With help from hip-hop artist and actor Ludacris, TV host and supermodel Chrissy Teigen, Fall Out Boy musician Pete Wentz, and “Empire” recording artist Jussie Smollett, dick clark productions and Billboard announced the finalists for the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, honoring the year’s most successful artists in 41 categories.
In addition to the 40 chart specific categories, fans can vote for the special “Billboard Chart Achievement Award presented by Samsung” on Billboard.com, BillboardMusicAwards.com and on Twitter. Finalists for this category include Iggy Azalea, Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor. Voting opens on April 28.
Taylor Swift is top among all finalists with 14 entries in 13 categories, while Sam Smith is a finalist in an equal 13 categories with 13 entries. The two go head-to-head for eight of the show’s biggest awards including Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist and Top Digital Songs Artist. Swift is a two-time finalist for Top Streaming Song (Video) for her Billboard chart toppers “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.”
Iggy Azalea is a finalist in 11 categories with 12 entries, competing against herself for Top Rap Song for her hits “Fancy” featuring Charli XCX and “Black Widow” featuring Rita Ora. Newcomer Meghan Trainor is the artist with the fourth-most finalist categories, competing against Azalea for the title of Top New Artist, in addition to eight other categories.
THE “2015 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS” FINALISTS:
Top Artist:
Ariana Grande
One Direction
Katy Perry
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift
Top New Artist:
5 Seconds of Summer
Iggy Azalea
Hozier
Sam Smith
Meghan Trainor
Top Male Artist:
Drake
Pharrell Williams
Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
Justin Timberlake
Top Female Artist:
Iggy Azalea
Ariana Grande
Katy Perry
Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top Duo/Group:
5 Seconds of Summer
Florida Georgia Line
MAGIC!
Maroon 5
One Direction
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
One Direction
Pentatonix
Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Iggy Azalea
Ariana Grande
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top Digital Songs Artist:
Iggy Azalea
Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top Radio Songs Artist:
John Legend
Maroon 5
Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
Taylor Swift
Top Touring Artist:
Lady Gaga
One Direction
Katy Perry
The Rolling Stones
Justin Timberlake
Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber
Miley Cyrus
Selena Gomez
Ariana Grande
Taylor Swift
Top Streaming Artist:
Iggy Azalea
Ariana Grande
Nicki Minaj
Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top R&B Artist:
Beyoncé
Chris Brown
John Legend
Trey Songz
Pharrell Williams
Top Rap Artist:
Iggy Azalea
J. Cole
Drake
Nicki Minaj
Rae Sremmurd
Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Brantley Gilbert
Blake Shelton
Top Rock Artist:
Bastille
Coldplay
Fall Out Boy
Hozier
Lorde
Top Latin Artist:
J Balvin
Juan Gabriel
Enrique Iglesias
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
Avicii
Clean Bandit
Disclosure
Calvin Harris
Lindsey Stirling
Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
Hillsong United
Lecrae
MercyMe
Newsboys
ALBUM AWARDS
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Maroon 5 “V”
Pentatonix “That’s Christmas to Me”
Ed Sheeran “x”
Sam Smith “In the Lonely Hour”
Taylor Swift “1989”
Top Soundtrack:
“The Fault in Our Stars”
“Fifty Shades of Grey”
“Frozen”
“Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix: Vol. 1”
“Into the Woods”
Top R&B Album:
Beyoncé “Beyoncé”
Chris Brown “X”
Michael Jackson “Xscape”
John Legend “Love in the Future”
Pharrell Williams “G I R L”
Top Rap Album:
J. Cole “2014 Forest Hills Drive”
Drake “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”
Nicki Minaj “The Pinkprint”
Iggy Azalea “The New Classic”
Eminem “The Marshall Mathers LP 2”
Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean “Old Boots, New Dirt”
Garth Brooks “Man Against Machine”
Luke Bryan “Crash My Party”
Brantley Gilbert “Just As I Am”
Miranda Lambert “Platinum”
Top Rock Album:
AC/DC “Rock or Bust”
The Black Keys “Turn Blue”
Coldplay “Ghost Stories”
Hozier “Hozier”
Lorde “Pure Heroine”
Top Latin Album:
Juan Gabriel “Los Dúo”
Enrique Iglesias “Sex and Love”
Romeo Santos “Formula: Vol. 2”
Santana “Corazon”
Marc Anthony “3.0”
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Avicii “True”
Disclosure “Settle”
Calvin Harris “Motion”
Skrillex “Recess”
Lindsey Stirling “Shatter Me”
Top Christian Album:
Lecrae “Anomaly”
Casting Crowns “Thrive”
MercyMe “Welcome to the New”
NEEDTOBREATHE “Rivers in the Wasteland”
Chris Tomlin “Love Ran Red”
SONG AWARDS
Top Hot 100 Song:
Iggy Azalea Feat. Charli XCX “Fancy”
John Legend “All of Me”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
Top Digital Song:
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
Pharrell Williams “Happy”
Top Radio Song:
John Legend “All of Me”
MAGIC! “Rude”
Nico & Vinz “Am I Wrong”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Pharrell Williams “Happy”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Iggy Azalea Feat. Charli XCX “Fancy”
Hozier “Take Me to Church”
John Legend “All of Me”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Tove Lo “Habits (Stay High)”
Top Streaming Song (Video):
Idina Menzel “Let It Go”
Bobby Shmurda “Hot Boy”
Taylor Swift “Blank Space”
Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
Top R&B Song:
Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne, French Montana, Too $hort & Tyga “Loyal”
Jason Derulo Feat. 2 Chainz “Talk Dirty”
Jeremih Featuring YG “Don’t Tell ‘Em”
John Legend “All of Me”
Pharrell Williams “Happy”
Top Rap Song:
Iggy Azalea Feat. Charli XCX “Fancy”
Iggy Azalea Feat. Rita Ora “Black Widow”
Big Sean Featuring E-40 “I Don’t F**k With You”
Nicki Minaj “Anaconda”
Bobby Shmurda “Hot Boy”
Top Country Song:
Jason Aldean “Burnin’ It Down”
Luke Bryan “Play It Again”
Sam Hunt “Leave the Night On”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Luke Bryan “This Is How We Roll”
Florida Georgia Line “Dirt”
Top Rock Song:
Bastille “Pompeii”
Coldplay “A Sky Full of Stars”
Fall Out Boy “Centuries”
Hozier “Take Me to Church”
Paramore “Ain’t It Fun”
Top Latin Song:
J Balvin Featuring Farruko “6 AM”
Enrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona “Bailando”
Romeo Santos “Eres Mía”
Romeo Santos Featuring Drake “Odio”
Romeo Santos “Propuesta Indecente”
Top Dance/Electronic Song:
Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne “Rather Be”
Disclosure Featuring Sam Smith “Latch”
DJ Snake & Lil Jon “Turn Down For What”
Ariana Grande Featuring Zedd “Break Free”
Calvin Harris “Summer”
Top Christian Song:
Francesca Battistelli “He Knows My Name”
Hillsong United “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
MercyMe “Greater”
Newsboys “We Believe”
Carrie Underwood “Something In The Water”
FAN VOTED AWARD
Billboard Chart Achievement Award presented by Samsung:
Iggy Azalea
Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
