The AIM Independent Music Awards, hosted by the Association of Independent Music (commonly abbreviated to AIM), began in 2011. It is established through a collection of independent record labels and providing service and support to independent and smaller artists and record labels globally, achieving recognition for their efforts and works. The AIM Independent Music Awards are also providing recipients with greater opportunities to further expand their careers and name in the music industry.
About
The Association of Independent Music
The Association of Independent Music is a non-profit organization initiated in March 1999 and the current AIM's CEO is Paul Pacifico which previously held titles as CEO of the Featured Artists' Coalition (commonly abbreviated to FAC)[1] and President of the International Artists Organisation (commonly abbreviated to IAO), a professor at the Berklee College of Music (the overseas campus in Valencia, Spain) and also owns his own Independent music company.[2] The trade body was initiated in order to represent smaller indie artists, bands and labels. The organization provides support, education, publicity and assistance to their members through music awards and festivals. The Association of Independent Music advocate"providing a collective voice for UK's independent music industry" and "supporting UK's independent music."[3] The organisation has expanded and representing approximately eight hundred varying record labels, artists and companies of diverse sorts within the music industry. The organisation are also branching into other trade bodies, such as the Association of Independent Festivals. [4]
The Association of Independent Festivals
The Association of Independent Festivals (commonly abbreviated to AIF) are being a division of the AIM which are works with the direct aim of aiding independent festivals and labels. The aims of the Association of Independent Festivals is "represent, empower and provide a vital support network to independent festivals organizers." The trade body was initially founded in 2008 by DJ Robert John Gorham, more commonly known as Rob da Bank (who is also founder of the annual Bestival music festival), and Bestival director Ben Turner. The body currently represents approximately fifty member events.
The Association of Independent Festivals member events |
A Boundless Summer - Borde Hill Garden |
Adobe in the Park |
ArcTanGent Festival |
Barn On The Farm Festival |
Belladrum Festival |
Bestival |
Blissfields Festival |
Brecon Jazz Festival |
Brownstock Music Festival |
Camp Bestival |
Common People |
Eden Sessions |
End of The Road |
Fire in the Mountain |
Isle of Wight Festival |
Secret Garden Party |
Tramlines Festival |
2000trees |
Y Not Festival |
2015 Awards winners
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
2015[5] |
Erased Tapes Records | Best Small Label | Won |
Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too | Best Difficult Second Album | Won |
Cities of Darkscorch Boardgame | Special Catalogue Release of the Year | Won |
Swans | Hardest Working Band of Artist | Won |
Brainchild Festival | Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival | Won |
Wolf Alice | Independent Breakthrough of the Year | Won |
Marc Riley, BBC 6 Music | Indie Champion | Won |
Flying Lotus- 'Never Catch Me' | Independent Video of the Year | Won |
All Time Low | 'Best Live Act | Won |
FKA twigs - 'Two Weeks' | Independent Track of the Year | Won |
Jungle | PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act | Won |
Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep | Independent Album of the Year | Won |
Transgressive Records | Independent Label of the Year | Won |
Digby Pearson | Pioneer Award | Won |
Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune | Innovator Award | Won |
Skepta | Outstanding Contribution to Music | Won |
2016 Awards winners
2017 awards winners | 2018 awards winners - Independent Album of the Year: Nadine Shah – Holiday Destination
- Independent Track of the Year: Peggy Gou – "It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)"
- Best Sophomore Release: Let's Eat Grandma – I'm All Ears
- UK Breakthrough of the Year: Jorja Smith
- International Breakthrough of the Year: Phoebe Bridgers
- Best Live Act: Erasure
- Hardest Working Group or Artist: Idles
- Outstanding Contribution to Music: Tracey Thorn
- Pioneer Award: Goldie
- Innovator Award: Sophie
- Best Creative Packaging: Black Sabbath – The Ten Year War
- Independent Label of the Year: Ninja Tune
- Best Small Label: Black Acre Records
- Indie Champion Award: Femi Adeyemi (NTS Radio)
- Most Played New Independent Act: Dave
- Independent Video of the Year: Novo Amor – "Birthplace" (Directors: Sil van der Woerd and Jorik Dozy)
|
2019 awards winners | 2020 awards winners |
2022
UK Independent Breakthrough | International Breakthrough |
| |
Best Independent Track | Best Independent EP/Mixtape |
| |
Best Independent Album | Best [Difficult] Second Album |
| |
One to Watch | Best Independent Remix |
| |
Best Creative Campaign | Best Independent Video |
| |
Music Entrepreneur of the Year | Most Played New Independent Artist |
- Corey Johnson (Defenders Ent)
- Peter Adarkwah (Barely Breaking Even)
- Karen Emmanuel (Key Production)
- Laura Lewis-Paul (Saffron Music)
- Jamie Oborne (Dirty Hit/All on Red Management)
| |
Best Independent Label | Best Boutique Label |
| |
Best Live Performer |
|
Outstanding Contribution to Music | Independent Champion |
Lethal Bizzle | Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot |
Diversity Champion | Innovator |
Stormzy | Rina Sawayama |
2023
The 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards were presented on 26 September 2023 at the Roundhouse in London.[7] The first set of nominees were announced on 19 July 2023.[8][9][10] The rest of the nominees as well as the Best Live Performance and Diversity Champion recipients were announced on 23 August 2023.[11]
UK Independent Breakthrough | One to Watch |
| - Laughta (MDLBEAST Records)
- Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
- Juice Menace (Supernature)
- FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)
- Master Peace (PMR)
|
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist | Music Entrepreneur of the Year |
| - Caius Pawson (Young / Young Space)
- fAlex Brees (Un:hurd)
- Jess Kangalee (Good Energy PR)
- Keturah Cummings (Forward Slash)
- Yasin El Ashrafi (HQ Familia)
|
Best Boutique Label | Best Independent Label |
| |
Best Independent Track | Best Independent Album |
| |
Best Independent EP/Mixtape | Best Independent Video |
- We Go Again – ENNY (FAMM)
- Adultsville – Bellah (Base 'N' Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)
- Limerance – Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
- EP2 – Saint Joshua (Ditto Music)
- BABYLON IX – Yunè Pinku (PLATOON)
| - "MONSOON" – Wesley Joseph (EEVILTWINN)
|
Best Independent Remix | Best Creative Campaign |
- "Butterfly Effect" (Nu:Tone remix) – GLXY featuring Hugh Hardie & Visionobi (Hospital Records)
| |
Best Live Performance | Diversity Champion |
| |
Independent Champion | Innovator Award |
| |
Outstanding Contribution to Music |
|
References
- ^ "Featured Artists Coalition - Home". Featured Artists Coalition. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
- ^ "Interview: Paul Pacifico". WARM [World Airplay Radio Monitor]. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ "Association of Independent Music". www.aim.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
- ^ "Home". The Association of Independent Festivals. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
- ^ "AIM Independent Music Awards 2015 Winners: FKA Twigs, All Time Low, Flying Lotus & More". billboard.com. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "Independent Music Awards Winners!". musicindie.com. 16 September 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ Parkel, Inga (26 September 2023). "AIM Awards 2023 winners in full, from Björk to Wet Leg". The Independent. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
- ^ "Shygirl, RAYE and Kelela Lead The AIM Awards Nominations". Clash. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "AIM Awards Announces 2023 Nominees". Notion. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Carter, Daisy (19 July 2023). "AIM AWARDS ANNOUNCE 2023 NOMINEES LIST, INCLUDING RAYE, LITTLE SIMZ AND EZRA COLLECTIVE". DIY. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Grein, Paul (23 August 2023). "Bjork Wins Best Live Performance Ahead of 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards (Full List of Nominees)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 August 2023.