The 1975, Bastille, Meat Loaf, Blondie, MIA, Charlatans all winners at Q Awards

Flying the flag for the music industry tonight, the StubHub Q Awards in association with Absolute Radio celebrated the cream of the world’s musical talent with a star-studded ceremony at its new home, Camden’s iconic venue, The Roundhouse. Celebrating 30 years since Q magazine was first published, the awards were hosted by Absolute Radio’s award-winning presenter Christian O’Connell for the third year running.

The ceremony was the first in its 26-year history to be opened up to music fans, and was also swiftly followed by a live performance by The Charlatans and DJ set from New Order’s Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert.

Kicking off the gongs on the night and taking away a brace of awards was Irish megastars U2, who walked away with Q Best Live Act presented by StubHub, and guitarist The Edge also receiving the iconic Gibson Les Paul Award. U2 last won the same award in 2005, and in 2011 were voted Greatest Act of the Last 25 Years.

Nominated for four Awards this year, The 1975 were not left empty handed after winning the prestigious Q Best Album award presented by Absolute Radio for ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It’. Matt Healy and the band thanked the crowds with a special video message, all the way from their current US and Canada headlining tour.

James Bay tops off an incredible year by winning the Q Best Solo Artist Award (presented by Help Musicians UK), after the singer-songwriter saw off stiff competition from a diverse bunch of artists including PJ Harvey, Noel Gallagher, Michael Kiwanuka and Skepta.

A singer that has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the past year, the Q Best Breakthrough Award presented by Red Stripe went to multi-instrumentalist Jack Garratt.

London’s biggest indie-pop quartet Bastille beat the likes of heavyweights Biffy Clyro and The 1975 to win Q Best Track presented by Jack Daniels, for their summer smash Good Grief.

The Q Best Video (presented by The Box Plus Network) award went to PJ Harvey’s Washington DC-inspired video for ‘The Community of Hope’, directed by Seamus Murphy.

Devon boys Muse were officially crowned Q Best Act in the World Today presented by The Cavern Club, taking to the Roundhouse stage to accept what became the band’s 7th Q award.

The above awards were all voted for by Q Magazine readers. Merit-based awards, specially selected by Q’s editorial team of experts, were also awarded on the night:

The multi-talented musician, songwriter, rapper, artist, director and filmmaker MIA was recognised for her diverse achievements as she was awarded the Q Innovation In Sound Award.

The Q Hero Award, presented by Conker Spirit, went to the American singer and actor Meat Loaf, which was presented to him by the stars of the upcoming Bat Out Of Hell Musical, as the legend gears up to celebrate 40 years since the release of the groundbreaking album of the same name.

The prestigious Q Classic Songwriter Award (presented by Pretty Green) was gifted to Ray Davies, for his work with The Kinks and beyond. Fellow UK legends and all-round local heroes, Madness were the latest inductees into The Q Hall Of Fame, presented by StubHub.

Meanwhile, The Charlatans picked up the Q Classic Album gong for their 1997 album Tellin’ Stories. A milestone night for the band, who not only picked up their first ever Q Award but headlined with a full live set after the ceremony, comprising of hits such as The Only One I Know and One to Another, they became the first band to play the Q Awards in 26 years.

Making a return to the Q Awards this year were New York outfit Blondie, in London to pick up the Q Outstanding Contribution to Music Award presented by Buster and Punch. Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke all share fond memories of playing at the Roundhouse almost 40 years ago, to a sold-out crowd in 1978.

Phil Alexander, editor-in-chief of Q Magazine, commented on the evening: “This year’s winners in the categories that were voted for by the readers show underline the broad church of music that Q represents. From Jack Garratt to U2 via The 1975 on to PJ Harvey, these are all artists with genuinely distinct approaches to what they do and how they do it. As well as celebrating the events of the last 12 months, the awards mark Q magazine’s thirtieth birthday so we wanted tonight’s party to be bigger than ever, and to give readers the opportunity to watch the awards themselves. Q readers have always been the ultimate arbiters of taste and we’re delighted that so many of them were able to toast 30 years of the magazine because without them, quite frankly, there would be no magazine!”

The full list of StubHub Q Awards 2016 winners this year is as follows:

Q Breakthrough Act presented by Red Stripe – Jack Garratt
Q Best Track presented by Jack Daniels – Bastille (Good Grief)
Q Best Video presented by The Box Plus Network – PJ Harvey (The Community of Hope)
Q Best Album presented by Absolute Radio – The 1975 (I Like It When You Sleep…)
Q Best Live presented by StubHub – U2
Q Best Solo presented by Help Musicians UK – James Bay
Q Best Act in the World Today presented by The Cavern Club – Muse
Q Innovation in Sound Award – MIA
Q Hero presented by Conker Spirit – Meat Loaf
Q Classic Songwriter presented by Pretty Green – Ray Davies
Q Hall of Fame presented by StubHub – Madness
Q Classic Album – The Charlatans (Tellin’ Stories)
Q Gibson Les Paul Award presented by Gibson – The Edge
Q Outstanding Contribution to Music presented by Buster and Punch – Blondie















2015 winners
Q Best New Act presented by Orange Amplification – James Bay
Q Best Track presented by Absolute Radio – The Libertines – Gunga Din
Q Best Album presented by JBL – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds- Chasing Yesterday
Q Best Video – Florence + The Machine – Ship to Wreck
Q Hero – Mark Ronson
Q Best Live Act presented by The Cavern Club – Royal Blood
Q Classic Album – Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol. One
Q Best Solo Artist presented by Citroën – Ed Sheeran
Q Innovation in Sound presented by Sony Xperia – Gary Numan
Q Best Act In The World Today presented by Queen Bohemian Lager – Foals
Gibson Les Paul Award – Tony Iommi
Q Outstanding Contribution to Music – New Order
Q Classic Single – Queen ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
Q Icon – Duran Duran