Every year, the nominees list for the International Dance Music Awards gets longer and somehow more perplexing. With 55 categories this year, pretty much every facet of dance music gets a look-in – from achievements in sub-genres to ‘Best Keyboard or Sampler’. As ever, the ceremony itself is set to happen during the Miami Winter Music Conference from 16 to 25 March 2012, just in case you’re in town.

It’s probably best to start with the “huh?” moments. They include Duck Sauce in the Best Underground Dance Track category for a second year running; Tiesto’s Maximal Crazy still qualifying for Best Trance Track; Best Artist pitting guys like Avicii and Kaskade against Lady Gaga and Katy Perry; six-album-strong M83 considered for Best Break-Through Artist…and so on.

Naturally, the big-hitters of brostep are prominent in the nominees, with names like Flux Pavilion and Skrillex going up against the old guard of Erick Morillo, Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk and Tiesto. We’ve dropped in some of the key categories, but for the full rundown – and to vote – you can head to the IDMAs website.

Best Underground Dance Track

Battle For Middle You – Julio Bashmore – PMR
Bear Hug – The Two Bears – Southern Fried Records
Big Bad Wolf – Duck Sauce – Big Beat Records
Can’t Leave You- Maceo Plex – Crosstown Rebels
Doin’ Your Thang – Oliver $ – Play It down
Entrance Song – Eats Everything – Pets Recordings
Starblazer – Deetron – Rejected

Best Break-Through DJ

Alesso
Dada Life
Flux Pavilion
Hardwell
Maya Jane Coles
Orjan Nilsen
Porter Robinson
R3hab

Best Global DJ

Armin van Buuren
Avicii
David Guetta
Deadmau5
Markus Schulz
Skrillex
Swedish House Mafia
Tiësto

Best Producer

Afrojack
Armin van Buuren
Avicii
David Guetta
Kaskade
RedOne
Skrillex
Swedish House Mafia

Best Remixer

Afrojack
Avicii
Benny Benassi
Bimbo Jones
Kaskade
Michael Woods
R3hab
Skrillex

Best Break-Through Artist (Solo)

Alexandra Stan
Ellie Goulding
Flux Pavilion
Jessie J
Maya Jane Coles
Nicki Minaj
Porter Robinson
R3hab

Best Break-Through Artist (Group)

Azari & III
Dada Life
Foster The People
Knife Party
Little Dragon
M83
Nero

Best Artist (Solo)

Avicii
David Guetta
Kaskade
Katy Perry
Lady Gaga
Pitbull
Rihanna
Skrillex

Best Artist (Group)

Above & Beyond
Daft Punk
Duck Sauce
LMFAO
Nero
Swedish House Mafia