While U2 has received four nominations. And Justin Bieber and Cardi B have both been nominated eight times each.
It's been a phemononal few days for Kendrick. The American rapper and songwriter made history earlier this week by becoming the first non-classical or jazz musician to be honoured with the prestigious Pulitzer Prize For Music
Lamar won for his 2017 album DAMN. He is now being described by the mainstream press as the first ever "popstar" to win the Pulitzer Prize For Music.
“The time was right,” said Dana Canedy, the administrator of the prizes. “We are very proud of this selection. It means that the jury and the board judging system worked as it’s supposed to — the best work was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.”
She added: “It shines a light on hip-hop in a completely different way. This is a big moment for hip-hop music and a big moment for the Pulitzers.”
Lamar has yet to officially comment or even tweet yet about his historic win, which is being hailed as a "big moment for Hip-Hop" by the New York Times.

_ACCESS_GRANTED

Full list of 2018 #BBMAs nominees here: https://t.co/9llZdiYBAb pic.twitter.com/cWDqXu824d

— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) April 17, 2018

Billboard explains that the Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on "album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social engagement, determined using data in a 12-month tracking period."
Here's the full list of nominations:

TOP ARTIST
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift

TOP NEW ARTIST
21 Savage
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Khalid
Kodak Black

BILLBOARD CHART ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Drake
Sam Hunt
Ed Sheeran

TOP MALE ARTIST
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

TOP FEMALE ARTIST
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Halsey
Demi Lovato
Taylor Swift

TOP DUO/GROUP
The Chainsmokers
Coldplay
Imagine Dragons
Migos
U2

TOP BILLBOARD 200 ARTIST
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Chris Stapleton
Taylor Swift

TOP HOT 100 ARTIST
Imagine Dragons
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

TOP STREAMING SONG ARTIST
Cardi B
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

TOP SONG SALES ARTIST
Imagine Dragons
Kendrick Lamar
Bruno Mars
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

TOP RADIO SONG ARTIST
Halsey
Imagine Dragons
Bruno Mars
Charlie Puth
Ed Sheeran

TOP SOCIAL ARTIST
Justin Bieber
BTS
Ariana Grande
Demi Lovato
Shawn Mendes

TOP TOURING ARTIST
Coldplay
Guns N’ Roses
Bruno Mars
Ed Sheeran
U2

TOP R&B ARTIST
Chris Brown
Khalid
Bruno Mars
SZA
The Weeknd

Top R&B MALE ARTIST Artist:
Khalid
Bruno Mars
The Weeknd

TOP R&B FEMALE ARTIST
Beyonce
Rihanna
SZA

TOP R&B TOUR
Bruno Mars
Lionel Richie
The Weeknd

TOP RAB ARTIST
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Uzi Vert
Migos
Post Malone

TOP RAP MALE ARTIST
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone

TOP RAP FEMALE ARTIST
Bhad Bhabie
Cardi B
Nicki Minaj

TOP RAP TOUR
J. Cole
JAY-Z
Kendrick Lamar

TOP COUNTRY ARTIST
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Sam Hunt
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton

TOP COUNTRY MALE
Sam Hunt
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton

TOP COUNTRY FEMALE
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris

TOP COUNTRY DUO/GROUP
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

TOP COUNTRY TOUR
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

TOP ROCK ARTIST
Imagine Dragons
Linkin Park
Portugal. The Man
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
twenty one pilots

TOP ROCK TOUR
Coldplay
Guns N’ Roses
U2

TOP LATIN ARTIST
J Balvin
Daddy Yankee
Luis Fonsi
Ozuna
Romeo Santos

TOP DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARIST
The Chainsmokers
Calvin Harris
Kygo
Marshmello
ODESZA

TOP CHRISTIAN ARTIST
Elevation Worship
Hillsong UNITED
Hillsong Worship
MercyMe
Zach Williams

TOP GOSPEL ARTIST
Anthony Brown & group therAPy
Travis Greene
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Tamela Mann

TOP BILLBOARD 200 ALBUM
Drake, More Life
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
Post Malone, Stoney
Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide)
Taylor Swift, reputation

TOP SELLING ALBUM
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
P!nk, Beautiful Trauma
Ed Sheeran, ÷ (Divide)
Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1
Taylor Swift, reputation

TOP SOUNDTRACK
Black Panther
The Fate of the Furious: The Album
The Greatest Showman
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2
Moana

TOP R&B ALBUM
Khalid, American Teen
Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
SZA, CTRL
The Weeknd, Starboy
XXXTentacion, 17

TOP RAP ALBUM
Drake, More Life
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
Lil Uzi Vert, Luv Is Rage 2
Migos, Culture
Post Malone, Stoney

TOP COUNTRY ALBUM
Kane Brown, Kane Brown
Luke Combs, This One’s For You
Thomas Rhett, Life Changes
Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1
Brett Young, Brett Young

TOP ROCK ALBUM
Imagine Dragons, Evolve
Linkin Park, One More Light
Panic! At The Disco, Death of a Bachelor
Portugal. The Man, Woodstock
U2, Songs of Experience

TOP LATIN ALBUM
Nicky Jam, Fenix
Christian Nodal, Me Deje Llevar
Ozuna, Odisea
Romeo Santos, Golden
Shakira, El Dorado

TOP DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM
Avicii, AVĨCI (01)
The Chainsmokers, Memories…Do Not Open
Calvin Harris, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1
Kygo, Stargazing
ODESZA, A Moment Apart

TOP CHRISTIAN ALBUM
Elevation Worship, There Is A Cloud
Hillsong UNITED, Wonder
Hillsong Worship, Let There Be Light
Alan Jackson, Precious Memories Collection
MercyMe, Lifer

TOP GOSPEL ALBUM
Anthony Brown & group therAPy, A Long Way From Sunday
Travis Greene, Crossover: Live From Music City
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, You Deserve It
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Heart. Passion. Pursuit
Marvin Sapp, Close

TOP HOT 100 SONG
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, "Despacito"
Kendrick Lamar, "Humble."
Bruno Mars, "That’s What I Like"
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, "Rockstar"
Ed Sheeran, "Shape Of You"

TOP STREAMING SONG (Audio):
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, "Despacito"
Kendrick Lamar, "Humble."
Lil Uzi Vert, "XO Tour LLIF3"
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, "Rockstar"
Post Malone ft. Quavo, "Congratulations"

TOP STREAMING SONG (Video):
Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)"
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, "Despacito"
Lil Pump, "Gucci Gang"
Bruno Mars, "That’s What I Like"
Ed Sheeran, "Shape of You"

TOP SELLING SONG:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, "Despacito"
Sam Hunt “Body Like A Back Road”
Imagine Dragons “Believer”
Imagine Dragons “Thunder”
Ed Sheeran “Perfect”

TOP RADIO SONG
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This”
Imagine Dragons, “Believer”
Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Charlie Puth, “Attention”
Ed Sheeran, "Shape of You”

TOP COLLABORATION
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug, “Havana”
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This”
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
French Montana ft. Swae Lee, “Unforgettable”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”

TOP R&B SONG
Childish Gambino, “Redbone”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller, “Wild Thoughts”
Khalid, “Young Dumb & Broke”
Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B, “Finesse”

TOP RAP SONG
Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper & Lil Wayne, “I’m The One
French Montana ft. Swae Lee, “Unforgettable”
Kendrick Lamar, “Humble.”
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage, “Rockstar”

TOP COUNTRY SONG
Kane Brown ft. Lauren Alaina, “What Ifs”
Sam Hunt, “Body Like A Back Road”
Dustin Lynch, “Small Town Boy”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”
Brett Young, “In Case You Didn’t Know”

TOP ROCK SONG
Imagine Dragons “Believer”
Imagine Dragons “Thunder”
Linkin Park ft. Kiiara “Heavy”
Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still”
The Revivalists “Wish I Knew You”

TOP LATIN SONG
J Balvin & Willy William Ft. Beyonce, “Mi Gente”
Becky G ft. Bad Bunny, ”Mayores”
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
Maluma, “Felices Los 4”
Wisin ft. Ozuna, “Escapate Conmigo”

TOP DANCE/ELECTRONIC SONG
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This”
Cheat Codes ft. Demi Lovato, “No Promises”
Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul & Ann-Marie, “Rockabye”
Kygo & Selena Gomez, “It Ain’t Me”
Zedd & Alessia Cara, “Stay”

TOP CHRISTIAN SONG
Elevation Worship, “O Come To The Altar”
Hillsong Worship, “What A Beautiful Name”
Lecrae ft. Tori Kelly, “I’ll Find You”
MercyMe, “Even If”
Zach Williams, “Old Church Choir”

TOP GOSPEL SONG
Anthony Brown & group therAPy, “Trust In You”
Travis Greene, “You Waited”
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, “You Deserve It”
Tamela Mann, “Change Me”
Charlie Wilson, “I’m Blessed”

Thanx @BBMAs for the nomination for Top Country Tour #Soul2Soul! Don't miss the show, LIVE May 20th on NBC. #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/nYPSLQqd9n

— Tim McGraw (@TheTimMcGraw) April 17, 2018