Former American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson and champions Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks were all recognized by The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences when the nominations for the 51th Annual Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday night.

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Hudson, whose self-titled debut album was released in September, led the Idol alums with three nominations. Her self titled debut was nominated for Best R&B Album while "Spotlight," one of the album's singles, received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

"I'm Only His Woman," a second "Jennifer Hudson" album song that Hudson recorded with Barrino, her former fellow third-season Idol competitor, also received a nomination for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.

While Hudson has never personally won a Grammy, "Love You I Do," which was written by Siedah Garrett and Henry Krieger and performed by Hudson in the film Dreamgirls, won Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media honors at last year's ceremony.  However, because the category is considered a songwriters award, the win went to Garrett and Krieger, the song's writers, instead of Hudson.

A similar situation also happened this year, with "Spotlight," which was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen and Shaffer Smith, also receiving a nomination for the Best R&B Song songwriters award.

Underwood, who has won three Grammys in the past two years, was nominated for one more award this year. "Last Name," a single off of her sophomore album "Carnival Ride," was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Like Hudson's "Spotlight," "Ever Ever After" -- a song Underwood recorded for the soundtrack of the Disney film Enchanted -- also received a nomination for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television, Or Other Visual Media. However, since the category is a songwriters award, the nomination went to Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, the song's writers.
 
Rounding out the Idol nominations was Sparks, who was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals along with Chris Brown for their performance of "No Air," which was featured on Sparks' self-titled debut album.

In addition the former Idol's finalists, Leona Lewis, who won the third season of Idol judge Simon Cowell's The X Factor reality competition in the U.K. in 2006, also received three Grammy nominations. "Spirit" -- her debut album that was produced by Cowell, Clive Davis and Ryan Tedder -- was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and the album's "Bleeding Love" single was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Record Of The Year.

The 51th Annual Grammy Awards are scheduled to air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 8 at 8PM ET/PT on CBS.
About The Author: John Bracchitta
John Bracchitta is an entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and covers the reality TV genre.