Plan B and Arcade Fire get Q nods

Plan B goes up against Arcade Fire in the best album category

British rapper Plan B and Canadian band Arcade Fire are leading the way at this year's Q Awards with three nominations each.

Both acts are up for best album, with Plan B also nominated for best male and breakthrough act.

Arcade Fire, meanwhile, will compete for best act in the world today and best video at the awards in October.

Mercury winners The xx are among the acts with two nods, joining Florence And The Machine, Kasabian and Gorillaz.

Mumford & Sons, Muse, Gorillaz, Ellie Goulding and Biffy Clyro are all also up for a pair of awards.

The best album category also features Plastic Beach by Gorillaz, Paul Weller's Wake Up The Nation and The National's High Violet.

Lady Gaga, who won the award for best video last year, is up for best live act and best female along with Corinne Bailey Rae, Florence And The Machine and Laura Marling.

Competing with Arcade Fire for the best act in the world title are Green Day, Kasabian, Kings Of Leon and Muse - who won the award last year.

Nominations for a new category - next big thing - are still to be announced.

The awards, which are voted for the public, will be handed out at a ceremony hosted by comic Al Murray at London's Grosvenor House on 25 October.

Q magazine's editor-in-chief Paul Rees said: "I'm delighted to say that the quality and variety of the acts nominated this year testifies strongly to the fact that music right now is as vibrant and exciting as it's ever been."