Thursday 15th January 2015 by Alexandra Pollard | Photos by Chris MacDonald

Arctic Monkeys triumph at this year's European Festival Awards

Melvin Benn also won the Lifetime Achievement Award

The legends that are Garbage: Originally meant to release their sixth album in 2014, it would appear Garbage are instead holding off until 2015 for their next release. Whilst no specific details have been revealed just yet, track names including 'Let Yourself Go', 'Moth To Light' and 'Epic' were all deciphered from a whiteboard in the background of one of their studio shots.

New things from Marilyn Manson: Manson will return to release his ninth studio album The Pale Emperor in January. If new tracks 'Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge' and 'Deep Six' ARE anything to go by, this record once again promises to be a frantic, heavy affair - perhaps even his best in years.

The new Tool album is coming: The album we thought we'd never see draws ever nearer. 10,000 Days was the last offering from the band, which was released all the way back in 2006. Since then, lawsuits and frontman James Keenan's lack of involvement with the band have held the process back. Now, the latest reports show all the members of the band working together in the studio, which is a huge step forward. Expect it out by summer 2015.

The crowning of Royal Blood: They stormed the charts with their self-titled debut before tickets to all live dates disappeared like golddust. As the strongest force in UK rock, expect them to pull a few tricks and moumental gigs out of the bag to see 2015 through with style. Are arenas on the horizon?

Even more Manic Street Preachers' Holy Bible shows: This year, the band ended years of speculation and rumour by playing their seminal 1994 album in full on a UK tour. Now, the band have announced yet more dates for the classic LP next year, including a huge homecoming show at Cardiff Castle. Expect it to be nothing less than historic.

Foo Fighters tear up the road: We had a taster when they played a string of 'secret' club shows leading up to the Invictus Games in the UK last summer, now they're heading back for some monumental UK stadium shows - with special guests including the likes of Royal Blood, Iggy Pop, Kaiser Chiefs, Hozier and more at selected shows.

Who fancies an Interpol side-project?: A collaboration between Interpol guitarist Daniel Kessler and sound designer Joseph Fraioli, experimental duo Big Noble will release First Light on 2 February 2015. Kessler's involvement is more than enough to get us excited, but Fraioli describes the project as "immersive and perspective-changing...sonically a lot of the arrangements feel technically vast, but there's an intimacy that I hope listeners will find addictive to escape within."

Slipknot and KoRn are touring together: Right? Massive.

Another new Smashing Pumpkins' album: December's Monuments To An Elegy was a late entry to become one of 2014's best albums, which is why we're excited for Day For Night - the records 'darker' follow-up which is due for release in 2015.

Some incredible rock debuts are on their way: Thankfully, we've finally reached the stage where pundits stop discussing whether or not guitar music has 'died' - it's always been alive and well. Next year is no different, with promising debuts expected from the likes of Wolf Alice, Slaves, Courtney Barnett, Girl Band, Menace Beach, Deers, Heyrocco, Brawlers, Dolomite Minor All We Are and Circa Waves.

What will become of the likely lads?: Following their victorious lap of shows around Europe culminating in glorious gigs at Ally Pally, Carl Barat has revealed that he and Pete have retreated to Thailand to finish work on the collection of songs they've penned so far. After recently signing a record deal with EMI, it was announced the boys would be releasing a new album in the near future. They're also strongly tipped to be headlining Reading and Leeds...

Placebo live dates and a new book: After frontman Brian Molko's release of a retrospective book containing his own selection of lyrics from throughout his 20-year career at the helm of Placebo, titled �Brian Molko � Selected�, the band will be hitting the road in February and March for a massive string of shows.

Noel Gallagher's tour and new album: Yep, Noel G is back with second High Flying Birds solo album Chasing Yesterday, and some pretty massive arena dates to boot. With rumours of an Oasis reunion seeming like an insane fever dream, let's just enjoy the better half of the brothers tearing up the road and celebrating his past, present and future.

New stuff from Radiohead: Thom Yorke and co have been in the studio since September, with Johnny Greenwood adding that they were "looking down avenues" and "talking about different approaches and we�re currently trying a bunch out". Fingers crossed it's ready in time for summer and festival season. (*COUGH* GLASTONBURY *COUGH*)

Something new from Green Day: It's been a few years since their opinion-splitting Unos, Dos, Tre trilogy. But after Billie Joe Armstrong's breakdown and stint in rehab, let's hope they come back free of demons, more focussed and back on form. Armstrong hinted at their imminent return with a look to 2015 and the message 'Green Day Forever'.

The Strokes are back too - but what does it mean?: It's always impossible to second-guess what the return of NYC's finest could mean, but they're back to play Primavera Sound Festival this summer. Fingers crossed this means a world tour and maybe the release of some long-rumoured new material.

Muse come back heavier: The band have been hard at work for a few months now, recording in Vancouver with legendary AC/DC producer Robert 'Mutt' Lange on a 'heavier' and 'rockier' LP that deals with 'World War 3 and deep ecology'. They've told fans to expect to hear it in summer 2015 - just in time for a string of festival shows. With the likes of Download included, expect them to sound metal, as well as supermassive.

The return of Fleetwood Mac: UK fans will finally get the chance to see the classic Mac line-up with Christine McVie reunited as the rock icons return for massive stadium shows and a headlining set at Isle Of Wight Festival. Perhaps they'll treat us to some new material too?

The Maccabees' new album: It's been a long wait since 2012's Given To The Wild - but their fourth LP is finally coming next year. Orlando Weeks recently said: "It feels more self-assured. I feel confident in it - I feel confident singing it. I feel like it's got a really nice mix of all of our different inputs, and that's the thing that takes us longest to get our heads around, trying to accommodate all of those different tastes."

Tags: Arctic Monkeys

The European Festival Awards took place in The Netherlands last night (14 January), with Arctic Monkeys taking home two awards and Melvin Benn winning the Lifetime Achievement gong.

MØ, Jack Garratt and Aurora Asknes performed at the ceremony, which was held at Groningen's De Oosterpoort in The Netherlands, during the opening night of Eurosonic Noorderslag.

Arctic Monkeys won Best Headliner and Anthem Of The Year for 'R U Mine'. Accepting the awards on their behalf, the band's manager Geoff Barradale asked, "Do we deserve it? We probably do."

He also praised 'R U Mine' for stopping the "disease" of mobile phones at gigs, deploring people, "Put your mobiles down and get lost in the anthem."

Meanwhile, the award for Best Line-Up went to Glastonbury, and the Best Major Festival was awarded to Hungary's Sviget Festival.

Concluding the evening, Melvin Benn received a standing ovation when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with Festival Republic.

See the full list of winners below.

Best Small Festival Festival Tauron Nowa Muzyka (Poland)

Best Indoor Festival I Love Techno (Belgium)

Green Operations Award in association with Yourope and The GO Group Roskilde Festival (Denmark)

Best Newcomer Act Stromae (Belgium)

Artists’ Favourite Festival Primavera Sound (Spain)

Best New Festival Down The Rabbit Hole (The Netherlands)

Anthem Of The Year Arctic Monkeys – ‘R U Mine’

The Health & Safety Innovation Award in association with The YES Group and ICM&SS MOJO/LOC Festivals (The Netherlands)

Best Medium-Sized Festival in association with Eventbrite Sea Dance Festival (Montenegro)

Promoter Of The Year Live Nation (Belgium)

Best Line-Up Glastonbury Festival (United Kingdom)

Best Headliner Arctic Monkeys (United Kingdom)

Best Major Festival in association with PlugGo Sziget Festival (Hungary)

The Lifetime Achievement Award Melvin Benn (United Kingdom)

The Award for Excellence And Passion in association with Yourope Rikke Øxner (Denmark)

Arctic Monkeys triumph at this year's European Festival Awards

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