As a counterpoint to the Top 100 DJs poll, which has grown into an international phenomenon, DJ Mag started the Best Of British awards a few years back in order to shine a spotlight on the talent on our own doorsteps. We are a British magazine, after all — born and produced in London.

The way Best Of British (BoB) works is that the staff here at DJ Mag pick out the best performers of the year in terms of quality — not necessarily quantity. It's not all about money and sales — otherwise Calvin Harris would win quite a few awards. With BoB we shortlist five nominees in each category (Best Producer, Best Label etc), people who chime with our general ethos, and then throw it open to the public vote.

By now the Best Of British awards party will have happened, with most of the winners collecting their awards at our star-studded bash at Heaven in London just before Christmas. DJ Mag staff have probably only just recovered from the festivities. The following 15 pages document how the awards were dished out, and we've interviewed most of the winners we could get hold of in the short space of time between the voting closing and the mag going to print...