Industry news & advice blog

The Association of Independent Music will be accepting entries for this year’s Awards from 5th May.  With submissions accepted from both members and non-members, the 5th annual AIM Independent Music Awards will once again celebrate a hugely successful year for the sector and a typically diverse range of nominated artists and labels. 

 

Application forms can be downloaded from the link below. The deadline for entries is May 29th.

 

Last years winners included big hitters London Grammar, Hyperdub Records and Arctic Monkeys, who picked up Independent Album of The Year for their fifth studio album released on Independent Label of the Year Domino. While Ghetts won Hardest Working Artist and hands on DIY duo Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip won Best Independent Video.  Elsewhere, The Quietus Editor John Doran took home the Indie Champion prize while the revered Pioneer Award went to Martin Mills, founder and chairman of The Beggars Group.

Tickets are on-sale for the 2015 Awards, which will be held at The Brewery in Clerkenwell on September 8th.  Leading the presentation of 16 awards, XFM’s long term champion of new music John Kennedy will host the event alongside Radio 1‘s Alice Levine. Tickets are available from the link below.

 

In addition, this summer esteemed members of the AIM Awards judging panel will be curating a series of gigs throughout London in the build up to the event, showcasing the exceptional talent the independent sector has to offer. 

 

Now in its fifth year the Awards move from strength to strength. Shining a spotlight on the abundant success stories of 2015, the media partners and leading sponsors joining forces to deliver this year’s event include Disc Manufacturing Services, XFM, Amazon Music, DIY, CI, Vevo, Jack Daniel’s, Songkick, Spotify, Believe Digital, The Orchard, Music Week and AIF. 

 

Categories open for entry:

 

Independent Track of the Year (in association with Spotify) - for the year's best independently released track

 

Independent Video of the Year (in association with Vevo) - For the best music video from an act signed to an independent label

 

Best Live Act (in association with Jack Daniel's, voted for by visitors to Songkick) - For the best live act signed to an independent label

 

Independent Album of the Year - For the year's best independently released album

 

Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival (voted for by readers of DIY) - Recognising the UK's best independent festival

 

Independent Breakthrough of the Year - For an artist that made serious waves in 2014

 

Best 'Difficult' Second Album (in association with XFM) - The independent album that has built on the success and brilliance of a debut release

 

Special Catalogue Release of the Year (in association with Amazon Music) - For a catalogue release that offers something special

 

Best Small Label (in association with Disc Manufacturing Services) - They're not big (yet) but they are clever!

 

Hardest Working Band or Artist - For a band or artist that demonstrates an admirable work ethic