Billboard Music Awards 2018 Nominations: See the Full List

June 2024 · 6 minute read

The 2018 Billboard Music Awards are just around the corner and the nominees have just been revealed.

The first wave of nominations was announced by Khalid and Bebe Rexha live on NBC’s Today Tuesday (April 17). Khalid later returned to announce the remaining nominees via Facebook.

This year, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, and Bruno Mars are in the lead with 15 BBMA nominations each. All three artists are up for the Top Artist award against Drake, who has nine nominations in total, and Taylor Swift, who is the only female artist in that category and has five nominations in total.

All BBMA nominees and winners are determined based on album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social engagement; data is collected by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound during a 12-month tracking period from April 8, 2017 through March 31, 2018.

The 2018 Billboard Music Awards will be broadcast live on NBC from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 20 at 8 p.m. ET. This will be the first year the award show will air on the network.

Full list of nominees:

Top Artist:
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist:
21 Savage
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Khalid
Kodak Black

Billboard Chart Achievement Award:
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Drake
Sam Hunt
Ed Sheeran

Top Male Artist:
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

Top Female Artist:
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Halsey
Demi Lovato
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
The Chainsmokers
Coldplay
Imagine Dragons
Migos
U2

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Chris Stapleton
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

Top Streaming Songs Artist:
Cardi B
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

Top Song Sales Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Halsey
Imagine Dragons
Bruno Mars
Charlie Puth
Ed Sheeran

Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber
BTS
Ariana Grande
Demi Lovato
Shawn Mendes

Top Touring Artist:
Coldplay
Guns N’ Roses
Bruno Mars
Ed Sheeran
U2

Top R&B Artist:
Chris Brown
Khalid
Bruno Mars
SZA
The Weeknd

Top R&B Male Artist:
Khalid
Bruno Mars
The Weeknd

Top R&B Female Artist:
Beyonce
Rihanna
SZA

Top R&B Tour:
Bruno Mars
Lionel Richie
The Weeknd

Top Rap Artist:
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Uzi Vert
Migos
Post Malone

Top Rap Male Artist:
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone

Top Rap Female Artist:
Bhad Bhabie
Cardi B
Nicki Minaj

Top Rap Tour:
J. Cole
JAY-Z
Kendrick Lamar

Top Country Artist:
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Sam Hunt
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton

Top Country Male Artist:
Sam Hunt
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton

Top Country Female Artist:
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris

Top Country Duo/Group Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Linkin Park
Portugal. The Man
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
twenty one pilots

Top Rock Tour:
Coldplay
Guns N’ Roses
U2

Top Latin Artist:
J Balvin
Daddy Yankee
Luis Fonsi
Ozuna
Romeo Santos

Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
The Chainsmokers
Calvin Harris
Kygo
Marshmello
ODESZA

Top Christian Artist:
Elevation Worship
Hillsong UNITED
Hillsong Worship
MercyMe
Zach Williams

Top Gospel Artist:
Anthony Brown & group therAPy
Travis Greene
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Tamela Mann

Top Billboard 200 Album:
Drake, More Life
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
Post Malone, Stoney
Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide)
Taylor Swift, reputation

Top Selling Album:
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
P!nk, Beautiful Trauma
Ed Sheeran, ÷ (Divide)
Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1
Taylor Swift, reputation

Top Soundtrack:
Black Panther
The Fate of the Furious: The Album
The Greatest Showman
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2
Moana

Top R&B Album:
Khalid, American Teen
Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
SZA, CTRL
The Weeknd, Starboy
XXXTentacion, 17

Top Rap Album:
Drake, More Life
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2
Migos, Culture
Post Malone, Stoney

Top Country Album:
Kane Brown, Kane Brown
Luke Combs, This One’s For You
Thomas Rhett, Life Changes
Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1
Brett Young, Brett Young

Top Rock Album:
Imagine Dragons, Evolve
Linkin Park, One More Light
Panic! At The Disco, Death of a Bachelor
Portugal. The Man, Woodstock
U2, Songs of Experience

Top Latin Album:
Nicky Jam, Fenix
Christian Nodal, Me Deje Llevar
Ozuna, Odisea
Romeo Santos, Golden
Shakira, El Dorado

Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Avicii, AV?CI (01)
The Chainsmokers, Memories…Do Not Open
Calvin Harris, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1
Kygo, Stargazing
ODESZA, A Moment Apart

Top Christian Album:
Elevation Worship, There Is A Cloud
Hillsong UNITED, Wonder
Hillsong Worship, Let There Be Light
Alan Jackson, Precious Memories Collection
MercyMe, Lifer

Top Gospel Album:
Anthony Brown & group therAPy, A Long Way From Sunday
Travis Greene, Crossover: Live From Music City
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, You Deserve It
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Heart. Passion. Pursuit
Marvin Sapp, Close

Top Hot 100 Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
Kendrick Lamar, “Humble.”
Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”
Ed Sheeran, “Shape Of You”

Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
Kendrick Lamar, “Humble.”
Lil Uzi Vert, “XO Tour LLIF3”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”
Post Malone ft. Quavo, “Congratulations”

Top Streaming Song (Video):
Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
Lil Pump, “Gucci Gang”
Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You”

Top Selling Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
Sam Hunt “Body Like A Back Road”
Imagine Dragons “Believer”
Imagine Dragons “Thunder”
Ed Sheeran “Perfect”

Top Radio Song:
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This”
Imagine Dragons, “Believer”
Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Charlie Puth, “Attention”
Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You”

Top Collaboration:
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, “Havana”
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This”
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
French Montana ft. Swae Lee, “Unforgettable”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”

Top R&B Song:
Childish Gambino, “Redbone”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller, “Wild Thoughts”
Khalid, “Young Dumb & Broke”
Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B, “Finesse”

Top Rap Song:
Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper & Lil Wayne, “I’m The One
French Montana ft. Swae Lee, “Unforgettable”
Kendrick Lamar, “Humble.”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”

Top Country Song:
Kane Brown ft. Lauren Alaina, “What Ifs”
Sam Hunt, “Body Like A Back Road”
Dustin Lynch, “Small Town Boy”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”
Brett Young, “In Case You Didn’t Know”

Top Rock Song:
Imagine Dragons “Believer”
Imagine Dragons “Thunder”
Linkin Park ft. Kiiara “Heavy”
Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still”
The Revivalists “Wish I Knew You”

Top Latin Song:
J Balvin & Willy William Ft. Beyonce, “Mi Gente”
Becky G ft. Bad Bunny, ”Mayores”
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
Maluma, “Felices Los 4”
Wisin ft. Ozuna, “Escapate Conmigo”

Top Dance/Electronic Song:
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This”
Cheat Codes ft. Demi Lovato, “No Promises”
Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul & Ann-Marie, “Rockabye”
Kygo & Selena Gomez, “It Ain’t Me”
Zedd & Alessia Cara, “Stay”

Top Christian Song:
Elevation Worship, “O Come To The Altar”
Hillsong Worship, “What A Beautiful Name”
Lecrae ft. Tori Kelly, “I’ll Find You”
MercyMe, “Even If”
Zach Williams, “Old Church Choir”

Top Gospel Song:
Anthony Brown & group therAPy, “Trust In You”
Travis Greene, “You Waited”
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, “You Deserve It”
Tamela Mann, “Change Me”
Charlie Wilson, “I’m Blessed”

What are your thoughts on the nominees? Let us know by leaving your reaction below and sending us a tweet @CelebMix.

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