Duffy and Coldplay go head to head at Brits

The cream of the music world will gather today for the Brit Awards, with Coldplay and Duffy leading the pack with four nominations each.

Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy's star has rocketed in the last year - her record Rockferry was the best-selling album of 2008 and moved 4.5 million copies around the world.

She was nominated for best album, best single for chart-topper Mercy, best female solo artist and best breakthrough act.

Earlier this month Coldplay bagged three Grammy awards, including song of the year.

The band will go head to head with Duffy at the Brits for best album for Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends and best single for Viva La Vida.

Coldplay are also up for best live act and will do battle for best group with Girls Aloud, Radiohead, Take That and long-time indie underdogs Elbow, who triumphed at last year's Nationwide Mercury Prize with their album the Seldom Seen Kid.

Elbow are up for three Brits - best group, best album and best live act.

Radiohead's In Rainbows and The Ting Tings' We Started Nothing complete the nominations for best album, while the Verve, newcomers Scouting for Girls and seasoned rockers Iron Maiden are all up for best live act.

Duffy is up against Adele, Beth Rowley, Estelle and M.I.A. for the best female solo award.

Adele also had recent Grammy success, picking up best new artist and best female pop vocal performance.

Kylie Minogue and Gavin and Stacey stars James Corden and Mathew Horne will present this year's awards at London's Earls Court.

Among the stars appearing on the night will be Kings of Leon, Duffy, Girls Aloud and U2.

The Pet Shop Boys will claim the Outstanding Contribution to Music award, while Florence & the Machine were named critics' choice.

Music fans can vote for their favourite British single, live act and breakthrough act from the shortlists.

The best British single will be decided tonight by a live telephone vote.

The Brits Academy, made up of 1,000 invited music industry insiders and critics, decide on the remaining eight awards.

The best British male solo artist sees two veteran performers - former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown and Paul Weller - up against young guns James Morrison, Will Young and The Streets, aka Mike Skinner.

A massive gamble on Weller forced William Hill to close their betting over the weekend.

Ged Doherty, the chairman of the Brits Committee, said previously: "The Brits Academy has chosen a very wide ranging list of nominations this year.

"The list highlights the continued investment in British talent across the UK record industry and I wish all the nominees the best of luck."

In the international category, unusually, the same five bands are up for the best group and best album awards: AC/DC, Fleet Foxes, the Killers, Kings of Leon and MGMT.

Reality TV acts fared well at the nominations, with four nods in the best single category: Alexander Burke with her cover of Hallelujah, Girls Aloud with The Promise, Leona Lewis with Better In Time and the X Factor finalists with Hero.

Bookies William Hill cut the price of Girls Aloud winning the best single at the Brits from an original 7/2 to 11/8 as punters piled on - citing the Cheryl Cole factor.

"Our customers are banking on Cheryl Cole's popularity transferring to Girl Aloud and despite some strong opposition from Duffy and Coldplay they look like the likely winner," said Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams.

The bookies is also offering 3/1 that Coldplay win no Brits as big names can be overlooked.

THE BRITS - THE NOMINEES

Here is the full list of awards and nominees for this year's Brits:

MasterCard British Album

Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends

Duffy - Rockferry

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Radiohead - In Rainbows

The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing

British Group

Coldplay

Elbow

Girls Aloud

Radiohead

Take That

British Single

Winner chosen by live public vote on awards night.

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

Duffy - Mercy

Girls Aloud - The Promise

Leona Lewis - Better in Time

Scouting for Girls - Heartbeat

British Male Solo Artist

Ian Brown

James Morrison

Paul Weller

The Streets

Will Young

British Female Solo Artist

Adele

Beth Rowley

Duffy

Estelle

M.I.A.

British Breakthrough Act

Winner chosen by BBC Radio One listeners.

Adele

Duffy

The Last Shadow Puppets

Scouting For Girls

The Ting Tings

British Live Act

Nominees chosen by a panel of live music experts under the chairmanship of Tony Wadsworth of The BPI. Winner chosen by BBC Radio Two listeners.

Coldplay

Iron Maiden

Scouting For Girls

The Verve

Elbow

International Album

AC/DC - Black Ice

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

The Killers - Day & Age

Kings of Leon - Only By The Night

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

International Group

AC/DC

Fleet Foxes

The Killers

Kings of Leon

MGMT

International Male Solo Artist

Beck

Neil Diamond

Jay-Z

Kanye West

Seasick Steve

International Female Solo Artist

Beyonce

Gabriella Cilmi

Katy Perry

Pink

Santogold

Critics' Choice Award

WINNER - Florence & The Machine

British Producer of the Year

Chosen by the Music Producers' Guild

WINNER - Bernard Butler

Outstanding Contribution to music

WINNER - Pet Shop Boys