R&B packed a punch when nominees for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards were read Wednesday. Leading the pack with ten nominations, Beyonce snapped up three of music’s most coveted awards along with Maxwell and Trey Songz. On the strength of her celebrated 2008 effort “I Am… Sasha Fierce,” Beyonce not only dominated much of the R&B categories (including Best R&B Song and Best Contemporary R&B Album), the “Video Phone” singer earned nods for Song of the Year (“Singles Ladies”) and Album of the Year. Also up for Record of the Year, Beyonce (“Halo”) is joined by returning R&B balladeer Maxwell (“Pretty Wings”). Scoring a career best with six nominations, Maxwell ends up becoming this year’s top male R&B nominee, following in the footsteps of Usher, Al Green and Michael Jackson. In addition to his Record of the Year nod for the chart-topping hit “Pretty Wings,” Maxwell earned nominations for Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (“Love You”) and Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “Phoenix Rise”. In addition to Beyonce and Maxwell, “I Invented Sex” singer Trey Songz continues his Grammy-nominated streak, just one year after earning his first nod for “Can’t Help But Wait” with his 2009 effort”Ready” (Best Contemporary R&B Album). John Legend, Keri Hilson (Best New Artist/Best Rap Sung Collaboration), Musiq Soulchild, Kanye West, Jay Z, T-Pain, India.Arie, Jazmine Sullivan, Charlie Wilson, Anthony Hamilton, Lady Gaga, The Kings of Leon, Black Eyed Peas, Jamie Foxx, Pleasure P, Drake, Eminem, Kid Cudi, Fabolous, T.I., Common and Mos Def are also nominees (see list below). Gospel nominees include Mary Mary, Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard, Heather Headley and Smokie Norful (see Gospel nominees here). The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards are slated to air January 31, 2010 on CBS. Presenters and performers will be announced at a later. Check out our nominees list below, highlighting R&B and Hip Hop. For a complete list visit Grammy.com. Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) Beyoncé It Kills Me Melanie Fiona That Was Then Lalah Hathaway Goin’ Thru Changes Ledisi Lions, Tigers & Bears Jazmine Sullivan Best Male R&B Vocal Performance The Point Of It All Anthony Hamilton Pretty Wings Maxwell Sobeautiful Musiq Soulchild Under Pleasure P There Goes My Baby Charlie Wilson Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals Blame It Jamie Foxx & T-Pain Chocolate High India.Arie & Musiq Soulchild Ifuleave Musiq Soulchild & Mary J. Blige Higher Ground Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters Love Has Finally Come At Last Calvin Richardson & Ann Nesby Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance At Last Beyoncé Soul Music Anthony Hamilton Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight Boney James & Quinn Sow Love Ann Nesby Woman Gotta Have It Calvin Richardson Best Urban/Alternative Performance Daykeeper The Foreign Exchange All Matter Robert Glasper & Bilal Pearls India.Arie & Dobet Gnahore A Tale Of Two Eric Roberson, Ben O’Neill & Michelle Thompson Blend Tonex Best R&B Song Blame It Jamie Foxx Lions, Tigers & Bears Jazmine Sullivan Pretty Wings Maxwell Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) Beyonce Under Pleasure P Best R&B Album The Point Of It All Anthony Hamilton Testimony: Vol.2, Love & Politics India.Arie Turn Me Loose Ledisi Blacksummers’ Night Maxwell Uncle Charlie Charlie Wilson Best Contemporary R&B Album I Am… Sasha Fierce Beyonce Intuition Jamie Foxx The Introduction of Marcus Cooper Pleasure P Ready Trey Songz Thr33 Ringz T-Pain Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Ego Beyonce & Kanye West Knock You Down Keri Hilson, Kanye West and Ne-Yo Run This Town Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West I’m On A Boat The Lonely Island & T-Pain Dead And Gone T.I. & Justin Timberlake Best Rap Song Best I Ever Had Drake Day N’ Nite Kid Cudi Dead And Gone T.I. feat. Justin Timberlake D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) Jay-Z Run This Town Jay-Z (feat. Rihanna, Kanye West) Best Rap Album Universal Mind Control Common Relapse Eminem R.O.O.T.S. Flo Rida The Ecstatic Mos Def The Renaissance Q-Tip
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