Criticised as being too rock by pop and too pop by rock, Lostprophets were the main winners as the world of rock and metal last night gathered to show it is still alive as a genre at the Kerrang! music awards.

The Welsh band's status was confirmed when they picked up awards for best British band and best album for Liberation Transmission - both categories voted for by Kerrang! magazine readers and website users. The old and the new, or should that be nu, mingled at the awards in east London. The magazine is 25 years old this year and enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Latest circulation figures showed a striking 24.2% rise to 80,186 - more than NME which has an average of 74,206 readers.

It is not just Kerrang! The latest figures show Classic Rock magazine up 26.4% and Metal Hammer rising by 12.7% contrasting with, for example, the dance magazine Mixmag which saw a 10.1% fall in readers.

One of the most enthusiastic receptions last night was for AC/DC's lead guitarist Angus Young, who was presented with a Legend award by magazine editor Paul Brannigan. Young formed the band in Sydney 33 years ago with his brother Malcolm and they have become Australia's most successful band selling 150m albums worldwide.

Perhaps because they have been going 25 years and it was their awards ceremony, the magazine gave the last award of the night to itself, for services to metal.

The winners

Best British newcomer
Bring Me the Horizon

Best international newcomer
Aiden

Best live band
Muse

Best single
Tears Don't Fall (Bullet for My Valentine)

Best album
Liberation Transmission (Lostprophets)

Classic songwriter
Placebo

Best video
Sugar We're Going Down (Fall Out Boy)

Best British band
Lostprophets