The Grammy Nominees

An unprecedented 25 acts were nominated for a Grammy in at least three categories apiece this year, including rappers Eminem, Nelly and Dr. Dre; R&B acts Destiny's Child, Macy Gray and D'Angelo; pop superstars 'N Sync and Madonna; country stars Vince Gill and Faith Hill; and veteran rockers Don Henley, U2 and Steely Dan.

The nominees for the 43rd annual Grammy Awards, to be awarded Feb. 21 in Los Angeles, were announced yesterday in Beverly Hills.

White rappers, black rappers, mall rats, filthy-rich Boomers and the fading fast: That's America, all right. Throw in the late senior citizen Frank Sinatra, nominated with Celine Dion for their duet on "All the Way," and lesbian mom Melissa Etheridge and you have a fairly accurate cross section of the national census.

After last year's virtual Santana sweep, this year is a return to earth for Northern California nominees. Several local nominees are hard rockers, including new-metal confederates Papa Roach (best new artist) and Deftones (metal performance). Guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani and that Grammy fixture Metallica will go head to head in the rock instrumental performance category.

Angst-metal upstart Papa Roach was nominated in the new artist category alongside R&B acts Jill Scott and Sisqo and country singers Brad Paisley and Shelby Lynne. Mendocino's Bill Bottrell was nominated for producer of the year for his work on Lynne's album "I Am Shelby Lynne."

East Bay R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl was tapped, in the category of R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, for "Dance Tonight."

Record of the year nominations lean toward slick pop and R&B: Destiny's Child's "Say My Name," Macy Gray's "I Try," Madonna's "Music," 'N Sync's "Bye Bye Bye" and U2's "Beautiful Day."

The album of the year contestants define a clear pop generation gap, pitting Eminem, Beck and Radiohead against Paul Simon and Steely Dan.

Straddling that gap is Metallica, nominated this year for its performance of "The Call of the Ktulu" with Michael Kamen conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

In the classical field, Berkeley Symphony Orchestra music director Kent Nagano was nominated for a recording of Busoni's "DoktorFaust" with the Orchestra de L'Opera National de Lyon.

The Oakland jazz club Yoshi's finds itself among the nominees for Dee Dee Bridgewater's "Live at Yoshi's" album, nominated in the jazz vocal album category.

The Grammys are always good for a conundrum or two. Among this year's oddball choices: Paul McCartney's "Liverpool Sound Collage," chosen in the best alternative music album category alongside records by Radiohead, the Cure, Beck and Fiona Apple.

THE NOMINEES FOR THE 43RD ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS

The complete list of nominees in 100 categories announced yesterday for the 43rd annual Grammys, to be presented Feb. 21 in Los Angeles:

RECORD OF THE YEAR: "Say My Name," Destiny's Child; "I Try," Macy Gray; "Music," Madonna; "Bye Bye Bye," 'N Sync; "Beautiful Day," U2.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: "Midnite Vultures," Beck; "The Marshall Mathers LP," Eminem; 3. "Kid A," Radiohead; "You're the One," Paul Simon; "Two Against Nature," Steely Dan.

SONG OF THE YEAR: "Beautiful Day," U2 (U2); "Breathe," Stephanie Bentley and Holly Lamar (Faith Hill); "I Hope You Dance," Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sellers (Lee Ann Womack); "I Try," Macy Gray, Jinsoo Lim, Jeremy Ruzuma and David Wilder (Macy Gray); "Say My Name," LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney Jerkins, Beyonce Knowles, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson and Kelendria Rowland (Destiny's Child).

NEW ARTIST: Shelby Lynne; Brad Paisley; Papa Roach; Jill Scott; Sisqo.

FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "What a Girl Wants," Christina Aguilera; "I Try," Macy Gray; "Music," Madonna; "Save Me," Aimee Mann; "Both Sides Now," Joni Mitchell; "Oops! . . . I Did It Again," Britney Spears.

MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "You Sang to Me," Marc Anthony; "Taking You Home," Don Henley; "She Bangs," Ricky Martin; "4, 6, 8, 12," Brian McKnight; "She Walks This Earth (Soberana Rosa)," Sting.

POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL: "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," Backstreet Boys; "Pinch Me," Barenaked Ladies; "Breathless," the Corrs; "Bye Bye Bye," 'N Sync; "Cousin Dupree," Steely Dan.

POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS: "Thank God I Found You," Mariah Carey Featuring Joe and 98 Degrees; "The Difficult Kind," Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan; "All the Way," Celine Dion (and Frank Sinatra); "Turn Your Lights Down Low," Lauryn Hill (and Bob Marley); "Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (My Baby)," B.B. King and Dr. John.

POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE: "Overture (Selmasongs)," Bjork; "Rebel Heart," the Corrs; "Zona Mona," Bela Fleck and the Flecktones; "Caravan," the Brian Setzer Orchestra; "Camaleao," Grover Washington Jr.

DANCE RECORDING: "Who Let the Dogs Out," Baha Men; "Blue (Da Ba Dee)," Eiffel 65; "Be With You," Enrique Iglesias; "Let's Get Loud," Jennifer Lopez; "Natural Blues," Moby.

POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM: "Audio," Blue Man Group; "Faith -- A Holiday Album," Kenny G; "Symphony No. 1," Joe Jackson; "Pieces in a Modern Style," William Orbit; "Hymns -- In the Garden," Kirk Whalum.

POP VOCAL ALBUM: "Inside Job," Don Henley; "Music," Madonna; "No Strings Attached," 'N Sync; "Oops! . . . I Did It Again," Britney Spears; "Two Against Nature," Steely Dan.

TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM: "As Time Goes By," Bryan Ferry; "It's Like This," Rickie Lee Jones; "Songs From the Last Century," George Michael; "Both Sides Now," Joni Mitchell; "Timeless -- Live in Concert," Barbra Streisand.

FEMALE ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "Paper Bag," Fiona Apple; "There Goes the Neighborhood," Sheryl Crow; "Enough of Me," Melissa Etheridge; "So Pure," Alanis Morissette; "Glitter in Their Eyes," Patti Smith.

MALE ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "Thursday's Child," David Bowie; "Things Have Changed," Bob Dylan; "Workin' It," Don Henley; "Again," Lenny Kravitz; "Into the Void," Nine Inch Nails.

ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL: "It's My Life," Bon Jovi; "With Arms Wide Open," Creed; "Learn to Fly," Foo Fighters; "Californication," Red Hot Chili Peppers; "Beautiful Day," U2.

HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE: "American Bad Ass," Kid Rock; "Take a Look Around (Theme from "M:I-2")," Limp Bizkit; "Grievance," Pearl Jam; "Guerrilla Radio," Rage Against the Machine; "Down," Stone Temple Pilots.

METAL PERFORMANCE: "Elite," Deftones; "The Wicker Man," Iron Maiden; "Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes," Marilyn Manson; "Revolution Is My Name," Pantera; "Wait and Bleed," Slipknot.

ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE: "Off the Hook," Peter Frampton; "The Call of Ktulu," Metallica with Michael Kamen conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; "First Tube," Phish; "Until We Say Goodbye," Joe Satriani; "Electric Lullaby," Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band.

ROCK SONG: "Again," Lenny Kravitz (Lenny Kravitz); "Bent," Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty); "Californication," Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers); "Kryptonite," Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell and Matt Roberts (3 Doors Down); "With Arms Wide Open," Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti (Creed).

ROCK ALBUM: "Crush," Bon Jovi; "There Is Nothing Left to Lose," Foo Fighters; "Mad Season," Matchbox Twenty; "Return of Saturn," No Doubt; "The Battle of Los Angeles," Rage Against the Machine.

ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM: "When the Pawn," Fiona Apple; "Midnite Vultures," Beck; "Bloodflowers," The Cure; "Liverpool Sound Collage," Paul McCartney; "Kid A," Radiohead.

FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "Try Again," Aaliyah; "Bag Lady," Erykah Badu; "He Wasn't Man Enough," Toni Braxton; "As We Lay," Kelly Price; "Gettin' in the Way," Jill Scott.

MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," D'Angelo; "I Wanna Know," Joe; "I Wish," R. Kelly; "Stay or Let It Go," Brian McKnight; "Thong Song," Sisqo.

R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL: "Pass You By," Boyz II Men; "Say My Name," Destiny's Child; "911," Wyclef Jean featuring Mary J. Blige; "Dance Tonight," Lucy Pearl; "Coming Back Home," featuring Brian McKnight and Joe.

R&B SONG: "Bag Lady," Erykah Badu (Erykah Badu); "He Wasn't Man Enough," LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney Jerkins and Harvey Mason Jr. (Toni Braxton); "Say My Name," LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney Jerkins, Beyonce Knowles, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson and Kelendria Rowland (Destiny's Child); "Thong Song," Mark Andrews, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson (Sisqo); "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," D'Angelo and Raphael Saadiq (D'Angelo).

R&B ALBUM: "Nathan/Michael/Shawn/Wanya," Boyz II Men; "The Heat," Toni Braxton; "Voodoo," D'Angelo; "My Name Is Joe," Joe; "Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1," Jill Scott; "Unleash the Dragon," Sisqo.

RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE: "The Light," Common; "Party Up," DMX; "The Real Slim Shady," Eminem; "Shake Ya Ass," Mystikal; "Country Grammar," Nelly.

RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP: "Alive," Beastie Boys; "Oooh," De La Soul featuring Redman; "Forgot About Dre," Dr. Dre featuring Eminem; "The Next Episode," Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg; "Big Pimpin'," Jay-Z featuring UGK.

RAP ALBUM: ". . . And Then There Was X," DMX; "Dr. Dre -- 2001," Dr. Dre; "The Marshall Mathers LP," Eminem; "Vol. 3 . . . Life and Times of S. Carter," Jay-Z; "Country Grammar," Nelly.

FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "Breathe," Faith Hill; "That's the Way," Jo Dee Messina; "Travelin' Prayer," Dolly Parton; "I Hope You Dance," Lee Ann Womack; "Real Live Woman," Trisha Yearwood.

MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE: "Solitary Man," Johnny Cash; "Feels Like Love," Vince Gill; "One Voice," Billy Gilman; "My Best Friend," Tim McGraw; "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere," Dwight Yoakam.

COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL: "Twentieth Century," Alabama; "Cherokee Maiden," Asleep at the Wheel; "You'll Always Be Loved by Me," Brooks & Dunn; "Woody's Roundup," Riders in the Sky; "Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend," the Wilkinsons.

COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS: "Strong Enough," Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks; "When I Look Into Your Heart," Vince Gill and Amy Grant; "Let's Make Love," Faith Hill and Tim McGraw; "Walk Softly," Ricky Skaggs and the Dixie Chicks; "Murder on Music Row," George Strait and Alan Jackson.

COUNTRY INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE: "Leaving Cottondale," Alison Brown with Bela Fleck; "Ode to a Butterfly," Nickel Creek; "The Second Mouse," Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott; "Rollercoaster," Keith Urban; "Bloodlines," Steve Wariner and Ryan Wariner.

COUNTRY SONG: "Breathe," Stephanie Bentley and Holly Lamar (Faith Hill); "Feels Like Love," Vince Gill (Vince Gill); "I Hope You Dance," Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers (Lee Ann Womack); "One Voice," Don Cook and David Malloy (Billy Gilman); "The Way You Love Me," Michael Delaney and Keith Follese (Faith Hill).

COUNTRY ALBUM: "Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye," Vince Gill; "Breathe," Faith Hill; "Under the Influence," Alan Jackson; "I Hope You Dance," Lee Ann Womack; "Real Live Woman," Trisha Yearwood.