QUICK TAKES - Oct. 14, 2009

A fast-rising country superstar and a fallen pop icon dominated the nominees for the 2009 American Music Awards announced Tuesday.

Taylor Swift, who was the bestselling artist of 2008, leads all nominees for the fan-voted gala with six, including recognition in the artist of the year field. Yet in major categories she’ll be up against sentimental favorite Michael Jackson, who has dominated sales and headlines since his death June 25. He received five nominations, including artist of the year.

Unlike the industry-voted Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards base their nominations on sales and radio data from Nielsen. That allowed Jackson’s 2003 greatest hits package “Number Ones” to score a nod for favorite album, where it will compete against Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” and Swift’s “Fearless.”

The American Music Awards will air live for the East Coast from downtown’s Nokia Theatre on ABC at 8 p.m. Nov. 22. The awards are determined by online voting from fans.

-- Todd Martens