In its first-ever virtual ceremony, the tenth AIM Independent Music Awards demonstrated that independent music is as vibrant and resilient as ever. Featuring performances from some of the scene’s leading talents, the show was a testament to the rich diversity and creativity that saw the sector shine in 2020.
Grammy-nominated producer Flying Lotus won Best Independent Track in association with Facebook for his dream-like collaboration with Anderson Paak ‘More’ from the epic 27-track album Flamagra.
Best Independent Album in association with Spotify went to jazz and Indo jazz drummer and composer Sarathy Korwar for his groundbreaking second studio album, More Arriving, exploring the reality of being Indian in a divided Britain. Meanwhile, FKA twigs was awarded Best [Difficult] Second Album in association with Proper Music, for her ambitious, panoramic second full-length LP MAGDALENE, which was met with widespread critical acclaim and featured in 2019 best album lists by The Guardian, The Independent, Billboard, NME, Pitchfork and more.
Upon winning the award FKA twigs said “MAGDALENE’s so precious to me, so it really means the world. Being an independent artist means every vision is my own and I get to express that, and my label releases without question or judgement. So thank you Young Turks, and thank you again this means everything”.
Jazz prodigy and Mercury Prize nominee Moses Boyd took home UK Independent Breakthrough in association with YouTube Music, in recognition of his status as a breakout star of the London jazz scene, while Korean-American electronic artist Yaeji, who blends sounds from house and hip hop, received International Breakthrough in association with Deezer. Having dominated the airwaves, Freya Ridings bagged the PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist.
Alongside a surprise performance and the world-first live performance of their new track ‘Nerves of Steel’, Erasure’s Vince Clarke was named as the first recipient of the Special Recognition Award for his work as part of Erasure, Depeche Mode and Yazoo and pioneering role in the field of synth-pop, having worked closely with the famed label Mute for over 40 years.
Koleoso curated a special medley as a further tribute, featuring UK jazz scene’s leading lights Nubya Garcia, Mutale Chashi, Tobi Adenaike, Elias Atkinson, Richie Seivwright, Deschanel Gordon, Junior Alli, alongside Koleoso. Allen’s brother Ignatius Allen picked up the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award in association with Merlin on behalf of Allen who received the award posthumously.
Little Simz and AJ Tracey gave compelling live performances, after picking up the Pioneer Award in association with Evoke Studios and Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music, respectively. Leading the way for virtual awards, these performances took place in a state-of-the-art extended reality studio, immersing performers in a unique, interactive environment brought to life by the addition of 3D graphics.
Little Simz said “I remember winning Best Independent Album in the year 2016 with A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons. To now be here, 2020, picking up the Pioneer Award is insane. My journey has definitely been the stairs and not the escalators but it’s been so worth it […] The hardest thing you’ll ever do as an independent artist is to remain independent but the rewards are so great and yeah I think the best thing to do is to stay on it, surround yourself with people that believe in you and believe in your journey, and you’ll get there”.
AIM Independent Music Awards Winners & Nominees:
In order of presentation:
UK INDEPENDENT BREAKTHROUGH IN ASSOCIATION WITH YOUTUBE MUSIC:
GEORGIA
DIGGA D
FONTAINES D.C.
KOKOROKO
MOSES BOYD (WINNER)
BEST CREATIVE PACKAGING IN ASSOCIATION WITH SIGNATURE BREW:
DIGGA D – DOUBLE TAP DIARIES (WINNER)
HANIA RANI – ‘ESJA’ SHEET MUSIC BOOK
MOTÖRHEAD – 1979
SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES NON-STOP REMIX ALBUM
MOSES BOYD – DARK MATTER LP (DINKED EDITION)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH FUGA:
VINCE CLARKE (WINNER)
INDIE CHAMPION IN ASSOCIATION WITH MCPS:
HELEN SMITH (WINNER)
BEST SMALL LABEL IN ASSOCIATION WITH KEY PRODUCTION:
BEDROOM INDIE
EDITION RECORDS
FEMME CULTURE
HOUNDSTOOTH
SPEEDY WUNDERGROUND (WINNER)
BEST INDEPENDENT REMIX IN ASSOCIATION WITH DESIGNSCENE:
LAFAWNDAH – TOURIST X NÍDIA REWORK (WINNER)
KING OF THE ROLLERS – YOU GOT ME (S.P.Y. REMIX)
MAKAYA MCCRAVEN – GIL SCOTT-HERON – WE’RE NEW AGAIN
APPARAT – OUTLIER (SOLOMUN REMIX)
MARIE DAVIDSON – WORK IT(SOULWAX REMIX)
ONE TO WATCH IN ASSOCIATION WITH BBC MUSIC INTRODUCING:
ARLO PARKS (WINNER)
BLANCO WHITE
CAROLINE
GREENTEA PENG
LAVIDA LOCA
BEST INDEPENDENT VIDEO IN ASSOCIATION WITH VEVO:
BLACK PUMAS – COLORS
BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB – EAT, SLEEP, WAKE (NOTHING BUT YOU)
FLYING LOTUS – BLACK BALLOONS REPRISE (FT. DENZEL CURRY)
GREENTEA PENG – MR. SUN (MISS DA SUN)
THE HOWL & THE HUM – THE ONLY BOY RACER LEFT ON THE ISLAND (WINNER)
ZEBRA KATZ – MOOR
INNOVATOR AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMAZON MUSIC:
AJ TRACEY (WINNER)
BEST [DIFFICULT] SECOND ALBUM IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROPER MUSIC:
FLOATING POINTS – CRUSH
FKA TWIGS – MAGDALENE (WINNER)
JOE ARMON JONES – TURN TO CLEAR VIEW
LIFE – A PICTURE OF GOOD HEALTH
MOSES SUMNEY – GRÆ
INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH IN ASSOCIATION WITH DEEZER:
BICEP
FLOATING POINTS
HANIA RANI
IDLES
YAEJI (WINNER)
PIONEER AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH EVOKE STUDIOS:
LITTLE SIMZ (WINNER)
PPL AWARD FOR MOST PLAYED NEW INDEPENDENT ARTIST:
FREYA RIDINGS (WINNER)
FONTAINES D.C.
JAYKAE
JADE BIRD
NSG
BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM IN ASSOCIATION WITH SPOTIFY:
BROOKE BENTHAM – EVERYDAY NOTHING
EVERYTHING IS RECORDED – FRIDAY FOREVER
KIDJO OJUA – THE MIXTAPE
KIM GORDON – NO HOME RECORD
LAURA MARLING – SONG FOR OUR DAUGHTER
MOSES BOYD – DARK MATTER
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – GHOSTEEN
THE NINTH WAVE – INFANCY
PHOENIX DA ICEFIRE & HUSKY BROWN – PANACEA
SARATHY KORWAR – MORE ARRIVING (WINNER)
BEST LIVE ACT IN ASSOCIATION WITH CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY:
AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH (WINNER)
RED RUM CLUB
THE REYTONS
THE DARKNESS
BEST INDEPENDENT TRACK IN ASSOCIATION WITH FACEBOOK:
AJ TRACEY – DINNER GUEST (FT. MOSTACK)
DIGGA D – NO DIET
FLYING LOTUS – MORE (FT. ANDERSON .PAAK) (WINNER)
KING KRULE – ALONE, OMEN 3
LAUV – MODERN LONELINESS
SORRY – RIGHT ROUND THE CLOCK
SQUID – SLUDGE
SUDAN ARCHIVES – CONFESSIONS
TONY ALLEN & HUGH MASEKELA – WE’VE LANDED
YVES TUMOR – GOSPEL FOR A NEW CENTURY
BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL IN ASSOCIATION WITH [PIAS]:
BROWNSWOOD RECORDINGS
GOOD SOLDIER
JAZZ RE:REFRESHED (WINNER)
STONES THROW
YOUNG TURKS
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC IN ASSOCIATION WITH MERLIN:
TONY ALLEN (WINNER)
