U2: 'God-like' Winners

By Caitlin O'toole

Tuesday May 26, 1998 12:00 AM EDT

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The band U2 was hailed as "god-like geniuses" at Britain's oldest pop awards Tuesday, prompting a very modest lead singer Bono to say, "(The fans) have impeccable taste," according to Reuters. In addition to winning the award for God-like Genius, U2 also picked a trophy for Best Rock Act. But Bono used the forum to express his distaste for manufactured pop bands, like the girl-band Atomic Kitten, which has kept U2's latest single from reaching No. 1 on the UK charts. "Atomic Kitten live on the pop charts. We live some place else. We took the piss out of pop and now pop has bitten us in the arse," Bono told reporters before the Irish rockers received their awards. The other big winners of the evening: British indie band Coldplay, which collected three awards; All Saints, which won the Pop Act award; and the ever-controversial Eminem, who was picked by the fans as the Best Hip Hop/Rap act. Liam Gallagher of Oasis and flamboyant rock star Robbie Williams, who have been known to trade insults, also picked up awards for hero of the year and villain of the year, respectively. The awards, which are chosen by fans of the music paper the New Musical Express, are a prelude to the Brit Awards, Britain's answer to the Grammys. U2 will be given a lifetime achievement award at that ceremony, which takes place later this month.