The NME awards nominees are here and the ceremony has been scheduled for the 26th February at London’s O2 Academy.

The Artic Monkeys are back with a massive bang and have been nominated for eight awards this year! The nominations include Best Album, Best Live Band and a Hero of the Year nomination for frontman Alex Turner.

Not far behind them, and stiff competition for the Best Live Band award, is Haim. The Californian band will also be up for Best Music Video as well as five other nominations. Not bad for their first NME awards!

Villian of the Year nominees include Russell Brand, Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke (shocker) amongst others. In a strange turn of events, Russell Brand will also be up for the Hero of the Year awards.

Arcade Fire, who wowed audiences with their new album this year, will be up for one NME award, as will Lily Allen who also marked 2013 as her comeback year.