Rock News: Music's high and low notes

AMA NOMINATIONS

Newcomer Alicia Keys led the field with five nominations for the 29th annual American Music Awards, to be handed out in Los Angeles in January.

Several artists -- including Janet Jackson, 'N Sync, Lonestar and the late Aaliyah -- received two nominations each. The nominations were announced Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Keys' debut album, "Songs in A Minor," was nominated for favorite soul/rhythm & blues album. She was nominated for favorite female pop/rock artist, favorite soul/rhythm & blues artist and favorite new artist in both pop and soul/rhythm & blues categories.

The other nominees for favorite female pop-rock artist are Janet Jackson and Jennifer Lopez. Jackson's album, "All for You," is up for favorite soul/rhythm & blues album.

'N Sync and Dave Matthews Band were both nominated for favorite band, duo or group, along with U2. 'N Sync's "Celebrity" and Dave Matthews Band's "Everyday" were nominated for favorite pop/rock album, along with "Survivor," by Destiny's Child.

Destiny's Child was nominated for favorite soul/rhythm & blues band, duo or group, along with The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley, a.k.a. Mr. Biggs, and Jagged Edge.

Aaliyah, who was killed in a plane crash in August, was nominated for favorite female soul/rhythm & blues artist. Her album, "Aaliyah," is up for favorite soul/rhythm & blues album.

Lenny Kravitz, R. Kelly and Shaggy are nominated for favorite male pop/rock artist.

In addition to Keys, the nominees for favorite new pop/rock artist are Nelly Furtado and Lifehouse. The other nominees for favorite new soul/rhythm & blues artist are Blu Cantrell and Musiq Soulchild.

The nominees for favorite male soul/rhythm & blues artist are Ginuwine, R. Kelly and Luther Vandross.

The 29th American Music Awards will be presented Jan. 9, 2002, at the Shrine Auditorium in ceremonies that'll air on ABC-TV. Winners are determined by the public in a national poll conducted by the National Family Opinion, Inc. firm under the supervision of Broadcast Research and Consulting, Inc.

The nominees:

-- Pop/Rock:

Favorite Male Artist: Lenny Kravitz, R. Kelly, Shaggy

Favorite Female Artist: Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Dave Matthews Band, 'N Sync, U2

Favorite Album: "Everyday" (Dave Matthews Band), "Survivor" (Destiny's Child), "Celebrity" ('N Sync)

Favorite New Artist: Nelly Furtado, Alicia Keys, and Lifehouse

-- Soul Rhythm & Blues:

Favorite Male Artist: Ginuwine, R. Kelly, Luther Vandross

Favorite Female Artist: Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Destiny's Child, The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley, a.k.a. Mr. Biggs, Jagged Edge

Favorite Album: "Aaliyah" (Aaliyah), "All For You" (Janet Jackson), "Songs In A Minor" (Alicia Keys)

Favorite New Artist: Blu Cantrell, Alicia Keys, Musiq Soulchild

-- Country:

Favorite Male Artist: Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Travis Tritt

Favorite Female Artist: Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, SHeDAISY

Favorite Album: "Steers & Stripes" (Brooks & Dunn), "I'm Already There" (Lonestar), "Set This Circus Down" (Tim McGraw)

Favorite New Artist: Jamie O'Neal, Blake Shelton, Trick Pony

-- Adult Contemporary

Favorite Artist: Enya, LeAnn Rimes, Sade

-- Latin Music

Favorite Artist: Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Jaci Velasquez

-- Rap/Hip Hop

Favorite Artist: Nelly, Ja Rule, Shaggy

-- Alternative Music

Favorite Artist: Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Staind

-- Contemporary Inspirational

Favorite Artist: Yolanda Adams, Steven Curtis Chapman, Donnie McClurkin

-- Favorite Soundtrack: "American Pie 2," "Moulin Rouge," "Save The Last Dance"

-- New Music Award: Carbon Leaf (Richmond, Va.), Live Honey (New York), Yo, Flaco! (Denver)

-- Award of Merit (for outstanding contributions to the musical entertainment of the American public): To be announced.

(Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason)

'N SYNC

'N Sync will tape its Thanksgiving television special at the Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas this Friday.

The entertainment special -- which is scheduled to air on CBS-TV on Nov. 23 (at 10 p.m. ET) --- will also feature country singer Tim McGraw.

CREED

Creed will help the Salvation Army kick off its annual Red Kettle Campaign with a nationally televised performance during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day half-time show.

Creed will entertain Thanksgiving Day fans at Texas Stadium and those watching at home by performing a medley of songs, including the band's new single, "My Sacrifice."

"The Salvation Army does so much to help those in need, and has been such an important part of the relief efforts since Sept. 11, that it is a real honor to perform for America on Thanksgiving Day," said Creed's lead singer Scott Stapp. "We're going to put on a great show and hopefully remind people how important it is to continue to help their fellow Americans."

The National Kettle Kick-off signifies the beginning of the holiday season, one where people across the country will be encouraged to fill the more than 20,000 Salvation Army red kettles that will be on display beginning Nov. 23. All donations made to The Salvation Army's red kettles remain local, and go to support programs that serve people in that community.

NATALIE IMBRUGLIA

Australian pop singer Natalie Imbruglia's latest album is the first general-release music compact disc to have copy protection built in.

But at least one watchdog group says the system will serve only to annoy honest consumers. The disc, "White Lilies Island," has coding by Israeli company Midbar Tech that corrupts the table of contents and music tracks. Most regular CD players have technology to correct the errors, but CD drives in desktop computers cannot and they will not play the songs.

The system is aimed at stopping the proliferation of MP3 versions of the disc, which can be traded easily over the Internet. Britain's Campaign for Digital Rights told the BBC that it found the disc also won't play in the Sony Playstation 2, some DVD players and some CD players that are more than five years old. "All they are doing is annoying a lot of people who cannot do with it what they want to do, which is just listen to it," said Julian Midgley, a spokesman for the group.

(Thanks to UPI's Joe Warminsky in Washington)