New York — The soundtrack of Marvel's "Black Panther" propelled rap superstar Kendrick Lamar to the front of this year's Grammy pack with eight nominations, closely followed by fellow rapper Drake with seven.

Women performers also made their mark in the top categories after being largely snubbed a year ago, with rapper Cardi B, pop diva Lady Gaga and folk-rock singer Brandi Carlile all nabbing key nominations for music's top awards.

Six of the eight 2019 nominees for Best New Artist are women.

After last year's show sparked a major backlash, the Recording Academy created a diversity task force responding to criticism that the show was consistently too male and too white, and ultimately expanded four of the top categories from five nominees to eight.

Hip-hop dominated across the board for a second year running -- though last year, rap mogul Jay-Z racked up the most nominations but left empty-handed, and Lamar was shut out of the general categories.

Thanks to the blockbuster film "Black Panther," Lamar -- whose album "DAMN." made him the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize for music -- once again has a chance to win the coveted Album of the Year prize after three prior losses.

His song from the Marvel superhero movie's soundtrack, "All the Stars," is also in the running for both Record of the Year, which recognizes the overall performance of a song, and Song of the Year, which awards songwriting.

Canadian rapper Drake meanwhile got love from the academy across the top categories for his album "Scorpion" and hit "God's Plan."

The leading nominees will face stiff competition on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles from fellow rappers Cardi B and Childish Gambino as well as Lady Gaga, who snared nominations in both of those top categories for her hit "Shallow," performed with co-star Bradley Cooper in the film "A Star Is Born."

The move did appear to have a positive effect for female artists, with five of the Album of the Year nominations going to women: Cardi B, Carlile, R&B singer Janelle Monae, R&B prodigy H.E.R. and country songstress Kacey Musgraves.

Monae, whose futuristic blend of funk and psychedelic soul is a favorite of critics, teared up on hearing she had snagged the top nomination.

Here is a list of nominees in the major categories for the Grammy Awards, which will be handed out on February 10 in Los Angeles:

Album of the Year

Cardi B, "Invasion of Privacy"

Brandi Carlile, "By The Way, I Forgive You"

Drake, "Scorpion"

H.E.R., "H.E.R."

Post Malone, "Beerbongs & Bentleys"

Janelle Monae, "Dirty Computer"

Kacey Musgraves, "Golden Hour"

Various Artists, "Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By"

Record of the Year, recognizing overall performance on a song

Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin, "I Like It"

Brandi Carlile, "The Joke"

Childish Gambino, "This Is America"

Drake, "God's Plan"

Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper, "Shallow" (from "A Star Is Born")

Kendrick Lamar & SZA, "All The Stars" (from "Black Panther")

Post Malone featuring 21 Savage, "Rockstar"

Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey, "The Middle"

Song of the Year, recognizing songwriting

Kendrick Lamar and SZA, with songwriters Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears and Anthony Tiffith, "All The Stars" (from "Black Panther")

Ella Mai with songwriters Larrance Dopson, Joelle James and Dijon McFarlane, "Boo'd Up"

Drake with songwriters Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels and Noah Shebib, "God's Plan"

Shawn Mendes with songwriters Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris and Geoffrey Warburton, "In My Blood"

Brandi Carlile with songwriters Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth, "The Joke"

Zedd and Grey, with songwriters Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson and Marcus Lomax, "The Middle"

Lady Gaga with songwriters Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, "Shallow"

Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) and Ludwig Goransson, "This Is America"

Best New Artist

Chloe x Halle

Luke Combs

Greta Van Fleet

H.E.R.

Dua Lipa

Margo Price

Bebe Rexha

Jorja Smith

Best Rap Album

Cardi B, "Invasion Of Privacy"

Mac Miller, "Swimming"

Nipsey Hussle, "Victory Lap"

Pusha T, "Daytona"

Travis Scott, "Astroworld"

Best Rock Album

Alice in Chains, "Rainier Fog"

Fall Out Boy, "Mania"

Ghost, "Prequelle"

Greta Van Fleet, "From the Fires"

Weezer, "Pacific Daydream"

Best Pop Vocal Album

Camila Cabello, "Camila"

Kelly Clarkson, "Meaning of Life"

Ariana Grande, "Sweetener"

Shawn Mendes, "Shawn Mendes"

P!nk, "Beautiful Trauma"

Taylor Swift, "Reputation"

Best Alternative Music Album

Arctic Monkeys, "Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino"

Beck, "Colors"

Bjork, "Utopia"

David Byrne, "American Utopia"

St. Vincent, "Masseduction"

Best World Music Album

Bombino, "Deran"

Fatoumata Diawara, "Fenfo"

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, "Black Times"

Soweto Gospel Choir, "Freedom"

Yiddish Glory, "The Lost Songs of World War II"

Best Dance/Electronic Album

Jon Hopkins, "Singularity"

Justice, "Woman Worldwide"

Sofi Tukker, "Treehouse"

Sophie, "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides"

TOKiMONSTA, "Lune Rouge"

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