Ed Sheeran and Adele go head to head for Artist of the Year

Los Angeles - Ed Sheeran has been nominated for a second year running for the British Artist of the Year at the BBC Music Awards 2015.

The Photograph hitmaker won the gong last year but faces stiff competition in the category this time round as he's up against Hello singer Adele - who has made a thunderous return to music after a four-year hiatus with her comeback album 25 - as well as Jamie XX, Florence + The Machine, Foals, and Years & Years.

The International Artist of the Year and BBC Live Performance of the Year nominees have also been announced ahead of the ceremony next week.

Taylor Swift and Foo Fighters will go head-to-head in the International Artist group - which Pharrell Williams won in 2014 in the competition's debut year - and will also have to beat Major Lazer,

Hozier, Prince and The Weeknd to take home the statuette.

Lionel Richie is one of the nominees in the BBC Live Performance of the Year category, and he has been put forward for his crowd-pleasing set at Glastonbury in June which attracted one of the largest crowds of the weekend at the world famous festival.

The BBC Music Awards 2015 will be hosted by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans and former Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton and will take place at Birmingham's The Genting Arena on Thursday 10 December.

Performances at the event will come from some of the biggest names in music and hot new talent, including One Direction, Little Mix, Ellie Goulding, Faithless, Hozier, James Bay, Jess Glynne, Rod Stewart, James Bay and The Shires. BBC Introducing Artist of the Year Jack Garratt will also take to the stage.

BBC Music Awards 2015 nominees:

British Artist of the Year:
Adele
Ed Sheeran
Jamie XX
Florence + The Machine
Foals
Years & Years

International Artist of the Year:
Foo Fighters
Hozier
Major Lazer
Prince
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

BBC Live Performance of the Year:
Adele at the BBC; BBC One Special
Florence + The Machine; Glastonbury
Jeff Lynne's ELO; Radio 2 In Concert
Lionel Richie; Glastonbury
Radio 1 Ibiza Prom; BBC Proms
Radio 1 Xtra Prom; BBC Proms