Costello and Coldplay contend for Grammys

Elvis Costello, Coldplay and Robert Plant are leading British hopes for honours at the US Grammy awards.

Costello is up for three awards - best male rock singer, best rock album and best alternative album. The former Led Zeppelin star Plant is also up for best rock album, while Coldplay contend for the best rock group title.

US acts Bruce Springsteen and Eminem and Canadian Avril Lavigne are in the running for five categories.

The British dance outfit Dirty Vegas, while little known at home, are shortlisted for three titles. They compete for best dance record with Days Gone By, a track is up for best video and their album is nominated for best packaging.

And Britons Daniel Bedingfield, for Gotta Get Thru This and Groove Armada, for Superstylin' are also vying for best dance record.

Craig David, Elton John and Sting are competing for best male pop performance.

Veterans David Bowie and Peter Gabriel are shortlisted for best male rock singer alongside Costello and Plant.

Plant's Dreamland is up against Costello's When I Was Cruel for the best rock album.

Coldplay are up for best rock group and have a second nomination for their LP A Rush of Blood to the Head, in the best alternative album category.

Robbie Williams is up for best long-form music video for his Royal Albert Hall show against the Clash's Westway to the World.

Sir Paul McCartney also features in the list of 104 categories. He is up for best TV or film song for his title track from Vanilla Sky.

The British studio wizard Nellee Hooper is up for the producer of the year title at the awards, which will be held on February 23.