You`ve waited so long for it and guess what? You finally have it as we are thrilled to unveil the shortlist for our 9th annual Headies Awards a superb combination featuring the very best artists across a broad range of categories.

The Headies annually celebrates deserving stars who have contributed a lot through good music during the year in review (July 2013 June 2014), and this year promises to be bigger as some artistes would be honoured, and many others would be encouraged to step up their game.

But before the award ceremony proper, here is a list of the nominees` below, but remember the winners are in your hands”¦ Voting commences shortly.

(YEAR IN REVIEW: JULY 2013 JUNE 2014)

1. BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

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

IYAWO MI- TIMI DAKOLO
LET SOMEBODY LOVE YOU- 2FACE IDIBIA
ALWAYS ON MY MIND NOSA
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.

DON JAZZY DOROBUCCI
PHEELZ ELEDA MI O
T SPIZE AYE
LEGENDURY BEATZ CARO
SHIZZY SKELEWU
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.

ADA ADA BY FLAVOUR CLARENCE PETERS
TOH BAD BY NIYOLA KEMI ADETIBA
JUST LIKE THAT BY RAYCE AJE
OYA NOW BY JOE EL FT. ORITSE FEMI UNLIMITED LA
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).

THE JOURNEY SEAN TIZZLE
TAKEOVER KCEE
ONCE UPON A TIME TIW SAVAGE
ME, MY MOUTH & EYE SOUND SULTAN
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).

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

6. BEST POP SINGLE

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

DOROBUCCI MAVIN CREW
AYE DAVIDO
JOHNNY YEMI ALADE
PULL OVER KCEE
DOUBLE WAHALA ORITSE FEMI
CARO STAR BOY FEATURING WIZKID AND L.A.X
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).

GIRLIE O REMIX PATORANKING
LEAD ME ON CYNTHIA MORGAN
STINKING SH#T CHOPSTIX FEATURING ICE PRINCE, YUNG L AND ENDIA.
ONLY YOU JESSE JAGZ FT. WIZKID
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.

NO GUTS NO GLORY PHYNO
ALAGA IBILE- REMINISCE
BADDEST GUY EVER LIVETH OLAMIDE
THY NATION COME JESSE JAGZ

9. BEST COLLABO

A voting category for the best R&B, Pop or Hip-hop collaborative track (including cameos).

OYA NOW JOE EL FT. ORITSE FEMI
EMERGENCY WIZZY PRO FEATURING SKALES, PATORANKING AND RUNTOWN
SURULERE DR. SID & DON JAZZY
PASS YOU BY BLACK MAGIC FT. ORITSE FEMI
GIRLIE O REMIX PATORANKING
DOROBUCCI MAVINS

10. BEST RAP SINGLE

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

PARCEL- PHYNO
DOPE MONEY OLAMIDE FT. PHYNO
SHOTZ ON SHOTS ICE PRINCE FT. SARKODIE
RAP IT UP POSLY TD
DEAF EVA ALORDIAH
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.

IYAWO MI TIMI DAKOLO
DOUBLE WAHALA ORITSE FEMI
WHY YOU LOVE ME NOSA
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.

LOVE TO LOVE YOU NIYOLA FT. BANKYW
WANTED TIWA SAVAGE
WINDOW MONICA OGAH
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.

PATORANKING
RUNTOWN
OREZI
SKALES
YEMI ALADE

14. HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION

A voting category for the best new artiste in the year under review.

TIWA SAVAGE ONCE UPON A TIME
SEAN TIZZLE THE JOURNEY
BURNA BOY L.I.F.E
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.

SHOTS ON SHOTS ICE PRINCE
RAP IT UP POSLY TD
GOD ON THE MIC JESSE JAGZ
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.

DOUBLE WAHALA ORITSE FEMI
SHOKI LIL` KESH FT. OLAMIDE & DAVIDO
DOROBUCCI MAVIN
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.

BOLAJI BOJ
BODY- BLACK MAGIC FEATURING BANKY W
GOOD MAN RUBY
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).

THE JOURNEY SEAN TIZZLE
L.I.F.E BURNA BOY
BADDEST GUY EVER LIVETH OAMIDE
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.

DAVIDO
WIZKID
KCEE
TIWA SAVAGE
OLAMIDE
PHYNO
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.

AYE DAVIDO
PULL OVER KCEE
DOUBLE WAHALA ORITSEFEMI
SURULERE DR. SID
DOROBUCCI MAVINS
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.