Kanye West onstage at Live Earth in East Rutherford, NJ
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — "You all came to this concert," Melissa Etheridge opined midway through a smoldering evening set at the Live Earth concert in Jersey, "because you are Americans."

(Check out behind-the-scenes footage, on-the-ground coverage, fan reactions, videos and more on MTV's new You R Here blog; watch Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer and more chat with John Norris at the NJ concert; and see performance pics of Rihanna, Linkin Park, Jack Johnson and more.)

That's one way of looking at it. You could probably also argue that plenty of the 60,000 or so people who made their way out to Giants Stadium on Saturday (July 7) were concerned citizens of the world, plunking down their hard-earned cash to make a statement that the real fight against global warming begins today (though this is probably wishful thinking).

Or perhaps everyone was just here to have a good time, to watch a bunch of bands, get sunburned, throw back some adult beverages and chuck footballs around the parking lot (this is probably reality).

Because, really, for all the pre-show discourse (from both sides of the aisle) about just what the point of Al Gore's Live Earth concert series was, the biggest surprise on this Saturday in the Meadowlands was that no one — not the fans, the bands — seemed to know either (see "A Globe Divided? Reaction To Live Earth Is Decidedly Mixed").

Sure, there were plenty of enthusiastic speeches from the musicians (the aforementioned Etheridge, Alicia Keys, etc.) and the assembled celebs, scientists and politicians, but there was also a whole lot of silence, particularly from some of the marquee acts. Kanye West — usually not one to keep quiet about anything — said nothing about climate change; local gods Bon Jovi seemed pissed that they were limited to a 20-minute set; and the Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan only spoke to plug his band's new album.

Still, the speeches that were made were greeted with a bizarre level of enthusiasm from the crowd (Live Earth no doubt marked the first time in history that 60,000 people in New Jersey gave famed primate expert Jane Goodall a standing ovation), and the entire upper deck was teeming with pro-environment banners and T-shirts. Then again, it was also teeming with shirtless, passed-out dudes and their bikini-clad better halves.

It was a little bit surreal, a little bit inspiring and a little bit awesome. Part Woodstock, part Wango Tango, Live Earth certainly didn't feel like a once-in-a-generation event. But, then again, with an anticipated audience of 2 billion worldwide, and concerts on all seven continents, maybe it was.

So for those who cared about ending global warming, about being part of something greater than themselves, and about seeing Kevin Bacon or Cameron Diaz making speeches, there was plenty to be happy about. And for those who came just to see a lineup that rivaled any rock-radio fest, there was a whole lot (a whole, whole lot) to get pumped about, too.

Like KT Tunstall, who made the most of her early-afternoon set and led the crowd in an honest-to-goodness wave before rattling off her hit "Suddenly I See." Or Alicia Keys and Keith Urban's raw take on the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter."

Fall Out Boy bounded about with glee, Akon — truly the hitmaker's hitmaker these days — packed just about everything into his set (and didn't body-slam a single fan). The crowd bugged out when he took his shirt off, and there was an even funnier moment during his set when fans kept chanting the dirty version of "I Wanna Love You," even though he was trying to sing the clean version. And Etheridge, whose set consisted of only one long jam, managed to bring the fire and brimstone with her condemnations of President Bush.

Alicia Keys was soulful and sexy, putting a whole lot of heart into songs like "If I Ain't Got You." Kelly Clarkson rocked hard, and Kanye wheeled out a full string section (dressed in silver space suits, no less) to fancy up his set.

Then there was Bon Jovi, who could've broke wind in a bag and the hometown crowd woulda eaten it up (case in point, they even cheered the band's country-tinged new stuff, which sounds like bad John Mellencamp). To see the band rock NJ is akin to witnessing the pope give a mass in the Vatican.

The Smashing Pumpkins brought sheer volume (and that album plug), former Pink Floyd mastermind Roger Waters brought the hits (and an inflatable pig), and the Police — aided by a fiery cameo by West, who broke from his earlier silence and spat verses about finding "new leaders to follow" and changing the world — brought the house down.

But as 60K filed out, you had to wonder: Did any of this make a difference? Were any minds and hearts changed? And does that even matter?

Well, on a day in which so many spoke so loudly about those very concerns, perhaps the best answer of all was provided by Fall Out Boy's eternally silent drummer, Andy Hurley, who, when asked by MTV News' John Norris if Live Earth mattered, stopped, then cracked a smile.

"I don't know, man. I mean, I got into politics because of Rage Against the Machine," he said. "So music can change people's minds. We'll see what happens."

Guess we will.

Wish you had been there? We have Live Earth covered: Watch the show, see reports from the scene, submit your concert photos and video, make a pledge to stop the climate crisis and more at MTV's Live Earth site.

• Live Earth In 60 Seconds
• Live Earth: We're In This Together

• Live Earth Performances, 07.07.2007

• Kanye West
• Alicia Keys
• Fall Out Boy
• Melissa Etheridge
• The Police

Melissa Etheridge (file)
Photo: Universal

Melissa Etheridge, who announced earlier this month that she's been diagnosed with breast cancer, has undergone surgery and is currently recovering at home.

Etheridge's prognosis is "excellent" after undergoing a lumpectomy last weekend for a lump she discovered during a self-examination, her publicist Marcel Pariseau said in a statement on Thursday.

"Melissa and her doctor are deciding the next course of treatment," Pariseau said.

"I'm taking all of this one day at a time and spending time with the ones I love," Etheridge said. "I want to thank everyone for their outpouring of concern and affection."

The singer, 43, canceled the final 11 dates of her tour earlier this month in order to have the surgery (see "Melissa Etheridge Diagnosed With Breast Cancer").

• Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge (file)
Photo: Universal

Melissa Etheridge has been diagnosed with breast cancer and has canceled her upcoming tour dates to undergo surgery.

The cancer was detected early, and the singer's doctor is optimistic about her recovery, according to a statement released by Etheridge's publicist.

Since it was detected, Etheridge, 43, has been receiving treatment. "I am fortunate to be under a wonderful doctor's care and thankful that this was caught early," the singer said in the statement.

Following surgery, Etheridge will recover at her Los Angeles home with her wife — actress Tammy Lynn Michaels — and children.

"I am looking forward to a quick and full recovery," she said.

The remaining 11 dates on Etheridge's tour — including stops in Massachusetts, Quebec, Washington, D.C., New York, California and Arizona — have been canceled, and refunds will be made available at the place where the tickets were purchased, according to Etheridge's publicist.

• Melissa Etheridge

• Britney Spears
• Jennifer Lopez
• Michael Jackson
• Whitesnake
• Jessica Simpson

Norah Jones (file)
Photo: Blue Note

She wasn't up for any of Sunday's awards, but last year's Grammy golden girl, Norah Jones, releases the follow-up to Come Away With Me this week. Feels Like Home features the up-tempo single "Sunrise."

And from a Grammy sweetheart to America's Sweetheart — Courtney Love's solo debut finally hits shelves this week, and her first single is so sick it's called "Mono." The album was mostly written by Love, but she also worked with hitmaker Linda Perry (Pink, Christina Aguilera).

Another long-delayed release is Dave Grohl's death metal side project, Probot. On the self-titled album, Grohl gets back to his drumming roots again, while various metal gods take center stage. Among them, Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister, King Diamond, and Sepultura's Max Cavalera.

Kylie Minogue lets us read her Body Language on her new album, featuring the song "Slow," which gets remixed by the Chemical Brothers for another of this week's new releases, the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" soundtrack. Like the show, that album opens with the theme song "All Things (Just Keep Getting Better)" by Widelife featuring Simone Denny, and it continues with the aforementioned track by Kylie plus songs by Liz Phair, Elton John and Fischerspooner.

Kanye West boasts his status as a College Dropout, the Ruff Ryders' Drag-On has been to Hell and Back and has a new album to prove it, but Melissa Etheridge gets Lucky this week alongside the Coral's Magic and Medicine, Big Head Todd and the Monsters' Crimes of Passion, and Damageplan's New Found Power.

Out Tuesday, February 10:

• 1208 - Turn of the Screw (Epitaph)
• Big Head Todd and the Monsters - Crimes of Passion (Big/Sanctuary)
• Black 47 - New York Town (Gadfly)
• Sandra Boynton - Philadelphia Chickens (Rounder)
• Break the Silence - Near Life Experience (Hopeless)
• Byzantine - The Fundamental Component (Prosthetic/Razor & Tie)
• Jeremy Camp - Carried Me: The Worship Project (BEC/Tooth & Nail)
• Clumsy Lovers - After the Flood (Nettwerk)
• The Coral - Magic and Medicine (Columbia)
• Damageplan - New Found Power (Elektra)
  Read:"Damageplan Put Pantera Behind Them With New Found Power"
  Buy Now: New Found Power (Elektra)
  
• Dillengers - Instro-Mania (Favored Nations)
• Drag-On - Hell and Back (Virgin)
  Read:"Drag-On Getting Personal, Revealing Mel Smalls On New LP"
• Einstürzende Neubauten - Perpetuum Mobile (Mute)
• Melissa Etheridge - Lucky (Island)
• Cesaria Evora - Club Sodade (Bluebird)
• Tim Flannery - Kentucky Towns (PSB)
• David Guetta - Just a Little More Love (Astralwerks)
• Horrorpops - Hell Yeah! (Hellcat)
• Denise James - It's Not Enough to Love (Rainbow Quartz)
• Mason Jennings - Use Your Voice (Bar/None)
• Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (Blue Note)
  Read:"Norah Jones Returns Home With New Album"
  Buy Now: Feels Like Home (Blue Note)
• Junkie XL - Radio JXL: A Broadcast From the Computer Hell Cabin (Koch)
• Lucy Kaplansky - The Red Thread (Red House)
• Keb' Mo' - Keep It Simple (Epic)
• Jeff Kelly - From the Swan in the Hallway (Hidden Agenda)
• Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
  Read: "Courtney Love Album Preview: America's Sweetheart Takes On Male Rock Pantheon"
  Buy Now: America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
• Ralphie May - Just Correct (DreamWorks)
• Robert Miles & Trilok Gurtu - Miles_Gurtu (Shakti)
• Kylie Minogue - Body Language (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Body Language (Capitol)
  
• Monsieur Dodo - Monsieur Dodo (Sunswept)
• Willie Heath Neal - Live from Somewhere Unknown (Catamount)
• Old Crow Medicine Show - O.C.M.S. (Nettwerk)
• Omar & the Howlers - Boogie Man (Ruf)
• Carl Palmer - Working Live - Vol. 1 (Sanctuary)
• Pico Vs. Island Trees - Just Wait (Deep South)
• Pitch Black - Pitch Black Law (Motown)
• Probot - Probot (Southern Lord)
  Read:"Dave Grohl Preps A 'Death Metal Supernatural' With Probot"
• Aaron Sprinkle - Lackluster (Tooth & Nail)
• Subhumans - Live in a Dive (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Tierney Sutton - Dancing in the Dark(Telarc Jazz)
• Takashi - Storm Zone (Blue Note)
• Randy Thompson - That's Not Me (Jackpot/Leaps)
• Thunderstone - The Burning (Nuclear Blast)
• Valley of the Giants - Valley of the Giants (Arts & Crafts)
• Kanye West - College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella)
  Read:"Common, John Mayer Drop In To Preview Kanye West's Dropout"
  Buy Now: College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella)
  
• Various artists - Club Trance (Water Music)
• Various artists - Hello We Are the Militia Group (Militia Group)
• Various artists - Aubade: Lecons de Tango (Milan)
• Various artists - "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" soundtrack (Capitol)
• Various artists - Thug Nation (Razor & Tie/Warner)
• DVD: "Higher Ground: Voices of Contemporary Gospel Music" (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: "Hip-Hop Immortals" (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: "Street Prophetz" (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: Steve Earle - "Just an American Boy" (Artemis)
• DVD: Gloria Estefan - "Live and Unwrapped" (Epic)
• DVD: Nomeansno/The Hanson Brothers - "Would We Be ... Live?" (Music Video Distributors/Punkervision)
• DVD: The Residents - "Demons Dance Alone" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Henry Rollins - "Live at Luna Park" (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: X-ecutioners - "Built to Scratch" (Loud)

February 17:

• BT - Music From and Inspired by the Film "Monster" (Digital Sound)
• Indigo Girls - All That We Let In (Sony)
• Lambchop - Aw C'mon (Merge)
• Lambchop - No, You C'mon (Merge)

February 24:

• JC Chasez - Schizophrenic (Jive)
  Read: "JC Chasez Learns To 'Shake It' Like A Polaroid Picture On Schizophrenic"
• John Frusciante - Shadows Collide With People (Warner Bros.)
• Orgy - Punk Statik Paranoia (D1)
• Rick Springfield - Shock Denial Anger Acceptance (Red Ink)

March 2:

• Black Sabbath - Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970-78 (Rhino)
• Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green Is the Soul Machine (Arista)
• The Get Up Kids - Guilt Show (Vagrant)
• Hootie and the Blowfish - The Best of Hootie and the Blowfish 1993-2003 (Atlantic)

March 30:

• Janet Jackson - Title TBD (Virgin)
  Read: "Janet Jackson Making Sexiest Album Yet, Producer Says"

April 6:

• Rahzel - Rahzel's Greatest Knockouts (Readyrock)

• Kanye West
• Norah Jones
• Kylie Minogue
• Courtney Love
• Drag-On

Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, and Nelly announce 2003 Grammy nominations
Photo: MTV News

When nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, reactions ranged from sincere congratulations to "What were they thinking?" (Click here for the list of nominees.)

Few readers writing to MTVNews.com's You Tell Us forum had sour sentiments about demure Norah Jones, the jazz-influenced singer/pianist who's got a chance to sweep the four biggest categories — Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist (see "Eminem, Avril Lavigne, Nelly, Norah Jones Nab Most Grammy Noms"). Jones is also among the eight artists who garnered five nominations. (Click for photos of this year's Grammy nominees.)

"I'm sooo happy for [Norah Jones]," wrote 18-year-old Lexi, from Seattle. "I know many people haven't heard her music, but those who have know how great it is. Big ups to the critics for giving this girl the credit she deserves."

Jones' Come Away With Me faces stiff competition from The Rising, Bruce Springsteen's return to form, and, to a lesser extent, The Eminem Show. Although the mainstream seems to have embraced the volatile rapper, with hardly a protest over his third major-label album or his fictionalized biopic "8 Mile," the Grammys might not be ready to bestow such a prestigious honor to a man who had a hit with a song that talks about killing the mother of his child and stuffing her in a trunk.

Then again, Eminem already has five golden gramophones in his trophy case (though none in the big four categories), and the Recording Academy did grant an Album of the Year Grammy to Steely Dan in 2001, for Two Against Nature, which featured the song "Cousin Dupree," about incest. But old guards like Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have always had Grammy odds in their favor, which is why Springsteen stands such a good shot. And even if The Eminem Show doesn't win for Album of the Year and "Without Me" doesn't lay claim to Record of the Year, Eminem is likely to make good on at least one of his other three nominations.

While Jones stands as the artist with the smallest presence at radio compared with fellow new-artist nominees R&B songbird Ashanti, singer/songwriter Michelle Branch, sensitive guy John Mayer and pop-rocker Avril Lavigne, most of you think the latter stands as her fiercest competition.

"I think Avril Lavigne definitely deserves Best New Artist," wrote 14-year-old Ashley of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. "She's worked so hard and accomplished so much this year."

"There is no doubt that Avril Lavigne should win Best New Artist," echoed 14-year-old Danielle, from Somerset, New Jersey. "She writes her own music, had three top 40 songs in 2002, sold over 4 million copies of her debut, Let Go, and hates Britney Spears. What more could you want in a Best New Artist?"

While statistics may garner gold records, they don't necessarily translate to a Grammy. Awards are (theoretically) doled out to those who demonstrate genuine artistry in their work. And that's Avril Lavigne, isn't it?

"Avril has no business being nominated for as much as she was," disagreed 19-year-old Andrea. "As far as music and creativity go, Britney is more creative — and you know that's a stretch, especially since Britney is nothing but manufactured bubble gum. Avril may have had something going with her and her ties but let's face it, MTV, that's all she has had."

After yesterday's announcement of the nominations, Lavigne has a lot more attached to her, namely a monumental mistake when she mispronounced David Bowie's last name. When reading the list of artists up for the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, she mispronounced Bowie as "bow-wie" (rhymes with oh, wowee!). An unnerving hush immediately enveloped Madison Square Garden.

"Am I the only person who realizes what a poser Avril Lavigne is?" queried 22-year-old Kim, from Denver. "First of all, she botched the pronunciation of David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of our time. ... Does Avril know anything about music? ... My point is, although everyone seems to be touting Avril Lavigne as some new prodigy, the fact is that she is not a true musician or artist and is just as fake and untalented as Britney Spears."

And here we thought Avril was the anti-Britney.

While Mayer's the only guy among the gals in the Best New Artist pack, his fans warn not to count him out just because he's outnumbered.

"John Mayer deserves to win the Grammy for Best New Artist," declared 18-year-old Tiffany Johnson, from Austin, Texas. "He is just on a different level from the rest of the nominees. The guy is brilliant."

Nelly, who's up for Album of the Year, Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album honors, among others, is feeling the brunt of haters. For the nearly 5 million copies of Nellyville sold, the St. Louis rapper seems to have just as many, if not more, detractors.

"I want to know what the Grammy folks see in Nelly," demanded 19-year-old Jason Curtis of Seattle. "Everyone is hypnotized by his so-called 'skills,' which are by no means good. As far as I'm concerned, Nelly doesn't deserve a Grammy."

It wasn't all trash talk directed at the St. Louis rapper, however. Many have their fingers crossed that the Band-Aid bearing MC will leave with even more gold than he came in with.

"I'm really anticipating seeing Nelly take home the Grammy for best album," wrote 14-year-old Linzi, from Sandusky, Michigan. "I mean, his music is totally hot, and I'm pretty sure that I don't know anyone who isn't into Nelly."

Linzi, meet 21-year-old James, from New Haven, Connecticut.

"It is clear once again that the awards honor what is popular, not what is good," James began. "Nelly has sunk so far down in the talent pool that he's left rapping about sneakers and some sort of heat wave that has apparently swept Nellyville. Talk about meaningless music. Seriously, if it's that hot in 'herre,' then drink a glass of water. Don't make a freakin' song about it."

Fellow hip-hopper Petey Pablo, up for Best Rap Album with Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, faced some harsh reactions, with fellow nominee Mystikal also catching some heat.

"I am very upset to see that Pete Pablo has been nominated for Best Rap Album," expressed 25-year-old Curtis, from Tallahassee, Florida. "Also, Mystikal's Tarantula album was very disappointing. How come someone like Trick Daddy or Cee-Lo never gets nominated? He is pure trash, and I understand why people like Jay-Z protest the Grammys. If we want to make it mainstream for all these old white people, let's nominate Will Smith. Even though his album sold probably 200 copies, he does not curse."

Such outrage over those who were nominated couldn't rival the furor over those who were left out: uber-producers the Neptunes and anyone from the neo-garage school, such as the Hives, the Vines, the Strokes or the White Stripes.

"How did Dr. Dre get nominated in the Producer of the Year category, while the Neptunes were ignored?" wondered Venni, 18, from Blacksburg, Virginia. "Dre didn't do anything in 2002. Every single song on the radio was produced by the Neptunes."

OK, Venni may be exaggerating a bit, though Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are responsible for Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," all of which are Grammy-nominated.

"I'm surprised the new 'the' bands didn't get major nods," typed an aghast CJ, 18, from Newmarket, New Hampshire. "I'm sad that the White Stripes were shafted, when overrated Avril Lavigne gets all the credit. Well, the Grammys are pretty lame either way."

If the nominations aroused such fervent feelings in these folks, they'd better be prepared for the shock of February 23. While some surprises can be expected with the nods, utter jaw-droppers like the over-the-hill Jethro Tull winning for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1988 are unmatched.

Stay tuned and stay calm.

For a look back at previous big Grammy winners, red carpet photos and much more, visit our Grammy News Archive.

• Eminem
• Norah Jones
• Nelly
• Dixie Chicks
• Bruce Springsteen

Nelly
Photo: Universal

With eight artists grabbing five nominations each, this year's Grammy Awards looks to be one of the most competitive in the ceremony's 45 years. (Click here for the list of nominees and for photos of this year's Grammy nominees and performers.)

Three relative newcomers, Ashanti, Norah Jones and Avril Lavigne, join Sheryl Crow, Eminem, Nelly, Raphael Saadiq and Bruce Springsteen as the artists with the greatest chances of leaving New York's Madison Square Garden on February 23 with the most golden gramophones in their arms.

All eyes will be on Norah Jones, who stands to reign supreme on Grammy night with four of her five nominations arriving in the big four categories: Best New Artist; Album of the Year, for Come Away With Me; and Song of the Year (given to the songwriter Jesse Harris) and Record of the Year for "Don't Know Why." Jones and her full-length debut album also received nods in the categories Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while the LP's producer, Arif Mardin, scored one in the Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category to give the Norah Jones camp a whopping eight nominations combined.

Eminem, Nelly, Springsteen and Lavigne received two nods apiece for the big awards. Em's "Without Me" is up for Record of the Year, along with Nelly's "Dilemma" (which features Kelly Rowland), Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." The Eminem Show will vie for Album of the Year honors against Come Away With Me, the Dixie Chicks' Home, Nelly's Nellyville and Bruce Springsteen's The Rising.

Springsteen was also nominated in the Song of the Year category for "The Rising." The Boss' tune, which resonated with many after the events of September 11, 2001, will face off against another song inspired by the tragedy, Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)."

The Best New Artist category finds John Mayer the sole male amidst a quartet of ladies, Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Jones and Lavigne, whose single "Complicated" is also up for Song of the Year. (Last year, Alicia Keys walked off with the prestigious honor. Who do you think should win Grammy's equivalent to Rookie of the Year? Take our poll.)

"Chauvinists unite!" Mayer joked at Madison Square Garden, in a half-hearted attempt to strum up support for his cause. "I'm just going to go to sports bars and lobby.

"It's cool," he continued sincerely. "I look at the list and say, 'It makes sense to me.' "

While Ashanti is likely to have her fingers crossed for the big Best New Artist win, she'll be doubly excited when the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category is awarded. Besides receiving a nod for assisting Fat Joe with "What's Luv?" the songbird with the second-best-selling debut album of 2002 has increased her chances of winning with "Always on Time," her collaboration with Ja Rule. Ashanti likes both songs, but she looks to the phrase "blood is thicker than water" when deciding whom to root for.

"I don't necessarily have a preference, but it I had to choose, it would have to be my brother Ja," she said. "That's my family, Murder, Inc. Records."

Nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday (January 7) at a press conference held in Madison Square Garden. Among the artists on hand to read the roster of those hopeful for Grammy gold were Ashanti, country singer Kenny Chesney, '80s faceplate Cyndi Lauper, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and producer Jimmy Jam, who filled in for a previously scheduled but absent Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

The artists each took the podium in turn to announce the contestants for two of the categories, which made for some interesting pronunciations. Ashanti (pronounced a-shan-tee) became the faux-fabulous sounding "A-shan-tay" whenever most on hand mentioned her name; and Lavigne, in announcing the nominees for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance botched David Bowie's name, pronouncing it 'Bow-wee" (as in the dog sound "bow-wow"). The flub is not likely to go unnoticed among Lavigne's critics, and it just might go down in pop-star infamy, the way Britney Spears' remark that suggested Pat Benatar sang "I Love Rock 'N Roll," a song Joan Jett made famous, did in a fall 2001 interview.

Four nominations fell on the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, R&B singer Remy Shand and Chad Kroeger, who scored one with his band Nickelback, and three others for his song "Hero," penned for the soundtrack to "Spider-Man."

Besides two in the big four, Vanessa Carlton's other nomination came in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). While most categories in the Composing/Arranging field are often overlooked in favor of more artist-specific ones, the 21-year-old pianist doesn't consider her third nod to be any less important. In fact, considering that she's the only nominee who's also an artist in that category, she said she's perhaps most proud of that honor because it shows her as the well-rounded artist she is.

"I am most excited for that nomination because it is recognizing the process, something other than the vocal and the song itself," she explained. "It kind of acknowledges how the puzzle fits together. I think [Be Not Nobody] is a beautiful record and I'm really proud to know that people recognized that. I was totally surprised, though. I really was."

India.Arie, Erykah Badu, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Dr. Dre, Randy Newman, Arif Mardin and No Doubt also nabbed three nominations each.

Touting over 100 categories, the Grammys is the most comprehensive music awards show, but even with classifications such as Best Polka Album (for which Jimmy Sturr's Top of the World looks to be the odds-on favorite) and Best Remixed Record, Non-Classical, there just aren't enough designations for some folks.

"Actually, one they didn't mention was best haircut-changing-style every year,' a near-bald Timberlake kidded. "I'm hoping I get the Victrola for that."

Maybe next year, Justin. In the meantime, the 'NSYNC star must be content with just one nomination, for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, for the Clipse-featured "Like I Love You," the first single from his solo debut, Justified.

Super production duo the Neptunes were puzzlingly absent from the Producer of the Year category, which instead found Dr. Dre, Nellee Hooper, Arif Mardin, Rick Rubin, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis attempting to stake their claim to the title. After producing a number of Grammy-nominated tracks, including Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," it's a mystery why Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams didn't receive any love from the Recording Academy.

"For the second year in a row, can you imagine that?" Williams said of his Grammy dis. "All the work we've done? For whatever reason, nobody thought to put us on the ballot."

The 45th annual ceremony marks the Grammys' return to New York, after Los Angeles hosted the previous four events. The show will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). Before the show, catch MTV's pre-show telecast "Backstage at the Grammys," airing at 7 p.m. ET.

MTV's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• Nelly
• Avril Lavigne
• Norah Jones
• Eminem
• Vanessa Carlton

Mary J. Blige
Photo: MTV News

Mary J. Blige, Sisqó and Who frontman Roger Daltrey are among the artists lined up to perform classic Motown songs at a Los Angeles benefit dinner next week.

The dinner, dubbed a Motor City Revue and also set to feature Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, India.Arie, Melissa Etheridge, Bilal, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Ronan Keating, Jonny Lang, Shelby Lynne, Smokey Robinson and the Temptations, will be held October 11 at Universal Studios.

More artists will be announced, according to a spokesperson for the event.

The City of Hope Spirit of Life Award dinner will raise funds for the City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. A research fellowship will be established for the organizations in honor of Edgar Bronfman Jr., executive vice-chairman for entertainment giant Vivendi Universal.

The dinner, now in its 28th year, has honored past music industry moguls such as Clive Davis and Quincy Jones.

City of Hope's research lead to the discovery of Herceptin and Rituxan, two drugs that have revolutionized cancer care, according to a City of Hope spokesperson. The music and entertainment industries have raised more than $30 million for the center in its 27-year history.

For ticket information, contact City of Hope at 800-260-HOPE or visit the Web site at www.cityofhope.org.

• Mary J. Blige
• The Who
• Sisqó
• Bon Jovi
• India.Arie

Paul McCartney
Photo: Capitol

After announcing his intentions last week to stage a benefit concert for families of firemen who died in the World Trade Center collapse, Paul McCartney has decided instead to join up with an all-star benefit planned for October 20 at Madison Square Garden.

The four-hour show will also feature the Who, Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, Macy Gray, the Goo Goo Dolls, James Taylor, India.Arie and Melissa Etheridge, with more acts to be announced. Called simply "The Concert for New York," the event will air live on VH1 and will be simulcast on radio stations nationwide.

As with the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon, the musicians will be joined by a panel of actors and comedians including Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Gwyneth Paltrow and John Cusack. The television broadcast will display a phone number and Web site address for donations, but it appears unlikely that celebrities will answer viewers' calls like they did on last week's telethon.

More than 5,000 members of New York's fire department, police department and rescue crews and their families are being invited to the event.

Tickets will go on sale October 7 at noon via Ticketmaster. Prices have not yet been determined, but all money raised will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund, which will distribute the money to the Twin Towers Fund and other agencies aiding the victims and their families.

For more information on and audience reaction to the attacks, including tips on how you can help, see "9.11.01: Moving Forward."

• Paul McCartney
• Bon Jovi
• Macy Gray
• The Who
• Goo Goo Dolls

Melissa Etheridge
Photo: Universal

Ever since Melissa Etheridge came out of the closet at a 1993 presidential inauguration party, she's been a strong voice for gay pride, candidly discussing her 12-year relationship with lover Julie Cypher and the couple's decision to have children with a little help from sperm donor David Crosby.

Now, following her painful breakup with Cypher in September, Etheridge has evolved into a voice for the brokenhearted as well. True, she's always written emotive music with yearning vocals and insistent acoustic guitar strums — tunes that sounded like breakup songs even though she was immersed in a long-term relationship. But on her new record, Skin, Etheridge, stinging from her split with Cypher, has crafted a confessional journey that aches with vulnerability and betrayal.

Two weeks before the album's July 10 release, Etheridge will open up even further with the release of her revealing, unflinching autobiography "The Truth Is ..." Etheridge sets the tone for Skin with the bristling first track, "Lover Please," which begins with a lazy guitar rhythm and static-y electronic percussion but quickly evolves into a stormy distorted rocker, climaxing with a bluesy talk-box guitar solo.

As turbulent as the music is, the lyrics speak even louder: "Didn't I love you right?/ Then tell me where are you going dressed to kill tonight?/ Oh, this one's gonna hurt like hell." "That was the first new song I wrote," Etheridge told VH1's Rebecca Rankin recently at the Soho Grand Hotel in New York. "[It's about] coming to the realization that [my relationship] is over and the only choice left is to break away. All the begging and pleading and fear is in that song." The first single from Skin will be "I Want to Be in Love," a rootsy, melancholy song with a spare keyboard line, synths that glide like violins, and despairing vocals: "I have wrestled with my demons and woke up with only me/ Oh, I want to be in love." "I think if 'Lover Please' was released first, people might think, 'Oh, she's so angry,'" Etheridge explained. "So it's nice that I had 'I Want to Be in Love' [to release first]. I do believe in love. I know because it exists in me. I believe it can exist in me and another person in a healthy, together way." A video for "I Want to Be in Love," directed by David Hogan (Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow) and starring Jennifer Aniston, was shot last week in Los Angeles and will debut on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" the week of the album's release.

"Jennifer was my friend long before she met Brad [Pitt], and she was a true fan of my music," Etheridge said. "I mean, she'll sit down and [compliment me], and it's almost embarrassing. So she understood my music, and the timing worked out right. It was truly our friendship, our mutual respect of music and the places that we've come to in our lives that allowed us to come together and create something." Although Skin contains obvious singles, Etheridge said the album is best absorbed as a full body of work. It's not exactly a concept record, but it does tell a story, chronicling the singer's recent feelings of betrayal ("Lover Please," "The Prison"), isolation ("Down to One," "Goodnight," "It's Only Me") and the realization that it's time to move on ("I Want to Be in Love," "Heal Me").

"Doing this record was a totally healing experience," she said. "People have asked me if I've maybe given away too much with it, but writing and performing music has always been the safest place for me. I grew up in an emotionally repressed environment where I couldn't put anything out, [and now] I can put out and receive emotion in this very safe place. This is probably the first time that the world knows exactly what I'm talking about, but that's the type of artist I am. I write from what I know." On past albums, Etheridge has worked with a variety of other musicians and producers, but for Skin she wanted the performances to be as personal as possible, so she played nearly all the instruments herself (guitar, harmonica, keyboard, mandolin) and produced the record with the help of David Cole (Richard Marx, Mariah Carey). It was a fairly ambitious and involved endeavor, especially when you consider that Etheridge hadn't even planned to create a new album before breaking up with Cypher.

"I was going to write my book and maybe do a theatrical play," she said. "Then my life took a serious change, and I went in and did what I had to do personally, which is write music about what I'm going through. I was trying to help heal myself by writing these songs, and I realized after I had written them that they were really good. So I called my manager and said, 'Get me in the studio.'" Since Etheridge wrote and recorded Skin on her own, it makes sense that she'll embark on a solo tour to support the record. The Live and Alone tour starts in Washington, D.C., on August 6 and runs through September 30 in Denver.

"Once again, it's a singular thing," she said. "But it's not just me sitting on a stool or anything. I so can't do that. It's my interpretation of my music and my songs through myself. I'll play acoustic and electric guitar and keyboards. It's going to be a little lonely, but that's OK 'cause I will really appreciate when I do tour with a band again." As if Skin doesn't reveal enough about Etheridge's personal life, her book provides enough juicy information about her dysfunctional upbringing, her gay lifestyle and her split with Cypher to satisfy even The National Enquirer. "One reason I wrote it was because people go in and they find things about you and turn them into little sound bites. And it's like, wait, we're talking about 10 years of my life. There's so much more to it. It meant a lot to me to be able to tell the whole story and have control over how it's presented." Melissa Etheridge tour dates, according to Island Records:

• 7/22 - Winter Park, CO @ Winter Park Ski Area
• 8/6 - Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
• 8/7 - Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
• 8/8 - Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
• 8/11 - New York, NY @ City Center
• 8/12 - New York, NY @ City Center
• 8/13 - New York, NY @ City Center
• 8/14 - New York, NY @ City Center
• 8/16 - Lowell, MA @ Lowell Memorial Auditorium
• 8/17 - Lowell, MA @ Lowell Memorial Auditorium
• 8/18 - Montreal, QC @ Place des Arts
• 8/24 - Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
• 8/25 - Detroit, MI @ Detroit Opera House
• 8/26 - Detroit, MI @ Detroit Opera House
• 8/28 - Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
• 8/29 - Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
• 9/4 - Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Civic Center Theatre
• 9/5 - Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Civic Center Theatre
• 9/7 - Miami Beach, FL @ Jackie Gleason Theater
• 9/8 - Miami Beach, FL @ Jackie Gleason Theater
• 9/10 - Fort Worth, TX @ Will Rogers Auditorium
• 9/11 - Fort Worth, TX @ Will Rogers Auditorium
• 9/14 - Long Beach, CA @ Terrace Theater
• 9/15 - Long Beach, CA @ Terrace Theater
• 9/16 - Long Beach, CA @ Terrace Theater
• 9/17 - Tempe, AZ @ Gammage Auditorium
• 9/20 - Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
• 9/21 - Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
• 9/22 - Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
• 9/24 - Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
• 9/25 - Seattle, WA @ Seattle Center Opera House
• 9/26 - Seattle, WA @ Seattle Center Opera House
• 9/29 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
• 9/30 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre

• Melissa Etheridge