No one act dominated at the annual Q Awards in London yesterday. Arctic Monkeys were named Best Act In The World Today, but Amy Winehouse took the Best Album prize for 'Back To Black' while Muse were named Best Live Act. In the newer talent awards The Enemy were named Best New Act while Kate Nash won the Breakthrough Artist category.
The Q Awards champion both current and classic talent, of course, and in the more generic categories Paul McCartney was named Icon Of The Year, Kylie Minogue Idol Of 2007 and Damon Albarn was awarded a prize for 'inspiration'. Elsewhere, and with something of a Manchester theme, Ian Brown was named Q Legend, former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr won the Lifetime Achievement prize and the late Factory Records chief Tony Wilson was named a Q Hero.
In the classic music domain, Stereophonics' 'Local Boy In The Photograph' won the Classic Song prize while The Verve's 'Urban Hymns' took Classic Album.
The Q Awards are best known, I suppose, for the words or actions of the slightly drunken artists who go there. This year's stand out story was Q Legend Brown's Kylie rant. Presumably thinking it was still the mid-nineties when it was fashionable to diss poor old Ms Minogue, the former Stone Rose questioned Q's judgment in declaring Kylie its Idol of the year, telling the Beeb: "I don't know what Kylie's doing at a music awards to be honest. I don't think she's cute. I don't think she's good-looking. Her music's rubbish - she makes music for little kids. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm putting her down, but there's a lot of great minds out there making music and she's not one of them".
Anyway, enough ranting, here's the full list of winners.
Breakthrough Artist: Kate Nash
Q Icon: Paul McCartney
Best Act In The World Today: Arctic Monkeys
Q Idol: Kylie Minogue
Q Inspiration Award: Damon Albarn
Q Legend: Ian Brown
Q Classic Songwriter: Billy Bragg
Best Live Act: Muse
Best Album: Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Q Hero: Anthony H. Wilson
Q Lifetime Achievement Award: Johnny Marr
Q Merit Award: Ryan Adams
Q Innovation In Sound Award: Sigur Ros
Best Video: Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Q Classic Album: The Verve - Urban Hymns
Q Classic Song: The Stereophonics - Local Boy In The Photograph
Best Track: Manic Street Preachers - Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
Best New Act: The Enemy