Perennial rock stars The Rolling Stones gave a rather un-rock 'n roll response to learning that they had been nominated for Best Live Band, Best Book, Music Moment of The Year and Best Music Film at the NME awards. 

"It's very nice to be nominated. When I first heard it was four things, I thought, 'Ooh, blimey! That's very nice!'' said frontman Mick Jagger. "And it's not a journalists-only thing, it's not a coterie of closely-knit people choosing," the icon added. "It's funny, because when we were rehearsing at Wembley arena last year, it was where we used to do the NME Pollwinners. We remembered, it was the first time we ever played 'Jumping Jack Flash', at one of those Pollwinners concerts!" continued Mick. David Bowie, who recently announced his surprise new album, will go up against old friends The Stones in the Music Moment Of the Year Category, as well as in in the Best Music Video and Hero of the Year categories.

Elsewhere, The Maccabees and Arctic Monkeys have three nominations each and will be up against Kasabian, The Vaccines, Biffy Clyro and The Cribs for the title of Best British Band; one of the most coveted awards. Bowie, Bradley Wiggins, Russian punk band Pussy Riot, US president Barack Obama and singer-songwriter Frank Ocean join Dave Grohl in the battle to be crowned Hero of the Year in the less musical category.