Outkast (file)
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Though they're being held in Rome, this year's MTV Europe Music Awards might as well take place in Atlanta. That way Outkast and Usher wouldn't even have to board a plane to pick up their trophies.

The two ATL acts lead the field of nominees for the 2004 EMAs, announced Wednesday (October 6). Outkast scored five nominations, for Best Group; Best R&B; Best Song and Best Video for "Hey Ya!"; and Best Album for Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below. Usher is a close second with four nominations, for Best Male, Best R&B, Best Album for Confessions, and Best Song for "Yeah!" Seven artists — Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Franz Ferdinand, Black Eyed Peas, Anastacia, Jay-Z and Maroon 5 — garnered three nods each.

The list of performers lined up for the show might just be more impressive than the list of nominees. Eminem will perform "Just Lose It," the first single from his upcoming Encore. Gwen Stefani will take the European stage all by her lonesome, performing "What You Waiting For?" from her solo debut, Love Angel Music Baby. Other performers include Nelly, the Beastie Boys and the Hives, along with the aforementioned Usher, Maroon 5 and Franz Ferdinand.

The 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards will be broadcast live on MTV Europe on November 18. The complete list of nominees:

Best Group

• Beastie Boys
• Black Eyed Peas
• D12
• Maroon 5
• Outkast

• Anastacia - "Left Outside Alone"
• Britney Spears - "Toxic"
• Maroon 5 - "This Love"
• Outkast - "Hey Ya!"
• Usher featuring Ludacris - "Yeah!"

• Alicia Keys
• Anastacia
• Avril Lavigne
• Beyoncé
• Britney Spears

• Jay-Z
• Justin Timberlake
• Nelly
• Robbie Williams
• Usher

• Beastie Boys
• D12
• Jay-Z
• Kanye West
• Nelly

• Franz Ferdinand
• Jamelia
• Keane
• Maroon 5
• The Rasmus

• Alicia Keys
• Beyoncé
• Kelis
• Outkast
• Usher

• Beyoncé - Dangerously in Love
• Black Eyed Peas - Elephunk
• Dido - Life for Rent
• Outkast - Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below
• Usher - Confessions

• Björk
• Franz Ferdinand
• The Hives
• Muse
• Prodigy

• The Darkness
• Good Charlotte
• Green Day
• Linkin Park
• Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Anastacia
• Avril Lavigne
• Black Eyed Peas
• Britney Spears
• Robbie Williams

• The Cure - "The End of the World"
• Jay-Z - "99 Problems"
• Outkast - "Hey Ya!"
• The Streets - "Fit But Don't You Know It"
• The White Stripes - "The Hardest Button to Button"

• OutKast
• Usher
• Beyoncé
• Britney Spears
• Jay-Z

Anastacia
Photo: Isabel Snyder

Pop singer Anastacia has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The 29-year-old "One Day in Your Life" singer received the news after undergoing a biopsy in New York over the weekend.

"My doctor was insistent that I have a mammogram [during a routine checkup] even though it was not required," Anastacia (born Anastacia Newkirk) said in a statement. "He saved my life! I appreciate all who are concerned, but please don't worry. Either way I have no intention of letting this news get me down. I'm a fighter by nature, and nothing will ever change that."

The Chicago-born singer, whose second album, Freak of Nature, was released last year, is still scheduled to shoot a video this week in New York for the song "Love Is a Crime."

Anastacia also suffers from the painful genetic bowel disorder Crohn's disease. She can currently be seen in a series of Dr. Pepper commercials with '80s icon Cindy Lauper, and "Love Is a Crime" is featured on the soundtrack to the Golden Globe-winning movie musical "Chicago."

• Anastacia

Papa Roach
Photo: DreamWorks

Papa Roach must have mixed emotions about the first-week chart position of their new album, Lovehatetragedy.

The California quartet has got to enjoy the fact that their second album will land in the #2 slot on next week's Billboard 200 albums chart with more than 135,000 copies sold, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (June 26). The follow-up to 2000's Infest just marginally bested Korn's Untouchables (132,000) to become the country's best-selling rock album. However, even combined sales of the two rock LPs couldn't top the total of The Eminem Show. The rapper's third major-label LP has been affixed to the #1 position for five weeks, yielding a grand total of more than 3.3 million copies.

Wyclef Jean's Masquerade earned the honor of becoming the second-highest chart debut, landing at #6. The Fugee's third solo album, fueled by a pair of videos for "PJ's" and "Two Wrongs," sold more than 81,000 copies. Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace scored the highest chart debut in their seven-year career with Gravity, which will come in at #9 with more than 66,000 copies sold.

Paulina Rubio's sixth LP, Border Girl, the Mexican pop singer's first English language album, will leave its mark at #11, thanks to the single "Don't Say Goodbye" and her ultra-"hip" image displayed in the windows of retail shops nationwide. Jerry Cantrell's Degradation Trip, the second solo outing by the former Alice in Chains guitarist, and pop singer Anastacia's Freak of Nature round out the chart's top 40 debuts.

Five-spot jumps by Avril Lavigne and Pink make the attitude-infused ladies the biggest gainers in the top 10. Lavigne's Let Go moves from #10 to #5, and hasn't left the chart's uppermost echelon since its release three weeks ago. Missundaztood, meanwhile, re-enters the top 10 from its previously held #15 slot on the coattails of its third single, "Just Like a Pill."

The remainder of next week's top 10 will consist of Totally Hits 2, slipping a spot to #4; Ashanti's self-titled debut making an identical move to #7; and P. Diddy & Bad Boy Records' We Invented the Remix conceding three spots to #8.

The soundtrack to "Lilo & Stitch," the runner-up for tops at the box office in its opening weekend, will make the largest chart leap. After debuting at #57, the LP will rocket 41 spots to #16 and increase its weekly pull by nearly 50 percent.

Three albums in the top 40 will take more than 20-slot slides, with New Found Glory's Sticks & Stones, which debuted last week at #4, leading the downturn with a 21-spot dip. Former first-placer Alan Jackson's Drive and The Osbourne Family Album will both dive 22 places, to #34 and #35, respectively; while David Bowie's Heathen falls farthest, from #14 to #37.

Other notable debuts on next week's chart include the Swedish pop quartet A-Teens' Pop 'Til You Drop! at #45; the double-LP compilation 2002 Warped Tour at #55; dance-music DJ Paul Oakenfold's Bunkka at #65; rapper Archie Eversole's Ride Wit Me Dirty South Style at #83; rapper B Rich's 80 Dimes at #100; Ozzfest vets Otep's Sevas Tra at #145; and indie rock stalwarts Guided by Voices' Universal Truths and Cycles at #160.

For full-length features on Eminem and Korn, check out "Eminem: The Gift And The Curse" and "Korn: The Untouchables."

• Papa Roach
• Korn
• Eminem
• Wyclef Jean
• Our Lady Peace

Anastacia
Photo: Sony

Funny lady Ellen DeGeneres has been tapped to host "VH1 Divas Las Vegas," taking place at the MGM Grand hotel in Sin City May 23.

Chicago-born soul-pop singer Anastacia and Fleetwood Mac vocalist and solo artist Stevie Nicks have just been added as special guest performers, according to a VH1 spokesperson. Las Vegas living legend Wayne Newton will serve as announcer for the event, the proceeds from which will benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a charity aimed at restoring music programs in public schools and raising awareness of the positive impact that music participation has on students.

The new additions join a previously announced lineup of performers that includes Cher, Mary J. Blige, the Dixie Chicks, Celine Dion and Shakira (see "Shakira Joining Mary J. Blige, Cher On 'Divas' Lineup").

VH1 will broadcast the fifth installment of the "Divas" series live. Past "Divas" specials have featured Mariah Carey, Destiny's Child and Shania Twain.

• Stevie Nicks
• Anastacia

P.O.D. fans, your prayers have been answered. The rap-rock-and-religion quartet are in pre-production for their forthcoming second album, according to the band's publicist at Atlantic Records. Singer Sonny, drummer Wuv, bassist Traa and guitarist Marcos are in their hometown of San Diego writing songs and formulating ideas for the as-yet-untitled LP, which is expected to hit stores in late July or early August.

For their second effort, P.O.D. (short for Payable on Death) will once again employ the services of producer Howard Benson (Body Count, Mot&ouuml;rhead, Less Than Jake), who also worked on the group's platinum debut, 1999's The Fundamental Elements of Southtown. The band and producer will most likely enter an L.A. studio in March to begin recording tracks.

For a full-length interview with P.O.D., check out the MTV News Online feature "P.O.D.: Beyond Belief."

• Anastacia

2005 EMA Red Carpet and Highlights

• Green Day
• Madonna
• Coldplay
• Sean Paul
• Black Eyed Peas

• Anastacia