Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars, Nile Rodgers and Arctic Monkeys performed tonight at Britain's leading music awards - and the audience was promised a number from Beyonce to add extra star power to the festivities.

David Bowie crowned a comeback year with a double surprise by taking the best male prize and secondly by having supermodel Kate Moss collect the prize in one of his original 1972 'Ziggy Stardust' leotards. Noel Gallagher, who presented the award quipped that Moss was Bowie's 'representative on earth', before saying that Bowie was "too cool for this s**t".

Music legend Prince - who is in the midst of a string of British dates, and is strongly rumoured to be one of the headliners for this years Glastonbury, showed up with his band 3RDEYEGIRL to present the award for best British female artist to singer Ellie Goulding.

Sheffield rockers Arctic Monkeys were named best British group for a third time, they also collected the Best Album Award for their fifth effort 'AM'. Rock band Bastille were named British breakthrough act. Bruno Mars took the trophy for international male solo artist of the year.

Britain's music industry sees the Brits - the U.K. equivalent of the Grammys - as an important stage for new talent. Wednesday's awards bash, hosted by actor-comedian James Corden, featured a slew of rising British contenders, after a couple of years in which Adele and One Direction ruled the roost.

One Direction, arguably the world's biggest British act, scooped awards in the 'British Global Success Category', with Ellie Goulding, taking the best female gong.
International nominees include Drake, Eminem, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Arcade Fire.

The Brits had a longtime reputation for haphazard presentation, but have smartened up in recent years as a showcase for British sound and style, with a sprinkling of big-name international acts.

This year's slim black-and-white Brits statuette was designed by royal-favorite hat-maker Philip Treacy, the latest in a line of U.K. designers drafted in to tweak the awards' image.
Performances by Arctic Monkeys, accompanied by giant faming letters "AM"; Katy Perry, riffing on Cleopatra during a rendition of "Dark Horse"; and Bruno Mars singing smooth hit "Treasure" were slick if a tad tame.

Most winners are decided by a ballot of some 1,000 music-industry members, with several decided by public vote - including a best video category decided by social-media ballot during the broadcast.
Click here to the Red Carpet Arrivals.

List Of BRIT Award Winners In Full:

British Male Solo Artist
David Bowie

British Female Solo Artist
Ellie Goulding

British Group
Arctic Monkeys

British Breakthrough Act
Bastille

British Single of the Year
Rudimental – Waiting All Night

Critics' Choice
Sam Smith

British Global Success
One Direction

MasterCard British Album of the Year
Arctic Monkeys – AM

Best Producer
Flood and Alan Moulder

International Male
Bruno Mars

International Female
Lorde

International Group
Daft Punk