Beyonce Knowles and Lady Gaga have been nominated for nine MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).
Both pop stars are up for the prestigious Video of the Year and Best Female Video accolades, Beyonce for Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) and Lady Gaga for Poker Face.
Beyonce, 27, said: "I'm excited and honored to be tied for most nominated for the VMAs. I've been blessed this year to have Single Ladies become a video people really connected with and responded to.
"I've spent so much time watching all the great versions people created all around the world. It's beautiful to feel you touch people and bring a song to life with a video."
Lady Gaga, 23, said: "After years of hustle in New York City, where we made our art videos in bars, myself and the Haus of Gaga are honored to receive nine nominations for the 2009 VMAs. We believe in the immensity and the promise of 'showbiz' and will continue to give it mouth-to-mouth, until its vomiting return.
"All you need is a camcorder, a flashlight, and one truly GREAT idea. Thank you MTV for being our video flagship, and for supporting this bunch of inspired kids, who love to get wasted and make art, together."
The two singers will battle it out against Britney Spears' Womanizer, Eminem for We Made You and Kanye West's Love Lockdown in the Video of the Year category.
Also competing for Best Female Video are Katy Perry for Hot N Cold, Kelly Clarkson with My Life Would Suck Without You, Pink's So What and Taylor Swift with You Belong To Me.
Britney has scored seven nominations, including Video of the Year and Best Pop Video for Womanizer.
Pink and Green Day have been confirmed to perform at the ceremony, to be held in New York on September 13, with other acts to follow.
The event will be hosted by British comic star Russell Brand for the second year running, and Katy Perry, Ne-Yo and Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford will all present prizes.
music-news.com