Kylie Minogue was snubbed by voters

She was beaten by US singing sensation Britney Spears to the title of best female artist.

The awards are voted for by the readers of the magazine and categories include best live act, best newcomer, most fanciable male and female and best haircuts.

Some of the biggest names in pop and dance acts performed live on stage, including Minogue, S Club 7, Mis-Teeq, Steps and Hear'Say.

Pop band Steps proved popular with the fans, winning best live act, and were also admitted into the Smash Hits hall of fame.

And hot on the heels of Westlife, boy band Blue won best newcomer, to the delight of the young audience.

Another chart success, girl trio Atomic Kitten, won the best single gong for their hit Whole Again.

S Club 7 performed at the show

This year the ceremony was shown live on Channel Four for the first time, having previously been on BBC One.

The show was presented by Vernon Kaye and Margarita Taylor, along with help from Emma Bunton and former Five star Ritchie Neville.

S Club 7 also appeared at the show just a day after winning Record of the Year for their hit Don't Stop Movin'.

And US guitar band Wheatus also had the crowds cheering for their performance of their smash hit Teenage Dirtbag.

Shania Twain has appeared at the ceremony in the past

The evening was ended by Westlife, who sang their number one hit Queen Of My Heart.

Pop acts did not know until the show itself whether they have been nominated, when the top five in each category were announced.

Previous Smash Hits Poll winners and performers include international acts such as Janet Jackson, Shania Twain and Britney Spears, along with home grown stars like the Spice Girls and Manic Street Preachers.

The event follows the first ever Top of the Pops awards, which were held in Manchester last weekend.

Westlife walked off with best pop act, but on this occasion it was Minogue who stole the show with a performance of Can't Get You Out Of My Head, a song she won best single for.

She also won best tour for On A Night Like This.