Sam Smith leads in Brit nominations.

Pop star Sam Smith leads the charge at this year's Brit Awards, with five nominations, it has been announced.

The 22-year-old is up for best British male, breakthrough artist and best album, for In The Lonely Hour.

He is closely followed by guitar-toting singer-songwriters Ed Sheeran and George Ezra, who each receive four nominations, and rock duo Royal Blood, who have three.

This year's ceremony takes place in London's O2 arena on 25 February.

See the full list of nominations.

Smith, who won the BBC's Sound of 2014 last year, was the only artist to sell more than a million albums in both the UK and US last year.