TORONTO - Perhaps Nickelback should change the name of their most recent album from Dark Horse to Front Runner. The Vancouver-based arena rock stalwarts scored a leading five nominations, as the 2009 Juno Award nominees were announced Tuesday morning in Toronto.

"I don't know what to tell you folks," said comic Russell Peters, who returns to host for a second consecutive year. "It's a press conference. How exciting can these things really get?"

The news was probably thrilling for the Chad Kroeger-led quartet, who were nominated for Single of the Year (Gotta Be Somebody), Album of the Year, Group of the Year, and Producer of the Year (with Joey Moi), plus the Juno Fan Choice Award. They've previously won nine Junos.

Montreal's Sam Roberts, a three-time Juno Award winner, earned four nominations: Artist of the Year, Rock Album of the Year (Love At The End Of The World), plus two in the Video of the Year category.

Celine Dion is up for three awards - Music DVD of the Year, Single of the Year (Taking Chances) and the Juno Fan Choice Award - giving her 62 Juno nominations for her career. The Quebecois superstar has won 20 times since 1987.

Hedley earned nods for Songwriter of the Year, Album of the Year (Famous Last Words) and the Juno Fan Choice Award. The pop-rockers have been nominated six times prior, but have yet to win.

Other multiple-nominees include Serena Ryder, Elliott Brood, The Trews, Kardinal Offishall, and last year's big winner, Feist.

"The thing that jumps out at me the most is how many multiple nominees there are," said Melanie Berry, president of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). "There's 22 nominees that have two nominations. That's fabulous. That really shows the depth of the Canadian music industry. The wealth of talent that we have."

The award for band you're least likely to have heard before (but should check out this minute) goes to The Lost Fingers, a Quebec City acoustic trio whose album, Lost in the 80's, is comprised of gypsy-style renditions of songs like Tainted Love and Pump Up The Jam. They were nominated for Album of the Year and the Juno Fan Choice Award.

Their inclusion was one of few surprises, as the major categories were dominated by previous winners and nominees.

"This year it seems the trend is going back in time, with nominees like Bryan Adams and k.d. lang," said Ben Rispin of Burlington, Ontario pop-punk group Saint Alvia, who were nominated for Video of the Year for their song Blonde Kryptonite.

"My grandma's going to be really excited," said Liam Cormier of hardcore band Cancer Bats, who were nominated for New Group of the Year despite the fact they've been together since 2004. "I look at it more as a new group to this circle, or new group at this level. The kids that come to our shows, they know we've been around for a while. Maybe other people are noticing what were doing, or seeing how hard we've been working."

Many nominees were seeing the results of hard work. Chris McKhool, doing his own PR in a room where publicists probably formed the majority, earned his first Juno nomination for his fourth children's album, FiddleFire! "I didn't really believe it until I saw my name on the screen."

Veteran MC D-Sisive also scored his first-ever Juno nomination for Rap Recording of the Year for his album The Book, which was his first release in seven years.

"It was a bit of a frightening record to put out," he said, adding he debated whether to even release the album. "To go from not doing anything, and then here I am, a Juno nominee, it feels pretty cool."

The most hotly contested category may prove to be Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year. Brothers Michael and Roberto Occhipinti are up against each other for the Juno.

"I'd be very, very happy if his record won," said Roberto. "But I wouldn't mind if I won, either."

The 2009 Juno Awards take place March 29 in Vancouver, B.C., "one of those cities," quipped Peters, "where you can pretty much have a good time without a Juno."

Scheduled performers include City and Colour, Sarah McLachlan, Nickelback and Simple Plan.