For Beatles, it’s still yesterday

KANYE WEST’s eight nominations may top this year’s list, but the music of the Beatles, together and separately, generated another eight -- and that almost four decades after the group disbanded.

The Beatles’ “Love” album, dramatically mashed-up remixes of the group’s original recordings, done for Cirque du Soleil’s Las Vegas show, snagged two nominations: in the compilation soundtrack and surround-sound categories.

“Love” will be up against the soundtrack for “Across the Universe,” Julie Taymor’s stylized film built on the Beatles music as sung by the movie’s actors as well as guests including Bono and Joe Cocker.

The other “Love” nomination for surround-sound album could bring veteran Beatles producer George Martin his fifth Grammy. He’s nominated with his son, Giles Martin, with whom he co-produced the “Love” songs.

Paul McCartney has three nods for his latest studio album, “Memory Almost Full,” which earned some of the best reviews he’s had in the last two decades. It’s his first album since he left his longtime home with EMI/Capitol Records earlier this year and hooked up with the Starbucks/Concord Music Group’s Hear Music label. He’s up for pop vocal album, male pop vocal (“Dance Tonight”) and solo rock vocal (“Only Mama Knows”).

Two tracks from the John Lennon tribute album, “Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur,” landed nominations for U2’s recording of the title tune and Green Day’s version of “Working Class Hero.” They’re vying with each other in the category of rock performance by a duo or group.

Yoko Ono, who has been selective about licensing Lennon’s music for benefit albums over the years, gave Amnesty International the full run of his solo catalog for its Darfur project.

randy.lewis@latimes.com