prizes including a signed Pink Floyd Fender Stratocaster and a VIP trip to the Grammys in Los Angeles. Last year's auction raised more than £700,000 for Nordoff-Robbins.]]> 2006-06-20T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/4060 Distillers, The, Eagles, The, Queens of the Stone Age, Rock, On The Scene It seems that with each change of season, a member of Queens of the Stone Age is issuing a new album by one of their many side projects. 2004 saw the release of the debut full-length by the Eagles of Death Metal, Peace, Love Death Metal. The group’s chief contributors include QOTSA main man Josh Homme (who goes by the alias of Carlo Von Sexron, and handles drums, rather than his usual guitar/vocal duties) and Jesse Hughes (vocals, guitar). Both hail from Palm Desert, Calif., and have been friends since Hughes’ family moved to the aforementioned arid location in 1979. The pair bonded as teenagers while playing together on the same local soccer team, but went in separate career paths after graduation—Homme went on to form the underappreciated Kyuss before launching Queens of the Stone Age, while Hughes attended the University of South Carolina and became a journalist. Homme later re-entered the picture, and convinced his old friend (who was down in the dumps at the time over a divorce) to start jamming on music. The Eagles of Death Metal were formed soon after, as the group debuted with a few tracks on Volumes 3-4 of Homme’s ongoing Desert Sessions series in 1998.

Despite their misleading name, the group’s sound was more akin to classic garage rock, with some elements of the Rolling Stones added in for good measure. But the new group was put on the back burner while Homme got Queens of the Stone Age off the ground (interestingly enough, with another high school friend of both his and Hughes, bassist Nick Oliveri). When QOTSA quickly became one of the world’s most talked-about hard rock bands (due to such exceptional releases as 1998’s Queens of the Stone Age, 2000’s R, and 2002’s Songs for the Deaf), Homme sought to re-launch the Eagles of Death Metal as more than just a one-off project.

Reconvening in 2003, the duo recorded three-days worth of material (almost all of the songs being taped on the very first take). A buzz surrounding the group began amongst the QOTSA faithful when Homme wore an Eagles of Death Metal t-shirt throughout QOTSA’s Lollapalooza road jaunt that summer, while a sneak preview track, “I Only Want You,” was mysteriously leaked via mp3 among fans online. With QOTSA taking a breather, Homme and Hughes (with guitarist Timmy VanHamel in tow) then set out on the Eagles’ very first tour, as they opened up for Placebo during late November/early December. The group’s highly anticipated debut full-length, Peace, Love Death Metal finally surfaced in March of 2004 (after several proposed release dates came and went)—issued via Homme’s own Rekords Rekords label, and AntAcidAudio (a sister label of Ipecac Records, run by Mike Patton). The group’s first European tour followed shortly thereafter, opening for the Distillers. Additionally, Hughes supposedly recorded a solo album, Fabulous Weapons, a year before the recording of Peace, Love Death Metal. The recording was ultimately shelved, but as reported on the Eagles of Death Metal’s website, it may surface as a limited release.

Hughes and Homme reconvened in fall 2005 to make the second Eagles of Death Metal album; joined by Jack Black, Brody Dalle, Mark Lanegan and QOTSA’s Joey Castillo, they recorded Death by Sexy in eight days. After a brief U.K. tour late that year, the Eagles of Death Metal toured with the Strokes in spring 2006, leading up to Death by Sexy‘s release.

Greg Prato, All Music Guide