New and old stars vie for Grammys glory

Music's top stars gather on Sunday for the Grammys, with artists ranging from the Beatles and veteran rapper Jay-Z to French electro duo Daft Punk and newcomers such as New Zealand's Lorde up for honours.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar, pop diva Taylor Swift, chart-topper Justin Timberlake and Seattle hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are also among those vying for prizes at music's version of the Oscars in Los Angeles.

The show will also feature some eye-popping collaborations, including rockers Metallica with acclaimed Chinese pianist Lang Lang, and Lamar with the Imagine Dragons rockers.

Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will perform as Recording Academy organisers belatedly bestow a lifetime achievement award on the Fab Four.

Other performers at the awards show include a who's who of music's finest, ranging from Katy Perry and Robin Thicke to veterans Carole King, Chicago and Madonna.

The first couple of hip-hop, Jay-Z and Beyonce, are also expected to perform.

Tipped by many for coveted record of the year is Daft Punk's Get Lucky, but rival nominees include Kiwi teenager Lorde's Royals, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons and Hawaiian crooner Bruno Mars' Locked Out of Heaven.

Thicke's Blurred Lines is also competing for the evening's top prize.

In the album of the year category, Swift's Red will compete with Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist, Lamar's Good Kid M.A.A.D City, and Sara Bareilles' The Blessed Unrest.

Shortlisted for song of the year - for songwriters - are Just Give Me a Reason sung by Pink, Locked Out of Heaven sung by Mars, Roar sung by Perry, Royals sung by Lorde, and Same Love sung by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis was also nominated for best new artist, against Lamar, country singer Kacey Musgraves and British singer-songwriters James Blake and Ed Sheeran.

The 56th annual Grammy Awards show, at the Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles, will climax with a rock supergroup featuring Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham.