The celebrated singer, who died in January aged 69, is joined by Adele, Calvin Harris, Coldplay and Jess Glynne on the five-strong shortlist.
Adele was named British artist of the year in 2015, one of the two awards she won at last year's event.
This year's awards, to be broadcast live on BBC One, will be held at the ExCel in London on 12 December.
Bowie's nomination follows his surprise omission from the album of the year shortlist announced last month.
Blackstar, his final release, had been tipped for inclusion but was shut out by Rick Astley's 50, Adele's 25 and three other titles.
Kaiser Chiefs, Craig David, John Legend and Robbie Williams are among the performers at this year's ceremony.
It was announced last week that pop singer Izzy Bizu will be crowned BBC Introducing artist of the year at the event.
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Gytis Griskevicius, 32, was found guilty of murdering Marina Erte, 33, at her Boston flat on 20 May 2016.
The jury in the trial at Lincoln Crown Court heard he was jealous of her relationship with a new boyfriend.
Lithuanian national Griskevicius, of St Ann's Lane, Boston, was told he must serve a minimum of 23 years.
Read more about this and other stories from Lincolnshire
Sentencing him, judge Michael Heath said: "I have detected not a shred of remorse in your body.
"You inflicted upon your wife a brutal assault. She suffered a traumatic brain injury. You weren't satisfied with that and you finished her off."
The court heard Griskevicius tried to set fire to the flat after killing Ms Erte, who worked at a fruit packing plant in Spalding, but the flames failed to spread.
In a statement, Ms Erte's family described her as a "much loved mother, daughter, sister and friend".
They said her death "left a big void" in all their lives.
Ms Erte's injuries included fractures to both eye sockets, her nose and her jaw.
Her naked body was found in the bath by firemen who had been called out by neighbours.
Griskevicius, who denied murder, had been celebrating his birthday before heading to Ms Erte's flat.
He told police the couple had sex at her flat and she was "fine" when he left her, the jury heard.
The couple married in 2010 but had begun divorce proceedings in January 2016.
David Bowie has been posthumously nominated for the British artist of the year prize at the BBC Music Awards.
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A man who killed his estranged wife by drowning her with a shower attachment in a bath after badly beating her has been jailed for life.