Sam Smith leads Brit Awards 2015 nominations

Sam Smith heads the nominations for this year's Brit Awards Credit: PA

The nominees for this year's Brit Award have been announced, with soul singer Sam Smith leading this year's line-up with nods in five categories.

The 22-year-old is up for best male, best album, best newcomer, best single, best breakthrough act and best video.

Ed Sheeran and George Ezra are not far behind Smith, with four nominations each.

Rock duo Royal Blood will compete for a trio of awards, while singer Jess Glynne also finds her name on the shortlists three times as a guest vocalist on singles by Route 94 and Clean Bandit.

Taylor Swift - who will be among the acts performing when the awards are staged on February 25 at the O2 Arena in London - has been shortlisted for best international female along with Beyonce, Lana Del Rey, Sia and St Vincent.

Contenders for Brit Awards 2015

Best British Solo Male

  • Damon Albarn

  • Paolo Nutini

  • Ed Sheeran

  • George Ezra

  • Sam Smith

British Solo Female

  • Ella Henderson

  • FKA Twigs

  • Jessie Ware

  • Lily Allen

  • Paloma Faith

FKA Twigs has been nominated for best female Credit: PA

British Group

  • Alt-J

  • Clean Bandit

  • Coldplay

  • One Direction

  • Royal Blood

British Breakthrough Act

  • Chvrches

  • FKA Twigs

  • George Ezra

  • Royal Blood

  • Sam Smith

British Single

  • Calvin Harris - Summer

  • Clean Bandit ft Jess Glynne - Rather Be

  • Duke Dumont ft Jax Jones - I Got U

  • Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

  • Ella Henderson - Ghost

  • George Ezra - Budapest

  • Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

  • Route 94 ft Jess Glynne - My Love

  • Sam Smith - Stay With Me

  • Sigma - Nobody To Love

Ed Sheeran has been nominated in four categories Credit: PA

Mastercard British Album Of The Year

  • alt-J - This Is All Yours

  • Ed Sheeran - X

  • George Ezra - Wanted On Voyage

  • Royal Blood - Royal Blood

  • Sam Smith - In The Lonely Hour

British Producer Of The Year

  • Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory

  • Flood

  • Jake Gosling

  • Paul Epworth

British Artist Video Of The Year

  • Calvin Harris - Summer

  • Charli XCX - Boom Clap

  • Duke Dumont ft Jax Jones - I Got U

  • Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

  • Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

  • One Direction - You & I

  • Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down

  • Route 94 ft Jess Glynne - My Love

  • Sam Smith - Stay With Me

  • Sigma - Nobody To Love

International Solo Male

  • Beck

  • Hozier

  • Jack White

  • John Legend

  • Pharrell Williams

Taylor Swift will perform at the February 25 awards Credit: Reuters

International Solo Female

  • Beyonce

  • Lana Del Rey

  • Sia

  • St Vincent

  • Taylor Swift

International Group

  • 5 Seconds of Summer

  • The Black Keys

  • First Aid Kit

  • Foo Fighters

  • The War on Drugs

Critics' Choice winner (already announced): James Bay

Global Success award, for international sales - announced on the night.