Headies release list of nominees

The list takes into consideration music released from July 2016 to December 2017 as the event failed to take place last year.

Davido, who had a successful 2017, dominates with six nominations. His rival-turne-friend Wizkid appears five times, as does rapper Olamide and singer Simi. Along with Tiwa Savage, all four are up for the Artist of the Year Award. And both Simi and Wizkid are up for the Album of the Year Award.

As a result of the extended consideration period, the list features songs and albums released over two years instead of the customary single year. Adekunle Gold’s 2016 debut album Gold is nominated, as is Simi’s 2017 sophomore Simisola.

The list, however, features a discrepancy as Brymo’s 2016 album Klitoris, which is nominated in the Album of the Year category, was released in May, two months before the start of the consideration period. It is not certain if the organisers will withdraw the nomination.

The organisers have added new categories. There is the Viewer’s Choice Award, the Best Performer Award and an award recognising Industry Brand Supporter.

According to the team behind the awards, the last category is “to say thank you to brands that have made the most impact in the entertainment industry in the last three years”. Altogether the 2018 Headies list features more than 70 nominees across more than 20 categories.

The full list below:

Best Recording of the Year

A non-voting category for the best recording by an artist or group in the year under review.

• 'Butterflies' – Omawumi
• 'Halleluyah' – Funbi
• 'Ponmile' – Reminisce
• 'Heaven' – Banky W
• 'Joromi' – Simi

Best Pop Single

A category for the best pop single in year under review (by single individual or group).

• 'Mad over You' – Runtown
• 'All Over' – Tiwa Savage
• 'Yeba' – Kiss Daniel
• 'Iskaba' – Wande Coal and DJ Tunez
• 'If' – Davido
• 'Fia' – Davido

Producer of the Year

An individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.

• ('Fall', 'Mama') – Kiddominant
• ('Iskaba', 'Malo') – Spellz
• ('If', 'Rara') – Tekno
• ('Maradona', 'Come Closer') – Sarz
• ('Yawa', 'Virtuous Woman') – Masterkraft

Best Reggae/Dancehall Single

A category for the best reggae/dancehall single in the year under review (by single individual or group).

• 'Love you Die' – Patoranking ft. Diamond Platnumz
• 'Dance' – Timaya ft. Rudeboy
• 'Holy Holy' – 2Baba
• Rock Your Body – Burna Boy
• 'Come Closer' – Wizkid
• 'Sofa' – Kiss Daniel

Best Rap Album

A non-voting category for the best album by a rap artist or group in year under review.

• 27 – Falz
• Trip to the South – Erigga
• El-hadj – Reminisce
• The Playmaker – Phyno
• The Glory – Olamide
• 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).

• Sounds from the other Side – Wizkid
• Timeless – Omawumi
• Simisola – Simi
• Gold – Adekunle Gold
• Ijele the Traveller – Flavour
• This is Me – Niniola

Best Music Video

A voting category for the best conceptualised, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.

• 'Ma Lo' – Tiwa Savage ft wizkid (Meji Alabi)
• 'Focus' – Humble Smith (Clarence Peters)
• 'Come Closer' – Wizkid (Daps)
• 'Been Calling' – Maleek Berry (Meji Alabi)
• 'Yolo' – Seyi Shay (Meji Alabi)
• '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).

• 'Tonight' – Nonso Amadi
• 'Folashade' – Praiz
• 'Let me Know' – Maleek Berry
• 'Romeo & Juliet' – Johnny Drille
• 'Love You Baby' – Banky W
• 'Smile for Me' – Simi

Best Collabo

A voting category for the best R&B, pop or hip hop collaborative track (including cameos).

• 'Ma Lo' – Tiwa Savage ft Wizkid
• 'Temper' remix – skales ft Burna Boy
• 'Juice' – Ycee ft Maleek Berry
• 'No Forget' – Adekunle Gold ft. Simi
• 'Come Closer' – Wizkid ft. Drake

Best Rap Single

A voting category for a rap single (released on-air).

• 'You Rappers should Fix up your Lives' – MI
• 'Something Lite' – Falz ft Ycee
• 'Link Up' – Phyno ft. Burna Boy, MI
• 'Up to You' – Show Dem Camp ft Funbi
• 'Me versus Me' – Ice Prince

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

A non-voting category for the single male artist with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.

• 'Perfect Woman' – Faze
• 'Folashade' – Praiz
• 'Romeo & Juliet' – Johnny Drille
• 'Tonight' – Nonso Amadi
• 'Love You Baby' – Banky W

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

A non-voting category for the single female artist with most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.

• 'In the Air' – Waje
• 'Gone for Good' – Simi
• 'Jowo' – Aramide
• 'Saro' – Niniola
• 'Where’s the Love' – Niyola ft. Adekunle Gold
• 'Butterflies' – Omawumi

Next Rated

A voting category for the most promising act in the year under review.

• Maleek Berry
• Mayorkun
• Dice Ailes
• Johnny Drille
• Zoro

Hip Hop World Revelation

A voting category for the best new artist with a debut album adjudged to be outstanding in terms of artistic quality and impact in the year under review.

• Niniola
• Adekunle Gold
• Mr. Eazi
• Reekado Banks

Lyricist on the Roll

A non-voting category for the rap artist with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album.

• 'You Rappers should fix up your Lives' – MI
• 'Political Science' – AQ
• 'Liquor Night' – Boogey
• 'Industry Nite' – Erigga

Best Street-hop Artist

A voting category for the artist whose songs are inspired by the streets.

• 'Penalty' – Small Doctor
• 'Wo' – Olamide
• 'Sai Baba' – CDQ
• 'Shepeteri' – Idowest ft. Dammy Krane, Slimcase
• 'Pass the Agbara' – Skuki
• 'Legbegbe' – Mr Real ft. Idowest, Kelvin Chuks, Obadice

Best ‘Alternative’ Song

A voting category for the artist whose songs reflect any form or style of music which falls outside the mainstream of recent or past popular musical trends.

• 'Money' – Adekunle Gold
• 'Radio' – Nonso Amadi
• 'Romeo & Juliet' – Johnny Drille
• 'Ponmile' – Reminisce
• 'Fun mi lowo Mi' – Aramide ft. Sound Sultan & Koker
• 'Lagos Barbie' – Bantu

Album of the Year

A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in year under review. It meets judges’ requirements of excellence in songwriting, production, rendition and impact.

• Simisola – Simi
• Gold – Adekunle Gold
• Klitoris – Brymo
• Ijele the Traveler – Flavour
• Sounds from the other Side – Wizkid
• The Playmaker – Phyno

Artist of the Year

Most critically and commercially adjudged artist in the year under review. Overall most successful artist in the year under review.

• Davido
• Wizkid
• Olamide
• Simi
• Tiwa Savage

Song of the Year

A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.

• 'Penalty' – Small Doctor
• 'Wo' – Olamide
• 'If' – Davido
• 'Yeba' – Kiss Daniel
• 'Mad Over You' – Runtown
• 'Fia' – Davido

African Artist

A non-Nigerian award category for an individual African artist or group with the most outstanding achievement, impact and infiltration into the Nigerian music scene in the year under review.

• Sarkodie
• Casper Nyovest
• Nasty C
• Sauti Sol
• Vanessa Mdee

Headies’ Viewer’s Choice

A voting category to award artist with the most digital traction (in terms of downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.

• 'Come Closer' – Wizkid
• 'If' – Davido
• 'Wo' – Olamide
• 'Mad Over You' – Runtown
• 'Yeba' – Kiss Daniel
• '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 three years. An award to recognise brands that are supporting the industry at a time when opportunities are scarce.

• Mtn
• Pepsi
• Glo
• Hennessy
• FIRS
• Nigeria Breweries
• Lagos State

Best Performer

A non-voting category for artist whose stagecraft, showmanship and performance routines are exceptionally conceptualised and executed in the year under review with consideration of live performances.

• Flavour
• Falz
• MI
• 2Baba
• Yemi Alade
• Tiwa Savage

Rookie of the Year

A voting category for the rookie of the year who has had a succesful year musically, with the absence of an album in the year under review.

• KiDi
• Air Boy
• Teni
• Junior Boy
• Peruzzi

Special Recognition

• Kaffy

Hall of Fame

• Chris Ubosi

To vote, click here