Entertainment

Adele and Beyonce to battle for top honours at 2017 Grammys

Adele and Beyonce to battle for top honours at 2017 Grammys
Adele and Beyonce to battle for top honours at 2017 Grammys Adele and Beyonce to battle for top honours at 2017 Grammys

Adele and Beyonce are preparing to battle it out for top honours at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

The music superstars are nominated for three of the most coveted awards – album, record and song of the year – at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Beyonce, who is set to make her first public appearance since announcing she is pregnant with twins, leads the way with nine nominations following the release of her celebrated visual album Lemonade.

Beyonce (Yui Mok/PA)

The singer’s father, Mathew Knowles, revealed she will also perform at the event, where she is bidding to become the most decorated woman in Grammy history after her 20 previous wins.

Country star Alison Krauss holds the current record with 27 Grammys.

Adele, who will sing at the ceremony, is nominated for five gongs, including album of the year for 25 and record and song of the year for her smash-hit single Hello.

Adele is nominated for five Grammys (Dominic Lipinski PA)

The track is nominated in both categories as record of the year recognises the work of artists, producers and recording engineers, while the song of the year prize is solely for songwriters.

Adele is aiming to become only the second woman to receive the best album award twice after Taylor Swift achieved the feat last year.

David Bowie has earned four posthumous Grammy nominations following his death from cancer in January 2016.

David Bowie (Yui Mo/PA)

He is nominated for best alternative music album for his last release Blackstar, best rock performance, best rock song for the single Blackstar and best engineered non-classical album.

The best alternative music album category also includes nominations for fellow British artists Radiohead and PJ Harvey.

Described by organisers as music’s biggest night, Kanye West and Justin Bieber are reportedly skipping this year’s Grammys despite having both received multiple nominations.

Kanye West is reportedly skipping the Grammys (Jonathan Brady PA)

Rapper Drake – who is nominated for eight awards – is also expected to miss the event as he is currently on tour in the UK.

British comedian James Corden will host the awards show following his successful stint as presenter of The Late, Late Show in the US.

Musical tributes will be paid to George Michael and Prince following their deaths last year, but Grammy organisers have not announced which artists will be involved in the performances.

Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Metallica, Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, The Weeknd and Alicia Keys are among the confirmed performers at the ceremony.The 59th Grammy Awards at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles will begin at 5pm local time (1am Monday GMT).