Nicki Minaj & Taylor Swift To Perform At American Music Awards

The American Music Awards has added serious doses of country, hip-hop and rock, with Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and Linkin Park set to join Christina Aguilera as performers at this year's awards show.

Minaj leads nominations with four, including Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Album. Swift is up for Favorite Female Artist, while Linkin Park is nominated for the Alternative Rock award.

Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and the band Linkin Park will be the featured performers at the American Music Awards next month, organizers announced on Wednesday. All three acts are also nominated.

Ms. Minaj, the New York rapper known for rapid-fire flow and outrageous wigs, has the most nominations, with four, including favorite female pop-rock artist.

Ms. Swift, the pop-country star whose new album, “Red,” is on pace to top the Billboard album chart next week, has been nominated for favorite female country artist, while Linkin Park, the veteran rock band, is up for the alternative rock award.

The American Music Awards were created by Dick Clark in the 1970s as a fan-friendly alternative to the Grammy Awards. The show is essentially a popularity contest; the winners are selected on the basis of online votes by fans, rather than a poll of people in the music industry.

The show will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. on Nov. 18 on ABC.

This year, the artist-of-the-year nominees are Justin Bieber, Drake, Maroon 5, Katy Perry and Rihanna. The new-artist-of-the-year nominees are J. Cole, fun., Gotye, Carly Rae Jepsen and One Direction.

Organizers have also added an electronic dance music category in a nod to the rising popularity of that genre; the nominees include David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Skrillex.

New American Idol Judge Nicki Minaj

The Super Bass singer is reportedly near to signing a deal to become listed on the judging panel of america talent show.

A second source put into Us Weekly: "She is 100 percent confirmed to judge The american idol show." If she does join the show, Nicki will sit alongside Mariah Carey around the panel, after the five-times Grammy-winning signer was announced like a judge last month.

The Hero hitmaker reportedly signed an $18 million deal to become listed on the show, following the departures of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Carey said of her role: "As a singer, songwriter and producer, it will likely be fun and rewarding to assist find new talent and provide back to American Idol. I'm currently within the studio working on my new album and it is first single, Triumphant, which is out early the following month (thanks for adding that, Mariah). I can not wait to channel my creative energy as part of this show which is a massive global phenomenon."

Nick Jonas is reportedly within the running to complete the line-up as - watch for it - original judge Randy Jackson is placed to come off the panel and become given a job like a mentor to the contestants.

So, basically, they've demoted Jackson towards the Sinitta role. Talking about UK X Factor, Mel B impressed bosses a lot with her general nastiness that they have offered her the task as a full time judge if she quits the Australian version from the show.