The songwriters, who will perform live at the awards ceremony on 25 February, will go head to head in four categories including Album of the Year, British Single and Best British Male Solo Artist.
They will be up against songwriting heavyweight Damon Albarn in the Solo category, which also includes Paolo Nutini and George Ezra.
Alongside Sheeran’s x and Smith’s In the Lonely Hour, other nominations in the Album of the Year category include This is All Yours (alt-J), Wanted on a Voyage (George Ezra) and Royal Blood (Royal Blood).
Elsewhere, newcomers FKA Twigs and Ella Henderson will compete with Jessie Ware, Lily Allen and Paloma Faith for the Best British Solo Artist title.
Twigs is also up for the British Breakthrough Artist award, alongside Smith, Royal Blood, Ezra and Chvrches.
The BRIT Awards 2015 take place at London’s O2 Arena on 25 February and will be broadcast live on ITV at 8pm. Alongside Sheeran and Smith, other confirmed performers include Paloma Faith and Royal Blood.
Music fans are being urged to vote for their favourite acts in the British Video and British Breakthrough Act categories. For more info, visit http://www.brits.co.uk/nominees
Last month, BRIT Awards organisers announced that James Bay was the winner of the Critics Choice Award.
Full list of nominees:
British male solo artist
Damon Albarn
Ed Sheeran
George Ezra
Paolo Nutini
Sam Smith
British female solo artist
Ella Henderson
FKA Twigs
Jessie Ware
Lily Allen
Paloma Faith
British group
alt-J
Clean Bandit
Coldplay
One Direction
Royal Blood
British breakthrough act
Chvrches
FKA Twigs
George Ezra
Royal Blood
Sam Smith
Critics' Choice
James Bay (winner)
George the Poet
Years & Years
British single
Calvin Harris - Summer
Clean Bandit ft Jess Glynne - Rather Be
Duke Dumont ft Jax Jones - I Got U
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Ella Henderson - Ghost
George Ezra - Budapest
Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
Route 94 ft Jess Glynne - My Love
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
Sigma - Nobody to Love
British album of the year
alt-J - This Is All Yours
Ed Sheeran - x
George Ezra - Wanted on Voyage
Royal Blood - Royal Blood
Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour
British producer of the year
Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory
Flood
Jake Gosling
Paul Epworth
British artist video of the year
Calvin Harris - Summer
Charli XCX - Boom Clap
Duke Dumont ft Jax Jones - I Got U
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
One Direction - You and I
Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down
Route 94 ft Jess Glynne - My Love
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
Sigma - Nobody to Love
International male solo artist
Beck
Hozier
Jack White
John Legend
Pharrell Williams
International female solo artist
Beyonce
Lana Del Rey
Sia
St Vincent
Taylor Swift
International group
5 Seconds of Summer
The Black Keys
First Aid Kit
Foo Fighters
The War On Drugs
They will be up against songwriting heavyweight Damon Albarn in the Solo category, which also includes Paolo Nutini and George Ezra.
Alongside Sheeran’s x and Smith’s In the Lonely Hour, other nominations in the Album of the Year category include This is All Yours (alt-J), Wanted on a Voyage (George Ezra) and Royal Blood (Royal Blood).
Elsewhere, newcomers FKA Twigs and Ella Henderson will compete with Jessie Ware, Lily Allen and Paloma Faith for the Best British Solo Artist title.
Twigs is also up for the British Breakthrough Artist award, alongside Smith, Royal Blood, Ezra and Chvrches.
The BRIT Awards 2015 take place at London’s O2 Arena on 25 February and will be broadcast live on ITV at 8pm. Alongside Sheeran and Smith, other confirmed performers include Paloma Faith and Royal Blood.
Music fans are being urged to vote for their favourite acts in the British Video and British Breakthrough Act categories. For more info, visit http://www.brits.co.uk/nominees
Last month, BRIT Awards organisers announced that James Bay was the winner of the Critics Choice Award.
Full list of nominees:
British male solo artist
Damon Albarn
Ed Sheeran
George Ezra
Paolo Nutini
Sam Smith
British female solo artist
Ella Henderson
FKA Twigs
Jessie Ware
Lily Allen
Paloma Faith
British group
alt-J
Clean Bandit
Coldplay
One Direction
Royal Blood
British breakthrough act
Chvrches
FKA Twigs
George Ezra
Royal Blood
Sam Smith
Critics' Choice
James Bay (winner)
George the Poet
Years & Years
British single
Calvin Harris - Summer
Clean Bandit ft Jess Glynne - Rather Be
Duke Dumont ft Jax Jones - I Got U
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Ella Henderson - Ghost
George Ezra - Budapest
Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
Route 94 ft Jess Glynne - My Love
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
Sigma - Nobody to Love
British album of the year
alt-J - This Is All Yours
Ed Sheeran - x
George Ezra - Wanted on Voyage
Royal Blood - Royal Blood
Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour
British producer of the year
Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory
Flood
Jake Gosling
Paul Epworth
British artist video of the year
Calvin Harris - Summer
Charli XCX - Boom Clap
Duke Dumont ft Jax Jones - I Got U
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
One Direction - You and I
Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down
Route 94 ft Jess Glynne - My Love
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
Sigma - Nobody to Love
International male solo artist
Beck
Hozier
Jack White
John Legend
Pharrell Williams
International female solo artist
Beyonce
Lana Del Rey
Sia
St Vincent
Taylor Swift
International group
5 Seconds of Summer
The Black Keys
First Aid Kit
Foo Fighters
The War On Drugs
