ANTONY AND The Johnsons' Mercury Music Prize-winning album I AM A BIRD NOW has topped the first major album poll of the year (05), beating Arcade Fire and Kate Bush to the top of British music magazine Mojo's end-of-year round-up.

Mojo reporter DANNY ECCLESTON calls the acclaimed album, "Not just a truly brilliant record, but a record that seemed to promise that pop music mainstream need never be the same again."

Antony And The Johnsons frontman ANTONY HEGARTY says, "It's a great honour."

The Mojo top 10 albums of 2005 are:

1. I AM A BIRD NOW - ANTONY + THE JOHNSONS

2. FUNERAL - ARCADE FIRE

3. AERIAL - KATE BUSH

4. DEVILS AND DUST - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

5. Z - MY MORNING JACKET

6. CHAVEZ RAVINE - RY COODER

7. THE MAGIC NUMBERS - THE MAGIC NUMBERS

8. INTO THE WOODS - MALCOLM MIDDLETON

9. DIMANCHE A BAMAKO - AMADOU AND MIRIAM

10. COLES CORNER - RICHARD HAWLEY.