Iconic Nigerian singers Davido, Wizkid, Simi and Olamide top list of nominees for the 2018 Headies Award, a ceremony that recognises outstanding achievement in the Nigerian music industry.

Smooth Promotions, organisers of the annual music fiesta, on Friday released the list of 77 nominees in over 25 different categories.

According to the organiser, the names were released after short listing of thousands of entries submitted in the year under review (from July 2016 – December 2017).

Davido leads with six nominations, while Starboy Wizkid, Simi, and rapper Olamide follow with five nominations each for the award scheduled to hold on May 5, at Eko Hotels in Lagos.

The four singers are however nominated for the highly coveted ‘Artiste of the year’ award.

This year’s edition event presents new categories of awards, which include: ‘The Viewer’s Choice Award’, ‘Best Performer’.

There is also a special category to recognize the efforts of brands that have supported the entertainment industry.

Now in its 12th edition, The Headies (formerly known as the Hip Hop World Awards) is a music award that honours outstanding achievement in the Nigerian music industry.

No information has been released on this year's host.

See the full list of nominee below;

12th HEADIES EDITION NOMINEE LIST: YEAR IN REVIEW

(JULY 2016 – DECEMBER 2017)

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST RECORDING (THAT MEETS THE JUDGES REQUIREMENTS OF EXCELLENCE; SONGWRITING, PRODUCTION, RENDITION) BY AN ARTISTE OR GROUP IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       BUTTERFLIES – OMAWUMI

2.      HALLELUYAH - FUNBI

3.       PONMILE – REMINISCE

4.      HEAVEN – BANKY W

5.       JOROMI - SIMI

BEST POP SINGLE

A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST POP SINGLE IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

1.       MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN

2.      ALL OVER – TIWA SAVAGE

3.       YEBA – KISS DANIEL

4.      ISKABA – WANDE COAL AND DJ TUNEZ

5.       IF– DAVIDO

6.      FIA – DAVIDO

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING THE MOST ACCLAIMED SONG OR ALBUM IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       (FALL, MAMA) KIDOMINANT 

2.      (ISKABA, MALO) SPELLZ

3.       (IF, RARA) TEKNO

4.      (MARADONA, COME CLOSER) SARZ

5.       YAWA, VIRTUOUS WOMAN- MASTER KRAFT

BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE

A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

1.       LOVE YOU DIE – PATORANKING FT. DIAMOND PLATNUMZ

2.      DANCE - TIMAYA FT. RUDEBOY

3.       HOLY HOLY - 2BABA

4.      ROCK YOUR BODY - BURNA BOY

5.       COME CLOSER – WIZKID

6.      SOFA – KISS DANIEL

BEST RAP ALBUM

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST ALBUM BY A RAP ARTISTE OR GROUP IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       27 - FALZ

2.      TRIP TO THE SOUTH – ERIGGA

3.       EL HADJ – REMINISCE

4.      THE PLAYMAKER – PHYNO

5.       THE GLORY – OLAMIDE

6.      ROSE - AQ

BEST R&B/POP ALBUM

A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B/POP ALBUM IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

1.       SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE – WIZKID

2.      TIMELESS - OMAWUMI

3.       SIMISOLA – SIMI

4.      GOLD – ADEKUNLE GOLD

5.       IJELE THE TRAVELLER - FLAVOR

6.      THIS IS ME - NINIOLA

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST CONCEPTUALIST, BEST DIRECTED AND MOST EXCITING VIDEO IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW. THIS AWARD GOES TO THE VIDEO DIRECTOR.

1.       MA LO – TIWA SAVAGE FT WIZKID (MEJI ALABI)

2.      FOCUS- HUMBLE SMITH (CLARENCE PETERS)

3.       COME CLOSER – WIZKID (DAPS)

4.      BEEN CALLING – MALEEK BERRY (MEJI ALABI)

5.       YOLO – SEYI SHAY (MEJI ALABI)

6.      LIKE DAT – DAVIDO (DAPS)

BEST R&B SINGLE

A CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B SINGLE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW (BY A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP).

1.       TONIGHT – NONSO AMADI

2.      FOLASHADE – PRAIZ

3.       LET ME KNOW - MALEEK BERRY

4.      ROMEO & JULIET - JOHHNY DRILLE

5.       LOVE YOU BABY - BANKY W

6.      SMILE FOR ME - SIMI

BEST COLLABO

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST R&B, POP OR HIP-HOP COLLABORATIVE TRACK (INCLUDING CAMEOS).

1.       MA LO – TIWA SAVAGE FT WIZKID

2.      TEMPER REMIX – SKALES FT BURNA BOY

3.       JUICE – YCEE FT MALEEK BERRY

4.      NO FORGET - ADEKUNLE GOLD FT. SIMI

5.       COME CLOSER - WIZKID FT. DRAKE

BEST RAP SINGLE

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR A SINGLE (RELEASED ON-AIR) RECORDING OF A RAP SONG.

1.       YOU RAPPERS SHOULD FIX UP YOUR LIVES – MI

2.      SOMETHING LITE – FALZ FT YCEE

3.       LINK UP - PHYNO FT. BURNA BOY, M.I.

4.      UP TO YOU - SDC FT FUNBI

5.       ME VERSUS ME - ICE PRINCE

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE(MALE)

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE SINGLE MALE ARTISTE WITH THE MOST OUTSTANDING VOCAL PERFORMANCE ON A SINGLE SONG OR ALBUM.

1.       PERFECT WOMAN - FAZE

2.      FOLASHADE - PRAIZ

3.       ROMEO & JULIET - JOHNNY DRILLE

4.      TONIGHT - NONSO AMADI

5.       LOVE YOU BABY - BANKY W

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE SINGLE FEMALE ARTISTE WITH MOST OUTSTANDING VOCAL PERFORMANCES ON A SINGLE SONG OR ALBUM.

1.      IN THE AIR - WAJE

2.      GONE FOR GOOD - SIMI

3.      JOWO - ARAMIDE

4.      SARO - NINIOLA

5.      WHERE’S THE LOVE - NIYOLA FT. ADEKUNLE GOLD

6.      BUTTERFLIES - OMAWUNMI

NEXT RATED

THIS CATEGORY IS A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE MOST PROMISING ACT IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       MALEEK BERRY

2.      MAYORKUN

3.       DICE AILES

4.      JOHNNY DRILLE

5.       ZORO

HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST NEW ARTISTE WITH A DEBUT ALBUM ADJUDGED TO BE OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF ARTISTIC QUALITY AND IMPACT WITHIN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       NINIOLA

2.      ADEKUNLE GOLD

3.       MR. EAZI

4.      REEKADO BANKS

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE RAP ARTISTE WITH THE BEST LYRICAL DEPTH AND PERFORMANCE ON A SINGLE SONG OR ALBUM.

1.      YOU RAPPERS SHOULD FIX UP YOUR LIVES - MI

2.      POLITICAL SCIENCE - AQ

3.      LIQUOR NIGHT - BOOGEY

4.      INDUSTRY NITE - ERIGGA

BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ARTISTE WHOSE SONGS ARE INSPIRED BY THE STREETS. SUCH SONG SHOULD CAPTAIN LINGUA, WHICH MAY ALSO BE ORIGINATED BY THE ARTISTE AND POPULAR ON THE STREET.

1.      PENALTY - SMALL DOCTOR

2.      WO - OLAMIDE

3.      SAI BABA - CDQ

4.      SHEPETERI - IDOWEST FT. DAMMY KRANE, SLIM CASE

5.      PASS THE AGBARA - SKUKI

6.      LEGBEGBE - MR REAL FT. IDOWEST, KELVIN CHUKS, OBADICE   

BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ARTISTE WHOSE SONGS REFLECT ANY FORM OR STYLE OF MUSIC WHICH FALLS OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM OF RECENT OR PAST POPULAR MUSICAL TRENDS.

1.      MONEY - ADEKUNLE GOLD

2.      RADIO - NONSO AMADI

3.      ROMEO & JULIET - JOHNNY DRILLE

4.      PONMILE - REMINISCE

5.       FUN MI LOWO MI - ARAMIDE FT. SOUND SULTAN & KOKER

6.       LAGOS BARBIE - BANTU

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE BEST ALBUM (SOLO OR GROUP) IN YEAR UNDER REVIEW, THAT MEETS JUDGES’ REQUIREMENTS OF EXCELLENCE (SONGWRITING, PRODUCTION, RENDITION AND IMPACT).

1.       SIMISOLA - SIMI

2.       GOLD - ADEKUNLE GOLD

3.       KLITORIS - BRYMO

4.       IJELE THE TRAVELER - FLAVOUR

5.       SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE - WIZKID

6.       THE PLAYMAKER – PHYNO

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

MOST CRITICALLY AND COMMERCIALLY ADJUDGED ARTISTE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW. OVERALL MOST SUCCESSFUL ARTISTE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       DAVIDO

2.       WIZKID

3.       OLAMIDE

4.       SIMI

5.       TIWA SAVAGE

SONG OF THE YEAR

A VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE MOST POPULAR SONG IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       PENALTY – SMALL DOCTOR

2.      WO – OLAMIDE

3.       IF- DAVIDO

4.      YEBA – KISS DANIEL

5.       MAD OVER YOU – RUNTOWN

6.      FIA – DAVIDO

AFRICAN ARTISTE

A NON-NIGERIAN AWARD CATEGORY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OR GROUP WITH THE MOST OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT, IMPACT AND INFILTRATION INTO THE NIGERIAN MUSIC SCENE IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       SARKODIE

2.      CASSPER NYOVEST

3.       NASTY C

4.      SAUTI SOL

5.       VANESSA MDEE

HEADIES’ VIEWER’S CHOICE

A VOTING CATEGORY TO AWARD THE FAN’S FAVOURITE ARTISTE WITH THE MOST DIGITAL TRACTIONS (DOWNLOADS, VIEWS, STREAMS) IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW.

1.       COME CLOSER- WIZKID

2.      IF- DAVIDO

3.       WO -OLAMIDE

4.      MAD OVER YOU - RUNTOWN

5.       YEBA- KISS DANIEL

6.      YAWA -TEKNO

INDUSTRY BRAND SUPPORTER

THIS IS TO SAY THANK YOU TO BRANDS THAT HAVE MADE THE MOST IMPACT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. AN AWARD TO RECOGNIZE BRANDS WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY AT A TIME WHEN OPPORTUNITIES ARE SCARCE

1.       MTN

2.      PEPSI

3.       GLO

4.      HENNESSY

5.       FIRS

6.      NIGERIA BREWERIES

7.       LAGOS STATE

BEST PERFORMER

A NON-VOTING CATEGORY FOR THE ARTISTES WHOSE STAGECRAFT, SHOWMANSHIP AND PERFORMANCE ROUTINES ARE EXCEPTIONALLY CONCEPTUALIZED AND EXECUTED IN THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW WITH CONSIDERATION OF LIVE PERFORMANCES.

1.       FLAVOUR

2.      FALZ

3.       M.I.

4.      2BABA

5.       YEMI ALADE

6.      TIWA SAVAGE

ROOKIE:

KIDI

AIR BOY

TENI

JUNIOR BOY

PERUZZI

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

KAFFY

HALL OF FAME

CHRIS UBOSI