Underworld's favourite career reward is being able to ''put smiles on people's faces.''

The dance duo picked up the Q Innovation in Sound trophy at the annual Q Awards in London yesterday (22.10.12) for their work on the musical soundtrack to the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London this summer, but their greatest reward is to see people's reaction to their music.

The band's Karl Hyde exclusively told BANG Showbiz: ''I think it was very brave of Danny [Boyle, opening ceremony director] to have brought the people that he did to work on that - the whole creative team - it was a whole bunch of outsiders who were brought in to represent the country and it was a brave and fantastic move.

''There's a lot of things that you use as markers in your career, a lot of it is to do with people smiling. At the Olympics so many people were walking away with smiles on their faces, people smiling at our concerts. It's about us making things that put smiles on people's faces. That's the award that you get.''

However, Karl added awards are a handy place to hang out with other people from the music industry and for family and friends to see.

He added: ''These ceremonies are nice because you're with your peers. The Manic Street Preachers are people we haven't seen for ages. You look at each other and kind of laugh at each other across the room and say, 'Hello, still here....'''

His bandmate Rick Smith added: ''These things are especially nice for family and friends and the people behind us who have supported us so much.

''We've been working together for 33 years now, it's amazing, obviously we can't get enough of a bad thing.''

Other winners at the Q Awards 2012 included Manic Street Preachers, who picked up Q Classic Album for their debut 'Generation Terrorists', Dexys, who picked up the Q Icon Award and Dionne Warwick, who's 'Walk On By' was named Q Classic Song.