AIM Independent Music Awards

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

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2016 [6]
	Numbers	Best Small Label	Won
	Daughter, Not to Disappear	Best Difficult Second Album	Won
	Slade, When Slade Rocked the World	Special Catalogue Release of the Year	Won
	Darren Hayman	Hardest Working Band/Artist	Won
	Brainchild Festival	Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival	Won
	Christine and the Queens	Independent Breakthrough of the Year	Won
	Jon Tolley	Indie Champion Award	Won
	Oscar - 'Sometimes'	Independent Video of the Year	Won
	Babymetal	Best Live Act	Won
	Adele - 'Hello'	Independent Track of the Year	Won
	Sigala	PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act	Won
	Scott Gorham	Riff Lord Award	Won
	Stormzy	Innovator Award	Won
	Little Simz - A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons	Independent Album of the Year	Won
	Epitaph/ANTI	Independent Label of the Year	Won
	Róisín Murphy	Outstanding Contribution to Music	Won
	Richard Russell, XL Recordings	Pioneer Award	Won

2017 awards winners Pioneer Award: Steve Beckett (Warp Records) Outstanding Contribution to Music: The Dillinger Escape Plan Innovator Award: Boy Better Know Independent Label of the Year: Because Music Independent Album of the Year: Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer Most Played New Independent Act: Stormzy Independent Video of the Year: DJ Shadow – "Nobody Speak" (featuring Run the Jewels) Independent Track of the Year: The xx – "On Hold" Indie Champion Award: Katie Riding and Joe Daniel (Independent Label Market) Best Independent Festival: Lost Evenings Best Difficult Second Album: Jlin – Black Origami Special Catalogue Release of the Year: Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (1984-2014) Hardest Working Group or Artist: Shao Dow Independent Breakthrough of the Year: Sampha Best Live Act: Counterfeit Best Small Label: Planet Mu

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 Best Live Act: Gerry Cinnamon Best Small Label: Scruff of the Neck Best Creative Packaging: Various Artists, handpicked and curated in collaboration with The Rolling Stones – Confessin' the Blues UK Independent Breakthrough: Idles Outstanding Contribution to Music: Debbie Harry Best Independent Album: Dave – Psychodrama Best Difficult Second Album: Idles – Joy as an Act of Resistance Most Played New Independent Artist: Freya Ridings International Breakthrough: Jade Bird Innovator Award: Allen Kovac Best Independent Video: Hot Chip – "Hungry Child" Best Independent Track: Dave – "Funky Friday" (featuring Fredo) One to Watch: Georgia Best Independent Label: Partisan Records Pioneer Award: Johnny Marr Indie Champion: Charles Caldas

2020 awards winners UK Independent Breakthrough: Moses Boyd Best Creative Packaging: Digga D – Double Tap Diaries Best Small Label: Speedy Wunderground Best Independent Remix: Lafawndah – Tourist X Nídia Rework One to Watch: Arlo Parks Best Independent Video: The Howl & the Hum – "The Only Boy Racer Left on the Island" Best Difficult Second Album: FKA twigs – Magdalene International Breakthrough: Yaeji Best Independent Album: Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving Best Live Act: Five Finger Death Punch Best Independent Track: Flying Lotus – "More" (featuring Anderson Paak) Best Independent Label: Jazz re:freshed Outstanding Contribution to Music: Tony Allen Most Played New Independent Artist: Freya Ridings Pioneer Award: Little Simz Innovator Award: AJ Tracey Special Recognition Award: Vince Clarke Indie Champion: Helen Smith

2021 awards winners UK Independent Breakthrough: Arlo Parks International Breakthrough: Jayda G Best Independent Track: Enny – "Peng Black Girls" (featuring Amia Brave) Best Independent Album: Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams Best (Difficult) Second Album: Fontaines D.C. – A Hero's Death Best Independent Remix: Ela Minus – "megapunk" (Elkka Remix) One to Watch: Enny Best Creative Packaging: Working Men's Club – Working Men's Club Best Independent Video: Wesley Joseph – "Thrilla" Best Independent Label: Forever Living Originals Best Small Label: Strut Records Most Played New Independent Artist: Lauv Best Live (Streamed) Act: Ben Böhmer Pioneer Award: Tricky Innovator Award: Adrian Sherwood Outstanding Contribution to Music: Joan Armatrading Indie Champion: Love Record Stores Day and Bandcamp Diversity Champion: Paulette Long

2022

UK Independent Breakthrough	International Breakthrough
Wet Leg Children of Zeus Knucks Nova Twins Warmduscher	Blxst Amyl and the Sniffers KOKOROKO Mdou Moctar Mitski
Best Independent Track	Best Independent EP/Mixtape
"Antagonist" – Nova Twins "Broken Homes" – Wu-Lu "Chaise Longue" – Wet Leg "Jackie" – Yves Tumor "Protein" – Jeshi featuring Obongjayar "So U Kno" – Overmono "Starlight" – Dave "Tears in the Club" – FKA Twigs featuring The Weeknd "You Could Be" – ANZ featuring George Riley	Angelica – Taahliah At What Cost? – Surya Sen Caprisongs – FKA Twigs Still Slipping Vol. 1 – Joy Orbison Ultramarine – Wesley Joseph
Best Independent Album	Best [Difficult] Second Album
Mother – Cleo Sol Balance – Children of Zeus Gbagada Express – BOJ Knopperz – Dave Okumu Nine – Sault Painless – Nilüfer Yanya Unlearning – Walt Disco We're All Alone in This Together – Dave When Smoke Rises – Mustafa Yellow – Emma-Jean Thackray	Painless – Nilüfer Yanya Ants from Up There – Black Country, New Road Colourgrade – Tirzah Painful Enlightenment – Jana Rush Tread – Ross from Friends
One to Watch	Best Independent Remix
Nia Archives Barry Can't Swim Jeshi Léa Sen Taahliah	"Lavender & Red Roses (Champion Remix)" – Ibeyi featuring Jorja Smith "BDE (Florentino Remix)" – Shygirl featuring Kaydy Cain "Gazzillion Ear (Thom Yorke Man on Fire Remix)" – MF Doom "No Caroline Remix" – ATO; Remixed by Flohio "Polite (Mura Masa Remix)" – Erika de Casier
Best Creative Campaign	Best Independent Video
Maylee Todd – Maloo Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia Mitski – Laurel Hell Obongjayar – Some Nights I Dream of Doors Radiohead – Kid A Mnesia	"3210" – Jeshi "Cold Summer" – Wesley Joseph "Made of Gold" – Ibeyi featuring Pa Salieu "Softly" – Arlo Parks "Tears in the Club" – FKA Twigs featuring The Weeknd
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)	D.O.D Arlo Parks KC Lights Rathbone Place Wet Leg
Best Independent Label	Best Boutique Label
Rough Trade Records Domino Recording Company Ninja Tune Partisan Records Soundway Records	Local Action Chess Club Edition Records Finesse Foreva Rough Bones
Best Live Performer
Mitski Ben Böhmer The Hu Idles Shao Dow
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
Shygirl (Because Music) Ezra Collective (Partisan Records) I. Jordan (Ninja Tune) Overmono (XL Recordings) Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)	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
Wet Leg (Domino Records) AntsLive (Payday Records, Trademark Records) John Summit (Off the Grid Records) Surya Sen (Skint Records) Vibe Chemistry (DnB Allstars Records)	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
Rough Bones Chess Club Glasgow Underground Houndstooth So Young Records	Hospital Records Defected Records Forever Living Originals One Little Independent Transgressive
Best Independent Track	Best Independent Album
"Escapism" – Raye featuring 070 Shake (Human Re Sources) "Hurt You" – Connie Constance (Play It Again Sam) "Charge It" – ENNY (FAMM) "Three Drums" – Four Tet (Text Records) "Dream Another" – Makaya McCraven (XL Recordings) "Good Lies" – Overmono (XL Recordings) "Shlut" – Shygirl (Because Music) "Selfish Soul" – Sudan Archives (Stones Throw Records) "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" – Yeah Yeah Yeahs featuring Perfume Genius (Secretly Canadian) "Echolalia" – Yves Tumor (Warp Records)	God Save the Streets – Avelino (More Music Records / OddChild Music) Raven – Kelela (Warp Records) No Thank You – Little Simz (Forever Living Originals) Supernova – Nova Twins (Marshall Records) Some Nights I Dream of Doors – Obongjayar (September Recordings) Hideous Bastard – Oliver Sim (Young) My 21st Century Blues – Raye featuring 070 Shake (Human Re Sources) Hold the Girl – Rina Sawayama (Dirty Hit) Nymph – Shygirl (Because Music) Loggerhead – Wu-Lu (Warp Records)
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) "No Confusion" – Ezra Collective featuring Kojey Radical (Partisan Records) "Enough for Love" – Kelela (Warp Records) "I Wish It Was Me (Live)" – Obongjayar (September Recordings) "Escapism" – Raye featuring 070 Shake (Human Re Sources)
Best Independent Remix	Best Creative Campaign
"Butterfly Effect" (Nu:Tone remix) – GLXY featuring Hugh Hardie & Visionobi (Hospital Records) "Ovule" (Sega Bodega remix) – Björk featuring Shygirl (One Little Independent) "Cliche" (Soulwax remix) – Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul (Deewee / Because Music) "GMT" (Jamie xx remix) – Oliver Sim (Young) "Wolf" (Boys Noize remix) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Secretly Canadian)	Partisan Records ( Where I'm Meant to Be – Ezra Collective) Because Music ( Nymph – Shygirl) Dirty Hit ( Hold the Girl – Rina Sawayama) Human Re Sources ( My 21st Century Blues – Raye) Ninja Tune ( Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers) XL Recordings ( With a Hammer – Yaeji)
Best Live Performance	Diversity Champion
Björk	Dr. Charisse Beaumont
Independent Champion	Innovator Award
Resident Music Jaguar Bingham Cafe Oto	Dan Carey
Outstanding Contribution to Music
Stephen & David Dewaele - Soulwax / 2manydjs (Because Music / [PIAS)

References

1. "Featured Artists Coalition - Home". Featured Artists Coalition. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
2. "Interview: Paul Pacifico". WARM [World Airplay Radio Monitor]. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
3. "Association of Independent Music". www.aim.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
4. "Home". The Association of Independent Festivals. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
5. "AIM Independent Music Awards 2015 Winners: FKA Twigs, All Time Low, Flying Lotus & More". billboard.com. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
6. "Independent Music Awards Winners!". musicindie.com. 16 September 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
7. Parkel, Inga (26 September 2023). "AIM Awards 2023 winners in full, from Björk to Wet Leg". The Independent . Retrieved 5 October 2023.
8. "Shygirl, RAYE and Kelela Lead The AIM Awards Nominations". Clash . 19 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
9. "AIM Awards Announces 2023 Nominees". Notion . 21 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
10. Carter, Daisy (19 July 2023). "AIM AWARDS ANNOUNCE 2023 NOMINEES LIST, INCLUDING RAYE, LITTLE SIMZ AND EZRA COLLECTIVE". DIY . Retrieved 23 July 2023.
11. 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.