The Streets and rapper Ms. Dynamite lead the nominations for the 2003 Brit Awards, announced at London's Abbey Road Studios yesterday, with four each. The Streets' Mike Skinner and his debut album Original Pirate Material were nominated for Best British male solo artist, British album, British Urban act and British Breakthrough artist. Skinner is up against Ms. Dynamite -- a London-bred MC with Caribbean roots who took the Mercury Music Prize from him last fall -- in the latter three categories. She was also nominated for Best British female solo artist for her debut, A Little Deeper.

Norah Jones's awards-season dominance continued as she earned three nominations in the International bracket: Best female solo artist, album, and breakthrough artist. Her primary competition is Pink, also nominated for three awards: Best pop act, International female artist and International album for her Missundaztood. Eminem was nominated for International album and male solo artist, joining Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Moby and Nelly in that category.

Sexagenarian Welsh singer Tom Jones, whose career kicked off in 1965 with the U.K. Number One "It's Not Unusual," will be honored with a Brit Award for his outstanding contribution to music.

The White Stripes, Alicia Keys and Avril Lavinge were among the other multiple nominees.

The 2003 Brit Awards nominations in full:

British male solo artist:
Badly Drawn Boy
Craig David
David Gray
The Streets
Robbie Williams

British female solo artist:
Sophie Ellis Bextor
Ms. Dynamite
Beverley Knight
Alison Moyet
Beth Orton

British album:
Coldplay, Rush of Blood to the Head
Ms. Dynamite, A Little Deeper
The Coral, The Coral
The Streets, Original Pirate Material
Sugababes, Angels with Dirty Faces

British group:
Blue
Coldplay
Doves
Sugababes
Oasis

British single:
Atomic Kitten, "The Tide is High (Get The Feeling)"
Gareth Gates, "Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake)"
Gareth Gates, "Unchained Melody" Liberty X, "Just A Little" Will Young, "Anything Is Possible/Evergreen"

British urban act:
Beverley Knight
Big Brovaz
Craig David
Daniel Bedingfield
Mis-Teeq
Ms. Dynamite
Romeo
Roots Manuva
So Solid Crew
The Streets

British dance act:
Chemical Brothers
Groove Armada
Jamiroquai
Kosheen
Sugababes

British breakthrough artist:
Liberty X
Ms. Dynamite
The Coral
The Streets
Will Young

Pop act:
Blue
Enrique Iglesias
Gareth Gates
Pink
Will Young

International male solo artist:
Beck
Eminem
Moby
Nelly
Bruce Springsteen

International female solo artist:
Missy Elliot
Norah Jones
Alicia Keys
Avril Lavigne
Pink

International album:
Eminem, The Eminem Show
Norah Jones, Come Away with Me
Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor
Pink, Missundaztood!
Red Hot Chili Peppers, By The Way

International group:
Foo Fighters
Nickelback
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Royksopp
White Stripes

International breakthrough artist:
Norah Jones
Avril Lavigne
Nickelback
Shakira
White Stripes

Outstanding contribution to music:
Tom Jones

AUGUSTIN SEDGEWICK
(January 14, 2003)