GRAMMY.com

The GRAMMY Awards honor recordings in 108 categories across 31 fields, from rap to classical. To help readers get a better sense of the nominees and the wealth of recordings they’ve created over the past year, GRAMMY.com has prepared these field Roundups, which give quick details on the nominees in an easy-to-read format.

The BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE category showcases singers taking a strong, sometimes defiant, stand. Mariah Carey continued the momentum generated by her 2005 comeback with the impassioned "Don't Forget About Us." Beyoncé used wailing sirens and a scratchy vocal effect to accent the rage she felt from being scorned by her lover on the hair-raising "Ring The Alarm." Mary J. Blige enjoyed the biggest hit of her distinguished career with the soaring "Be Without You," while GRAMMY mainstay India.Arie earned a nomination here for "I Am Not My Hair," a plea to judge people by the content of their character, not their appearance. Natalie Cole's "Day Dreaming" rounds out this group.

For BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE, two of the genre's most promising acts share the spotlight with three R&B heavyweights. John Legend's "Heaven" and Ne-Yo's "So Sick" share nominations in this star-studded category along with Prince's "Black Sweat." "I Call It Love" marks a comeback for Lionel Richie, while the late Luther Vandross is recognized for "Got You Home." 

All-star collaborations earn nominations in the BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS category. John Legend, Joss Stone and Van Hunt team for a reworking of Sly & The Family Stone's "Family Affair," while Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Yolanda Adams and Carl Thomas unite for "Everyday (Family Reunion)," from the Madea's Family Reunion soundtrack. Film star Jamie Foxx flexes his singing chops with Mary J. Blige on "Love Changes." George Benson and Al Jarreau's "Breezin'" and Prince and Támar's "Beautiful, Loved And Blessed" round out this grouping.

Mary J. Blige shares the limelight with a crop of musicians she surely grew up listening to in the BEST TRADITIONAL R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE category. Blige and Raphael Saadiq are nominated for "I Found My Everything." The Temptations show their staying power with "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," while Sam Moore featuring Billy Preston, Zucchero, Eric Clapton and Robert Randolph continue the love vibe with "You Are So Beautiful." Religious themes are present on Anita Baker's "Christmas Time Is Here" and George Benson and Al Jarreau featuring Jill Scott's "God Bless The Child."

The BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE category features nominations for a cross-genre gathering of artists. Surprise stars Gnarls Barkley earn a nomination in this category for their smash "Crazy," while Prince rocks out on "3121." Rappers OutKast kick the blues on "Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me)." Two Sergio Mendes collaborations round out the grouping: "That Heat," featuring Erykah Badu and Will.i.am, and "Mas Que Nada," featuring the Black Eyed Peas.

Songwriters are recognized in the BEST R&B SONG category. A bevy of songwriters are credited with penning "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige's smash single that helped her earn a career-high eight GRAMMY nominations. Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jason Perry are the song's songwriters, while Shawn Carter, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Beyoncé Knowles, Makeba Riddick, Keli Nicole Price, Delisha Thomas and John Webb are credited with penning Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z's "Deja Vu." Some of the writers for a Mariah Carey tune get nominated for a second consecutive year in this prestigious pairing. This year it is "Don't Forget About Us," by Johnta Austin, Mariah Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jermaine Dupri. Prince stands on his own for "Black Sweat," while Drew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders and India Arie Simpson round out the category for their work on India.Arie's "I Am Not My Hair."

Nominees in the BEST R&B ALBUM category represent some of the genre's stalwarts as well as an actor eager to earn a spot among the greats. Lionel Richie's Coming Home and Prince's celebrated 3121 show that decades after these longtime greats arrived on the scene, they continue making satisfying music that can connect with generations of fans. Albums from female stars Mary J. Blige (The Breakthrough) and India.Arie (Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship) also earned nominations, as did Jamie Foxx's Unpredictable.

One of the genre's lasting acts and four younger talents received nominations for their stellar work in the BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM section. Janet Jackson's 20 Y.O. nomination shows the entertainer's staying power. Debut albums from Chris Brown (Chris Brown) and Ne-Yo (In My Own Words) earned the emerging singers nods here. Rounding out the nominations in this category are Kelis Was Here, the spicy album from Kelis, and B'Day, Beyoncé's second solo bow.

Four states are represented in the BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE category. New Yorkers Busta Rhymes ("Touch It") and Mos Def ("Undeniable") get a nod in this grouping. Virginia gets recognition for Missy Elliott's "We Run This," while Illinois representative Lupe Fiasco earns his inaugural nod for "Kick, Push." Capping the category is "What You Know," from Georgia's T.I.

Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone highlighted the ills of police brutality to land a nomination in the BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP category. Their "Ridin" got a nod here. Nelly, Paul Wall, and Ali & Gipp won't win any spelling awards, but their "Grillz" also scored a nomination. Ray Charles' influence on Jamie Foxx continues on "Georgia," the actor/singer's collaboration with Ludacris and Field Mob. Artists who record together as a group round out the rest of the category. OutKast is recognized for its Cab Colloway-inspired "Mighty 'O,'" while the driving "Don't Feel Right" by the Roots is also highlighted. 

Some of rap's biggest acts earned nominations in the BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION. Eminem earned two nods here, for his "Smack That" collaboration with Akon and for his "Shake That" teaming with Nate Dogg. Boyfriend-girlfriend duo Beyoncé and Jay-Z scored their second consecutive GRAMMY-nominated collaboration with "Deja Vu." "My Love," a quirky cut from singer Justin Timberlake and rapper T.I., was one of the year's biggest songs, while "Unpredictable" from Jamie Foxx and Ludacris is the final nomination in the category. 

A number of rap's emerging stars score nominations in the BEST RAP SONG category, which highlights songwriters. Chadron Moore and Jasiel Robinson earn a nod for Yung Joc's "It's Goin' Down," while Wasalu Muhammad Jaco is recognized for writing Lupe Fiasco's perseverance anthem "Kick, Push." Christopher Bridges and Pharrell Williams took a lighter ride to recognition for the club and radio smash "Money Maker," which they performed as Ludacris and Pharrell, respectively. Anthony Henderson, Juan Carlos Salinas, Oscar Salinas and Hakeem Seriki are highlighted for Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone's "Ridin." Gabriel Arillo, Aldrian Davis and Clifford Harris are the primary songwriters, while music authored by Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, Curtis Mayfield and Billy Roberts was also used for T.I.'s "What You Know," the final nomination in this category.

T.I.'s platinum-selling King gets justified recognition in the BEST RAP ALBUM category, which also includes Ludacris' thought provoking Release Therapy. Debut albums Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor and In My Mind from Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell, respectively, also earn nods. Rounding out this category is the latest offering from the Roots, Game Theory.