Sam Smith named MTV artist of the year

British pop star Sam Smith has been named MTV's artist of the year (14).

The Stay With Me hitmaker has topped the music network's Best Artists of 2014 list, beating Beyonce to the top spot, just days after he landed six Grammy Award nominations.

Explaining why Smith has been given the prestigious honour, MTV bosses write, "The tear-stained agony of a love unrequited on Stay With Me captured the imagination of heartbroken Americans like it was the second coming of Adele's Someone Like You. Still, the most remarkable part of that success might be that this relatable message was communicated by a gay man."

Beyonce came second in the top ten, and the statement adds, "She dominated our conversations. Our thoughts. Our text messages. Our dreams. She performed one of the most thrilling live shows of the year on her On The Run Tour."

Following the pair in the rundown are Taylor Swift in third, Iggy Azalea in fourth, and Ariana Grande in fifth place.