Arcade Fire, Feist, Buble earn nominations for Brit awards

Two Canadian solo singers Leslie Feist, who sings under the name Feist,and Michael Bubl have earned nominations in Britain's prestigious music industry awards, the Brits.

They are joined by Arcade Fire, the Montreal indie band, which has nominations for best international group and best international album for Neon Bible.

Neon Bible is the second album by Arcade Fire, formed in 2003 by the husband and wife team Win Butler and Rgine Chassagne.

Other international album nominees include Foo Fighters' Echoes Silence Patience & Grace, The Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden, Kylie Minogue's X and the Kings of Leon's Because of the Times.

Feist, formerly of the band Broken Social Scene, is competing for best international female solo artist with Bjork, Alicia Keys and Kylie Minogue.

Vancouver crooner Bubl is building his international reputation withthe nomination for best male solo artist, vying against Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West and Timbaland.

Among the British nominees released Monday, flamboyant singer-songwriter Mika, 1990s boy band Take That and reality show winner Leona Lewis dominated, each earning four nominations.

All four will compete in the best British album and best British single categories.

The Arctic Monkeys, Mark Ronson, Kaiser Chiefs and Kate Nash each have three nominations apiece.

Top nominee won star-search contest

Lewis was winner of Simon Cowell's British star-search show X Factor.

She is competing for the best British female award with Kate Nash, KT Tunstall, PJ Harvey and Bat For Lashes and also has a nomination for best British breakthrough act.

Her debut album, Spirit, wasthe fastest-selling British debut album of all time with 375,000 copies sold in its first week.

Lebanese-born Mika was nominated forbest British male artist alongside Jamie T, Mark Ronson, Newton Faulkner and Richard Hawley.

Take That, who last yearreleased their first new album since they broke up in 1996, have been nominated for best group and best live act.

Paul McCartney will receive a special award for his outstanding contribution to music.

The awards from the British Phonographic Industry, a music industry association, will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne on Feb. 20.