The Weekend Leads AMA Nominations … After Taylor Swift Of Course

Unlike the Grammys, whose nominees and winners are chosen by an elite cabal of industry workers and players, the American Music Awards is the year's biggest musical popularity contest.

The 2015 American Music Awards announced its nominations Tuesday, and the familiar name of Taylor Swift was once again atop the list.

The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran, the English singer behind the smash hit ballad "Thinking Out Loud", follow Swift with five nominations each.

Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd and Sam Smith also garnered several nominations. A few of them had their chart-topping success recognized with multiple nominations, with Nicki Minaj and The Weeknd both nominated for Artist of the Year.

Swift now has won 16 American Music Awards. The singer will become the most-honored female artist in the show's history. The AMAs, which were created by Dick Clark in 1973, based the nominations on "key fan interactions as reflected in Billboard Magazine and on Billboard.com, including album and digital singles sales, radio airplay, streaming, social activity and touring", according to a statement. The awards show will be held from Los Angeles on Sunday, November 22 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

The announcement of nominees comes just days after it was revealed that Jennifer Lopez would be hosting the biggest fan-voted award show.

Sheeran's "x" and Smith's "In the Lonely Hour" join "1989" in the competition for best album. New Artist Of The Year went to Fetty Wap - who was involved in a motorcycle crash - Sam Hunt, Tove Lo, Walk The Moon and The Weeknd.

The three nominees for Favourite Female Artist in the Soul and R&B category were Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Rihanna.