Kanye West - West, Adele & Mars Will Lead The Way At 2012 Grammy Awards

The Stronger rapper leads the way with seven nods - his star-studded collaboration All of the Lights is up for Song of the Year and Best Rap Song, while he also earns a nod in the latter category for his Jay Z duet Otis. The hip-hop stars' Watch The Throne album will also go head-to-head with West's solo disc, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy for Best Rap Album.

Adele is in the running for six honours and her critically-acclaimed project 21 will fight for the prestigious titles of Record of the Year and Album of the Year, while Rolling in the Deep will compete for Song of the Year.

Rockers Foo Fighters and R&B singer Mars are also six-time nominees, while Lil Wayne, dubstep DJ Skrillex and Lady Gaga earned multiple mentions too.

The contenders for the 2012 ceremony were announced on Wednesday (30Nov11) during the specially-televised Grammy Nominations Concert Live, which was hosted by LL Cool J from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

Performance highlights from the Grammy Nominations Concert Live came from R&B star Usher, who remembered late songwriters Nickolas Ashford and Jerry Leiber with a medley of their hits, while Common, Lupe Fiasco and LL Cool J hit the stage to pay tribute to rap icon Grandmaster Flash with a rousing rendition of hip-hop anthem The Message with the legend himself and his longtime collaborator Melle Mel to mark the recording's recent addition to the 2012 Grammy Hall of Fame.

There were also two unlikely country collaborations - Jason Aldean and rapper Ludacris teamed up for the singer's track Dirt Road Anthem, and Lady Gaga, who opened the event wearing skeletal face paint to sing Marry The Night, was joined by Sugarland to close the show with the pop superstar's hit single You and I.

The 54th annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on 12 February (12).

The main list of nominees is as follows:

Record of the Year:

Adele - Rolling in the Deep

Bon Iver - Holocene

Bruno Mars - Grenade

Mumford & Sons - The Cave

Katy Perry - Firework

Song Of The Year:

Kanye West - All of the Lights

Mumford & Sons - The Cave

Bruno Mars - Grenade

Bon Iver - Holocene

Adele - Rolling in the Deep

Best New Artist:

The Band Perry

Bon Iver

J. Cole

Nicki Minaj

Skrillex

Album Of The Year:

Adele - 21

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Rihanna - Loud

Best Pop Solo Performance:

Adele - Someone Like You

Lady Gaga - You And I

Bruno Mars - Grenade

Katy Perry - Firework

Pink - F**kin' Perfect

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:

Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse - Body and Soul

The Black Keys - Dearest

Coldplay - Paradise

Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks

Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger

Best Pop Vocal Album:

Adele - 21

Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Rihanna - Loud

Best Rock Song:

Mumford & Sons - The Cave

The King Is Dead - Down By The Water

Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

The King of Limbs - Lotus Flower

Foo Fighters - Walk

Best Rock Album:

Jeff Beck - Rock 'n' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

Wilco - The Whole Love

Best R&B Song:

Marsha Ambrosius - Far Away

Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona - Fool For You

Kelly Price & Stokley - Not My Daddy

Ledisi - Pieces of Me

Charlie Wilson - You Are

Best R&B Album:

Chris Brown - F.A.M.E.

El DeBarge - Second Chance

R. Kelly - Love Letter

Ledisi - Pieces of Me

Kelly Price - Kelly

Best Rap Song:

Kanye West - All of the Lights

Wiz Khalifa - Black and Yellow

Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey - I Need A Doctor

Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - Look At Me Now

Jay Z & Kanye West - Otis

Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Best Rap Album:

Jay Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Best Country Song:

Thompson Square - Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not

Blake Shelton - God Gave Me You

Trace Adkins - Just Fishin'

Taylor Swift - Mean

Vince Gill - Threaten Me With Heaven

Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter - You And Tequila

Best Country Album:

Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party

Eric Church - Chief

Lady Antebellum - Own The Night

Blake Shelton - Red River Blue

George Strait - Here For A Good Time

Taylor Swift - Speak Now.