Grammy nominations heavy on Nashville

It may not be much of a surprise, but now it's official: Music City will once again have a very strong showing at the Grammy Awards.

On Friday, the Recording Academy revealed its nominees for next year's ceremony, and dozens of local fixtures of country, rock, pop, Christian, Americana and bluegrass music could be found among the 80-plus categories.

What's more unique about this year's Nashville crop: Several new faces are among those leading the charge. There's critically adored songsmith Brandy Clark, who's in the hotly contested best new artist category and also scored a nod for best country album. The No. 1 smash "All About That Bass" by Nashville newcomer Meghan Trainor is nominated for record and song of the year. Singular indie-country artist Sturgill Simpson is one of three Nashville artists nominated for Americana album of the year. More familiar names are elsewhere on the ballot.

This year's country album nominees are a broad mix of talent, including hit releases by Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Dierks Bentley along with acclaimed efforts by Lee Ann Womack and Clark.

" 'RISER' album is everything to me," Bentley tweeted. "Thx to my fans, team, and label for supporting it all year. man what a ride! the @TheGRAMMYs nom is unreal!"

Clark scored the nomination for best new artist alongside Bastille, Iggy Azalea, Haim and Sam Smith.

"This is just amazing," Clark said of her best country album nomination. "I really don't have the words for it. To see '12 Stories' in the middle of all of those great albums and artists is a dream come true."

Nominees in best country solo performance are Church, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Hunter Hayes and Lambert. Artists recognized in the best country duo/group performance category are The Band Perry, Lambert and Underwood, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Little Big Town, and Urban and Church.

Nashville's celebrated rock scene also has a strong showing. Three of the nominees for best rock song — Jack White, Paramore and The Black Keys — all call the area home. And portions of album of the year nominee Beck's "Morning Phase" were recorded in town. The Black Keys also earned a nod for best rock album alongside U2 and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

Paramore, which formed a decade ago in Franklin, was nominated for its song "Ain't it Fun."

" 'Ain't It Fun' was already one of our proudest moments as a band," frontwoman Hayley Williams said on Twitter. "Now it's (Grammy) nominated!!! even prouder."

White's sophomore album, "Lazaretto," was nominated for best alternative music album, as was "Melophobia" by Cage the Elephant, whose members are split between Nashville and Bowling Green, Ky.

Grand Ole Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show picked up a nod in the best folk album category.

Nashville's status as a Christian and gospel music hub continues to be reflected at the Grammys. Francesca Battistelli, For King & Country and Natalie Grant are among the local talents on the ballot.

"We're very excited, and it was very unexpected," said For King & Country's Joel Smallbone of the duo's two nominations.

"We had a meeting with our publicist three years ago and she said, 'What are your hopes and your dreams?' " recalled For King & Country's Luke Smallbone. "Joel said, 'We'd love to play a late-night show.' I said, thinking these were things that would never come to fruition, 'It would be really cool to get nominated for a Grammy, too.' "

Both happened for the duo in 2014.

Acclaimed Middle Tennessee artists John Hiatt, Keb' Mo' and Simpson are among the nominees for best Americana album, and soulful singer-songwriter Mike Farris is nominated for best roots gospel album.

Taylor Swift — who built her career in Nashville before making a new home in New York City — earned three nominations for her pop hit "Shake It Off." Nashville native Miley Cyrus scored a nomination for best pop vocal album with her redefining "Bangerz."

The 57th annual Grammy Awards are 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show will air live on CBS.

2015 Grammy award nominees:

Best Americana Album

"The River & the Thread," Rosanne Cash

"Terms of My Surrender," John Hiatt

"Bluesamericana," Keb' Mo'

"A Dotted Line," Nickel Creek

"Metamodern Sounds in Country Music," Sturgill Simpson

Best Alternative Music Album

"This is All Yours," Alt-J

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire

"Melophobia," Cage the Elephant

"St. Vincent," St. Vincent

"Lazaretto," Jack White

Song of the Year

"All About that Bass," Meghan Trainor, written by Kevin Kadish and Meghan Trainor

"Chandelier," Sia, written by Sia Furler and Jesse Shatkin

"Shake It Off," Taylor Swift, written by Max Martin, Shellback and Taylor Swift

"Stay with Me" (Dark Child version), Sam Smith, written by James Napier, William Phillips and Sam Smith

"Take Me to Church," Hozier, written by Andrew Hozier Byrne

Best Country Song

"American Kids," Kenny Chesney, written by Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird and Shane McAnally

"Automatic," Miranda Lambert, written by Miranda Lambert, Natalie Hemby, Nicolle Galyon

"Give Me Back My Hometown," Eric Church, written by Eric Church and Luke Laird

"I'm Not Gonna Miss You," Glen Campbell, written by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond

"Meanwhile Back at Mama's," Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill, written by Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston and Jeffrey Steele

Best New Artist

Brandy Clark

Bastille

Iggy Azalea

Haim

Sam Smith

Best Rock Album

"Ryan Adams," Ryan Adams

"Morning Phase," Beck

"Turn Blue," The Black Keys

"Hypnotic Eye," Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

"Songs of Innocence," U2

Best Rock Song

"Ain't it Fun," Paramore, songwriters: Hayley Williams and Taylor York

"Blue Moon," Beck, songwriter: Beck Hansen

"Fever," The Black Keys, songwriters: Dan Auerback, Brian Burton and Patrick Carney

"Gimme Something Good," Ryan Adams; songwriter: Ryan Adams

"Lazaretto," Jack White, songwriter: Jack White

Record of the Year

Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, "Fancy"

Sia, "Chandelier"

Sam Smith, "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)"

Taylor Swift, "Shake It Off"

Meghan Trainor, "All About That Bass"

Best Country Album

Dierks Bentley, "Riser"

Eric Church, "The Outsiders"

Brandy Clark, "12 Stories"

Miranda Lambert, "Platinum"

Lee Ann Womack, The Way I'm Livin'

Best Pop Vocal Album

Coldplay, "Ghost Stories"

Miley Cyrus, "Bangerz"

Ariana Grande, "My Everything"

Katy Perry, "Prism"

Ed Sheeran, "X"

Sam Smith, "In the Lonely Hour"

Best Pop Solo Performance

"All Of Me (Live)," John Legend

"Chandelier," Sia

"Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)," Sam Smith

"Shake It Off," Taylor Swift

"Happy (Live), "Pharrell Williams

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Wild Heart, Mindi Abair

Slam Dunk, Gerald Albright

Nathan East, Nathan East

Jazz Funk Soul, Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb, Everette Harp

Bass & Mandolin, Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer

Best Rock Performance

Gimme Something Good, Ryan Adams

Do I Wanna Know?, Arctic Monkeys

Blue Moon, Beck

Fever, The Black Keys

Lazaretto, Jack White

Best Country Solo Performance

Give Me Back My Hometown, Eric Church

Invisible, Hunter Hayes

Automatic, Miranda Lambert

Something In The Water, Carrie Underwood

Cop Car, Keith Urban

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Gentle On My Mind, The Band Perry

Somethin' Bad, Miranda Lambert With Carrie Underwood

Day Drinking, Little Big Town

Meanwhile Back At Mama's, Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill

Raise 'Em Up, Keith Urban Featuring Eric Church

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Write Your Story, Francesca Battistelli, Francesca Battistelli; Francesca Battistelli, David Arthur Garcia & Ben Glover, songwriters

Come As You Are, Crowder

Messengers, Lecrae Featuring For King & Country, Torrance Esmond, Ran Jackson, Ricky Jackson, Kenneth Chris Mackey, Lecrae Moore, Joseph Prielozny, Joel Smallbone & Luke Smallbone, songwriters

Shake, MercyMe, Nathan Cochran, David Arthur Garcia, Ben Glover, Barry Graul, Bart Millard, Soli Olds, Mike Scheuchzer & Robby Shaffer, songwriters

Multiplied, Needtobreathe; Bear Rinehart & Bo Rinehart, songwriters

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

If We're Honest,Francesca Battistelli

Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong., For King & Country

Hurricane, Natalie Grant

Welcome To The New, MercyMe

Royal Tailor, Royal Tailor

Best Roots Gospel Album

Forever Changed, T. Graham Brown

Shine For All The People, Mike Farris

Hymns, Gaither Vocal Band

A Cappella, The Martins

His Way Of Loving Me, Tim Menzies

Best American Roots Performance

Statesboro Blues, Gregg Allman & Taj MahalA Feather's Not a Bird, Rosanne Cash

And When I Die, Billy Childs Featuring Alison Krauss & Jerry Douglas

The Old Me Better, Keb' Mo' Featuring The California Feet Warmers

Destination, Nickel Creek

Best American Roots Song

A Feather's Not A Bird, Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, songwriters (Jesse Winchester)

The New York Trains, The Del McCoury Band, Woody Guthrie & Del McCoury, songwriters

Pretty Little One, Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers Featuring Edie Brickell, Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, songwriter

Terms Of My Surrender, John Hiatt, John Hiatt, songwriter (John Hiatt)

Best Bluegrass Album

The Earls Of Leicester, The Earls Of Leicester

Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe,

Cold Spell, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Into My Own, Bryan Sutton

Only Me, Rhonda Vincent

Best Folk Album

Three Bells, Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas & Rob Ickes

Follow The Music, Alice Gerrard

The Nocturne Diaries, Eliza Gilkyson

Remedy, Old Crow Medicine Show

A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble, Jesse Winchester

Best Song Written for Visual Media

Everything Is Awesome!!!,

Joshua Bartholomew, Lisa Harriton, Shawn Patterson, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone, songwriters (Tegan And Sara Featuring The Lonely Island)

Track from: The Lego Movie

I See Fire

Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)

Track from: The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

I'm Not Gonna Miss You

Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond, songwriters (Glen Campbell)

Track from: Glen Campbell, I'll Be Me

Let It Go

Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Idina Menzel)

Track from: Frozen

The Moon Song

Spike Jonze & Karen O, songwriters (Scarlett Johansson & Joaquin Phoenix)

Track from: Her

Best Instrumental Composition

The Book Thief

John Williams, composer (John Williams)

Track from: The Book Thief Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Last Train To Sanity

Stanley Clarke, composer (The Stanley Clarke Band)

Track from: Up

Label: Mack Avenue Records; Publisher: Roxboro Music Publishing

Life In The Bubble

Track from: Life In The Bubble

Recognition

Rufus Reid, composer (Rufus Reid)

Track from: Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project

Tarnation

Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile, composers (Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer)

Track from: Bass & Mandolin