Grammy's heavyweights: Adele, Tony Bennett

Let the battle of the titans begin.

While last year's Grammy Awards was a wide-open field, ending with a surprise victory for indie heroes Arcade Fire for album of the year, this year's contest will be far more focused. It kicks off Wednesday night, when the recording academy unveils this year's nominees during a live concert special hosted by LL Cool J.

In the near corner, Adele -- this year's queen of pop music, racking up more than 4.3 million sales of her "21" album and perhaps leading the music industry to its first increased sales year since 2004.

In the far corner, 85-year-old Tony Bennett -- the beloved longtime king of Astoria who notched the first No. 1 album of his legendary six-decade career with "Duets II" in September.

And levitating somewhere above the ring in some sort of egg-shaped incubation chamber, Lady Gaga -- the dance-music upstart who commandeered the mainstream with her "Born This Way" album, which sold a mighty 1.1 million copies in one week.

Who will come out on top? It's impossible to say.

What is practically a sure thing, though, is that Adele, Bennett and Gaga will lead this year's nominations in the now-streamlined Grammy process. Adele, who fits the Grammy favorite profile for being a young artist who nods to her elders, will be a player in at least eight categories, including the top three contests -- record of the year, album of the year and song of the year. (She may get even more nominations than that if her spectacular singles "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" go against each other.) Bennett will likely challenge her in all three top categories, while picking up nominations in another five categories. To complicate matters, Gaga may share nominations with Bennett for their version of "The Lady Is a Tramp," in addition to landing nods on her own for "Born This Way."

Other upset-minded nominees will likely include country's Jason Aldean, already tapped to perform during the special, and Taylor Swift, whose "Speak Now" is eligible this year. Also, look for some love for Kanye West and Jay-Z, both together as The Throne, and separately.

Here's a look at how the top categories will likely shake out:

RECORD OF THE YEAR

Last year, the top prize went to Lady Antebellum's soggy ode to drunk-dialing "Need You Now," but this year the competition will be far fiercer. "Rolling in the Deep" has ruled the airwaves nearly all year, while Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" became rock's populist anthem.

LIKELY NOMINEES Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"; Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's "Don't You Wanna Stay"; Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's "The Lady Is a Tramp"; Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks"; Bruno Mars' "Grenade"

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS Adele's "Someone Like You"; Katy Perry's "Firework"; Paul Simon's "So Beautiful Or So What"

MY WISH Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass"

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Can the recording academy ever top the surprise of awarding this prize to underdogs Arcade Fire last year? Maybe, but they won't even try that this year -- a win from Adele or Bennett would surprise no one. Unless Kanye West, who arguably could have two albums in the running with The Throne, somehow wins.

LIKELY NOMINEES Adele's "21"; Tony Bennett's "Duets II"; Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"; Taylor Swift's "Speak Now"; Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS Jason Aldean's "My Kind of Party"; Foo Fighters' "Wasting Light"; The Throne's "Watch the Throne"

MY WISH James Blake's "James Blake"

SONG OF THE YEAR

The songwriter award generally goes to the more serious of the entries, meaning Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and Gaga's "You and I" have stronger arguments than the more upbeat singles. The category also gives the academy a chance to honor its more veteran artists, which could offer Paul Simon a chance to sneak into the running.

LIKELY NOMINEES Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"; Lady Gaga's "You and I"; Bruno Mars' "Grenade"; Paul Simon's "So Beautiful or So What"; Taylor Swift's "Back to December"

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's "Don't You Wanna Stay"; Foo Fighters' "Walk"; Katy Perry's "Firework"

MY WISH Twilight Singers' "She Was Stolen"

NEW ARTIST

There's no way to follow Esperanza Spalding's drubbing of Justin Bieber and Drake last year, but this category is wide open, outside of Nicki Minaj.

LIKELY NOMINEES James Blake, Bon Iver, Foster the People, Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS The Civil Wars, Jessie J, Christina Perri

MY WISH Belle Brigade