Noel Gallagher wins best album at Q Awards

Chasing Yesterday is Noel Gallagher's second album since Oasis broke up

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' second record, Chasing Yesterday, has won best album at the Q Awards.

"I'd like to thank my producer... which is me," said the star as he accepted his award, voted for by readers of the monthly music magazine.

Ed Sheeran was crowned best solo artist, with Florence and the Machine's Ship to Wreck named best video and James Bay named best new act.

The Libertines' Gunga Din was voted best track.

It cemented their return 11 years after the band fell apart in the wake of Pete Doherty's drug abuse.

Doherty was absent, but guitarist Carl Barat said the band felt "exonerated" by their victory after such a long absence.

He admitted there was "still a bit of friction" in the rejuvenated quartet, but stressed Doherty's had only missed the ceremony because "it's really not his sort of thing these days".

Foals were named "best act in the world today".

Royal Blood (right) won best live act while singer-songwriter James Bay was named best new act

The band accepted the award after a period of enforced silence - literally - caused by a bout of laryngitis for frontman Yannis Philippakis.

"My vocal cords were all red and ragged," he told the BBC. "I definitely needed a break... but I've been behaving and getting early bedtimes."

The Oxford band are due to resume their tour next week, and Philppakis says they won't adjust their performance.

"I wouldn't do it if we were going to hold back. We've got to do it full throttle."

"It's been an incredibly exciting year for music, particularly in the UK, and today's winners reflect that," Q's senior editor, Matt Mason, said.

Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi received the Gibson Les Paul Award, which recognises the work of pioneering guitarists. Last year's inaugural winner was Johnny Marr.

"Tony is one of those rare guitar players in that he truly defines a genre and a sound," said Q's senior editor, Matt Mason.

Gary Numan also took home the innovation in sound prize, recognising his contribution to the sound of synthpop through hits like Are Friends Electric and Cars.

The \Libertines have just released their first album in more than 10 years

The musician's influence can be heard today in bands like Hot Chip, Chvrches and The Knife.

Duran Duran were named Q Icons, in recognition of their 37-year-long career, and hits such as Rio, Girls on Film and The Reflex.

"I thought icons were things on computers, those small symbols," joked keyboard player Nick Rhodes backstage.

The band have had a rocky relationship with Q Magazine over the years, receiving scathing reviews for some of their 1990s albums.

"I don't think it matters," Rhodes said. "If someone gives us a bad review, I always think that's a reason to carry on and make another record, just to annoy the hell out of them."

Singer Simon Le Bon added: "If they phone you up and say, 'what do you want, a good review or the icon award?' we go, 'we'll take the award, thank you very much.'"

Gallagher is a previous winner of the Q Icon award, and also has five Q trophies from his time in Oasis.

Asked why he thought his solo record had been named best album, he said: "Because mine was better than anybody else's, clearly."

And he said work had already begun on a follow-up.

"There's a concept behind it - but I'm not telling you what it is because it'll go over your head," he said. "Nah, it's just the same old rubbish, really."

Duran Duran recently released their 14th album

James Bay was presented with his best newcomer prize by Tom Jones, who said the musician had "promised to write me a song."

Bay, whose album Chaos and the Calm is the year's biggest-seller so far, said the song would "cater to all the rootsy Americana music that he's making at the moment".

Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi received the Gibson Les Paul Award, which recognises the work of pioneering guitarists. Last year's inaugural winner was Johnny Marr.

"I never thought I'd be up for anything like that," he BBC News. "Our main aim when we started playing was to be able to get a gig in London. You don't plan anything. You just do it because you love it."

"It's been an incredibly exciting year for music, particularly in the UK, and today's winners reflect that," said Matt Mason.

"It's thrilling to recognise a band such as Foals who've reached this level of success by continuing to pursue their own unique vision, while the phenomenal impact of Florence and the Machine, Ed Sheeran and James Bay on both sides of the Atlantic underlines the power of great British pop music."

The ceremony, at London's Grosvenor House Hotel, was hosted by Absolute Radio's Christian O'Connell.

Full list of winners:

• Best new act - James Bay

• Best track - The Libertines - Gunga Din

• Best video - Florence and the Machine - Ship to Wreck

• Best album - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

• Best live act - Royal Blood

• Best solo artist - Ed Sheeran

• Q Hero - Mark Ronson

• Best act in the world today - Foals

• Gibson Les Paul award - Tommy Iommi

• Outstanding contribution to music: New Order

• Q Icon: Duran Duran

• Classic album: Soul II Soul - Club Classics Vol One

• Classic single - Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody

• Innovation in sound award - Gary Numan