LONDON (Reuters) - Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Liam Payne and Stormzy are among the nominees for this year's Brit Awards, Britain's most prestigious pop music prizes.
Sheeran is in the running in four categories - British male solo artist, best video and single for "Shape of You", and best album.
Singer Dua Lipa received the most nominations. Her single "New Rules" was a break out hit last year and she is nominated in five categories including best album, best female artist and best single.
And former One Direction star Payne was nominated for best single and video for "Strip That Down", which has now been a hit in Britain, Australia and United States.
"The song's done extremely well, I am extremely happy with the success so far... We just reached a billion streams. I have never written down that number, I have never had the need," Payne said backstage at an event to announce the nominees in London.
"It's amazing. You look at it and you're like, wow, it's one-sixth of the world's population, incredible."
Dua Lipa will compete for best female artist against the likes of Jessie Ware and 2015 winner Paloma Faith.
East London rapper J Hus and platinum-selling songwriter Rag'n'Bone Man have three nominations apiece, including for best album, while Stormzy's "Gang Signs and Prayer" is also nominated.
(Reporting by Edward Baran for Reuters TV; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
