Sam Smith nabs Grammy nominations

British artists have scooped several nominations for the 2015 Grammys, as the shortlist for the ceremony's 83 categories starts to trickle out, the BBC reports.

Sam Smith, who topped the BBC's Sound of 2014 in January, is nominated for best pop album and record of the year, for the gospel-tinged Stay With Me.

He is also likely to be up for best new artist and song of the year.

UK acts Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Charli XCX are also nominees, alongside Pharrell Williams and Beyonce.

The shortlisted acts are being announced throughout the day on 5 December, in a number of diverse categories including comedy, Hawaiian music and best surround sound album.

Three British artists are in the running for best pop album - with Smith, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran battling against Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry for the title.

Pop singer Charli XCX has also received the first of many expected nominations for Fancy, her chart-topping duet with Iggy Azaela.

Music industry pundits expect Beyonce to walk away with the most nominations, with her self-titled fifth album a frontrunner for the ceremony's top prize, album of the year.

If she wins, it would be the first time in her 17-year career. She holds 17 Grammys in other categories.

The first tranche of nominations were announced live on US television by Pharrell Williams and Ed Sheeran.

Pharrell, who won four Grammys earlier this year, is up for best pop solo performance for the feel-good anthem Happy.

The song was technically ineligible for the awards, having originally been released on the soundtrack to Despicable Me 2 in 2012.

However, his record label submitted a live recording of the track in order for it to be reconsidered.

A similar sleight of hand allowed John Legend's hit ballad All Of Me to be nominated in the same category - with the other contenders including Sia, for Chandelier, Sam Smith, for Stay With Me and Taylor Swift, for Shake It Off.

Swift's comeback single, a number one hit in September, is her only eligible release for the 2015 Grammys, as her recent album came out too late to be considered.

More nominees will be revealed on Twitter throughout the day, with the album of the year shortlist announced on a TV special - A Very Grammy Christmas - in the US overnight.

The awards will be handed out 8 February, 2015.