Adele up against Lady Gaga, Rihanna at Billboard Awards

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, The 23-year-old has had a massively successful year on the US chart

Adele is the front runner at the Billboard Music Awards, picking up nominations in 18 categories.

The singer is up for awards like top artist and top Billboard 200 album, while Rolling in the Deep is nominated in seven categories.

Adele's album, 21, has dominated the US chart over the past year, selling nearly nine million copies.

Others with multiple nominations at the ceremony, held on 20 May, include LMFAO, Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

The most prestigious prize at the awards is top artist. In that category Adele is up against Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Katy Perry.

LMFAO's nominations come in 17 categories, including top group and top pop artist.

Billboard says the awards will reflect "chart rankings based on key fan interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, YouTube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music".

Adele's Stateside success has already seen her dominate this year's Grammy Awards, winning six prizes including record, song and album of the year.

The 23-year-old was also nominated for four Ivor Novello songwriting prizes, more than any other artist this year.

The Billboard Music Awards will be held at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas.