LOS ANGELES, USA (AP) – It’s the country teen sensation versus the King of Pop at this year’s American Music Awards.

Taylor Swift comes into Sunday’s ceremony with six nominations. Michael Jackson has five. And both are up for artist of the year.

Also vying for the show’s top prize are multiple nominees Kings of Leon, Lady Gaga and Eminem.

The American Music Awards honour the year’s top-selling artistes in the categories of pop/rock, country, rap/hip-hop, soul/R&B, alternative, adult contemporary, Latin and contemporary inspirational. Fans voted online to select the winners.

Swift, who has enjoyed a chart-topping year with her crossover album Fearless, is up for female artiste and favourite album in the pop/rock and country categories. She’s also nominated for favourite adult-contemporary artiste.

Jackson is nominated for male artiste and favourite album in the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories for his greatest-hits collection, Number Ones. The 2003 album surged in popularity after Jackson died in June at age 50.

Eminem has four nominations: Pop/rock male artiste and rap/hip-hop artist and album for Relapse, along with artiste of the year. Lady Gaga and Kings of Leon have three nods each. She’s up for female artiste and album for her debut, The Fame, and the Nashville quartet is up for alternative artiste and favourite pop/rock band.

Other triple-nominees include Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas and TI.

Even more than awards, the AMAs are about the performances, and more than a dozen artistes are set to take the stage Sunday. Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Green Day, Jennifer Lopez, Lil’ Wayne, Keith Urban, Jay-Z, Mary J Blige and American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert are among those planning to perform. Janet Jackson is set to open the show with a medley of songs.