Pet Shop Boys received the Godlike Genius award at the VO5 NME Awards 2017 in London on Wednesday (15.02.17

Neil said: "Little did I know when I started reading the NME as a child in the mid-60s, that one day we would stand here as an electronic duo getting such a magnificent award.

"Our career has been such a huge collaboration with producers, programmers, remixers and I would just like to thank every one of them – and accept this on behalf of electronic music, dance music and shiny pop music. Thank you very much."

Earlier, while introducing the pair, Johnny Marr said: "The winners of this award have changed pop music, over three decades, with hit after hit after hit. They brought romance, glamour, style, high art to the wonderful thing that is pop music."

Neil and Chris first met in 1981 and went on to have 22 Top 10 singles and 13 Top 10 studio albums.

They wowed the crowd at the awards with a set which included their hits 'Vocal', 'Sodom & Gomorrah', 'It's A Sin', 'Left To My Own Devices', 'West End Girls', 'Domino Dancing' and 'Always On My Mind'.

Other winners included The 1975, who took home the award for Best Live Band, and frontman Matt Healy mentioned that they had previously won Worst Band in 2014.

He said: "Thank you. Stop talking. Listen. This our second NME Award. The first time we were the sh***est band. Now it's for being good, so I don't know what that proves. I don't think it proves anything, I think it proves that…hey listen Mike (Williams) came out this evening and he said if you're an artist, we have a duty to make pop music didactic.

"I know this is unfashionable and boring and no-one really gives a f**k but everything is f***ed. And if your music isn't purposefully informative, then there's no point to it. So let's make sure that we do that. Thank you."

Bastille, Dua Lipa and the Bands4Refugees supergroup were among the other performers on the night.

NME Awards 2017 - Full list of winners

Best British Band supported by Zig-Zag: Biffy Clyro

Best International Band supported by Austin, Texas – Live Music Capital Of The World: Metallica

Best British Male supported by Pilot Pen Company: Skepta

Best British Female: MIA

Best International Male supported by VO5: Frank Ocean

Best International Female supported by VO5: Christine & The Queens

Best New Artist supported by TOPMAN: Dua Lipa

Best Album supported by HMV: Bastille – 'Wild World'

Best Track supported by Red Stripe: Christine And The Queens – 'Tilted'

Best Live Band supported by Nikon: The 1975

Best Video: Slaves – 'Consume Or Be Consumed'

Best Festival supported by ID&C: Glastonbury

Best Music Film: Oasis: Supersonic

Best TV Series supported by Domino's: Fleabag

Best Film: My Scientology Movie

Music Moment Of The Year: Coldplay's Viola Beach tribute at Glastonbury

Best Festival Headliner: Adele

Best Small Festival: End Of The Road

Villain Of The Year: Nigel Farage

Hero Of The Year: Beyoncé

Worst Band: 5 Seconds Of Summer

Best Reissue: Oasis – 'Be Here Now'