Usher gets most bids for American Music Awards

R&B casanova Usher, whose album “Confessions” steamed up the charts with songs about sex, affairs and breakups, received a leading four nominations Tuesday for the American Music Awards.

Rapper-producer Kanye West, whose album “The College Dropout” combines gospel, rap and braggadocio, had three nominations. OutKast, the big winner at February’s Grammys, was nominated for best rap/hip-hop group, and its Grammy-winning “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” got a bid for best rap album.

The nominations are based on national sales figures and radio play. Winners are selected by a survey of about 20,000 listeners.

The awards will be presented during a Nov. 14 ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel that will be broadcast live on ABC.

Usher was nominated as favorite male artist in both the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories, and his “Confessions” also has best album bids in both groups.

In the hip-hop/rap class, West is up for favorite male artist, and “The College Dropout” got a mention for best album. His third nomination was for best newcomer, an all-genre category.

Two categories feature all of the same nominees as last year. The country male artist group again includes Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw (who won in 2003). It also was deja vu for contemporary inspirational music, as 2003 winner Steven Curtis Chapman competes once more against MercyMe and Third Day.

The complete list of nominees:

Pop/Rock

“ Male Artist: Josh Groban, Lenny Kravitz, Michael McDonald, Usher.

“ Female Artist: Sheryl Crow, Avril Lavigne, Jessica Simpson.

“ Band, Duo or Group: Evanescence, Nickelback, OutKast.

“ Album: “Feels Like Home,” Norah Jones; “In This Skin,” Jessica Simpson; “Confessions,” Usher.

Soul/R&B

“ Male Artist: R. Kelly, Prince, Ruben Studdard, Usher.

“ Female Artist: Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys.

“ Album: “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” Alicia Keys; “Musicology,” Prince; “Confessions,” Usher.

Country

“ Male Artist: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw.

“ Female Artist: Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Gretchen Wilson.

“ Band, Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts.

“ Album: “When the Sun Goes Down,” Kenny Chesney; “Shock’n Y’All,” Toby Keith; “Martina,” Martina McBride.

Rap/Hip-Hop

“ Male Artist: Jay-Z, Juvenile, Lil’ Flip, Kanye West.

“ Band, Duo or Group: G-Unit, OutKast, Ying Yang Twins

“ Album: “The Black Album,” Jay-Z; “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” OutKast; “The College Dropout,” Kanye West.

Adult Contemporary

“ Artist: Harry Connick Jr., Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones.

Latin

“ Artist: Marc Anthony, Intocable, Paulina Rubio.

Alternative

“ Artist: Incubus, Jet, Linkin Park.

Contemporary Inspirational

“ Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Third Day.

Breakthrough

“ New Artist: Maroon 5, Kanye West, Gretchen Wilson.