Sam Smith and Beyonce to face off for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards

Sam Smith, Beyonce and Ed Sheeran will go head-to-head for the coveted Album of the Year honor at the 2015 Grammy Awards.

Smith racked up his sixth nomination on Friday night (05Dec14), when the contenders for the final category for music's big night was announced live at the end of TV special A Very GRAMMY Christmas.

He will face stiff competition from Beyonce's self-titled release, Ed Sheeran's X, Beck's Morning Phase and GIRL by Pharrell Williams.

Upon learning of the news, a stunned Smith exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, dream come true! Oh my God."

The Album of the Year nod capped a triumphant day for Smith - the British soul sensation emerged as the artist to beat earlier on Friday (05Dec14), when the rest of the nominations were announced.

He earned recognition for Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for his hit track Stay With Me, and Best Pop Vocal Album for his debut, In The Lonely Hour.

Beyonce also earned five other nods, but her main credits came in the R&B genre for Drunk in Love. She also notched up another in the Best Urban Contemporary Album shortlist for her self-titled 2013 release - making her the most-nominated female artist in Grammy Awards history with 52 to date.

Pharrell Williams was another six-time nominee, while Iggy Azalea, Sia, Usher, Jack White, Miranda Lambert and Eric Church each picked up four nods.

The winners of the 57th annual Grammy Awards will be unveiled at a ceremony in Los Angeles on 8 February (15).

The main list of nominees is as follows:

Album of the Year:

Beck - Morning Phase

Beyonce - Beyonce

Ed Sheeran - X

Sam Smith - In The Lonely Hour

Pharrell Williams - GIRL

Record of the Year:

Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX - Fancy

Sia - Chandelier

Sam Smith - Stay With Me (Darkchild Remix)

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

Song of the Year:

Sia - Chandelier

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

Sam Smith - Stay With Me

Hozier - Take Me to Church

Best New Artist:

Iggy Azalea

Bastille

Brandy Clark

Haim

Sam Smith

Best Pop Solo Performance:

John Legend - All of Me

Sia - Chandelier

Sam Smith - Stay With Me

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

Pharrell Williams - Happy

Best Pop Vocal Album:

Coldplay - Ghost Stories

Miley Cyrus - Bangerz

Ariana Grande - My Everything

Katy Perry - Prism

Ed Sheeran - x

Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:

Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX - Fancy

Coldplay - A Sky Full of Stars

A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera - Say Something

Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang

Katy Perry featuring Juicy J - Dark Horse

Best Rock Song:

Jack White - Lazaretto

The Black Keys - Fever

Paramore - Ain't It Fun

Beck - Blue Moon

Ryan Adams - Gimme Something Good

Best Rock Album:

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams

Beck - Morning Phase

The Black Keys - Turn Blue

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Magnetic Eye

U2 - Songs of Innocence

Best Country Song:

Kenny Chesney - American Kids

Miranda Lambert - Automatic

Eric Church - Give Me Back My Hometown

Glen Campbell - I'm Not Gonna Miss You

Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill - Meanwhile Back at Mama's

Best Country Album:

Dierks Bentley - Riser

Eric Church - The Outsiders

Brandy Clark - 12 Stories

Miranda Lambert - Platinum

Lee Ann Womack - The Way I'm Livin'

Best R&B Song:

Beyonce featuring Jay Z - Drunk In Love

Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross - New Flame

Usher - Good Kisser

Jhene Aiko - The Worst

Luke James featuring Rick Ross - Options (Wolfjames Version)

Best Urban Contemporary Album:

Jhene Aiko - Sail Out

Beyonce - Beyonce

Chris Brown - X

Mali Music - Mali Is...

Pharrell Williams - GIRL

Best Rap Song:

Nicki Minaj - Anaconda

Kanye West featuring Charlie Wilson - Bound 2

Kendrick Lamar - i

Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz

Drake - 0 to 100/The Catch Up

Best Rap Album:

Iggy Azalea - The New Classic

Childish Gambino - Because the Internet

Common - Nobody's Smiling

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2

Wiz Khalifa - Blacc Hollywood

Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron

Best Dance/Electronic Album:

Aphex Twin - Syro

Deadmaus - While (1<2)

Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband

Royksopp & Robyn - Do It Again

Matt Zo - Damage Control

Best Reggae Album:

Ziggy Marley - Fly Rasta

Lee 'Scratch' Perry - Back on the Controls

Sean Paul - Full Frequency

Shaggy - Out of Many, One Music

Sly & Robbie & Spicy Chocolate - The Reggae Power

Soja - Amid the Noise and the Haste

Best Alternative Music Album:

Alt-J - This Is All Yours

Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Cage the Elephant - Melophobia

St. Vincent - St. Vincent

Jack White - Lazaretto

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga - Cheek to Cheek

Annie Lennox - Nostalgia

Barry Manilow - Night Songs

Johnny Mathis - Sending You a Little Christmas

Barbra Streisand - Partners

Best Music Video:

Arcade Fire - We Exist

DJ Snake and Lil Jon - Turn Down for What

Sia - Chandelier

Pharrell Williams - Happy

Woodkid featuring Max Richter - The Golden Age