MUMBAI: R&B star Rihanna and rapper Nicki Minaj have lead the nominee pack with four nominations each at the 2012 American Music Awards (AMAs).
Rihanna, 24, was nominated in the top category – Artist of the Year – where she will compete with Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, pop-rockers Maroon 5 and Canadian rapper Drake.
She has also been nominated in the female soul/R&B artist and album category for ‘Talk That Talk,’ and will take on Minaj, 29, in the female pop/rock artist category.
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Minaj scored two nods for her album ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’ in both the pop/rock and rap/hip hop categories this year. She also won a nomination for favorite rap artist, alongside Drake and American newcomer Tyga, report said.
Teen pop idol Bieber, British boy band One Direction, Maroon 5, Drake and R&B star Usher have all landed with three nominations each for the year.
The newly introduced electronic dance music (EDM) will see David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Skrillex competing for the trophy.
Divas Adele and Taylor Swift, who received three awards each last year, have received one nomination each. Swift for female country artist alongside Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, while Adele was nominated in the favourite adult contemporary artist category, alongside Kelly Clarkson and Train.
The closely-watched new artist category will be a battle between R&B singer J.Cole, indie-pop ban fun, Australian singer-songwriter Gotye, Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepson and One Direction.
The AMA winners are determined by fans through online voting, which starts on 16 October.
The American Music Awards will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and the ceremony and performance show will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on 18 November.
Pop star and ‘The Voice’ judge Christina Aguilera, who announced the nominees on Tuesday, was the first performer to be announced for the live show.
