The Manics were shortlisted for three Q awards - more than any other act this year.

The group were also up for Best Single and Best Album in the nominations list.

Catatonia: Best single

But they were beaten by fellow Welsh band Catatonia whose track Road Rage was named Best Single at the awards ceremony at London's Intercontinental Hotel.

Southport-based group Gomez added to their recent success as winners of the Mercury Music Prize for their Bring It On album by being named best new band.

Massive Attack: Best Album award

At the ceremony hosted by Big Breakfast presenter Johnny Vaughan, Bristol band Massive Attack's third LP, Mezzanine, was named best album, ahead of the latest releases by the Manics and Pulp.

Mike Hedges, the Manics' producer on the This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours album, was beaten in the Best Producer category by Brighton-based Norman Cook, formerly the bass player in The Housemartins.

Under the alias Fatboy Slim he has become one of the most in-demand studio whizzkids in the industry, helping Cornershop to number one with his remix of Brimful Of Asha earlier this year as well as having hit singles and an album You've Come A Long Way, Baby in his own right in 1998.

Readers have say

REM frontman Michael Stipe

As well as the reader awards, honorary titles were handed out to US band REM who are in Britain for a round of promotion for their new album Up, which was released on Monday.

The former Jam frontman, Paul Weller, was rewarded with the title of Classic Songwriter in recognition of his long career in music while Debbie Harry, singer of Blondie, was on hand to pick up the band's Q Inspiration Award.

The ceremony will be broadcast for the first time on terrestrial TV by BBC2 Tuesday.

The winners are:

• Best Single - Road Rage, Catatonia.
• Best Album - Mezzanine, Massive Attack.
• Best New Band - Gomez.
• Best Live Act - Roni Size & Reprazent.
• Best Band In The World Today - Manic Street Preachers.
• Best Producer - Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim, Cornershop).
• Classic songwriter - Paul Weller.
• Q Inspiration Award - Blondie.
• Lifetime Achievement Award - REM.