Arctic Monkeys dominate U.K.'s NME awards

The Arctic Monkeys continued their current reign over British music Thursday night, taking three top trophies at the NME Awards.

The young quartet was named best British band and best new band at the New Music Express bash in London — the first act ever to win both titles in the same year. The band's hit song I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor was also named best track.

Hailing from Sheffield, the Arctic Monkeys built a strong following through word of mouth and on the internet in 2005. It paid off last month, when their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not became the fastest-selling debut album in British history, with more than 360,000 copies sold in the U.K. in the first week of release.

Despite being nominated for a record six categories for the influential music magazine's annual awards, the Kaiser Chiefs took home only one trophy, the high profile best album award for Employment.

International winners included rapper Kanye West (best solo artist) and New York rock group the Strokes (best international band).

Pop queen Madonna took NME's sexiest woman honour, while Baby Shambles vocalist Pete Doherty — former frontman of the Libertines and a familiar face on British tabloids — was named sexiest man.

Singer and activist Bob Geldof, who spearheaded 1985's Live Aid and 2005's Live 8, was voted hero of the year.

Other winners included Franz Ferdinand (best live band) and Oasis (best video for The Importance of Being Idle).

The awards are voted on by music fans, with more than 80,000 people logging votes for this year's event.

The NME Awards are considered a hipper alternative to the Brit Awards, the U.K. equivalent of the Grammys. At last week's Brits ceremony, the Kaiser Chiefs were the big winners, while the Arctic Monkeys won a new artist award.