Sam Smith

Sam Smith

Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and George Ezra lead the 2015 BRIT Awards with MasterCard nominations.

The 'Stay With Me' hitmaker - who won the Critics' Choice award last year - has been given five nods for British Male Solo Artist, British Single, British Artist Video of the Year, British Breakthrough Act and MasterCard British Album of the Year with both Ed and George, too, nominated for the prestigious award with their albums, 'x' and 'Wanted on Voyage' respectively.

The 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker is also nominated for British Male Solo Artist, British Single and British Artist Video of the Year whilst the 'Budapest' singer's three other nominations come from the British Male Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act and British Single categories.

'The BRITs Are Coming' host, Reggie Yates, revealed that whilst he is backing the "great set" of British artists, he is championing 23-year-old Ed.

Speaking on the red carpet at the BRIT Awards nominations, he told BANG Showbiz: "I don't want to sound like everyone else but I love Ed. He's the one of the people that everyone sounds the same thing about but it's true, he's a lovely bloke and I'd love to see him win some stuff on the big night.

"I love what Sia has done this year, I love her last two videos. In terms of UK female artists, Jessie Ware is great - I've been a fan of hers since the beginning. Jessie is my girl. Sam Smith is brilliant. There's just such a great set of British artists around."

Royal Blood have been handed three nominations whilst FKA twigs and Ella Henderson are up for two gongs.

On the night, the BRITs Global Success Award - which was won by One Direction last year - will be presented to a British act for their international sales success based on their figures for their 2014 releases abroad.

'The BRITs Are Coming' nominations launch show, hosted by Reggie Yates, will be broadcast tonight on ITV at 10.40pm where there will be performances from Jessie Ware, FKA twigs, Clean Bandit and the Critics' Choice winner for 2015, James Bay.

2015 BRIT Awards with MasterCard nominations:

British Male Solo Artist

Damon Albarn

Ed Sheeran

George Ezra

Paolo Nutini

Sam Smith

British Female Solo Artist

Ella Henderson

FKA Twigs

Jessie Ware

Lily Allen

Paloma Faith

British Group

Alt-J

Clean Bandit

Coldplay

One Direction

Royal Blood

British Breakthrough Act

Chvrches

FKA Twigs

George Ezra

Royal Blood

Sam Smith

Critics' Choice

James Bay (Winner)

George the Poet

Years & Years

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'

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 and 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 Male Solo Artist

Beck

Hozier

Jack White

John Legend

Pharrell Williams

International Female Solo Artist

Beyoncé

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