Rock band Oasis have been given a vote of confidence by music fans after being named as frontrunners for this year's Q magazine awards.

The rockers are up for three awards - more than any other group - after fans voted for the artists they wanted to see nominated.

Oasis are in the running for the title of best act in the world - the fifth time they have been nominated for the top prize.

Coldplay are up for best album and best band in the world

They will face competition in that category from U2, Coldplay, Stereophonics and last year's winners, Radiohead.

Oasis' nominations come after a year in which their fortunes were seen to be waning and they were written off by some critics.

Their latest album, Heathen Chemistry, was dismissed by many as past the band's peak - but has been named on the shortlist for best album.

It will fight for that prize with Coldplay, Doves, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Vines and Beth Orton.

Heathen Chemistry has sold more than 600,000 copies in the UK and one million in Europe, and is still in the UK top 10 more than three months after it was released.

Heyday

On the best single list, Oasis' Hindu Times is up against releases from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sugababes, The Hives and Nickelback.

The Hindu Times, went to number one in April, while the follow-up Stop Crying Your Heart Out reached number two in June.

Oasis' most recent release, Little By Little, also hit number two at the start of October.

But it is a far cry from the band's heyday, in 1996, when they sold 18 million albums and played to more than 250,000 people over two days at a concert at Knebworth.

Hated

The Q Awards also include a more unusual category - for Q Unwanted prize for most-hated person.

Pop Idol and Popstars judges Geri Halliwell, Simon Cowell and Pete Waterman are the names to have made it to that list this year.

They will find out if they have won at the Q ceremony at the former Saatchi art gallery in north London on Monday 21 October.

The Q Awards are among the biggest prizes on the rock scene.

Fans can vote for the winners on the Q music magazine's website.