You know an awards show is unique when Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 5 and the Beatles are nominees in the same category.

But one way next week's 2001 Billboard Music Awards is like the others is in its recognition of R&B newcomer Alicia Keys, who is the leading contender with nominations in eight categories.

Keys — whose "Fallin'" helped her debut album, Songs in A Minor, top the charts when it was released in June — was named Best New Artist at MTV's Video Music Awards in September, is the leading nominee in the American Music Awards (see "Alicia Keys Leads List Of American Music Awards Nominees") and is expected to hear her name multiple times when the Grammy nominations are announced in January.

At the Billboard Music Awards, which will air live December 4 on Fox from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Keys' nominations include Female Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year and Hot 100 Single of the Year for "Fallin'," according to Billboard.

Keys will perform at the ceremony, along with Shaggy, No Doubt, Incubus, 'NSYNC and Tim McGraw.

Shaggy has the second most nominees with seven, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Hotshot, which featured the smash hit "It Wasn't Me."

Destiny's Child, Ja Rule, Musiq Soulchild and Lifehouse have five nominations each, while Staind, Jennifer Lopez, Nelly, Janet Jackson, R. Kelly and Tim McGraw have four.

Comedian Bernie Mac will host the show, which will feature appearances by Destiny's Child, Sting, Janet Jackson, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Creed, Lifehouse, Blink-182, Pink, Joe, Aaron Carter, Godsmack, Mandy Moore, Ludacris, R. Kelly, Lil' Romeo, Lee Ann Womack, Jamie O'Neal and Petey Pablo.

Billboard Music Award nominations are announced so late because they are based on the magazine's year-end charts, which determine the year's top artists, albums and songs based on record sales and radio airplay statistics.

Nominees for the 2001 Billboard Music Awards:

Artist of the Year:

  • Destiny's Child
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Nelly
  • Shaggy

Female Artist of the Year:

  • Dido
  • Janet Jackson
  • Alicia Keys
  • Jennifer Lopez

Male Artist of the Year:

  • Ja Rule
  • Lenny Kravitz
  • Nelly
  • Shaggy

Artist of the Year - Duo/Group:

  • 112
  • Destiny's Child
  • Lifehouse
  • Train

New Artist of the Year:

  • Dream
  • Alicia Keys
  • Lifehouse
  • Linkin Park

Album of the Year:

  • Backstreet Boys - Black & Blue
  • The Beatles - 1
  • Shaggy - Hotshot
  • Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 5

Albums Artist of the Year:

  • Backstreet Boys
  • The Beatles
  • 'NSYNC
  • Shaggy

Male Albums Artist of the Year:

  • Ja Rule
  • Tim McGraw
  • Nelly
  • Shaggy

Female Albums Artist of the Year:

  • Enya
  • Alicia Keys
  • Sade
  • Britney Spears

Duo/Group Albums Artist of the Year:

  • Backstreet Boys
  • The Beatles
  • Limp Bizkit
  • 'NSYNC

Hot 100 Single of the Year:

  • Janet Jackson - "All for You"
  • Alicia Keys - "Fallin'"
  • Lifehouse - "Hanging by a Moment"
  • Train - "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)"

Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year:

  • Destiny's Child
  • Janet Jackson
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Matchbox Twenty

Male Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year:

  • Ja Rule
  • Jay-Z
  • Nelly
  • Shaggy

Female Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year:

  • Faith Hill
  • Janet Jackson
  • Alicia Keys
  • Jennifer Lopez

Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year - Duo/Group:

  • 112
  • Destiny's Child
  • Lifehouse
  • Matchbox Twenty

R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

  • Ja Rule
  • Jay-Z
  • R. Kelly
  • Musiq Soulchild

Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

  • Ja Rule
  • Jay-Z
  • R. Kelly
  • Musiq Soulchild

Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

  • Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
  • Eve
  • Alicia Keys
  • Jill Scott

R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year - Duo/Group:

  • 112
  • Destiny's Child
  • Jagged Edge
  • Outkast

New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

  • Jaheim
  • Alicia Keys
  • Ludacris
  • Musiq Soulchild

R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year:

  • R. Kelly - Tp-2.Com
  • Alicia Keys - Songs in A Minor
  • Shaggy - Hotshot
  • Musiq Soulchild - Aijuswanaseing (I Just Want to Sing)

R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year:


  • Case - "Missing You"
  • Jagged Edge w/ Nelly - "Where the Party At"
  • R. Kelly f/ Jay-Z - "Fiesta"
  • Musiq Soulchild - "Love"

Country Artist of the Year:

  • Kenny Chesney
  • Toby Keith
  • Tim McGraw
  • Travis Tritt

Male Country Artist of the Year:

  • Kenny Chesney
  • Toby Keith
  • Tim McGraw
  • Travis Tritt

Female Country Artist of the Year:

  • Sara Evans
  • Jo Dee Messina
  • Jamie O'Neal
  • Lee Ann Womack

Country Artist of the Year - Duo/Group:

  • Brooks & Dunn
  • Diamond Rio
  • Dixie Chicks
  • Lonestar

New Country Artist of the Year:

  • Jamie O'Neal
  • Trick Pony
  • Blake Shelton
  • Cyndi Thomson

Country Album of the Year:

  • Faith Hill - Breathe
  • Tim McGraw - Greatest Hits
  • Various artists - "Coyote Ugly" soundtrack
  • Various artists - "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack

Country Single of the Year:

  • Brooks & Dunn - "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You"
  • Kenny Chesney - "Don't Happen Twice"
  • Toby Keith - "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This"
  • Travis Tritt - "It's a Great Day to Be Alive"

Modern Rock Artist of the Year:

  • Fuel
  • Incubus
  • Linkin Park
  • Staind

Modern Rock Single of the Year:

  • Incubus - "Drive"
  • Lifehouse - "Hanging by a Moment"
  • Staind - "It's Been Awhile"
  • Tool - "Schism"

Rock Artist of the Year:

  • 3 Doors Down
  • Godsmack
  • Linkin Park
  • Staind

Rock Single of the Year:

  • Fuel - "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)"
  • Godsmack - "Awake"
  • Staind - "It's Been Awhile"
  • Tool - "Schism"

Rap Artist of the Year:

  • City High
  • Lil' Bow Wow
  • Lil' Romeo
  • Outkast

Rap Single of the Year:

  • City High - "What Would You Do?"
  • Lil' Bow Wow - "Bow Wow (That's My Name)"
  • Lil' Romeo - "My Baby"
  • Outkast - "Ms. Jackson"