Taylor Swift, Sam Smith lead Billboard Awards nomination list

Country superstar Taylor Swift and British sensation Sam Smith are pitted against each other in multiple categories including Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Hot 100 Songs at the recently announced Billboard Music Awards 2015 nomination.
Swift leads the pack as she bagged 14 nominations in multiple categories including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, and Top Social Artist. Her massively successful album "1989" and its lead single "Shake It Off" are in contention for Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Hot 100 Song, respectively, reported Ace Showbiz.
Trailing closely behind the country-turned-pop superstar, is Smith, who earned 13 nods. The British sensation is pitted against Swift and other music's big names like Iggy Azalea, Ed Sheeran and Meghan Trainor in various categories like Top New Artist and Top Male Artist.

His debut set "In the Lonely Hour" and his hit single "Stay With Me" will also compete against Swift's projects for the Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Hot 100 Song titles.
Azalea is another big BMA nominee as she's up for 12 awards like Top Rap Artist and Top Rap Album for her 2014 LP "The New Classic".
The Australian rapper additionally has her two smashing hits "Fancy" featuring Charli XCX and "Black Widow" featuring Rita Ora nominated for the Top Rap Song Award.

Other names scoring multiple nominations include Trainor, Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and One Direction.

The Billboard Music Award nominees were chosen based on album and digital song sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social-media interactions tracked by Billboard and its data partners including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound, Billboard said.
Winners will be announced during the ceremony set to air live on ABC from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17.