“THE 40^TH ANNIVERSARY AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS®”

NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Nicki Minaj and Rihanna Individually Lead 2012 Nominations

Christina Aguilera Confirmed to Perform

New Electronic Dance Music Category Created

Winners Determined by Online Voting at amavote.com

Los Angeles, CA (October 9, 2012) - Recording artist Christina Aguilera revealed the “The 40^th Anniversary American Music Awards® (AMAs)” nominations this morning from the J.W. Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE (see full list of nominees below). It was also announced that Christina Aguilera will be performing on this year’s show which will be broadcast live from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18^th (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC.  Additional acts and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are now on sale (please visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 1-877-234-8425).

For the fourth consecutive year, the live online pre-show “Coca-Cola Red Carpet LIVE! @ The 2012 AMAs” will stream live for fans worldwide starting at 5pm ET / 2pm PT and will be hosted by Lance Bass, Kimberly Cole, Brad Goreski and Tristan Wilds, among other hosts to be announced including a NOKIA correspondent. Viewers will be able to watch the live show on ABC.com, AMAs365.com, Cokemusic.com, Livestream, Ustream, YouTube, and through AP Live Entertainment. Livestream and Ustream-powered video players will be made available to media partners, as well as for the websites and Facebook Pages of participating talent.

Nicki Minaj and Rihanna both lead this year with four (4) nominations individually. While Drake, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, One Direction and Usher follow with three (3) nominations each, and Carrie Underwood, Chris Brown, fun., Gotye, J.Cole, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, and Pitbull collected two (2) nominations respectively.  This year’s 2012 Artist of the Year nominees are: Justin Bieber, Drake, Maroon 5, Katy Perry, and Rihanna. This year also marks the creation of the new Electronic Dance Music Category. Nominees include David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Skrillex.

For the sixth year, winners will be determined by online voting starting today. Fans can vote at the Coca-Cola AMA voting website, amavote.com, as well as AMA.abc.com. Artists will be honored in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin, Contemporary Inspirational and for the first year ever, Electronic Dance Music.  Fans can go to the official homepage of “The 40^th Anniversary American Music Awards,” ama.abc.com, to find performer and presenter announcements, artist information, and more.

“The 40^th Anniversary American Music Awards” are produced by dick clark productions, inc. (DCP) Allen Shapiro and Orly Adelson will executive produce the show. Larry Klein will produce.

Shapiro, Adelson, and Klein jointly stated, “The 40^th American Music Awards will once again represent the epitome of pop culture featuring today’s biggest stars and music icons all on one stage.”

Fans can go to ama.abc.com, AMAs365.com, follow the AMAs on Twitter @theamas, and like the AMAs on Facebook at facebook.com/amas to find performer and presenter announcements, artist information, Memes and Gifs, and more. Starting tomorrow, fans will also be able to watch “AMAs On Demand,” a weekly web series hosted by Lance Bass, Kimberly Cole, and Megan Turney. The web series will be published weekly to YouTube (youtube.com/awardsshownetwork), ABC.com and other streaming partners. The series will cover all things AMAs including breaking news, artist spotlights, retrospectives on fashion, acceptance speeches, red carpet, and backstage interviews.

2012 American Music Awards Nominees:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Justin Bieber
• Drake
• Maroon 5
• Katy Perry
• Rihanna

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

J. Cole

• fun.
• Gotye
• Carly Rae Jepsen
• One Direction

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK

Justin Bieber

Flo Rida

Pitbull

Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK

Kelly Clarkson

Nicki Minaj

Katy Perry

Rihanna

FAVORITE BAND, DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK

fun.

Maroon 5

One Direction

The Wanted

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK

Justin Bieber /Believe

Maroon 5/Overexposed

Nicki Minaj/Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

One Direction/Up All Night

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY

Jason Aldean

Luke Bryan

Eric Church

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY

Miranda Lambert

Taylor Swift

Carrie Underwood

FAVORITE BAND, DUO or GROUP - COUNTRY              

Zac Brown Band

Lady Antebellum

Rascal Flatts

FAVORITE ALBUM - COUNTRY

Luke Bryan/Tailgates & Tanlines

Lionel Richie/Tuskegee

Carrie Underwood/Blown Away

FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP

Drake

Nicki Minaj

Tyga

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP

J. Cole/Cole World: The Sideline Story

Drake/Take Care

Nicki Minaj/Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B

Chris Brown

Trey Songz

Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B

Beyoncé

Mary J. Blige

Rihanna

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B

Chris Brown/Fortune

Rihanna/Talk That Talk

Usher/Looking 4 Myself

FAVORITE ARTIST - ALTERNATIVE ROCK

The Black Keys

• Gotye
• Linkin Park

FAVORITE ARTIST - ADULT CONTEMPORARY

Adele

Kelly Clarkson

Train

FAVORITE ARTIST - LATIN

Don Omar

Pitbull

Shakira

FAVORITE ARTIST - CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL

Jeremy Camp

Newsboys

tobyMac               

FAVORITE ARTIST - ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC

David Guetta

Calvin Harris

Skrillex

About the Voting –

American Music Awards® nominees are selected from both BigChampagne’s Ultimate Chart and Mediabase. The Ultimate Chart is a ranked list of the most popular artists and songs based on a weighted combination of music sales, radio and TV broadcast, internet streaming and video viewing, and incorporating additional online metrics, including activity on social networks. Mediabase monitors more than 1,800 radio stations in 180 U.S. and Canadian markets, 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week and provides vital airplay and programming information to more than 1,700 affiliate radio stations and every major broadcast group.  Winners are chosen by public vote online.

About dick clark productions, inc. –

Founded in 1957, dick clark productions, inc. (dcp) is a leading independent producer of television programming. dcp produces perennial hits such as the “American Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Academy of Country Music Awards,” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.”  dcp also produces popular weekly television programming, including “So You Think You Can Dance,” and owns and maintains one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment libraries, which includes more than 30 years of “American Bandstand” footage.  For additional information about dcp, please visit www.dickclarkproductions.com

About the American Music Awards –

In 1973 Dick Clark created the American Music Awards to pay tribute to popular musicians from various genres of music and to put audiences in touch with the latest phenomena in American music.  Since its founding, the AMAs have honored and showcased the talents of some of the biggest names in the music industry. For press credential requests, please go to http://pmkbnc.wufoo.com/forms/2012-american-music-awards-media-application/. Archived footage and photography are available upon request. 

September 4, 2012 – No stranger to superstar success, R. Kelly has seen a year filled with tremendous achievements including release of the critically acclaimed album Write Me Back, a soulful memoir Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me, an extraordinary soundtrack producer role on Whitney Houston’s final film Sparkle, and production of the next installment of his cultural phenomenon Trapped In The Closet. On the heels of that it’s not surprising this R&B icon announced today a Fall tour that will travel through more than 20 cities.   The Single Ladies Tour will feature R. Kelly hosting the ultimate girls (and guys) night out along with R&B singer songwriter and four-time Grammy nominee Tamia as special guest to open the show.  The tour begins October 13 in Columbia, SC and tickets go on sale beginning September 7^th, check local venues for ticketing information.  For more details visit www.r-kelly.com. 

One of the most successful R&B artists of all time, R. Kelly has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, has won 3 Grammy Awards, 6 American Music Awards, 6 Billboard Awards, and 8 Soul Train Awards.  He has performed sold out shows across the globe.  His latest album Write Me Back is a follow-up to 2010’s Love Letter and follows the natural progression of R. Kelly’s musical time machine featuring the sultry and seductive sounds associated with legends like Barry White and Marvin Gaye.

The Single Ladies Tour itinerary

October 13                  Columbia, SC                         Township Auditorium

October 14                  Birmingham, AL                      BJCC Concert Hall

October 18                  Atlanta, GA                             Fox Theatre

October 21                  Miami, FL                                JL Knight Center

October 23                  Memphis, TN                          Orpheum Theater

October 25                  Chicago, IL                              Arie Crown Theatre

October 31                  Oakland, CA                           Paramount Theatre

November 2                Los Angeles, CA                     Nokia Theatre LA Live

November 7                Houston, TX                            Jones Hall

November 8                Dallas, TX                               Verizon Theatre

November 10              Milwaukee, WI                        Milwaukee Theatre

November 11              Cincinnati, OH                        P&G Theatre: Aronoff

November 14              Louisville, KY                          Palace Theater

November 15              St. Louis, MO                          Fox Theatre

November 17              Detroit, MI                               Fox Theatre

November 21              New York, NY                         MSG Theatre

November 24              Washington, DC                      Constitution Hall

November 27              Baltimore, MD                         Lyric Theatre  

November 29              Philadelphia, PA                      Tower Theater

December 2                Columbus, OH                        Veterans Memorial

December 6                Cleveland, OH                        State Theater

December 7                Merrillville, IN                          Star Plaza

PMK*BNC