The AIM Independent Music Awards, hosted by the

Association of Independent Music The Association of Independent Music (AIM) is a non-profit trade body established in 1998 by UK independent record labels to represent the independent record sector, which in 2016 constituted approximately 23% of the UK market. Its members incl ...

(commonly abbreviated to AIM), began in 2011. It is established through a collection of

independent record labels An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represent ...

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 The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

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) and President of the International Artists Organisation (commonly abbreviated to IAO), a professor at

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

(Campus in

Valencia, Spain Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

) and also owns his own Independent music company. 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." 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.

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 Robert John Gorham (born 24 June 1973 in Portsmouth, Hampshire), known by the pseudonym Rob da Bank, is an English DJ and co-founder of music festivals Bestival, originally on the Isle of Wight and now moved to Lulworth, Dorset and Camp Bestiv ...

(who is also founder of annual music festival

bestival Bestival was a four-day music festival held in the south of England. It had been held annually in the late summer since 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. In 2017 the festival relocated to the Lulworth Estate in Dorset. The event was organ ...

'), and the director of

Ben Turner. The body currently represents approximately fifty member events.

2015 Awards winners

, - , rowspan=17 , 2015 , - , Erased Tape Records , , Best Small Label , , , - ,

Young Fathers Young Fathers are a Scottish band based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2014, they won the Mercury Prize for their album '' Dead''. History Formed in Edinburgh in 2008 by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham 'G' Hastings, the group st ...

-'White Men Are Black Too' , , Best Difficult Second Album , , , - , Cities of Darkscorch Boardgame , , Special Catalogue Release of the Year , , , - ,

Swans Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Someti ...

, , Hardest Working Band of Artist, , , - , Brainchild Festival , , Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival , , , - ,

Wolf Alice Wolf Alice are an English rock band from London, England. Formed in 2010 as an acoustic duo comprising singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie, Wolf Alice have also featured bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey since 2012. Wolf Ali ...

, , Independent Breakthrough of the Year , , , - , Marc Riley, BBC 6 Music , , Indie Champion , , , - , Flying Lotus-'Never Catch Me' , , Independent Video of the Year , , , - ,

All Time Low All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland, formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band to ...

, , 'Best Live Act , , , - , FKA twigs-'Two Weeks' , , Independent Track of the Year , , , - , Jungle , , PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act , , , - , Enter Shikari-'The Mindsweep' , , Independent Album of the Year , , , - ,

Transgressive Records Transgressive Records is an independent record label based in London, formed in 2004. Its founders, Tim Dellow and Toby L, first met at a Bloc Party gig organised by Toby's Rockfeedback website. The label's debut release was "1am" by the Subwa ...

, , Independent Label of the Year , , , - ,

Digby Pearson Digby Pearson (born 1962), also known as "Dig", is an English musician, producer and businessman. He is the founder of independent record label Earache Records. Biography Born and raised in Nottingham, he was introduced to extreme music whils ...

, , Pioneer Award , , , - , Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune , , Innovator Award , , , - , Skepta , , Outstanding Contribution to Music , , , -

2016 Awards winners

, - , rowspan=18 , 2016 , - , Numbers , , Best Small Label , , , - , Daughter, Not to Disappear , , Best Difficult Second Album , , , - , Slade, When Slade Rocked the World , , Special Catalogue Release of the Year , , , - ,

Darren Hayman Darren Hayman (born 1 December 1970) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the writer, lead singer, and guitarist in Hefner. Since Hefner disbanded in 2002, Hayman has embarked on a prolific solo career releasing t ...

, , Hardest Working Band/Artist , , , - , Brainchild Festival , , Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival , , , - ,

Christine and the Queens Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier (; born 1 June 1988), known professionally as Christine and the Queens and Redcar, or occasionally simply Chris, is a French singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Nantes, he started learning piano at the age o ...

, , Independent Breakthrough of the Year , , , - , Jon Tolley , , Indie Champion Award , , , - , Oscar-Sometimes , , Independent Video of the Year , , , - ,

Babymetal (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrume ...

, , Best Live Act , , , - ,

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...

-Hello , , Independent Track of the Year , , , - ,

Sigala Bruce Fielder, known professionally as Sigala, is a British DJ and music producer. He has had eight songs peak within the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, including his 2015 debut single " Easy Love", which samples " ABC" by the Jackson 5. C ...

, , PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act , , , - ,

Scott Gorham William Scott Gorham (born March 17, 1951) is an American guitarist and songwriter who is one of the "twin lead guitarists" for the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. Although not a founding member of Thin Lizzy, he served a continuous membership afte ...

, , Riff Lord Award , , , - ,

Stormzy Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. (born 26 July 1993), known professionally as Stormzy, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter. In 2014, he gained attention on the UK underground music scene through his ''Wicked Skengman'' series of f ...

, , Innovator Award , , , - ,

Little Simz Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo (born 23 February 1994), better known by her stage name Little Simz, is a British rapper, singer and actress. She rose to prominence with the independent release of her first three albums; ''A Curious Tale ...

-A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons , , Independent Album of the Year , , , - , Epitaph/ANTI , , Independent Label of the Year , , , - , Roisin Murphy , , Outstanding Contribution to Music , , , - , Richard Russell, XL Recordings , , Pioneer Award , , , -

2017 awards winners

*Pioneer Award: Steve Beckett (

Warp Records Warp Records (or simply Warp) is a British independent record label founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store employees Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell and record producer Robert Gordon.Southern, Richard (2003) "Label of Love: WARP", X-RAY, ...

) *Outstanding Contribution to Music:

The Dillinger Escape Plan The Dillinger Escape Plan was an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of odd time si ...

*Innovator Award:

Boy Better Know Boy Better Know, often abbreviated as BBK, is a British grime collective and record label. The collective was founded in North London in 2005 as an independent record label by brothers Jamie and Joseph Adenuga, better known as Jme, and Skepta. ...

*Independent Label of the Year:

Because Music Because Music is an independent record label with headquarters in Paris and London. Because Music SAS is the main label, with Because Music Ltd handling the British artist roster. Because Music was founded in 2005 by former president of Virgin ...

*Independent Album of the Year:

– '' Gang Signs & Prayer'' *Most Played New Independent Act:

*Independent Video of the Year:

DJ Shadow Joshua Paul Davis (born June 29, 1972), better known by his stage name DJ Shadow, is an American DJ, songwriter and record producer. His debut studio album, '' Endtroducing.....'' was released in 1996. Biography Early years (1989–1995) DJ Sha ...

– "

Nobody Speak "Nobody Speak" is a song by American hip hop producer DJ Shadow, featuring rap verses from American rap duo Run the Jewels. The song was first a part of Run the Jewels' Record Store Day release, which was a virtual reality cardboard viewer that ...

" (featuring Run the Jewels) *Independent Track of the Year:

The xx The xx are an English indie rock band from Wandsworth, London, formed in 2005. The band consists of Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass guitar, vocals), Jamie Smith, also known as Jamie xx (beats, MPC, record production), an ...

– " On Hold" *Indie Champion Award: Katie Riding and Joe Daniel (

Independent Label Market The Independent Label Market is an open market founded by Joe Daniel and Katie Riding that provides a venue for the proprietors of over 160 independent record labels to sell their products to the public. The market also provides an opportunity for ...

) *Best Independent Festival: Lost Evenings *Best Difficult Second Album: Jlin – ''

Black Origami ''Black Origami'' is the second album by American producer Jlin, first issued for streaming on May 11, 2017 and on other formats by Planet Mu on May 19, 2017. Produced in a year from 2015 to 2016, it features collaborations with William Basinski, ...

'' *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 Planet Mu is an eclectic English electronic music record label created and run by Mike Paradinas. The label started out as a subsidiary of Virgin Records then Paradinas set up the label independent of Virgin. After releasing intelligent dance ...

2018 awards winners

*Independent Album of the Year:

Nadine Shah Nadine Petra Katarina Shah (born 16 January 1986) is a British singer, songwriter and musician. Background Shah was born in Whitburn, South Tyneside, to an English mother from South Shields of part Norwegian ancestry and a Pakistani father. S ...

– ''

Holiday Destination ''Holiday Destination'' is the third studio album by English musician Nadine Shah. It was released in August 2017 under 1965 Records. The album was produced by Ben Hillier. The album was nominated for a Mercury Prize The Mercury Prize, fo ...

'' *Independent Track of the Year:

Peggy Gou Peggy Gou is a South Korean DJ and record producer based in Germany. She has released seven EPs on record labels including Ninja Tune and Phonica. In 2019, she launched her own independent record label, Gudu Records, and released a DJ-Kicks ...

– "It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)" *Best Sophomore Release:

Let's Eat Grandma Let's Eat Grandma are a British pop group formed in 2013 by musicians Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth. They released their debut studio album '' I, Gemini'' in 2016 through Transgressive Records. Their second studio album, '' I'm All Ears'', ...

– '' I'm All Ears'' *UK Breakthrough of the Year:

Jorja Smith Jorja Alice Smith (born 11 June 1997) is an English singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Walsall, West Midlands, she has been writing songs since the age of 11. In 2012, Smith's friend uploaded her cover of Labrinth's "Earthquake" to YouTube, ...

*International Breakthrough of the Year:

Phoebe Bridgers Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, ''Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and '' Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical acclai ...

*Best Live Act:

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

*Hardest Working Group or Artist: Idles *Outstanding Contribution to Music:

Tracey Thorn Tracey Anne Thorn (born 26 September 1962) is a British singer. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl from 1982 to 1999. She was a member of the band Marine Girls between 1980 and 1983 and since 2007 has bee ...

*Pioneer Award:

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in t ...

*Innovator Award: Sophie *Best Creative Packaging:

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...

– ''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 Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

*Independent Video of the Year: Novo Amor – "Birthplace" (Directors: Sil van der Woerd and Jorik Dozy)

2019 awards winners

*Best Live Act:

Gerry Cinnamon Gerard Crosbie (born 1 October 1984), professionally known as Gerry Cinnamon, is a Scottish singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist. He sings in his local accent The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

– ''Confessin' the Blues'' *UK Independent Breakthrough: Idles *Outstanding Contribution to Music: Debbie Harry *Best Independent Album:

– ''

Psychodrama Psychodrama is an action method, often used as a psychotherapy, in which clients use spontaneous dramatization, role playing, and dramatic self-presentation to investigate and gain insight into their lives. Developed by Jacob L. Moreno and h ...

'' *Best Difficult Second Album: Idles – ''

Joy as an Act of Resistance ''Joy as an Act of Resistance'' is the second studio album by British Rock music, rock band Idles, released on 31 August 2018 by Partisan Records. Following the success of their debut album ''Brutalism (Idles album), Brutalism'', the band started ...

'' *Most Played New Independent Artist:

Freya Ridings Freya Ridings (born 19 April 1994) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Ridings rose to prominence in 2017 with her ballad, " Lost Without You", which became a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart. She followed this with ...

*International Breakthrough:

Jade Bird Jade Elizabeth Bird (born 1 October 1997) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Bird's music has been influenced by many folk and Americana artists. The media, when describing Bird's music, have drawn comparisons with pop, Americana, ...

*Innovator Award: Allen Kovac *Best Independent Video: Hot Chip – " Hungry Child" *Best Independent Track:

– " Funky Friday" (featuring

Fredo Fredo is a masculine given name, and diminutive of Alfredo or Federico, which may refer to: People * Getúlio Fredo (born 1954), Brazilian football manager * Fredo Santana (1990–2018), stage name of American rapper Derrick Coleman (born 1990) * ...

) *One to Watch:

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

*Best Independent Label:

Partisan Records Partisan Records is an independent record label with offices in London and Los Angeles, as well as in New York City, where the company was co-founded in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler. The label, initially run out of Putnam’s South Brooklyn ...

*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 Daniel De Mussenden Carey (born 24 December 1969) is an English record producer, songwriter, mixer and remixer. He owns his own studio in South London and runs the record label Speedy Wunderground. In 2014, Carey received two Mercury Prize no ...

*Best Independent Remix: Lafawndah –

Tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

X Nídia Rework *One to Watch:

Arlo Parks Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho (born 9 August 2000), known professionally as Arlo Parks, is a British singer and songwriter. Her debut studio album, ''Collapsed in Sunbeams'', was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number thr ...

*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 Kathy Yaeji Lee (;, born August 6, 1993), known professionally as Yaeji, is an American singer, DJ, and producer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her style blends elements of house music and hip hop with mellow, quiet vocals sung in both English and ...

*Best Independent Album:

Sarathy Korwar Sarathy Korwar is a US-born, Indian-raised, London-based drummer, percussionist, composer and bandleader. He works predominantly in a jazz and Indo jazz field but also incorporates elements of hip-hop, and other fusions. Background Born in th ...

– '' More Arriving'' *Best Live Act:

Five Finger Death Punch Five Finger Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2005. The band originally consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Ivan Moody, rhythm guitarist Zoltan Bathory, lead g ...

*Best Independent Track: Flying Lotus – "More" (featuring

Anderson Paak Brandon Paak Anderson (born February 8, 1986), better known by his stage name Anderson .Paak (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and drummer. He released his debut mixtape, ''O.B.E. Vol. 1,'' in 2012 and went on to rel ...

) *Best Independent Label: Jazz re:freshed *Outstanding Contribution to Music: Tony Allen *Most Played New Independent Artist:

*Pioneer Award:

*Innovator Award:

AJ Tracey Ché Wolton Grant (born 4 March 1994), known professionally as AJ Tracey, is a British rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is from Ladbroke Grove, West London. Tracey rose to popularity in 2016 and was listed by ''The Guardian'' i ...

*Special Recognition Award:

Vince Clarke Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously ...

*Indie Champion: Helen Smith

2021 awards winners

*UK Independent Breakthrough:

*International Breakthrough:

Jayda G Jayda Guy, known professionally as Jayda G, is a Canadian house music producer and DJ. She was nominated at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in the best electronic dance recording category for her song "Both of Us", and later remixed Dua Lipa's "C ...

*Best Independent Track: Enny – "Peng Black Girls" (featuring Amia Brave) *Best Independent Album:

– ''

Collapsed in Sunbeams ''Collapsed in Sunbeams'' is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, released via Transgressive Records on 29 January 2021. The album received widespread acclaim, with many music critics praising Parks' versatility and vu ...

'' *Best (Difficult) Second Album:

Fontaines D.C. Fontaines D.C. are an Irish post-punk band formed in Dublin in 2017. The band consists of Grian Chatten (vocals), Carlos O'Connell (guitar), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), and Tom Coll (drums). After meeting while attending mu ...

– ''

A Hero's Death ''A Hero's Death'' is the second studio album by Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. The album was released on 31 July 2020 through Partisan Records, less than 18 months after the release of their debut album ''Dogrel''. The album received critic ...

'' *Best Independent Remix: Ela Minus – "megapunk" (Elkka Remix) *One to Watch: Enny *Best Creative Packaging: Working Men's Club – ''Working Men's Club (album), 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 (musician), Tricky *Innovator Award: Adrian Sherwood *Outstanding Contribution to Music: Joan Armatrading *Indie Champion: Love Record Stores Day and Bandcamp *Diversity Champion: Paulette Long

References

{{reflist British music awards