Nominees for the 43rd Grammy Awards - SOUNDS FAMILIAR by Baby Gil

Although it is considered the biggest annual event for the American music industry, you can bet that there will be several nominees and perhaps just a many winners absent when the 43rd Grammy Awards unfolds on Feb.21. Not expected to attend are nominees and awardees John Lennon of the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Jamaican Bob Marley, Ella Fitzgerald, Latin jazz icon Tito Fuente, Sammy Davis, Jr., Keith Moon of the Who, saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., soul singer Johnnie Taylor and Mike Love and Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys.

While it is unfortunate that these great names will not be around to accept their trophies, lots of hot, live bodies will definitely be around for the ceremonies that will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. And there will surely be lots of pop music icons for everybody to admire. From Joni Mitchell of the ’60s to Britney Spears. From Paul Simon to Eminem. From Don Henley of the Eagles to Ricky Martin. Even sports figure Oscar de la Joya has been invited and he might just add a Grammy to his boxing mementos.

Here now are the nominees:

Record of the Year: Say My Name by Destiny’s Child; I Try by Macy Gray; Music by Madonna; Bye Bye Bye by ’N Sync; Beautiful Day by U2;

Album of the Year: Midnight Vultures by Beck; The Marshall Mathers LP by Eminem; Kid A by Radiohead; You’re the One by Paul Simon; Two Against Nature by Steely Dan;

Song of the Year; Beautiful Day by U2; Breathe by Faith Hill; I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack; I Try by Macy Gray; Say My Name by Destiny’s Child.

New Artist: Shelby Lynne; Brad Paisley; Papa Roach; Jill Scott; Sisqo.

Pop Female Vocal: Christina Aguilera What a Girl Wants; Macy Gray I Try; Madonna Music; Aimee Mann Save Me; Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now; Britney Spears Oops... I Did It Again

Pop Male Vocal: Marc Anthony You Sang to Me; Don Henley Taking You Home; Ricky Martin She Bangs; Brian McKnight 6, 8, 12; Sting She Walks This Earth (Soberana Rosa).

Pop Duo or Group Vocal: Backstreet Boys Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely; Barenaked Ladies Pinch Me; The Corrs Breathless; ’N Sync Bye Bye Bye; Steely Dan Cousin Dupree.

Pop Collaboration Vocal: Mariah Carey Feat. Joe & 98 Degrees Thank God I Found You; Sheryl Crow & Sarah McLachlan The Difficult Kind; Celine Dion & Frank Sinatra All the Way; Lauryn Hill & Bob Marley Turn Your Lights Down Low; B.B. King & Dr. John Is You Is, Or Is You Ain’t (My Baby).

Pop Instrumental: Bjork Overture (Selmasongs); The Corrs Rebel Heart; Bela Fleck & The Flecktones Zona Mona; The Brian Setzer Orchestra Caravan; Grover Washington, Jr. Camaleao.

Dance: Who Let the Dogs Out by Baha Men; Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65; Be with You by Enrique Iglesias; Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez; Natural Blues by Moby.

Pop Vocal Album: Inside Job by Don Henley; Music by Madonna; No Strings Attached by ’N Sync; Oops... I Did It Again by Britney Spears; Two Against Nature by Steely Dan.

Pop Instrumental Album: Audio by Blue Man Group; Faith, A Holiday Album by Kenny G.; Symphony No. 1 by Joe Jackson; Pieces in a Modern Style by William Orbit; Hymns in the Garden by Kirk Whalum.

Traditional Pop Vocal Album: As Time Goes By by Brian Ferry; It’s Like This by Rickie Lee Jones; Songs from the Last Century by George Michael; Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell; Timeless Live in Concert by Barbra Streisand.

Rock Vocal Female: Fiona Apple Paper Bag; Sheryl Crow There Goes the Neighborhood; Melissa Etheridge Enough of Me; Alanis Morissette So Pure; Patti Smith Glitter in their Eyes.

Rock Vocal Male: David Bowie Thursday’s Child; Bob Dylan Things Have Changed; Don Henley Workin’ It; Lenny Kravitz Again; Nine Inch Nails Into the Void.

Rock Vocal Duo or Group: Bon Jovi It’s My Life; Creed With Arms Wide Open; Foo Fighters Learn to Fly; Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication; U2 Beautiful Day.

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