Fans of rap, country, pop and rock all have a stake in this year's diverse race for Grammy's most coveted award, album of the year. Among those cheering for their favorites are peers of the nominated artists. USA TODAY's music team found five famous admirers who champion the contenders.

The 53rd Grammy Awards air Sunday (CBS, 8 p.m. ET/tape delay PT).

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Arcade Fire, The Suburbs

Singer/guitarist John Rzeznik of alt-rock band Goo Goo Dolls sees hope for rock's survival in Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, despite modest sales (478,000 copies, significantly fewer than its fellow nominees).

The Montreal-based group's third album "proves that a good song and smart lyric with real feeling behind it can peek its head out amidst all this way-overproduced pop," Rzeznik says. "They took the best parts of modern indie-rock and turned it into something a lot more visceral, with more depth. On top 40 radio, music like this is overlooked, but I don't think that matters to this band."

Suburbs drew raves, landing on numerous top 10 lists for 2010. Rzeznik credits singer/songwriter Win Butler with striking a bold path while mining rich influences.

"He's finding his own way," Rzeznik says. "At the same time, Empty Room reminds me of Sandinista!-era Clash, and it's a great song."

Suburbs has proven especially satisfying on the road, says Rzeznik, phoning from a tour stop in Newfoundland.

"It's a really heartfelt piece of work with all the great themes," he says. "We're all afraid of getting old and looking around at a world in such insane flux that we don't know how solid the ground we're standing on is. These are things I love to think about when I'm sitting in a hotel room." — Edna Gundersen

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