Fast rising acts, Orezi, RunTown, Patoranking and Yemi Alade will battle with more established rapper/singer, Skales, for the 2014 Headies Next Rated category and a brand new Hyundai SUV.

Surprisingly, rap star, Mode 9, was missing from the lyricist on the roll category, having won the award for a record eight times.

Ice Prince, Posly TD, Jesse Jagz and Yung 6ix were this year’s nominees.

Mavin Records’ Doro Bucci bagged five nominations –the highest at this year’s edition. The Don Jazzy produced song was nominated for producer of the year, best pop single, best collabo, best street pop and song of the year.
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Timi Dakolo’s Iyawo Mi was nominated in three categories: best recording of the year, best R&B single and best vocal performance.

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See the full Headies Nominees List.

1. BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
A non-voting category for the best single recording by an artiste or group in year under review.
1. IYAWO MI- TIMI DAKOLO
2. LET SOMEBODY LOVE YOU- 2FACE IDIBIA
3. ALWAYS ON MY MIND – NOSA
4. ORDINARY PEOPLE – COHBAMS ASUQUO

2. PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
An individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.
1. DON JAZZY – DOROBUCCI
2. PHEELZ – ELEDA MI O
3. T SPIZE – AYE
4. LEGENDURY BEATZ – CARO
5. SHIZZY – SKELEWU
6. DEL B – PULL OVER

3. BEST MUSIC VIDEO
A voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.
1. ADA ADA BY FLAVOUR – CLARENCE PETERS
2. TOH BAD BY NIYOLA – KEMI ADETIBA
3. JUST LIKE THAT BY RAYCE – AJE
4. OYA NOW BY JOE EL FT. ORITSE FEMI – UNLIMITED LA
5. PERSONALLY BY P-SQUARE – JUDE “ENGEES” OKOYE & CLARENCE PETERS

4. BEST R&B/POP ALBUM
A category for the best R&B/Pop Album in the year under review (by single individual or group).
1. THE JOURNEY – SEAN TIZZLE
2. TAKEOVER – KCEE
3. ONCE UPON A TIME – TIWA SAVAGE
4. ME, MY MOUTH & EYE – SOUND SULTAN
5. L.I.F.E – BURNA BOY

5. BEST R&B SINGLE
A category for the best R&B single in year under review (by single individual or group).

1. LET SOMEBODY LOVE YOU- 2FACE IDIBIA
2. IYAWO MI- TIMI DAKOLO
3. PLAN B – WANDE COAL
4. DON GORDON – BURNA BOY

6. BEST POP SINGLE
A category for the best pop single in year under review (by single individual or group)
1. DOROBUCCI – MAVIN CREW
2. AYE – DAVIDO
3. JOHNNY – YEMI ALADE
4. PULL OVER – KCEE
5. DOUBLE WAHALA – ORITSE FEMI
6. CARO – STAR BOY FEATURING WIZKID AND L.A.X
7. SURULERE – DR. SID

7. BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SINGLE
A category for the best Reggae/Dancehall single in year under review (by single individual or group).
1. GIRLIE O REMIX – PATORANKING
2. LEAD ME ON – CYNTHIA MORGAN
3. STINKING SH#T – CHOPSTIX FEATURING ICE PRINCE, YUNG L AND ENDIA.
4. ONLY YOU – JESSE JAGZ FT. WIZKID
5. MURDA – SEYI SHAY FT. PATORANKING & SHAYDEE

8. BEST RAP ALBUM
A Non-Voting Category for the Best Album By A Rap Artiste Or Group In Year Under Review.
1. NO GUTS NO GLORY – PHYNO
2. ALAGA IBILE- REMINISCE
3. BADDEST GUY EVER LIVETH – OLAMIDE
4. THY NATION COME – JESSE JAGZ

9. BEST COLLABO
A voting category for the best R&B, Pop or Hip-hop collaborative track (including cameos).
1. OYA NOW – JOE EL FT. ORITSE FEMI
2. EMERGENCY – WIZZY PRO FEATURING SKALES, PATORANKING AND RUNTOWN
3. SURULERE – DR. SID & DON JAZZY
4. PASS YOU BY – BLACK MAGIC FT. ORITSE FEMI
5. GIRLIE O REMIX – PATORANKING
6. DOROBUCCI – MAVINS

10. BEST RAP SINGLE
A voting category for a single (released on-air) recording of a rap song.
1. PARCEL- PHYNO
2. DOPE MONEY – OLAMIDE FT. PHYNO
3. SHOTZ ON SHOTS – ICE PRINCE FT. SARKODIE
4. RAP IT UP – POSLY TD
5. DEAF – EVA ALORDIAH
6. WTF – ILL BLISS

11. BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.
1. IYAWO MI – TIMI DAKOLO
2. DOUBLE WAHALA – ORITSE FEMI
3. WHY YOU LOVE ME – NOSA
4. ORDINARY PEOPLE – COHBAMS

12. BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
A non-voting category for the single female artiste with most outstanding vocal performances on a single song or album.
1. LOVE TO LOVE YOU – NIYOLA FT. BANKYW
2. WANTED – TIWA SAVAGE
3. WINDOW – MONICA OGAH
4. GOOD MAN – RUBY

13. NEXT RATED
This category is a voting category for the most promising upcoming officially unreleased (or signed) act in the year under review.
1. PATORANKING
2. RUNTOWN
3. OREZI
4. SKALES
5. YEMI ALADE

14. HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION
A voting category for the best new artiste in the year under review.
1. TIWA SAVAGE – ONCE UPON A TIME
2. SEAN TIZZLE – THE JOURNEY
3. BURNA BOY – L.I.F.E
4. KCEE – TAKE OVER

15. LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
A non-voting category for the Rap Artiste with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album.
1. SHOTS ON SHOTS – ICE PRINCE
2. RAP IT UP – POSLY TD
3. GOD ON THE MIC – JESSE JAGZ
4. KPANSH – YUNG 6IX

16. BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.
1. DOUBLE WAHALA – ORITSE FEMI
2. SHOKI – LIL’ KESH FT. OLAMIDE & DAVIDO
3. DOROBUCCI – MAVIN
4. ALOBAM – PHYNO

17. BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG
A voting category for the artiste whose songs reflect any form or style of music which falls outside the mainstream of recent or past popular musical trends.
1. BOLAJI – BOJ
2. BODY- BLACK MAGIC FEATURING BANKY W
3. GOOD MAN – RUBY
4. WHY YOU LOVE YOU – NOSA

18. ALBUM OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in year under review, that meets judges requirements of excellence (in every realm: Songwriting, production, rendition and promotion) and acceptability (Sales and popularity).
1. THE JOURNEY – SEAN TIZZLE
2. L.I.F.E – BURNA BOY
3. BADDEST GUY EVER LIVETH – OAMIDE
4. NO GUTS NO GLORY – PHYNO

19. ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review. Overall most successful artiste for the year under review.
1. DAVIDO
2. WIZKID
3. KCEE
4. TIWA SAVAGE
5. OLAMIDE
6. PHYNO
7. FLAVOUR

20. SONG OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review. This category is usually decided by voting.
1. AYE – DAVIDO
2. PULL OVER – KCEE
3. DOUBLE WAHALA – ORITSEFEMI
4. SURULERE – DR. SID
5. DOROBUCCI – MAVINS
6. JOHNNY – YEMI ALADE

21. BEST AFRICAN ARTISTE
A non-Nigerian award category for an individual African artiste with the most outstanding single/album and astonishing achievements and infiltration into Nigeria in year under review.

7. MAFIKIZOLO
8. SARKODIE
9. DIAMONDZ
10. R2BEES

22. HALL OF FAME
Special recognition for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.
SIR (DR.) VICTOR UWAIFO