Q Awards 2015: Foals beat Ed Sheeran and Blur to win Best Act In the World Today

Foals combine indie rock with electronic beats and African-inspired rhythms

Formed in 2005, Foals, fronted by singer Yannis Philippakis, have become a headline festival act and will play their first Wembley Arena show next year. (David Fisher/REX)

The Oxford band Foals confirmed their elevation to music’s biggest stages after being voted Best Act In the World Today at the Q magazine awards.

Foals, who combine indie rock with electronic beats and African-inspired rhythms, beat Blur, Noel Gallagher and Ed Sheeran to the award, previously won by the likes of Radiohead and Coldplay.

Formed in 2005, Foals, fronted by singer Yannis Philippakis, have become a headline festival act and will play their first Wembley Arena show next year.

Ed Sheeran beat Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Sam Smith to the Solo Artist award (Getty)

The Britpop wars were rekindled when Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds beat Blur’s The Magic Whip to the Best Album award. Chris Martin made a rare public appearance to present the former Oasis songwriter with the prize.

Ed Sheeran beat Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Sam Smith to the Solo Artist award, capping a year in which the strummer sold out three nights at Wembley Stadium, performing with just his guitar and a loops pedal. However Sheeran lost out to the Brighton drums and bass rock duo Royal Blood for the Best Live Act prize.

Snubbed for the Mercury Prize, James Bay took the Best New Act honour, beating Years & Years, Wolf Alice and Slaves. Bay’s debut album, Chaos And The Calm, is the best-selling artist album released in 2015 so far.

The Libertines’ comeback single Gunga Din was voted Best Track by the magazine’s readers, who also favoured Florence + The Machine for Best Video with Ship To Wreck.

Soul II Soul’s Jazzie B received a special award marking 26 years since the release of Club Classics Vol. One, the London dance collective’s hugely influential album, which featured the number one hit, Keep On Movin’.

Gary Numan received the Innovation in Sound honour for his pioneering work in electronic and industrial music. Honours were also handed out at the Grosvenor House ceremony to Mark Ronson, Duran Duran, New Order, Queen and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.

Q Awards 2015 winners

Q Best New Act

James Bay

Best Track

The Libertines – Gunga Din (Winner)

Q Best Album

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

Royal Blood

Q Classic Album

Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol. One

Q Best Solo Artist

Ed Sheeran

Q Innovation in Sound

Gary Numan

Q Best Act In The World

Foals

Gibson Les Paul Award

Tony Iommi

Q Outstanding Contribution to Music

New Order

Q Classic Single

Queen ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

Q Icon

Duran Duran