Billboard Music Awards 2018: Industry's biggest stars expected in Las Vegas

Ariana Grande will open the show, which comes two days before the first anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing.

Other stars expected to perform at the three-hour ceremony include John Legend, Dua Lipa and Jennifer Lopez.

The Billboard Music Awards will bring together some of the biggest names in the industry - including Ed Sheeran - at a star-studded event in Las Vegas (Ian West/PA)

The annual awards show celebrates artists' performances on the Billboard charts.

Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar and Bruno Mars are each nominated for 15 awards, the most of anyone on the night.

Next comes rapper Post Malone on 10, followed by Drake with nine and Justin Bieber and Cardi B, who are each nominated for eight awards.

The big award on the night, Top Artist, is between Drake, Lamar, Mars, Sheeran and Taylor Swift.

Ariana Grande will open the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, just two days before the first anniversary of the Manchester Arena bomb (Dave Hogan for One Love Manchester/PA)

Up for Top Male Artist are Drake, Sheeran, Lamar, Mars and Malone.

Top Female is going to be contested by Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Halsey, Demi Lovato and Swift.

Janet Jackson – who will make her first TV performance in nine years – will receive the Icon Award.

Past recipients of the Icon Award include Cher, Stevie Wonder, Prince and Celine Dion.

The 2018 Billboard Music Awards, hosted by Kelly Clarkson, will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20.

Grande had just finished a show at the Manchester Arena on May 22 2017 when suicide bomber Salman Abedi struck in the foyer killing 22 people and injuring hundreds more.

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