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We know you, like we, have Grammy fever, with hotly contested office pools and of course a yearly themed party, replete with Victrola shaped cookies and a home-karaoke stage for guests to put their spin on all the best song nominees. It is, after all, music's biggest night, celebrating and rewarding the very best the arguably superflous major record labels have to offer, as opposed to, say, someone throwing a dart at the Billboard Hot 100 adult contemporary charts. The nominees, many of whom point to Jesus "Babyface" Christ for inspiration, were announced today:

Mariah Carey's comeback came full circle Thursday as she was nominated for eight Grammys, including album of the year for "The Emancipation of Mimi" and song and record of the year for her torch ballad "We Belong Together."


"This year has been such a blessing," Carey told The Associated Press shortly after the nominations were announced. "This is prayers answered. I'm grateful for the nominations and I'm really grateful for the fact that people are responding to the music I've made."

Carey's eight nominations tied John Legend and Kanye West. Soul crooner Legend's nominations included best new artist, while West is up for album of the year for "Late Registration" and song of the year for "Gold Digger." [...]

Other multiple nominees included 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani, U2 and Bruce Springsteen.

Coldplay's "X&Y" was shut out of the big three categories album, song and record of the year leaving many industry watchers flabbergasted. After all, the Coldplay cocktail of smooth-jazz-emo-anthemcore is as carefully calibrated Grammy candy as we've ever heard.