Photo: Samad/AFP/Getty

The Grammy Awards are still a few months away, but the nominations are tonight. Rather than just announce the names, CBS brings you a show featuring live performances from some of the biggest names in music (or at least the people who weren’t already booked on the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting show). Join Rock Daily, Foo Fighters, John Mayer, Christina Aguilera, hosts LL Cool J and Taylor Swift and a bunch of bands in name only for a warm-up live blog.

8:55: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer remains supremely weird. In addition to that and the Grammy show, CBS is also airing The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Who exactly is CBS programming for tonight?

8:58: Does anybody sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” without all the Bart Simpson drop-ins? “Like Monopoly!”

9:00: Sorry, Criminal Minds fans.

9:02: Oh crap, is there going to be a lot of Christmas music on this show? Does this mean John Mayer is going to warble his way through “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”?

9:03 Mariah’s boots are made for walking, but they’re doing nothing for her runs.

9:04: Jeez, would somebody please hand her a Ricola?

9:05: Does winning a Grammy still remain “the ultimate dream,” Taylor? I mean, Hillary Clinton has one.

9:06: Ne-Yo announces the first nominees, for Best New Artist. In a confusing montage, the nominees are revealed to be Adele, Duffy, the Jonas Brothers, Lady Antebellum and Jazmine Sullivan. Rock Daily’s early vote goes to Sullivan.

9:12: Celine Dion croons “At Seventeen.” You know, she takes a lot of flack, but at this point, what’s wrong with Celine Dion? She’s like the Canadian Oprah!

9:14: Fact about Celine Dion: she’s the youngest of 14 children. 14! Although I just remembered why most people dislike Celine Dion: Perhaps the kids in the audience don’t realize this, but there has never been a song more ubiquitous than “My Heart Will Go On.” Seriously, it was inescapable.

9:17: Album of the Year nominees are up. Plant & Krauss, Coldplay, Radiohead, Ne-Yo and Lil Wayne all get nods. That is a fantastically diverse mix with nary a dud in the bunch. So far, everything is skewing a little younger, which is good for Grammy’s image after last year’s Herbie Hancock debacle.

9:20: You know whose record collection we’d love to comb through? Whoever picks the Apple commercial songs. That Chairlift tune is excellent.

9:22: Do Foo Fighters really have six Grammys? Dave Grohl’s career has been ridiculous: he’s a terrific frontman, he’s sold millions of records, written a career’s worth of memorable songs and was also the drummer in Nirvana. Staggering. That being said, this run-through of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” (all the songs tonight are in the Grammy Hall of Fame, apparently) is pretty weak. Also, has Pat Smear been ordering extra pancakes with his pancakes?

9:25: Isn’t the irony of “You’re So Vain” that the song is actually about whoever it is Carly Simon accuses of being vain? It’s hard to hold it against that guy, you know?

9:27: Grohl announces Best Collaboration With Vocals. This show seems to be selling the Grammys as a concept, as though nobody has seen the show in decades (and for CBS’ purposes, nobody has). The noms are Alicia Keys & John Mayer (”Lessons Learned”), Madonna & Justin Timberlake (”4 Minutes”), Plant & Krauss (”Rich Woman”), Rihanna & Maroon 5 (”If I Never See Your Face Again”) and Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown (”No Air”). Rock Daily throws its weight behind “No Air.”

9:29: Brooks & Dunn, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, the Steeldrivers and Surgarland all pick up nominations for Best Country Group. Rock Daily picks Lady Antebellum, but only because we thought that was a reggaeton star when we first heard the name.

9:30: Christina Aguilera is wearing a toga, warbling through a Nina Simone tribute. At least they had the decency to sidestep a dead/alive collaboration.

9:36: Does LL Cool J really need to give Taylor Swift a pep talk? At this point, LL is the one who could use the moral support. Serious question: how does that guy eat? His sitcom isn’t in syndication and the “Hey Lover” residuals can’t be that big. Though we suppose hosting duties at Grammy preview shows buy a couple of sandwiches.

9:39: LL talking about when Taylor Swift was “released” makes us uncomfortable. This version of “I’m Sorry” is fine, but this is a dynamic song that doesn’t suit her thin voice. Also, she’s already written a half dozen songs with more melody and pathos, and she’s barely done with puberty.

9:42: Logically, Swift follows by announcing the nominees for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The corny Grammy narrator talking about rap is hilariously inappropriate. “Royal Flush,” “Swagga Like Us,” “Mr. Carter,” “Wish You Would” and “Put On” all get nods. Those are all great songs, but “Swagga Like Us” is on another level.

9:48: There are 110 Grammy categories. Show: please cut some stuff out of there. It’s overwhelming.

9:50: B.B. King and John Mayer sit down for “Let the Good Times Roll.” Mayer should have been forced to wear one of B.B.’s jackets. Rock Daily still doesn’t buy the idea of John Mayer as a bluesman — the dude has probably never had moonshine in his life. Still, if people embrace the blues because they rode his cruise ship first, then we’re willing to let it slide.

9:52: B.B. King is the greatest man who has ever lived, and he gets a well-deserved standing ovation. Even the Jonas Brothers are impressed!

9:54: Mayer announces Record of the Year, long considered to be Grammy’s cornerstone award. Adele’s “Chasing Pavements,” Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida,” Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love,” M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” and Plant & Krauss’ “Please Read the Letter” all get nods. This seems like it’s Lewis’ to lose, but it’s also possible that Plant & Krauss could simply run the table come Grammy night.

9:57: All told, this has been a pretty breezy night. No offensive performances, no supreme awkwardness and no dead people. If they could keep the actual Grammy broadcast like this, they may be on to something.

10:00: B.B. King & John Mayer get a welcome reprise to send the show home. Head over to the official Grammy site for the rest of the nominees — or check out the major categories here on Rock Daily — and be sure to stay tuned to Rock Daily for all your essential Grammy coverage. Now if you don’t mind, we’re going to watch some models prance around in their underwear.

Related Stories:

• Grammys Induct Hendrix, Queen Songs Into Hall of Fame

• How To Save the Grammys: A Five Point Plan

• Behind the Scenes at the Grammys: Paramore, Beyoncé and Aretha Franklin