Four acts--Mariah Carey [ tickets ], The Red Hot Chili Peppers [ tickets ], The Black Eyed Peas [ tickets ] and Nickelback [ tickets ]--picked up three nods apiece to lead the nominations for the 2006 American Music Awards [ tickets ], which will be handed out Nov. 21 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Eminem, Jamie Foxx, Pussycat Dolls, Rascal Flatts, T.I., Carrie Underwood and Kanye West are nominated for two awards each.

Twenty awards will be handed out in eight musical categories during this year's American Music Awards ceremony, which will air live on ABC.

One award--Favorite Female Rap/Hip-Hop Artist--won't be handed out this year because fewer than five artists met the minimum eligibility requirements, according to organizers. Nominations are based on sales data compiled by music-industry magazine Radio & Records and Nielsen Soundscan; winners are selected by the public via a national sampling of about 20,000 people.

The complete list of nominees follows:

POP/ROCK

Favorite Male Artist:
Nick Lachey
Sean Paul
Kanye West

Favorite Female Artist:
Mariah Carey
Kelly Clarkson
Nelly Furtado

Favorite Band, Duo or Group:
Nickelback
Pussycat Dolls
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Favorite Album:
"All the Right Reasons," Nickelback
"Stadium Arcadium," Red Hot Chili Peppers
"High School Musical," Various Artists

COUNTRY

Favorite Male Artist:
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Keith Urban

Favorite Female Artist:
Faith Hill
Carrie Underwood
Gretchen Wilson

Favorite Band, Duo or Group:
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Rascal Flatts

Favorite Album:
"Legend of Johnny Cash," Johnny Cash
"Greatest Hits Volume 2," Tim McGraw
"Me and My Gang," Rascal Flatts

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES

Favorite Male Artist:
Chris Brown
Jamie Foxx
Ne-Yo

Favorite Female Artist:
Mary J. Blige
Mariah Carey
Keyshia Cole

Favorite Band, Duo or Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
The Isley Brothers
Jagged Edge

Favorite Album:
"The Breakthrough," Mary J. Blige
"The Emancipation of Mimi," Mariah Carey
"Unpredictable," Jamie Foxx

RAP/HIP-HOP

Favorite Male Artist:
Eminem
T.I.
Kanye West

Favorite Band, Duo or Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Dem Franchize Boyz
Three 6 Mafia

Favorite Album:
"Monkey Business," The Black Eyed Peas
"Curtain Call," Eminem
"King," T.I.

ADULT CONTEMPORARY

Favorite Artist:
Michael Bublé
Kelly Clarkson
Rob Thomas

ALTERNATIVE MUSIC

Favorite Artist:
Nickelback
Pearl Jam
Red Hot Chili Peppers

LATIN MUSIC

Favorite Artist:
Daddy Yankee
Don Omar
Shakira

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL

Favorite Artist:
Aly & AJ
Casting Crowns
Kirk Franklin

FAVORITE NEW BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST (ALL GENRES)

Chamillionaire
Pussycat Dolls
Carrie Underwood