Malian band Tinariwen has won the second Uncut Music Award.
A group of Touareg musicians from the Sahara Desert have beaten a host of music's leading lights to win a new award.
Tinariwen, from northern Mali, have seen off competition from Kings of Leon, Bob Dylan, Wilco and Animal Collective to scoop the 2009 Uncut Music Award for the most inspirational and rewarding album of the year.
The band struck victory with their fourth album Imidiwan: Companions.
Allan Jones, Uncut's editor and chair of the judges, said that the decision to name Imidiwan as the winner was unanimous, despite the contest having so many strong entrants.
"It's a fantastically exciting record, full of great, powerful music, passionately and brilliantly played. It had everything the judges were looking for in a potential winner," he commented.
Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest took second place in the award, while Oh My God Charlie Darwin by The Low Anthem took third.
Last week, Green Day won the best rock prize at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards, while U2 took the best live act gong and Placebo was named the best alternative group.
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