Going solo was a smooth move for Rob Thomas. His first non-Matchbox Twenty album, Something to Be, went platinum and spawned a Top Ten single, "Lonely No More." Thomas says that it shouldn't be hard to find the links between Matchbox Twenty's radio-friendly roots rock and his own sleeker, more danceable pop: "I love the idea of taking a good song and trying to wrap it up in different packages -- Latin packages, soul packages, rock packages."

You're up against Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young. How crazy does it feel to be in that company?

It feels like I'm the odd man out. If I win, I'm the upset. I don't know that I feel I should win. Every one of these people are my idols. I think I made a really good record, but damn. I would kill to play with any of the people I'm up against.

What do you remember from when you won all those Grammys with Carlos Santana?

That year was such a blur. I didn't know that "Smooth" was gonna be the single; I just figured I brought a bastard pop song to this great Latin record. And when it became a single, I didn't expect it to eat the world. At the Grammys, it was like walking in with Michael Jackson during his Thriller year. I definitely felt I was in the lead float of the parade.

What was the weirdest place you heard your songs this year?

In a porn shop. They could definitely relate to the line "I don't wanna be lonely no more" in there.

Next: John Legend