Ed Sheeran vying with protege Jamie Lawson for top Ivor Novello Award

Ed Sheeran and his protege Jamie Lawson are to go head to head after being nominated in the same category for an Ivor Novello music award.

Lawson was the first artist signed to Sheeran's record label, Gingerbread Man Records, in August last year.

The 40-year-old is in the running for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for Wasn't Expecting That alongside Sheeran and Rudimental for their collaboration Bloodstream, with Wolf Alice's Bros completing the nominations for that category.

It is the second nomination for Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody, who is named as one of the writers on Bloodstream. He won the Album Award in 2005 for Snow Patrol's Final Straw.

British rapper and grime artist Skepta will battle it out against a host of other first-time Ivor nominees in the Best Contemporary Song category at next month's awards, which celebrate excellence in songwriting and composing.

The musician, whose real name is Joseph Junior Adenuga, is nominated for his song Shutdown alongside Roots Manuva and FRED, who are up for their song Cargo. The third nominees in the category are the writers of All My Friends - James Carter, Oliver Lee, Cass Lowe and Chance The Rapper.

Presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (Basca), the awards are highly respected because they are voted for by songwriters and composers.

Basca chairman, award-winning composer Stephen McNeff, said: "The Ivors were created to celebrate the best in British and Irish songwriting and composing.

"As we move into our 61st year Basca is delighted that these nominations reflect the health and diversity of UK music and include a raft of first-time nominees alongside past winners. Congratulations to everyone represented here today."

Irish indie folk band Villagers are nominated for the Album Award along with Jamie xx and Supergrass lead vocalist Gaz Coombes.

Best Original Film Score will see Ex Machina, Pan and The Duke Of Burgundy jockeying for top position.

The Best Television Soundtrack category sees BBC Two's London Spy go up against the BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and crime drama From Darkness.

The nominations are for works released in the UK during 2015 and the winners will be announced at a star-studded ceremony at Grosvenor House in London's Park Lane on May 19.

Other awards such as the Songwriter of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, International Achievement and Ivors Inspiration Award will be named on the night.

Here is the full list of nominations:

:: Best Song Musically and Lyrically

Bloodstream (Performed by Ed Sheeran and Rudimental)

Bros (Performed by Wolf Alice)

Wasn't Expecting That (Written and performed by Jamie Lawson)

:: Best Contemporary Song

All My Friends (Written by James Carter, Oliver Lee, Cass Lowe and Chance The Rapper)

Cargo (Written by FRED and Roots Manuva)

Shutdown (Written by Ragz Originale and Skepta)

:: PRS for Music Most Performed Work

Hold Back The River (James Bay)

Hold My Hand (Jess Glynne)

King (Years & Years)

:: Album Award

Darling Arithmetic (Villagers)

In Colour (Jamie xx)

Matador (Gaz Coombes)

:: Best Original Film Score

Ex Machina

Pan

The Duke Of Burgundy

:: Best Television Soundtrack

And Then There Were None

From Darkness

London Spy