Adele, who had the top selling album of 2011, was forced to stop performing after a polyp developed on her vocal cord. But with laser surgery, the singer returned to the stage Sunday night at the Grammy Awards sounding better than ever.

At just 23-years-old, Adele became an enormous success; but suddenly, the music died.

• 60 Minutes: “The year of Adele”

The British soul singer has sold 12 million copies of “21″ in the past year. But last October, she fell silent, canceling her tour and wondering if she would ever sing again.

She was suffering from vocal bleeding.

“That’s exactly what the problem often is in a singer,” said Dr. Stephen Zeitels, of Massachusetts General Hospital. “Unstable blood vessels will burst and when you have vocal bleeding you simply can’t perform.”

Adele entrusted her voice and her career to Dr. Zeitels, the director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center. He’s saved the voices of singers ranging from Cher to Lionel Richie, The Who’s Roger Daltry, and even Julie Andrews.

He’s fixed their vocal cords by using laser technology, enabling them to sing again in just a matter of weeks. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler is another of his success stories.

“It’s exactly the technology I used with Steven Tyler,” said Dr. Zeitels. “It’s exactly what I use to treat all cancers endoscopically. It’s a wonderful technology.”

The surgery technique used to treat Adele’s vocal cords can also be used to remove cancerous polyps.

Adele received a standing ovation after singing at the Grammy Awards show Sunday night and she walked away with four awards.

RELATED LINKS:
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(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Winners Announced During Broadcast:

Album Of The Year: 21 – Adele

Record Of The Year: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best New Artist: Bon Iver

Best Country Album: Own The Night – Lady Antebellum

Song Of The Year: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best R&B Album: F.A.M.E. – Chris Brown

Best Rock Performance: “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Rap Performance: “Otis” – Jay-Z/Kanye West

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Someone Like You” – Adele

Winners Announced Before Broadcast:

Best Pop Performance By Duo/Group: “Body and Soul” – Tony Bennett/Amy Winehouse

Best Pop Instrumental Album: The Road From Memphis – Booker T. Jones

Best Pop Vocal Album: 21 – Adele

Best Dance Recording: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Dance/Electronic Album: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Duets II – Tony Bennett

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance: “White Limo” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song: “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Album: Wasting Light – Foo Fighters

Best Alternative Music Album: Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Best R&B Performance: “Is This Love” – Corinne Bailey Rae

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “Fool For You” – Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo

Best R&B Song: “Fool For You” – Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Song: “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance: “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars

Best Country Song: “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best New Age Album: What’s It All About – Pat Metheny

Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “500 Miles High” – Chick Corea

Best Jazz Vocal Album: The Mosaic Project – Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Forever – Corea, Clarke & White

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: The Good Feeling – Christian McBride Big Band

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Performance: “Jesus” – L’Andria Johnson

Best Gospel Song: “Hello Fear” – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: “Blessings” – Laura Story

Best Gospel Album: Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: And If Our God Is For Us… – Chris Tomlin

Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album: Drama Y Luz – Maná

Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album: Bicentenario – Pepe Aguilar

Best Banda Or Norteño Album: Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends – Los Tigres Del Norte

Best Tropical Latin Album: The Last Mambo – Cachao

Best Americana Album: Ramble at the Ryman – Levon Helm

Best Bluegrass Album: Paper Airplane – Alison Krauss & Union Station

Best Blues Album: Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album: Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars

Best Regional Roots Music Album: Rebirth Of New Orleans – Rebirth Brass Band

Best Reggae Album: Revelation Pt. 1: The Root of Life – Stephen Marley

Best World Music Album: Tassili – Tinariwen

Best Children’s Album: All About Bullies… Big and Small – Various Artists

Best Spoken Word Album: If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won’t) – Betty White

Best Comedy Album: Hilarious – Louis C.K.

Best Musical Theater Album: The Book Of Mormon

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: Boardwalk Empire – Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: The King’s Speech – Alexandre Desplat

Best Song Written For Visual Media: “I See the Light” – Alan Menken & Glenn Slater

Best Instrumental Composition: “Life In Eleven” – Béla Fleck & Howard Levy

Best Instrumental Arrangement: “Rhapsody In Blue” – Gordon Goodwin

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists: “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” – Jorge Calandrelli

Best Recording Package: Scenes From The Suburbs – Caroline Robert, art director (Arcade Fire)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story – Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Album Notes: Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s – Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album: Band on the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection – Deluxe Edition) – Paul McCartney

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Paper Airplane – Neal Cappellino & Mike Shipley, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Paul Epworth

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: “Cinema (Skrillex remix)” – Sonny Moore

Best Surround Sound Album: Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition) – Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)

Best Engineered Album, Classical: Aldridge: Elmer Gantry – Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman

Best Orchestral Performance: “Brahms: Symphony No. 4″ – Gustavo Dudamel

Best Opera Recording: “Adams: Doctor Atomic” – Alan Gilbert, conductor

Best Choral Performance: “Light & Gold” – Eric Whitacre

Best Small Ensemble Performance: Mackey: “Lonely Motel – Music From Slide” – Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra – Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor

Best Classical Vocal Solo: “Diva Divo” – Joyce DiDonato

Best Classical Contemporary Composition: “Elmer Gantry” – Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein

Best Short Form Music Video: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best Long Form Music Video: Foo Fighters: Back And Forth – Foo Fighters

The iconic pop star performed several times in the Pittsburgh area; and while she was here, she touched many lives. And for those she had more intimate contact with, the impact has lasted for years.

When Ebony McKinney of Stanton Heights heard “The Greatest Love Of All,” back in 1987, the only thing she wanted in the world was to meet Whitney Houston.

And the only people who could make that happen was the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“I called the phone number and this woman answered the phone, and it turns out it was her mother,” Michele Atkins, the former director of Make-A-Wish. “And her mom said, ‘Whitney’s going to get some ice cream; wait a minute, let me to grab her.’ And Whitney came back in and got on the phone.”

Atkins said Houston couldn’t have been more gracious about the meeting and supporting McKinney. In fact after they met, they kept in touch.

“She was very giving, very real,” said Atkins. “I sometimes wondered if the reasons she had so many subsequent problems is she was so real.”

MORE COVERAGE:

• CBS News: Death of a pop diva
• Obituary: Whitney Houston Dies At 48
• CBS LA: News on the death Whitney Houston
• Photo Gallery: Whitney Houston Through the Years

Houston made two Pittsburgh appearances, once at the Civic Arena and the second at Starlake Amphitheater.

Rich Engler produced and promoted both shows. He was impressed by both her personality and her talent.

“What a sweet lady,” Engler said of Houston. “She was just very sweet, down to earth, quiet, very quiet, very much to herself.”

He still has an official tour pass from when he met her. The pass didn’t really mean much then, but it means a lot now.

Looking back on her career and her voice, Engler thought it would have lasted a lot longer.

“Nothing like it; dynamic, powerful and range out the wazoo,” said Engler. “She blew it away at the Super Bowl, the anthem. It was… chills. Amazing.”

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Houston’s publicist, Kristen Foster, said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause of her death is unknown. Houston’s body was found in her 4th floor room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

News of Houston’s death came on the eve of music’s biggest night — the Grammy Awards. It’s a showcase where she once reigned, and her death was sure to case a heavy pall on Sunday’s ceremony. Houston’s longtime mentor Clive Davis was to hold his annual concert and dinner Saturday; it was unclear if it was going to go forward.

• CBS News: “Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48″
• CBS News: “Whitney Houston’s daughter rushed to hospital”
• CBS LA Coverage
• Photo Gallery: Whitney Houston Through The Years
• More Grammy News

At her peak, Houston the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world’s best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting to Exhale.”

She had the he perfect voice, and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise.

She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston.

But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

“The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy,” Houston told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

It was a tragic fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone.

She seemed to be born into greatness. She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

Houston first started singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform.

“The time that I first saw her singing in her mother’s act in a club … it was such a stunning impact,” Davis told “Good Morning America.”

“To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine,” he added.

Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too. Houston made her album debut in 1985 with “Whitney Houston,” which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. “Saving All My Love for You” brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. “How Will I Know,” ”You Give Good Love” and “The Greatest Love of All” also became hit singles.

Another multiplatinum album, “Whitney,” came out in 1987 and included hits like “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”

The New York Times wrote that Houston “possesses one of her generation’s most powerful gospel-trained voices, but she eschews many of the churchier mannerisms of her forerunners. She uses ornamental gospel phrasing only sparingly, and instead of projecting an earthy, tearful vulnerability, communicates cool self-assurance and strength, building pop ballads to majestic, sustained peaks of intensity.”

Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. The criticism would become a constant refrain through much of her career. She was even booed during the “Soul Train Awards” in 1989.

“Sometimes it gets down to that, you know?” she told Katie Couric in 1996. “You’re not black enough for them. I don’t know. You’re not R&B enough. You’re very pop. The white audience has taken you away from them.”

Some saw her 1992 marriage to former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown as an attempt to refute those critics. It seemed to be an odd union; she was seen as pop’s pure princess while he had a bad-boy image, and already had children of his own. (The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993.) Over the years, he would be arrested several times, on charges ranging from DUI to failure to pay child support.

But Houston said their true personalities were not as far apart as people may have believed.

“When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place,” she told Rolling Stone in 1993. “You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that’s their image. It’s part of them, it’s not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody’s angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy.”

It would take several years, however, for the public to see that side of Houston. Her moving 1991 rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America’s sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with “The Bodyguard.” Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success.

It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a searing, stunning rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy’s record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the “Bodyguard” soundtrack was named album of the year.

She returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with “Waiting to Exhale” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, “My Love Is Your Love,” in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.”

But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, she said by the time “The Preacher’s Wife” was released, “(doing drugs) was an everyday thing. … I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. … I wasn’t happy by that point in time. I was losing myself.”

In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007.
Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Winfrey in 2010. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns.

She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown’s reality show, “Being Bobby Brown,” was an example of her sad decline. Her Sawyer interview, where she declared “crack is whack,” was often parodied.

She dropped out of the spotlight for a few years.

Houston staged what seemed to be a successful comeback with the 2009 album “I Look To You.” The album debuted on the top of the charts, and would eventually go platinum.

Things soon fell apart. A concert to promote the album on “Good Morning America” went awry as Houston’s voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice.

A world tour launched overseas, however, only confirmed suspicions that Houston had lost her treasured gift, as she failed to hit notes and left many fans unimpressed; some walked out. Canceled concert dates raised speculation that she may have been abusing drugs, but she denied those claims and said she was in great shape, blaming illness for cancellations.

RELATED LINKS:
CBS News: “Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48″
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(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Over the course of six decades, Glen Campbell became a household name regardless of what type of music you like. This weekend, he will be a featured performer at the Grammy’s.

It’s safe to say, Campbell’s seen and done it all.

He has performed with music royalty like Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder and Nat King Cole. He even acted alongside John Wayne in “True Grit.”

The eight-time Grammy winner still makes sweet music. This weekend, he takes a break from his Goodbye Tour to perform with Blake Shelton and The Band Perry at the Grammys.

“It’s one of the things I know how to do,” the country music legend said. “I could play guitar before I could talk nearly or making cords, you know.”

Alzheimer’s has him battling a cloudy mind, but he vividly remembers the first time he heard “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

“That was one of the best songs I had ever heard,” Campbell said. “People relate to that. I think they do anyway because you know you can put your heart in it.”

Campbell and his wife, Kim, have been married 30 years. She says he gets disoriented in his own home, but new medicine helps.

“They have made a difference. I have noticed that,” she said.

Yet, the music remains. Campbell is the only man to win four Grammy’s in one year for country and pop.

“I never looked at anything that this is country and this is rock and this is pop,” Campbell said. “I took it as music, and play it and sing it like I wanted to hear it.”

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The Grammys are this Sunday on CBS. But there’s still time to pick your favorites on Pick-A-Side.

Who had the best album last year? What was the best song? Who was the best new artist? Grammys nominees and also-rans square off on Pick-A-Side. And you pick the winner.

And the Grammy goes to… Decide who should win the Grammy for all the top categories. Select a category below and get started…

The Grammys are this Sunday on CBS. But there’s still time to pick your favorites on Pick-A-Side.

Who had the best album last year? What was the best song? Who was the best new artist? Grammys nominees and also-rans square off on Pick-A-Side. And you pick the winner.

And the Grammy goes to… Decide who should win the Grammy for all the top categories. Select a category below and get started…

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

The iconic 1960′s band is slated to perform with Foster the People and Maroon 5.

Also new to the performers list are the Civil Wars, Diana Krall, funk artist Maceo Parker and Joe Walsh. They join an already heavy-duty roster that includes Adele, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Tony Bennett, Carrie Underwood, Chris Brown, Glen Campbell with the Band Perry and Blake Shelton, Coldplay, Rihanna, deadmau5, Foo Fighters, David Guetta, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Taylor Swift.

Presenters will include Common, actor Taraji P. Henson, Reba McEntire, Diana Ross, Marc Anthony, Dierks Bentley, Jack Black, Drake, Fergie, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ryan Seacrest and Ringo Starr.

LL Cool J will host the Grammys, which air live Sunday on CBS.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

The Grammys are this Sunday on CBS. But there’s still time to pick your favorites on Pick-A-Side.

Who had the best album last year? What was the best song? Who was the best new artist? Grammys nominees and also-rans square off on Pick-A-Side. And you pick the winner.

And the Grammy goes to… Decide who should win the Grammy for all the top categories. Select a category below and get started…

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

He thinks he’s figured it out this year. For the first time, the Grammy show will put the spotlight on the genre with a segment featuring Grammy nominees Deadmau5, the Foo Fighters, Chris Brown, David Guetta and Lil Wayne, all performing in a tent space amid 1,000 fans.

“We decided to go all out this year,” Ehrlich said of the performance taking place outside the Staples Center, where Sunday’s ceremony will be held. “All we’re going to try and do next week is to try and put the home audience in the middle of it. … It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

Dance music did not receive its own category until 2003 with the best dance recording/dance field, and the music had not been featured with its own segment in the show.

“I don’t know that I figured out a way to do it that felt right until now,” Ehrlich said in an interview Monday. “My feeling about dance is it’s such an immersive experience for the participant, that to put it on stage … where the audience is not a part of it … I don’t know, honestly, until we came up with the idea of doing it this way, I don’t know if it ever would have worked.”

Ehrlich calls the performance the “most ambitious number that we’ve ever done outside the Staples Center.” It will feature at least four cameras from audience level as Deadmau5 (pronounced dead mouse) and the Foo Fighters perform his remixed version of the band’s song “Rope,” which netted him one of his Grammy nominations, and as Brown and Lil Wayne perform with Guetta.

Ehrlich said the performance reflects the popularity of dance music over the past few years.

“As much as a recorded medium that it is, and the fact that it’s selling a lot of CDs and downloads, it’s really a live experience,” he said. “It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

Other performers on the show include Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Chris Brown, Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift for what Ehrlich boasted would be a “pretty amazing show.”

“What I try and do when we’re building this show is to think about the audience first. … What can I do that’s going to keep an audience for 3 1/2 hours watching the Grammy Awards?” he said. “I do try and look for how broad I can make it and still assume that people are going to tune in and stay with it.”

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Katy Perry (Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Live on Letterman concert series brings you electrifying performances from today’s hottest musical acts. Check out Katy Perry, Wilco, Taylor Swift, My Morning Jacket and other 2012 Grammy nominees, straight from the Ed Sullivan Theater to your computer.

Watch GRAMMY artist performances from CBS Radio studios.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Check Out Live On Letterman for additional exciting performances.

The Boss joins a list of Grammy performers this year that includes Paul McCartney, Adele, Foo Fighters, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Bruno Mars. The Grammys are known for high-profile collaborations and this year will see Coldplay with Rihanna; Glen Campbell and Blake Shelton together with The Band Perry; and Kelly Clarkson will duet with Jason Aldean.

Newly announced stars presenting Grammys this year include actor and recording artist Jack Black, six-time GRAMMY winner and current three-time nominee Fergie, three-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Amir “?uestlove” Thompson of the Roots, and nine-time Grammy winner Ringo Starr. They join previously announced presenters Dierks Bentley, Drake, Miranda Lambert, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

LL Cool J will be hosting the Grammys for the first time. He’s been hosting The Grammy Nominations Concert since it started in 2008. He’ll be the first official host in seven years, replacing a system of rotating presenters acting as master of ceremonies. The Grammys will be shown live Sunday February 12th.

Check out some of the nominees in action to whet your appetite.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Mumford & Sons (Photo Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

These 2012 Grammy-nominated artists recently performed in our studios at CBS Radio. See (and hear) what all the buzz is about…

Watch GRAMMY artist performances from Live On Letterman.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Perry joins previously announced performers and nominees, including Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, the Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift and Adele, who will perform for the first time since undergoing throat surgery in November of last year.

The Recording Academy announced last month that LL Cool J will host the awards show.

The show, which takes place live at the Staples Center, will air on CBS2 at 8 p.m.

Kanye West leads Grammy nominees with seven nods, while Adele, Bruno Mars, and the Foo Fighters each have six.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local for complete coverage.

“I’m immensely proud to have been asked to perform at this year’s Grammy Awards,” Adele said. “It’s an absolute honor to be included in such a night, and for it to be my first performance in months is very exciting and of course nerve racking, but what a way to get back into it all.”

Adele was nominated for six Grammys this year: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video for “Rolling in the Deep;” Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for 21: and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Someone Like You.”

The Grammy Awards takes place Sunday, Feb. 12 at Staples Center and will be aired live on CBS. The show will be hosted by rapper and actor LL Cool J.

Visit the GRAMMY section at CBS Local for complete coverage.

Other artists hitting the GRAMMY stage include Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. Additional performers will also be announced soon.

Coldplay, Rihanna and Paul McCartney are all GRAMMY veterans. Coldplay and Paul McCartney last performed in 2009, while Rihanna performed just last year at the 2011 GRAMMY Awards.

Coldplay, seven-time GRAMMY winner, is up for three awards: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Paradise,” and Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall.”

Four-time GRAMMY winner Rihanna has four nods: Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Loud and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for both “What’s My Name?” (with Drake) and “All Of The Lights” (with Kayne West, Kid Cudi and Fergie).

McCartney heads into the GRAMMYS with 14 GRAMMY awards under his belt. The 2012 MusiCares Person Of The Year is nominated for Best Historical Album for Band On The Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection – Deluxe Edition).

The GRAMMYs will air Sunday, February 12 at 8 p.m. (EST/PST) on CBS. Two-time GRAMMY winner LL Cool J is this year’s host.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local for complete coverage.

Universal Republic Records and The Recording Academy have paired together to release the album. This will be the 18th edition of the best-selling collection. A portion of the proceeds from the album benefits the MusiCares Foundation and the GRAMMY Foundation – both of which were established by The Recording Academy.

MusiCares provides services and resources to musicians in need. Programs range from financial assistance to medical aid to senior housing, with a focus on bettering the musical community. The GRAMMY Foundation aims to further the understanding and appreciation of recorded music as a part of American culture. Its programs engage the industry and general public, spotlighting the importance of music in schools and the preservation of our rich heritage, among other issues.

This year’s GRAMMY Awards will take place on Sunday, February 12 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and air on CBS.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local for complete coverage.

2012 GRAMMY Nominees Album Tracklist:

1. Adele: “Rolling In The Deep,” nominated for Record Of The Year and Album Of The Year.

2. Bruno Mars: “Grenade,” nominated for Record Of The Year and Album Of The Year.

3. Katy Perry: “Firework,” nominated for Record Of The Year.

4. Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera: “Moves Like Jagger,” nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

5. Nicki Minaj: “Super Bass,” nominated for Best New Artist.

6. Rihanna featuring Drake: “What’s My Name?” nominated for Album Of The Year.

7. J. Cole: “Work Out,” nominated for Best New Artist.

8. Lady Gaga: “You and I,” nominated for Album Of The Year.

9. Foster The People: “Pumped Up Kicks,” nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

10. Skrillex: “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites,” nominated for Best New Artist.

11. Coldplay: “Paradise,” nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

12. Foo Fighters: “Walk,” nominated for Album Of The Year.

13. The Band Perry: “If I Die Young,” nominated for Best New Artist.

14. Mumford & Sons: “The Cave,” nominated for Record Of The Year.

15. Bon Iver: “Holocene,” nominated for Record Of The Year and Best New Artist.

16. Lady Antebellum: “Just A Kiss,” nominated for Best Country Album.

17. Taylor Swift: “Mean,” nominated for Best Country Album.

18. Blake Shelton: “Honey Bee,” nominated for Best Country Album.

19. Eric Church: “Drink In My Hand,” nominated for Best Country Album.

20. The Black Keys: “Dearest,” nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

21. Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson: “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” nominated for Best Country Album.

22. Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse: “Body and Soul,” nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Staff

After LL’s breakthrough with rap-metal wunderkind Rubin, the duo hit hard again with the classic “Rock The Bells,” propelling Radio to Platinum. Two years later, he touched upon what would be his enduring trademark — the rap ballad. “I Need Love,” with LL rapping about true love and devotion (while serving up a healthy portion of his trademark abs), hit #1 on the Hot R&B charts and #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1990 he scored one of his biggest hits of all time with the fast-paced and furious “Mama Said Knock You Out” and won his first Grammy. His sexy video for “Doin’ It” not only made eating an apple sexy — it propelled the sales of Mr. Smith to double Platinum. After collaborating with a wide range of artists (including Jennifer Lopez, Busta Rhymes and Jamie Foxx), LL released his twelfth and final album for Def Jam in 2008: Exit 13.

LL Cool J has also shown himself a diverse entrepreneur. He may not have founded the popular FUBU fashion line, but he certainly gave it a huge boost with his endorsements. While appearing in FUBU jerseys during performances gave the company publicity, LL’s biggest coup for the company came in a Gap commercial. How? While rapping about Gap, he wore a FUBU hat and snuck in the FUBU tag line — “For Us, By Us.” In 2008 he finally started his own line: Todd Smith. It includes hoodies, T-shirts and jeans decorated with symbols from his own tattoos. He’s also written a fitness book, a children’s book and an autobiography.

Photo Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

LL may have focused his efforts on film and television more recently, but his acting interest isn’t a new hobby — his first appearance on screen coincided with his first song. Almost immediately after “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” debuted, LL Cool J scored a small cameo in the cult classic Krush Groove, performing his hit single and speaking just one line. Working in mostly bit parts, he eventually appeared in films like Toys, and had a cameo in The Adventures of Pete & Pete, before landing his own sitcom, In The House, with Kim Wayans and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro.

His career gained major legitimacy with meatier action roles in Deep Blue Sea and Any Given Sunday. Having starred in numerous action and comedy films since, LL Cool J has now taken his talents back to the little screen, playing Field Agent Sam Hanna on the CBS hit show NCIS: Los Angeles. But those who miss the rapper side of LL shouldn’t worry — while on the set in 2009, inspiration struck, and he penned some lyrics. The result was “No Crew Is Superior,” an NCIS-inspired rap showing the star having some fun in the booth again. Maybe hosting the Grammys will inspire something new from Cool James.

Tune in to CBS on Sunday, February 12 at 8/7 p.m. Central to see LL Cool J host The Grammys. And follow the festivities online at CBS Local.

The two-time Grammy winner and “NCIS: Los Angeles” star, who has hosted “The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!” since its inception in 2008, will be the first official host of the show in seven years.

“I’m thrilled to be part of Music’s Biggest Night,” he said. “I will always have fond memories of my first Grammy Awards and to now be hosting the Grammy show, in the company of so many other
incredible artists, is a dream come true. Great performances and great music — it’s gonna be a great night!”

The show, which takes place live at the Staples Center, will air on CBS at 8 p.m.

LL Cool J joins previously announced performers and current nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift.

Kanye West leads Grammy nominees with seven nods, while Adele, Bruno Mars, and the Foo Fighters each have six.

Swift, Foo Fighters, Mars and Clarkson are all returning to the GRAMMY stage. Minaj and Aldean are both GRAMMY rookies, performing for the first time.

Swift, who’s already won four GRAMMYs, was nominated for three awards. She earned nods for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Mean” and Best Country Album for Speak Now.

Leading the current performers in nominations are Foo Fighters and Mars, both with six nods. Foo Fighters, six-time GRAMMY winners, are nominated for Album Of The Year and Best Rock Album for Wasting Light; Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Walk”; Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for “White Limo” and Best Long Form Music Video for Foo Fighters: Back And Forth.

Mars, one-time GRAMMY winner, is up for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Grenade”; Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical.

Minaj is up for four nominations: Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for “Moment 4 Life,” Best Rap Album for Pink Friday and Album Of The Year.

Aldean earned three nods, and is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for “Dirt Road Anthem,” Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” and Best Country Album for My Kinda Party.

Two-time GRAMMY winner Clarkson is up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean.

Any additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. Follow updates about The GRAMMYs at CBS Local.

The GRAMMY Camp, put on by the GRAMMY Foundation, will begin its eighth year in Los Angeles, its first year in Nashville and its second year in New Year in the summer of 2012.

“We are extremely excited to bring GRAMMY Camp to three dynamic music markets in the summer of 2012, and provide this valuable experience to the next generation of music makers,” said Neil Portnow, President and CEO of the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation. “GRAMMYCamp is one of our most immersive programs in terms of exposing young people to what it’s like to have an actual working career in the music business, and the opportunity to receive instruction directly from GRAMMY-winning artists and industry professionals instills knowledge, confidence and lasting lessons on GRAMMY campers.”

Los Angeles’ GRAMMY Camp provides high school students the opportunity to learn all aspects of commercial music from industry professionals. Students are immersed in a creative environment primarily at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for 10 days – from July 14 to July 23. The six career tracks offered are Audio Engineering, Concert Promotion/Production, Electronic Music Production, Music Journalism, Songwriting and Performance.

Nashville’s GRAMMY Camp launches June 17, and will last for eight days. The camp will be held at Black River Entertainment in Nashville’s music row. High schoolers will be given real-world, hands-on opportunities to look at an artist’s creative process. A launch party is the camp’s culmination of a week’s work.

“GRAMMY Camp is a residential, deeply interactive and collaborative experience that draws on the music industry riches of its respective host cities. We’re happy that we’ll have a home in Nashville next summer, and frankly see few boundaries in where we can go in the future,” said Kristen Madsen, Sr. Vice President of the GRAMMY Foundation.

New York’s GRAMMY Camp begins its second year by Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn. The camp’s focus is similar to the Nashville camp’s – to highlight the creative process from start to finish in real-world situations. The New York camp runs from August 6 to August 13.

High school students can apply at www.grammyintheschools.com; the deadline is March 31, 2012. Students can apply to camps at all three locations, and a discount is provided for students attending multiple sessions. For students looking for financial aid, about 75 percent of GRAMMY camp participants who have applied for financial aid receive assistance. Applications for paid counselor positions are also available at www.grammyintheschools.com for people aged 21-25.

Jobs, who died Oct. 5 of pancreatic cancer, will be honored with a Trustees Award for helping create products “that transformed the way we consume music, TV, movies and books,” according to The Recording Academy.

Bandleader and composer Dave Bartholomew and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder will also receive Trustees Awards.

All of the honors will be presented during an invitation-only ceremony Feb. 11, and recipients will be recognized during the Grammy Awards ceremony the next night.

Along with the Allman Brothers, Campbell and Ross, Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to pianist/singer/guitarist Antonio Carlos Jobim (“The Girl from Ipanema”); trumpeter Wayne Jackson and saxophonist Andrew Love of the Memphis Horns; country legend George Jones; and the late Gil Scott-Heron, whose fusion of jazz, blues and spoken word influenced the creation of the rap genre.

Meanwhile, Grammy Technical Awards will be presented to the German sound-technology firm Celemony and the late audio engineer Roger Nichols, who worked with artists including Ross, Placido Domingo, James Taylor and Stevie Wonder.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

Adele (Photo Credit: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images)

Record Of The Year

Rolling In The Deep
Adele
Track from: 21
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

Holocene
Bon Iver
Track from: Bon Iver
[Jagjaguwar]

Grenade
Bruno Mars
Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
[Elektra]

The Cave
Mumford & Sons
Track from: Sigh No More
[Glassnote Records]

Firework
Katy Perry
Track from: Teenage Dream
[Capitol]

Lady Gaga (Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Album Of The Year

21
Adele
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

Wasting Light
Foo Fighters
[RCA Records/Roswell Records]

Born This Way
Lady Gaga
[Streamline/Interscope/
Kon Live]

Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Bruno Mars
[Elektra]

Loud
Rihanna
[Def Jam]

Song Of The Year

All Of The Lights
Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[Roc-A-Fella]

The Cave
Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
Track from: Sigh No More
[Glassnote Records]

Grenade
Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
[Elektra]

Holocene
Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)
Track from: Bon Iver
[Jagjaguwar]

Rolling In The Deep
Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)
Track from: 21
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

The Band Perry (Photo Credit: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images)

Best New Artist

The Band Perry

Bon Iver

J. Cole

Nicki Minaj

Skrillex

Best Pop Solo Performance

Someone Like You
Adele
Track from: 21
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

Yoü And I
Lady Gaga
Track from: Born This Way
[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]

Grenade
Bruno Mars
Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
[Elektra]

Firework
Katy Perry
Track from: Teenage Dream
[Capitol]

F***in’ Perfect
Pink
Track from: Greatest Hits… So Far!!!
[Jive Records]

Coldplay (Photo Credit: Alexander Klein/AFP/Getty Images)

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Body And Soul
Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
Track from: Duets II
[Columbia Records]

Dearest
The Black Keys
Track from: Rave On Buddy Holly
[Fantasy]

Paradise
Coldplay
Track from: Mylo Xyloto
[Capitol Records]

Pumped Up Kicks
Foster The People
Track from: Torches
[Star Time Intl./Columbia]

Moves Like Jagger
Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera
Track from: Hands All Over
[A&M/Octone Records]

Best Pop Instrumental Album

Wish Upon A Star
Jenny Oaks Baker
[Shadow Mountain Records]

E Kahe Malie
Daniel Ho
[Daniel Ho Creations]

The Road From Memphis
Booker T. Jones
[Anti Records]

Hello Tomorrow
Dave Koz
[Concord Records]

Setzer Goes Instru-Mental!
Brian Setzer
[Surfdog Records]

Bruno Mars (Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Best Pop Vocal Album

21
Adele
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]

The Lady Killer
Cee Lo Green
[Radiculture/Elektra]

Born This Way
Lady Gaga
[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]

Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Bruno Mars
[Elektra]

Loud
Rihanna
[Def Jam]

Best Dance Recording

Raise Your Weapon
Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
Track from: 4×4=12
[Ultra Records]

Barbra Streisand
Duck Sauce
[Downtown Records]

Sunshine
David Guetta & Avicii
Track from: Nothing But The Beat
[Virgin]

Call Your Girlfriend
Robyn
Track from: Body Talk Pt. 3
[Interscope Records]

Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
Skrillex
Track from: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
[Big Beat/Atlantic]

Save The World
Swedish House Mafia
[Astralwerks]

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The Recording Academy announced nominations Wednesday night for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which airs Feb. 12 on CBS. The awards show will be broadcast from The Staples Center in downtown L.A.

Kanye West led the pack in total nominations with seven, followed closely by Adele, Foo Fighters, and Bruno Mars, each earning six nods. Lil Wayne and Skrillex are each nominated for five awards.

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CBS presented a one-hour special, “GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!!,” which aired live to the east coast Wednesday from the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

Performers included Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Jason Aldean, Lupe Fiasco, Sugarland, The Band Perry, Common, Grandmaster Flash and Ludacris.

The taped show will air at 10 p.m. Wednesday night on CBS2.

The nominations concert special marked the fourth time nominations for the annual GRAMMY Awards were announced live on primetime television.

Nominees in the general field categories are:

Record Of The Year

• “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
• “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
• “Holocene” by Bon Iver
• “The Cave” by Mumford & Sons
• “Firework” by Katy Perry

Song Of The Year

• “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
• “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
• “Holocene” by Bon Iver
• “The Cave” by Mumford & Sons
• “All of the Lights” by Kanye West

Best New Artist

• Bon Iver
• Nicki Minaj
• J. Cole
• The Band Perry
• Skrillex

Album Of The Year

• “21″ by Adele
• “Wasting Light” by the Foo Fighters
• “Born this Way” by Lady Gaga
• “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” by Bruno Mars
• “Loud” by Rihanna

The late Amy Winehouse garnered a nomination for pop duo/group performance for her duet with Tony Bennett, “Body and Soul.” Also nominated were “Dearest” by the Black Keys, “Paradise” by Coldplay, “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People, and “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera.

Among Kanye West’s nominations was a nod for best rap/sung collaboration for “All of the Lights,” with Rihanna, Kid Cudi, and Fergie. Other nominees in the category were “Party” by Beyonce and Andre 3000; “I’m On One” by DJ Kahled, Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne; “I Need a Doctor” by Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Skylar Grey; “What’s My Name?” by Rihanna and Drake; and “Motivation” by Kelly Rowland and Lil Wayne.

Country music sensation Taylor Swift earned a nomination for best country solo performance for “Mean.” She will be vying against Jason Aldean for “Dirt Road Anthem,” Martina McBride for “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” Blake Shelton for “Honey Bee,” and Carrie Underwood for “Mama’s Song.”

The number of Grammy categories was cut from 109 last year to 78 this year, as The Recording Academy looks to streamline the awards show.

For a complete list of nominees, visit GRAMMY online.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

See more of the winners from the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards below, as compiled by our colleagues at CBSLosAngeles.

Record Of The Year

Need You Now
Lady Antebellum

Album Of The Year

The Suburbs
Arcade Fire

Song Of The Year

Need You Now
Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)

Best New Artist

Esperanza Spalding

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Bad Romance
Lady Gaga
Track from: The Fame Monster

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare
Track from: The Imagine Project

Best Pop Instrumental Performance

Nessun Dorma
Jeff Beck
Track from: Emotion & Commotion

Best Pop Instrumental Album

Take Your Pick
Larry Carlton & Tak Matsumoto

Best Pop Vocal Album

Best Dancing Recording

Only Girl (In The World)
Rihanna

Best Electronic/Dance Album

La Roux

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Crazy Love
Michael Bublé

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance

Helter Skelter
Paul McCartney
Track from: Good Evening New York City

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

Best Hard Rock Performance

New Fang
Them Crooked Vultures
Track from: Them Crooked Vultures

Best Metal Performance

El Dorado
Iron Maiden
Track from: The Final Frontier

Last.fm Trends is looking at all the nominees before the ceremony to see how good their Grammy chances are looking.

The most prolific of all of this year’s nominees in his category, Keith received a nod for “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)” from his twelfth album, American Ride. He’s since released his thirteenth, but hasn’t managed to put a Grammy on his awards shelf yet. With a seemingly never-ending schedule of touring and releases, it may not be the first thing on his mind.

The track isn’t his best performance on Last.fm by a long shot, possibly down to the popularity of his more uptempo tracks. The title track, “American Ride”, has a much higher count of 58,136 scrobbles from 19,890 listeners. It seems however that the emotional nature of the song, in tribute to the late Wayman Tisdale, has contributed to its nomination.

You can find out more about all the nominees on Last.fm Trends. Don’t forget to catch the Grammys ceremony on February 13th, 8pm on CBS.

The track’s also up for Best Country Song, although Wilson didn’t contribute to its writing, unlike 2005?s “Redneck Woman” – which was nominated for Best Country Song and won Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

When we looked at this year’s nominees she was bringing up the rear in terms of listeners, and this hasn’t yet changed: the track was her 37th most popular last week. “Redneck Woman” has a comparative 184,778 scrobbles from 60,018 listeners – but this was a debut single, not an album track.

Wilson’s Grammy history is impressive, even if she’s only bagged one win. In addition to that win, 2005-2006 saw her up for Best New Artist, two Best Country Songs, two Best Country Albums, Best Country Collaboration w/ Vocals and another Best Female Country Vocal Performance. On her third nomination for the same award, the past seems to bode well for her chances.

Last.fm Trends is bringing you profiles and news for all nominees in the run up to the 2011 Grammys. Remember to catch the ceremony on February 13th, 8 p.m. on CBS.

With an impressive array of wins in the past, can Underwood make this another lucky year? Last.fm Trends looks at her scrobbles and previous performances to find out.

Since winning Best New Artist in 2006, Underwood has garnered a whole host of nominations and five wins – including Best Female Country Vocal Performance three times in a row. With such a strong start, it’s not surprising that “Temporary Home” isn’t yet in her top ten tracks on Last.fm – but its Recent Trend shows a solid following.

Previous winner “Before He Cheats” is her most popular track with 1,003,245 scrobbles from 173,978 listeners, winning both Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song in 2008. Her list of accolades may be lengthy, but this year’s nomination is likely to mean a lot to Underwood: it’s the first time she’s been nominated for a song she’s co-written.

Last.fm Trends is bringing you profiles and news for all nominees in the run up to the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. Don’t forget to catch the ceremony on February 13th at 8pm on CBS.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of years for Florence Welch and her compatriots. Last.fm Trends looks to see if they can continue this and start 2011 in the best way possible.

If the band are to walk away with the award they will have to top Justin Bieber. However with 33,496,510 scrobbles compared to the latter’s 9,003,255, Florence Welch may fancy her band overcoming the recent pop mega-star.

Other nominees in the category include hip-hop artist Drake (17,116,497 total scrobbles), folksters Mumford & Sons (15,864,168 total scrobbles) and jazz bass extraordinaire Esperanza Spalding (608,027 total scrobbles)

The strong 11,134,060 scrobbles of the debut album Lungs will also give the band confidence that they can gain their first Grammy Award. Together with the fact the album picked up the Mastercard British Album award at the 2010 Brit Awards, the band will surely feel they have a great chance of taking Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards.

Tune into the Grammy Awards on CBS on February 13th. In the meantime check back with Last.fm Trends as we continue our countdown to the awards.

Last.fm Trends takes a look at how the odds are stacked in his favor for the Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group and the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration categories.

Jay-Z’s album, The Blueprint 3, has had a huge impact, and its presence throughout the Grammy shortlists shows that its effect is being felt strongly even 16 months after its release.

While the record itself faces stiff competition from Eminem’s Recovery, the singles chosen in these Grammy categories have a comfortable lead over the competition.

“On To The Next One,” his collaboration with Swizz Beatz, is up on Big Boi‘s “Shutterbug” by about 100,000 plays. Even though the track’s popularity has steadily declined throughout the year it still pulls more listeners per week than its competition and, as the graph shows, its listeners appear to be stabilizing.

Meanwhile, “Empire State Of Mind” absolutely storms the competition in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. Thousands of listeners return to it every week and it’s been a fixture on playlists since release. Alicia Keys‘s recent marriage nudged its plays a little higher at the tail end of 2010, but it’s now running steady around 4,500 listeners every week; very strong indeed.

But with “Love The Way You Lie” close on its heels for week-on-week plays it might cause a last minute upset for Jay-Z’s New York opus.

Find out if Last.fm listeners’ favorite acts come out on top when the Grammys air on CBS on February 13th. Meanwhile get the latest about the music you love with Last.fm Trends’ Grammy coverage.

Their debut (and only) album, Sigh No More, has taken them to places they could only previously dream about and February 13 will see the band hoping to take home one, if not two, Grammys.

Last.fm Trends takes a look at their chances.

Mumford & Sons are nominated in the categories for Best Rock Song and Best New Artist. Previously, we looked at Florence + The Machine‘s chances in the latter category and with them having the highest scrobble count in the category (33,496,510 total scrobbles), you would have to favor them to swing the award.

However, Mumford’s 15,864,168 total scrobble count is not to be sniffed at, especially due to the band’s arguably niche sound.

In the Best Rock Song category the band are nominated for their song “Little Lion Man.” The song is their most scrobbled track on Last.fm, boasting 2,366,878 scrobbles to date.

Also vying for the award is Neil Young for his song “Angry World,” Kings of Leon for “Radioactive,” Muse for “Resistance,” and The Black Keys for “Tighten Up.”

With Muse being one of the most scrobbled artists ever on Last.fm (a frightening 197,848,332 scrobbles) it would take a confident man to bet against them winning Best Rock Song. But Mumford & Sons have come a long way in such a short space of time, and even if they don’t manage to win Best Rock Song, you could say they have a great chance of bagging Best New Artist.

Mumford & Sons are also tapped to perform at a special Grammy Awards pre-party Feb. 12 at The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. Live, hosted by CBS Radio LA and CBS Interactive Music. And this only weeks after landing the Number 2 spot on Last.fm’s Best of 2010. So whether or not they take home a statue (or two) the following night, this London quartet has already earned tremendous success and is still trending upward.

Make sure to tune into the Grammy Awards on CBS on February 13. In the meantime check back with Last.fm Trends every weekday as we run up to the awards.

Country icon Willie Nelson could get his 10th Grammy win this year, with a Best Americana Album nomination for latest album Country Music.

With over eighty studio albums since 1962, Nelson’s still going strong – but which era is most loved by fans? Last.fm Trends is looking at his scrobbles to find out.

The nomination for Best Americana Album proves the diversity of his career: at last year’s Grammys, American Classic and collaborative album Willie And The Wheel were up for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Americana Album respectively. His duet with Norah Jones “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, and has reached #11 in his Last.fm chart for the last six months.

Looking at the top of that chart, most popular track “On The Road Again” has 434,912 scrobbles from 155,410 listeners, and won Best Country Song in 1980. Country Music‘s most popular track “Man With the Blues” has a relatively small 6,030 scrobbles from 2,978 listeners, but the Americana category is much more niche than his Pop and Country awards. The Grammy board is still taking notice of a living legend who has only become more prolific in the twelve years since his Lifetime Achievement Award.

Last.fm Trends is bringing you news and profiles from all Grammy nominees as we lead up to the ceremony. Don’t forget to watch on Feb. 13, 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Just as Shawn Colvin, took the stage for her Song of the Year win, ODB busted through the crowd and grabbed the mic and declared, “Puffy and all the other artists are good artists, but I think Wu-Tang… hey, we’re number one.” Wu-Tang wasn’t even nominated for the award.  After he left the stage, a shaken Colvin thanked the Grammys and her fans for the award.

Kanye West jumps onstage after Taylor Swift won the 'Best Female Video' award during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 13, 2009, in New York City. (credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Kanye West jumps onstage after Taylor Swift won the 'Best Female Video' award during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 13, 2009, in New York City. (credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Last.fm Trends finds out who might topple the pop princess.

The Best Dance Performance is always close to call. While The Fame – and “Poker Face” – got the double last year, it was up against cuts from Madonna, Britney and Pet Shop Boys.

Rihanna, Gaga, Robyn, and Goldfrapp are the more established acts on this year’s shortlist, but there’s someone else whose reach has gone just a little bit further.

La Roux, a British singer, dropped her self titled debut album in time for a nomination this year, and her single “In For The Kill” has been played by more Last.fm listeners than any other listener.

She’s just a little ahead of Lady Gaga, but a long way ahead of anyone else. That said, it was originally released in March 2009, and has had almost two years to pick up that audience.

Meanwhile “Only Girl (In The World)” has had one of the shortest air times, but it’s still picked up 164,561 listeners. So while we’re rooting for La Roux it won’t be much of surprise if Rihanna takes the top spot.

Find out who wins on February 13th on CBS. Meanwhile stick with Last.fm Trends until the ceremony to find out our tips for the 53rd Grammy Awards.

Eminem is no stranger to the Grammy stage. His collaboration with Elton John on “Stan” in 2001 is legendary. His performance of “Forever” with Drake and Lil Wayne in 2010 was amazing. This year Eminem plans to rock the crowd, while racking up trophies. The ultimate rapper has a whopping 10 nominations. He and Rihanna are up for Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap/Sung Collab, Best Short Form Video for their hit “Love The Way You Lie.” He and his album Recovery are up for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album.

Eminem and fellow nominees B.o.B. and Hayley Williams are poised to win Best Pop Collab With Vocals for “Airplanes, Part II.” Finally, the giant could bring home Best Rap Solo Performance, and Best Rap Song for his solo “Not Afraid.”

Relative newcomer Cee Lo Green is up for several awards for his song commonly referred to as “Forget You.” Green and his team are up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Short Form Music Video and Best Urban Performance for the heavily edited song. Watch this great behind the scenes (and safe for work) interview with Green at the recent Nominations Concert.

Today, Last.fm Trends looks at Vampire Weekend’s scrobbling and some Grammy history to see how they’re doing with fans, and if they’re in with a chance for the award.

On Last.fm, the band’s most popular tracks overall are from their self-titled debut, but Contra tracks such as “Cousins” have a good showing as well: they have an upward trend of weekly listeners, peaking just after their performance at the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas. However Vampire Weekend fares during the Grammys, the group’s nomination is sure to bring them to new ears.

Over the past few years it’s been more established acts that have gained the award: previous winners Phoenix were on their fourth album, whilst Radiohead and The White Stripes were on their seventh and sixth respectively. 2006 winners Gnarls Barkley showed that a zeitgeist-capturing debut could go the distance, however, so it’s just possible that Vampire Weekend’s second effort has the chops.

Last.fm Trends will be bringing you Grammy profiles and predictions over the next few weeks, right up until the Grammy Awards air date on February 13. Remember, you can tune in to the show itself on CBS at 8pm.

Last.fm Trends takes a look at your most popular among the nominees.

Today’s picks are dominated by one performer; Lady Gaga rules the roost among the Best Pop Vocal Albums, and with a hefty margin.

Her lead isn’t particularly surprising. With 96,837,043 plays from 2,090,912 listeners she’s one of the most popular contemporary performers among Last.fm listeners.

But Katy Perry‘s relatively strong showing is a surprise. She’s got a little under half the reach of Gaga, but her album only dropped in the late summer; in less than a third of the time that’s a considerable impact.

As far as Last.fm fans are concerned she could come from behind to snatch the coveted award.

John Mayer‘s done surprisingly well too, particularly compared to Justin Bieber. The teen pop sensation might be a YouTube phenomenon, but listeners clearly don’t want him to spend too long on their speakers.

And as for Susan Boyle, she’s far away the outsider of the category. After a difficult twelve months for the singer it might be best that she doesn’t get her hopes up.

We’ll be checking in on Grammy nominees throughout the month, but remember that the results will only be revealed on CBS on Feb. 13, 2011.