Before you settle in for music's big night, it probably helps a little to know what to expect from this year's Grammy Awards. Like many recent outings (eh, who are we kidding . . . like every single Grammys ever), the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26 isn't loaded with a ton of rock artists -- there isn't a single one among the nominees in the top two categories, Record of the Year and Album of the Year.

But scroll down the endless list of categories, and you'll find a few artists who remember what guitars are for. And most of them are genuine legends. Plus, the program itself -- which will air live on CBS at 8PM ET -- will feature performances by some of the classic rockers who are up for awards this year (as well as a couple by artists who aren't).

In the Best Rock Performance category, David Bowie's 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)' (from his 2013 comeback album 'The Next Day') goes up against Queens of the Stone Age, Jack White and Led Zeppelin, who are nominated for their live performance of 'Kashmir' from the 2012 album 'Celebration Day.'

Black Sabbath are up for a pair of awards for 'God Is Dead?' from their comeback album '13': Best Metal Performance and Best Rock Song, where they go against Dave GrohlPaul McCartney, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear's 'Cut Me Some Slack' (from Grohl's 'Sound City: Real to Reel' documentary and soundtrack), and the Rolling Stones' 'Doom and Gloom' (from their 2012 hits compilation 'Grrr!').

The Best Rock Album category includes a pair of relative newcomers (Kings of Leon and Queens of the Stone Age) battling four veteran rockers for the award: Black Sabbath ('13'), Bowie ('The Next Day') Led Zeppelin ('Celebration Day') and Neil Young & Crazy Horse ('Psychedelic Pill').

Bowie, the Stones, McCartney and Metallica are also nominated for various packaging and historical awards, which are unlikely to be handed out during the televised portion of the show. A full list of classic-rock-related nominees is below.

The members of Black Sabbath will get their hands on an award either way, since they're slated to present one of them sometime over the course of the ceremony's three-plus hours. Steven Tyler has also been tapped to give one out.

If the awards themselves aren't your thing, a handful of classic-rock artists will also perform at the ceremony. The most noteworthy include appearances by Lindsey Buckingham -- who'll take part in a finale that features join Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age and Nine Inch Nails -- and Metallica, who will share the stage with classical pianist Lang Lang for a performance of their classic 'One.'

McCartney and Ringo Starr will also be there and are scheduled to perform, but probably separately, unless they get onstage together when the Beatles receive their long-overdue Lifetime Achievement Award.

Here's a list of classic rockers who have been nominated for awards at the 2014 Grammy Awards:

Best Rock Performance:
'Always Alright' — Alabama Shakes
'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)' — David Bowie
'Radioactive' — Imagine Dragons
'Kashmir' (Live) — Led Zeppelin
'My God Is The Sun' — Queens Of The Stone Age
'I'm Shakin'' — Jack White

Best Rock Album:
'13' — Black Sabbath
'The Next Day' — David Bowie
'Mechanical Bull' — Kings Of Leon
'Celebration Day' — Led Zeppelin
'…Like Clockwork' — Queens Of The Stone Age
'Psychedelic Pill' — Neil Young With Crazy Horse

Best Rock Song:
'Ain't Messin 'Round' - Gary Clark Jr.
'Cut Me Some Slack' - Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear
'Doom And Gloom' - The Rolling Stones
'God Is Dead?' - Black Sabbath
'Panic Station' - Muse

Best Metal Performance:
'T.N.T.' - Anthrax
'God Is Dead?' - Black Sabbath
'The Enemy Inside' - Dream Theater
'In Due Time' - Killswitch Engage
'Room 24' - Volbeat Featuring King Diamond

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media:
'Django Unchained' - Various Artists
'The Great Gatsby (Deluxe Edition)' - Various Artists
'Les Misérables (Deluxe Edition)' - Various Artists
'Muscle Shoals' - Various Artists
'Sound City: Real To Reel' - Dave Grohl & Various Artists

Best Recording Package:
'Automatic Music Can Be Fun' - Geneseo
'Long Night Moon' - Reckless Kelly
'Magna Carta...Holy Grail' - Jay Z
'Metallica Through The Never (Music From The Motion Picture)' - Metallica
'The Next Day' - David Bowie

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
'The Brussels Affair' - The Rolling Stones
'How Do You Do (Limited Edition Box Set)' - Mayer Hawthorne
'The Road To Red Rocks (Special Edition)' - Mumford & Sons
'The Smith Tapes' - Various Artists
'Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition)' - Paul McCartney And Wings

Best Historical Album
'Call It Art 1964-1965' - New York Art Quartet
'Charlie Is My Darling - Ireland 1965' - The Rolling Stones
'The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums' - Bill Withers
'Pictures Of Sound: One Thousand Years Of Educed Audio: 980–1980' - Various Artists
'Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen (Deluxe Edition)' - Sir Georg Solti

Best Music Film
'Live 2012' - Coldplay
'¡Cuatro!' - Green Day
'I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone: The Making Of Get Up!' - Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite
'Live Kisses' - Paul McCartney
'The Road To Red Rocks' - Mumford & Sons

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