Fear conquers all to make Lily Allen queen of singles at Q Awards

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Lily Allen's single The Fear won best track at the Q Awards today as recently split Oasis lost out to Muse in the best act category.

Award winner: Lily Allen

Allen's song, her second No 1, beat tracks by Kasabian, Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Dizzee Rascal and the Noisettes.

Gallery: Q Awards 2009

Oasis, whose guitarist Noel Gallagher quit in August, also missed out on best live act, won by the Arctic Monkeys.

Florence and The Machine left empty-handed despite being nominated for breakthrough artist, best video and best album.

Lady GaGa's Just Dance won best video and Kasabian beat acts including Arctic Monkeys, U2 and The Prodigy to win best album, for the Mercury Prize-nominated West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

Best new act went to White Lies. Charles Cave, who plays bass guitar, and drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown first played together in the classroom at North Ealing Primary School. They formed the band with singer Harry McVeigh, from Shepherd's Bush, and won a recording contract in 2007.

White Lies beat other newcomers including Friendly Fires, an English dance punk band from St Albans; Empire Of The Sun, an Australian electronic music duo; Passion Pit, an American electronic band; and The Dead Weather, an American alternative rock supergroup.

Lyricist Cave, 20, who cites Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age and Talking Heads among the band's influences, said: “It's been a really exciting few months for us.”

Music legends whose influence spanned the generations were also honoured at the Q  Awards. Robert Plant won the outstanding contribution to music award, while Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, received the classic songwriter gong.

Jarvis Cocker presented the Q icon award to Marianne Faithfull, and The Specials picked up an inspiration award.

U2's The Unforgettable Fire received the classic album award — and Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax, which had an unofficial Radio 1 ban when it was released 25 years ago, was named a classic song.

The song gained in notoriety when then Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Mike Read found out what it was about and refused to continue playing it.

Spandau Ballet, who have reformed and are playing at the O2, received the Q idol award.

THE WINNERS
Best Track The Fear — Lily Allen
Best New Act White Lies
Breakthrough Artist Mr Hudson
Best Video Just Dance — Lady GaGa
Q Idol Spandau Ballet
Q Inspiration Award The Specials
Innovation in Sound Sonic Youth
Q Classic Album The Unforgettable Fire — U2
Q Icon Marianne Faithfull
Classic Song Relax — Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Q Legend Edwyn Collins
Best Live Act Arctic Monkeys
Classic Songwriter Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens
Outstanding Contribution to Music Robert Plant
Best Album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum — Kasabian
Best Act in the World Today — Muse

 

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