US rapper Lil' Wayne leads the nominations for next year's Grammy Awards with eight nods.

The rapper's nominations include Album of the Year and Rap Album for his multi-million selling LP 'Tha Carter III'.

Elsewhere, Coldplay have received seven nominations, while Kanye West, Jay-Z and US R&B star Ne-Yo are shortlisted for six awards.

In the prestigious Album of the Year category, Lil' Wayne, Coldplay and Ne-Yo will go up alongside Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's 'Raising Sand'.

Meanwhile, British acts look set to dominate the award for Record of the Year, with Coldplay, Leona Lewis, M.I.A, Adele and Plant all nominated.

Adele and fellow British star Duffy join the Jonas Brothers, Lady Antebellum and Jazmine Sullivan in the Best New Artist category, while Katy Perry has been nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

"I can't believe it, but this year I won't be watching the Grammys in my jammies!," Perry said.

The final general prize, Song of the Year, will be fought out between Kanye West and Estelle, Adele, Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles and Coldplay.

The 2009 Grammy nominations were announced last night during a live concert on US television which featured performances from Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion.

The winners will be unveiled at a ceremony in Los Angeles on February 8th.

(by Jason Gregory)