Sophomore class

Alicia KEYS and Norah Jones, whose debut albums swept the Grammy Awards in recent years, proved impervious to the “sophomore jinx” on Tuesday.

Keys, the 23-year-old R&B-based; singer-songwriter, captured eight nominations, including album of the year for her bestselling “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” and Jones, the 25-year-old jazz-flavored vocalist, finished with five, including record of the year for her duet with Ray Charles on “Here We Go Again.”

Jones’ first album, “Come Away With Me,” and Keys’ first, “Songs in A Minor,” each won five Grammys -- including best new artist -- at the ceremonies in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

Fans and critics have responded enthusiastically to the follow-ups: Keys’ “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” released last December, and Jones’ “Feels Like Home,” which hit stores in February.

Rolling Stone praised “Feels Like Home” for being free of “fussiness, or second-album overthink,” and Q magazine declared Keys’ CD an “assured, adult statement.” Each has sold 3.6 million copies.

“I think the Norah record is better than the first one. A little looser and rootsy and I think it serves her better than the gloss,” says Alan Light, Tracks magazine editor in chief. “What I like and always hear in Norah is early Bonnie Raitt. And I don’t think that people think about that enough -- those country roots. I think now we’re seeing who she really is.”

Jones’ duet with Dolly Parton, “Creepin’ In,” was nominated for best country collaboration with vocals. It’s on “Feels Like Home.” The Charles duet is from the late soul singer’s “Genius Loves Company.”

Keys’ “Diary” wasn’t so much a creative departure as simply further evidence of her ability -- one she shares with Jones -- to merge the sort of classic singer-songwriter image with a contemporary feel “that doesn’t feel stodgy or out of place on the radio,” says Light.

In certain ways, says Geoff Mayfield, director of charts for Billboard magazine, it isn’t fair to compare the two artists. Or, for that matter, to compare them with others in the field. “They were ahead of their peers even when their first projects arrived. A lot of work had gone into both of their first projects.”

With traditional singer-songwriter repertoire, Mayfield adds, “the second record is where you find out if this person has something to say. In each case they’ve vindicated themselves with solid material.”

Although the two young women have similarities -- singer-songwriters who happen to be pianists steeped in classic/retro roots music -- any speculation that they might cancel each other out in the balloting was not realized.

Clearly, says Light, they occupy distinct worlds. “I think the basis of support is so different,” he says. “Alicia is firmly in this R&B; world, and Norah is more pop that might lean toward jazz or rootsy country. It’s so apples and oranges.”

Whatever happens in the final tally come February, Light says, “they’ve proven themselves as solid, legitimate artists who are going to be around for a while.”