The Linda Lindas Earn Two Libera Awards Nominations from American Association of Independent Music, Inc.

The Linda Lindas are feeling Libera-ated

A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.) has announced the nominees for the 2023 Libera Awards, with the all-girl rock band earning two nods.

The Linda LindasThe Linda Lindas, comprised of Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong, Lucia de la Garza and Mila de la Garza, is nominated for Breakthrough Artist.

In addition, the band is up for Best Punk Record for their album Growing Up.

Calexico is nominated for Best American Roots Record for the band’s latest album El Mirador.

Rodrigo y Gabriela (Weird Fishes/Arpeggi) and Los Bitchos (Let the Festivities Begin!) are nominated in the Best Global Record category for.

Adrian Quesada’s band The Black Pumas are nominated for Best Live/Livestream Act.

The Best Latin Record nominees include Adrian Quesada (Boleros Psicodélicos),
Combo Chimbita (IRE), Eliane Elias (Quietude), Flora Purim (If You Will), Helado Negro (Ya No Astoy Aquí), Sessa (Estrela Acesa) and Silvana Estrada (Marchita).

The Libera Awards will take place at the historic Town Hall in New York City on June 15. The A2IM is a not-for-profit trade association that represents independent music recording owners and advocates for music owners on a policy level to ensure fair compensation for their work.

“Huge congratulations to all our talented and accomplished nominees for the 12th annual A2IM Libera Awards,” Dr. Richard James Burgess, president and CEO of A2IM, said in a press statement. “The A2IM Libera Awards is the world’s largest award show for the diverse universe of independent music and this year’s event will be the biggest and best to date.”

Here’s the full list of nominations below:

Record of the Year

Alvvays – Blue Rev (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork (4AD)
Plains – I Walked With You A Ways (ANTI-)
Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems (Epitaph)
The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention (XL Recordings)
Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)

Label of the Year (5 or fewer employees)

Don Giovanni Records
Fire Talk
Innovative Leisure
Oh Boy Records
Topshelf Records

Label of the Year (6-14 employees)

Captured Tracks
City Slang
Daptone Records
Glassnote Records
Saddle Creek
Yep Roc Records

Label of the Year (15 or more employees)

ATO Records
Hopeless Records
Merge Records
New West Records
Ninja Tune
Partisan Records
Sub Pop Records
Third Man Records
Warp Records

A2IM Humanitarian Award

Allison Russell
Björk
Hopeless Records
Killer Mike
Margo Price
Tegan and Sara

Independent Champion

Aaron Axelsen
Bandcamp
FUGA
Redeye
Secretly Distribution
TuneCore

Video of the Year presented by YouTube Music

Amanda Shires – Hawk For The Dove (ATO Records)
Fontaines D.C. – Jackie Down The Line (Partisan Records)
JayWood – Thank You (Captured Tracks)
NoSo – Parasites (Partisan Records)
Wet Leg – Ur Mum (Domino Recording Co.)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Spitting Off the Edge of the World (Secretly Canadian)

Breakthrough Artist/Release

Allison Russell (Fantasy Records)
Charlotte Sands (CS Records/Lakeside)
Soul Glo (Epitaph)
Sudan Archives (Stones Throw Records)
The Linda Lindas (Epitaph)

Best Alternative Rock Record

Alvvays – Blue Rev (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork (4AD)
Mitski – Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
Nilüfer Yanya – Painless (ATO Records)
Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)

Best American Roots Record

49 Winchester – Fortune Favors the Bold (New West Records)
Angel Olsen – Big Time (Jagjaguwar)
Calexico – El Mirador (ANTI-)
Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco (Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers)
Kevin Morby – This Is A Photograph (Dead Oceans)
Nikki Lane – Denim & Diamonds (New West Records)

Best Blues Record

Ben Harper – Bloodline Maintenance (Chrysalis)
Delbert McClinton – Outdated Emotion (Hot Shot Records/Thirty Tigers)
North Mississippi Allstars – Set Sail (New West Records)
Shemekia Copeland – Done Come Too Far (Alligator Records)
G. Love – Philadelphia Mississippi (Philadelphonic Records/Thirty Tigers)
John Mayall – The Sun Is Shining Down (Forty Below Records)

Best Classical Record

Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Pigments (Merge Records)
Deru – We Will Live On (Friends of Friends)
doeke – memorie (Nettwerk Music Group)
James Heather – Invisible Forces (Ahead Of Our Time)
Jonas Colstrup – At the Crest (!7K Records)
Sean Shibe – Lost & Found (Pentatone)

Best Country Record

Colter Wall – Cypress Hills and the Big Country (La Honda Records/Thirty Tigers)
Dolly Parton – Run, Rose, Run (Butterfly Records)
Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue (New West Records)
Lavender Country – Blackberry Rose (Don Giovanni Records)
Margo Price – Change of Heart (Loma Vista Recordings)
Plains – I Walked With You A Ways (ANTI-)
Steve Earle and The Dukes – JERRY JEFF (New West Records)

Best Dance Record

Bicep – Water (Ninja Tune)
Jungle – GOOD TIMES / PROBLEMZ (AWAL)
Kelela – Happy Ending (Warp Records)
Logic1000 – Can’t Stop Thinking About (Therapy/Because Music)
Romy feat. Fred Again… – Strong (Young)
Theo Parrish – DJ-Kicks (!K7 Records)

Best Electronic Record presented by Ingrooves

Bonobo – Fragments (Ninja Tune)
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer (DEEWEE/Because Music)
Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B (Rough Trade Records)
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – Let’s Turn It Into Sound (Ghostly International)
ODESZA – The Last Goodbye (Ninja Tune/Foreign Family Collective)
Shygirl – Nymph (Because Music)
Sylvan Esso – No Rules Sandy (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Folk Record

Aoife O’Donovan – Age of Apathy (Yep Roc Records)
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (4AD)
Christian Lee Hutson – Quitters (ANTI-)
Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
Skullcrusher – Quiet The Room (Secretly Canadian)

Best Global Record presented by Redeye Worldwide

Dungen – En Är För Mycket och Tusen Aldrig Nog (Mexican Summer)
Ibibio Sound Machine – Electricity (Merge Records)
Los Bitchos – Let the Festivities Begin! (City Slang)
Mdou Moctar – Afrique Refait (Matador Records)
Rodrigo y Gabriela – Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (ATO Records)
Tinariwen – Kel Tinariwen (Wedge)
Vieux Farka Touré et Khruangbin – Ali (Dead Oceans)

Best Heavy Record

Bad Omens – The Death of Peace of Mind (Sumerian Records)
Beartooth – Riptide (Red Bull Records)
black midi – Hellfire (Rough Trade Records)
Russian Circles – Gnosis (Sargent House)
Show Me The Body – Trouble The Water (Loma Vista Recordings)
Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems (Epitaph)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record presented by Virgin Music

Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes (BMG)
Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyez See My Future (Loma Vista Recordings)
Kenny Beats – LOUIE (XL Recordings)
Run The Jewels – RTJ CU4TRO (BMG)
Saba – Few Good Things (Pivot Gang LLC)
Sampa The Great – As Above, So Below (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Jazz Record

Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be (Partisan Records)
Kamasi Washington – The Garden Path (Young)
Leland Whitty – Anyhow (Innovative Leisure)
Sun Ra Arkestra – Living Sky (Omni Sound)
Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton, Matthew Stevens – new STANDARDS Vol. 1 (Candid Records)

Best Latin Record

Adrian Quesada – Boleros Psicodélicos (ATO Records)
Combo Chimbita – IRE (ANTI-)
Eliane Elias – Quietude (Candid Records)
Flora Purim – If You Will (STRUT Records)
Helado Negro – Ya No Astoy Aquí (4AD)
Sessa – Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
Silvana Estrada – Marchita (Glassnote Records)

Best Live/Livestream Act

Bartees Strange – Live at the Getty (4AD)
Black Pumas – Colors Live at Abbey Road Studios (ATO Records)
IDLES – Live on ‘From The Basement’ (Partisan Records)
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard at Red Rocks (KGLW)
Low – Live (Sub Pop Records)
Phoebe Bridgers – Glastonbury 2022 (Dead Oceans)
Wet Leg – US 2022 tour (Domino Recording Co.)

Best Outlier Record

Animal Collective – Time Skiffs (Domino Recording Co.)
Matisyahu – Matisyahu (Fallen Sparks Records/Thirty Tigers)
Moor Mother – Jazz Codes (ANTI-)
Nick Hakim – COMETA (ATO Records)
NNAMDÏ – Please Have A Seat (Secretly Canadian/Sooper Records)
yeule – Glitch Princess (Bayonet Records)

Best Pop Record

Björk – Fossora (One Little Independent/MRI)
Let’s Eat Grandma – Two Ribbons (Transgressive Records)
Lucius – Second Nature (Mom + Pop Music)
MUNA – MUNA (Saddest Factory Records)
NoSo – Stay Proud of Me (Partisan Records)
Rina Sawayama – Hold The Girl (Dirty Hit)
Tegan and Sara – Crybaby (Mom + Pop Music)

Best Punk Record

Big Joanie – Back Home (Kill Rock Stars)
Special Interest – Endure (Rough Trade Records)
The Linda Lindas – Growing Up (Epitaph)
The Wonder Years – The Hum Goes On Forever (Hopeless Records)
Wu-Lu – LOGGERHEAD (Warp Records)

Best R&B Record

Bettye LaVette – Let Me Down Easy: Bettye LaVette In Memphis Sun Records 70th / Remastered 2022 (Sun Label Group, LLC)
Khruangbin & Leon Bridges – Texas Moon (Dead Oceans)
Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stones Throw Records)
Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls (Daptone Records)
Yaya Bey – Remember Your North Star (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)

Best Re-Issue

Bon Iver – Bon Iver, 10th Anniversary Edition (Jagjaguwar)
Fela Kuti – Fela with Ginger Baker Live! (Partisan Records)
Karen Dalton – In My Own Time, 50th Anniversary Edition (Light In The Attic Records)
Lou Reed – Words & Music, May 1965, Deluxe Edition (Light In The Attic Records)
Nancy Sinatra – Nancy & Lee (Light In The Attic Records)
Neko Case – Wild Creatures (ANTI-)
Ray Charles – A Message From The People (Tangerine Records)

Best Remix

ACRAZE + Tiësto – Do It To It (Tiësto Mix) (Thrive Music)
Bartees Strange – Wretched (keiyaA Remix) (4AD)
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Cliché (Soulwax Remix) (DEEWEE/Because Music)
Clipping – Nothing Is Safe (remx) (Sub Pop Records)
Hiatus Kaiyote – Get Sun (Georgia Anne Muldrow Remix) (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune)
Nilüfer Yanya – Midnight Sun (Sampha remix) (ATO Records)
Wet Leg – Too Late Now (Soulwax Remix) (Domino Recording Co.)

Best Rock Record

Built to Spill – When The Wind Forgets Your Name (Sub Pop Records)
Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia (Partisan Records)
Jack White – Fear of the Dawn (Third Man Records)
Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever (Loma Vista Recordings)
Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa (Matador Records)

Best Short-Form Video

Belle And Sebastian – Scooter (Matador Records)
Black Midi – Hellfire TikTok promotion (Rough Trade Records)
Boy Harsher – The Runner (City Slang)
Cigarettes After Sex – Pistol (Partisan Records)
Kenny Beats – LOUIE 001 Instagram vignette series (XL Recordings)
Toro y Moi – MAHAL TikTok series (Dead Oceans)

Best Singer-Songwriter Record

Aldous Harding – Warm Chris (4AD)
Allison Russell Feat. Brandi Carlile – You’re Not Alone (Fantasy Records)
Beth Orton – Weather Alive (Partisan Records)
MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs (Dear Life Records)
Weyes Blood – And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop Records)

Best Soul/Funk Record

Lee Fields – Sentimental Fool (Daptone Records)
Ray Charles – Live In Stockholm 1972 (Tangerine Records)
SERATONES – Love & Algorhythms (New West Records)
St. Paul & The Broken Bones – The Alien Coast (ATO Records)
Swamp Dogg – I Need A Job…So I Can Buy More Auto-Tune (Don Giovanni)

Best Spiritual Record

Brent Cobb – And Now, Let’s Turn to Page… (Ol’ Buddy Records/Thirty Tigers)
Israel & New Breed – Worship Anywhere: Live from Camp NewBreed (District 11 Entertainment)
Lecrae – Church Clothes 4 (Reach Records)
Montell Fish – JAMIE (Lord’s Child)
The Harlem Gospel Travelers – Look Up! (Colemine Records)

Self-Released Record of the Year

Echosmith – Cool Kids (our version) (Echosmith)
Jessie Baylin – Jersey Girl (Missing Piece Record/The Orchard)
Rita Wilson – Rita Wilson Now & Forever: Duets (Sing it Loud)
Sarah Davachi – Two Sisters (Late Music)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – When the Lights Go (Nice Age)

Best Sync Usage

Angel Olsen – Go Home, Empire of Light Trailer (Jagjaguwar)
Fela Kuti – Water No Get Enemy, Airbnb (Partisan Records)
Lawrence – Don’t Lose Sight, Microsoft (Beautiful Mind / Lakeside)
Sinéad O’Connor – Drink Before the War, Euphoria (Chrysalis Records)
Stereolab – A Flower Called Nowhere, Atlanta (Warp Records)

Creative Packaging

Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There, Deluxe (Ninja Tune)
Jack White – 2022 Collectors’ Set (Third Man Records)
Lou Reed – Words & Music, May 1965, Deluxe Edition (Light In The Attic Records)
Mitski – Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
My Morning Jacket – Circuital, Deluxe Edition (ATO Records)
Sleep – Dopesmoker, Weedian High-Fi Edition (Third Man Records)

Marketing Genius

Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia (Partisan Records)
Ghost – IMPERA (Loma Vista Recordings)
Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stones Throw Records)
Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down (Secretly Canadian)

Madi Diaz Wins A2IM Libera Award for Best Americana Record

Madi Diaz is feeling Libera-rated

The 2022 A2IM Libera Awards have been doled out, with the 36-year-old half-Peruvian American singer-songwriter and musician among the winners.

Madi DiazDiaz received the award for Best Americana Record for her acclaimed album History of a Feeling.

The Best Latin Record award went to Helado Negro.

The Ecuadorian American musician, whose real name is Roberto Carlos Lange, won the award for his album Far In.

Mexican & Asian rock group The Linda Lindas won the award for Best Punk Record for their viral hit single “Racist, Sexist Boy” (Live at LA Public).

U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA) received the Congressional Independent Music Guardian award for her continued support of indie music.

The awards were presented at Webster Hall in New York City on Thursday, June 16, and also, in a different format, online on A2IM’s official YouTube channel.

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) sponsors the Libera Awards. A2IM is a not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that works to support the independent recorded music sector. Membership includes nearly 700 independently-owned American music labels.

Here’s the full list winners from the 2022 A2IM Libera Awards:

Record of the year: Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Self-released record of the year: Cautious Clay – Deadpan Love (Cautious Clay)
Video of the year: Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” (Domino Recording Co.)
Label of the year (big) (tie): mom+pop music; Matador Records
Label of the year (medium): Sacred Bones Records
Label of the year (small): Oh Boy Records
A2IM humanitarian award: Common
Best alternative rock record: Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Best Americana record: Madi Diaz – History of a Feeling (ANTI-)
Best blues record (tie): Cedric Burnside – I Be Trying (Single Lock Records); Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator Records)
Best classical record: Bryce Dessner, Australian String Quartet, Sydney Dance Company – Impermanence/Disintegration (37d03d)
Best country record: Sturgill Simpson – The Ballad of Dood & Juanita (High Top Mountain Records / Thirty Tigers)
Best dance record: Jungle – Loving In Stereo (AWAL)
Best electronic record: 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – Before I Die (Ninja Tune)
Best folk/bluegrass record (tie): Hand Habits – Fun House (Saddle Creek); Jose Gonzalez – Local Valley (Mute)
Best heavy record: Deafheaven – Infinite Granite (Sargent House)
Best hip-hop/rap record: Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (AWAL)
Best jazz record: BADBADNOTGOOD – Talk Memory (XL Recordings/Innovative Leisure)
Best Latin record: Helado Negro – Far In (4AD)
Best live/livestream act: Mdou Moctar – “Live at the Niger River”
Best outlier record: L’Rain – Fatigue (Mexican Summer)
Best pop record: Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Best punk record: The Linda Lindas – “Racist, Sexist Boy” (Live at LA Public Library) (Epitaph)
Best R&B record: Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant (Brainfeeder (Ninja Tune))
Best reissue: Radiohead – Kid A Mnesia (XL Recordings)
Best rock record: IDLES – CRAWLER (Partisan Records)
Best spiritual record: Blind Boys of Alabama feat. Bela Fleck – “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” (Single Lock Records)
Best sync usage: Phoebe Bridgers – “I Know the End” – Ep 106 Mare of Easttown (Dead Oceans)
Best world record: Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (Matador Records)
Breakthrough artist/release: Wet Leg – Chaise Longue (Domino Recording Co.)
Creative packaging: Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Independent champion: Bandcamp
Marketing genius: Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Excellence in advocacy: Dionne Warwick
Congressional independent music guardian: Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA)
Innovation in sustainability: IMPALA Sustainability Task Force

Rebecca Black Earns Libera Awards Nomination from American Association of Independent Music

It’s a Libera-ting moment for Rebecca Black

This year’s A2IM Libera Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 24-year-old half-Mexican American singer earning a nod.

Rebecca BlackBlack, who rose to acclaim with 2011’s viral sensation single “Friday,” earned a nomination in the Self-Released Record of the Year category for the latest album Rebecca Black Was Here, a six-track album that offers a clear sense of who Black is as an artist, stringing together the weirdness of hyper-pop with the melodic heft of mainstream pop.

Adrian Quesada has three Libera nominations…

The 45-year-old Mexican American Grammy-winning producer/guitarist and his Black Pumas band mate Eric Burton earned a nod for Best Live/Livestream Act for their performance of “Colors” at the U.S. presidential inauguration of Joe Biden, as well as Best Rock Record for Capitol Cuts (Live from Studio A) and Best Sync Usage for the use of their song “Colors” in the Concrete Cowboy trailer.

The 25 anniversary edition of Buena Vista Social Club, from the ensemble of Cuban musicians of the same name, earned a nod for Best Reissue.

Madi Diaz is nominated in the Best Americana Record category.

The 35-year-old half Peruvian American singer-songwriter and musician earned the nod for her album History of a Feeling.

The Linda Lindas, comprised of  Asian-American and Latino singers Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong and Lucia de la Garza and Mila de la Garza, are up for Best Punk Record for “Racist, Sexist Boy (Live at LA Public Library), which became a viral sensation.

Jose Gonzalez earned a nod in the Best Folk/Bluegrass Record category for the 43-year-old Argentine-Swedish singer-songwriter’s Local Valley project.

João Donato is nominated in the Best World Record category for the 87-year-old Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist’s João Donato JID007 album.

Meanwhile, the nominees in the Best Latin Record category are Alejandro Escovedo (La Cruzada), Arca (KICK ii), Cimafunk (El Alimento), Helado Negro (Far In), Los Retros (Looking Back) and Xenia Rubinos (Una Rosa).

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) sponsors the Libera Awards. A2IM is a not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that works to support the independent recorded music sector. Membership includes nearly 700 independently-owned American music labels.

This year’s Libera Awards will include both a virtual broadcast exclusively streamed on YouTube and an in-person ceremony held on June 16 in New York City. The in-person gala will be held at an “iconic New York venue” and will include dinner and drinks as well as live award presentations.

Each year, the Libera Awards serve as the culmination of A2IM’s Indie Week, an international conference that brings together leaders from the independent music world for four days of keynotes, workshops, and panels. This year’s Indie Week will take place June 13-16 as a hybrid event — both online and in-person.

Here’s the full list of 2022 Libera Awards nominees:

Record of the Year
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg (4AD)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Georgia Blue (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers)
Low – Hey What (Sub Pop)
Snail Mail – Valentine (Matador Records)

Self-Released Record of the Year
Cautious Clay – Deadpan Love (Cautious Clay)
Emma-Jean Thackray – Yellow (Movementt)
Jackson Wooten – A New Child (The Assembly LLC)
Rebecca Black – Rebecca Black Was Here (Rebecca Black)
Sinéad Harnett – Ready Is Always Too Late (Thairish Limited)
Wiki – Half God (Wikset Enterprise)

Breakthrough Artist/Release, Presented by Ingrooves
Black Country, New Road – For the first time (Ninja Tune)
girl in red –  if i could make it go quiet (World in Red/AWAL)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (Matador Records)
Wet Leg – “Chase Longue” (Domino)

Video of the Year, Presented by YouTube Music
Danny Elfman – “True” (Epitaph Records)
IDLES – “CAR CRASH” (Partisan Records)
Japanese Breakfast – “Savage Good Boy” (Dead Oceans)
Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen – “Like I Used To” (Jagjaguwar)
Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” (Domino Recording Co.)
Yves Tumor – “Jackie” (Warp Records)

Best Reissue
Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club (25th Anniversary Edition) (World Circuit Records/BMG)
Gang Of Four – 77-81 (Matador Records)
Radiohead – Kid A Mnesia (XL Recordings)
Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (Fat Possum Records)
Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse (Ten Year Anniversary Edition) (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune)
Tom Tom Club – The Good, The Bad and The Funky (Nacional Records)

Best Live/Livestream Act
Amyl and The Sniffers – Live on KEXP at Home
Black Pumas – “Colors” – Biden Inauguration Performance
Japanese Breakfast  – “Be Sweet” – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – “Driver 8” – Live from Athens, GA
Mdou Moctar – “Live at the Niger River”
St. Vincent – “At the Holiday Party” – Austin City Limits

Best Outlier Record, Presented by The Orchard
Bo Burnham – Inside (The Songs) (Bo Burnham/Imperial/Ingrooves)
L’Rain – Fatigue (Mexican Summer)
Moor Mother – Black Encyclopedia of the Air (ANTI-)
Spirit of the Beehive – Entertainment, Death (Saddle Creek)
Tirzah – Colourgrade (Domino Recording Co.)

A2IM Humanitarian Award
Common – (for work with) A Rebirth of Sound
Margo Price – (for work with) Farm Aid
Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD)
Rev. Moose – (for work with) National Independent Venue Association (NIVA)
Secretly Group – SC25: Every Light On This Side Of The Town
Hopeless Records / Sub City Records – Songs That Saved My Life

Best Alternative Rock Record
Cautious Clay – “Wildfire” (Cautious Clay)
Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time (Mom + Pop Music)
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg (4AD)
girl in red – if i could make it go quiet (AWAL)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Low – Hey What (Sub Pop Records)
Snail Mail – Valentine (Matador Records)

Best Americana Record
Fruit Bats – The Pet Parade (Merge Records)
Hiss Golden Messenger – Quietly Blowing It (Merge Records)
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Georgia Blue (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers)
John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings (New West Records)
Leo Nocentelli – Another Side (Light in the Attic)
Madi Diaz – History of a Feeling (ANTI-)
Steve Gunn – Other You (Matador Records)

Best Blues Record
Cedric Burnside – I Be Trying (Single Lock Records)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator Records)
Eric Bibb – Dear America (Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group)
Neal Francis – “Can’t Stop The Rain” (ATO Records)
Nick Waterhouse – Promenade Blue (Innovative Leisure)
Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps – Rose-Colored Glasses, Vol. 1 (Blue Heart Records)

Best Classical Record
Bryce Dessner, Australian String Quartet, Sydney Dance Company – Impermanence/Disintegration (37d03d)
Canadian Brass – Canadiana (Linus Entertainment)
Grandbrothers – All the Unknown (City Slang)
Jeremiah Fraites – Piano Piano (Dualtone Music Group)
Theo Alexander – Sunbathing Through A Glass Screen (Arts & Crafts)
Vitamin String Quartet – Our Flashback Wedding (CMH Label Group)

Best Country Record
Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) (ATO Records)
Emily Scott Robinson – American Siren (Oh Boy Records)
Morgan Wade – Reckless (Ladylike Records/Thirty Tigers)
Sturgill Simpson – The Ballad of Dood & Juanita (High Top Mountain Records/Thirty Tigers)
Fancy Hagood – Southern Curiosity (Mick Music/Downtown Music Services)
Lainey Wilson – Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ (Broken Bow Records/BMG)

Best Dance Record, Presented by edm.com
Brittany Howard – “Stay High again..” (Fred again.. & Joy Anonymous Remix) (ATO Records)
Dawn Richard – “Loose Your Mind” (Merge Records)
Disclosure – DJ-Kicks: Disclosure (!K7 Records)
Jungle – Loving in Stereo (AWAL)
Keys N Krates – “Original Classic” (Last Gang Records)
Logic1000 – You’ve Got the Whole Night to Go (Therapy distributed by Because Music)

Best Electronic Record, Presented by Redeye Worldwide
Arca – KicK iii (XL Recordings)
Caribou – “You Can Do It” (Merge Records)
Dawn Richard – Second Line (Merge Records)
Flying Lotus – Yasuke (Warp Records)
박혜진 Park Hye Jin – Before I Die (Ninja Tune)

Best Folk/Bluegrass Record
Aisha Badru – The Way Back Home (Nettwerk Records)
Hand Habits – Fun House (Saddle Creek)
Jose Gonzalez – Local Valley (Mute Records)
Shannon Lay – Geist (Sub Pop Records)
The Weather Station – Ignorance (Fat Possum Records)
Various Artists – Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 (Oh Boy Records)

Best Heavy Record
Babymetal – 10 Babymetal Budokan (Cooking Vinyl)
Deafheaven – Infinite Granite (Sargent House)
Every Time I Die – Radical (Epitaph)
Quicksand – Distant Population (Epitaph)
Spiritbox – Eternal Blue (Rise Records / BMG)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record, Presented by Virgin Music
Injury Reserve – By the Time I Get to Phoenix (Self-Released/Stem)
Joyner Lucas & J. Cole – “Your Heart” (Twenty Nine Music Group)
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (AWAL)
Mick Jenkins – Elephant in the Room (Cinematic Music Group/Ingrooves)
Mykki Blanco – Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Young M.A – Off the Yak (M.A Music/3D)

Best Jazz Record
Adrian Younge – The American Negro (Jazz Is Dead)
BadBadNotGood – Talk Memory (XL Recordings)
John Carroll Kirby – Septet (Stones Throw Records)
Nala Sinephro – Space 1.8 (Warp Records)
Jihye Lee Orchestra – Daring Mind (Motéma Music)
Nick Hakim – “Qadir” (Badbadnotgood Remix) (ATO Records)

Best Latin Record
Alejandro Escovedo – La Cruzada (Yep Roc Records)
Arca – KICK ii (XL Recordings)
Cimafunk – El Alimento (Terapia Productions/Thirty Tigers)
Helado Negro – Far In (4AD)
Los Retros – Looking Back (Stones Throw Records)
Xenia Rubinos – Una Rosa (ANTI-)

Best Pop Record
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Ashe – Ashlyn (Mom + Pop Music)
Big Red Machine – How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? (Jagjaguwar)
Chai – Wink (Sub Pop Records)
Noga Erez – Kids (City Slang)

Best Punk Record
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort to Me (ATO Records)
Chubby and the Gang – The Mutt’s Nuts (Partisan Records)
illuminati hotties – Let Me Do One More (Hopeless Records)
Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs (Rough Trade Records)
The Linda Lindas – “Racist, Sexist Boy” (Live at LA Public Library) (Epitaph)

Best R&B Record
Brittany Howard – Jaime (Reimagined) (ATO Records)
Charlotte Day Wilson – Alpha (Stone Woman Music Inc.)
Durand Jones & The Indications – Private Space (Dead Oceans)
Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant (Brainfeeder (Ninja Tune))
serpentwithfeet – Deacon (Secretly Canadian)
Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 (4AD)

Best Rock Record, Presented by MSK (Mitchell; Silberberg & Knupp, LLP)
Black Pumas – Capitol Cuts (Live from Studio A) (ATO Records)
Idles – Crawler (Partisan Records)
Parquet Courts – Sympathy for Life (Rough Trade Records)
shame – Drunk Tank Pink (Dead Oceans)
The The – The Comeback Special (earMUSIC)

Best Spiritual Record
Blind Boys of Alabama feat. Bela Fleck – “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” (Single Lock Records)
Hiss Golden Messenger – O Come All Ye Faithful (Merge Records)
Natalie Bergman – Mercy (Third Man Records)
Oak Ridge Boys – Front Porch Singin’ (Lightning Rod Records / Thirty Tigers)
Wande feat. Porsha Love – “Don’t Worry Bout It” (Reach Records)

Best Sync Usage
Adele – “Hello” – NFL/Tom Brady’s Return (XL Recordings)
Black Pumas – “Colors” – Concrete Cowboy Trailer (ATO Records)
Fela Kuti – “Zombie’” – Gucci 100 Promo Campaign (Knitting Factory Records)
John Prine – “Caravan of Fools” – Ep 3 Yellowstone (Oh Boy Records)
Phoebe Bridgers – “I Know the End” – Ep 106 Mare of Easttown (Dead Oceans)
The Rolling Stones – “She’s a Rainbow” – Ep 205 Ted Lasso (ABKCO)
Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” – Ep 5 Gossip Girl (Domino Recording Co.)

Best World Record
Altin Gün – Yol (ATO Records)
Femi Kuti and Made Kuti – Legacy + (Partisan Records)
João Donato – João Donato JID007 (Jazz Is Dead)
Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (Matador Records)
Pachyman – The Return of Pachyman (ATO Records)

Creative Packaging
Buzzcocks – Complete UA Singles 1977-1980 (Domino)
Erroll Garner – Liberation in Swing: Centennial Collection (Mack Avenue Music Group / Octave Music Licensing, LLC)
Fela Kuti – Box Set #5 Co-Curated by Chris Martin & Femi Kuti (Knitting Factory Records)
Gang Of Four – 77-81 (Matador Records)
Gary Numan 45X15 – The Singles Collection 1978-1983 (Beggars Arkive)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)

Independent Champion, Presented by Merlin
Bandcamp
FUGA
Light in the Attic Distribution
Redeye Worldwide
SoundExchange

Label of the Year (Big), Presented by ADA
ATO Records
Matador Records
Merge Records
Mom + Pop Music
Ninja Tune
Polyvinyl Record Co.
Third Man Records

Label of the Year (Medium)
City Slang
Hopeless Records
New West Records
Sacred Bones Records
Saddle Creek
Yep Roc Records

Label of the Year (Small)
Don Giovanni Records
Innovative Leisure
Oh Boy Records
Sargent House
Sundazed

Marketing Genius
Bicep – Isles (Ninja Tune)
Various Artists – Death Row Records 30th Anniversary (Death Row Records)
Eyedress – Mulholland Drive (Lex Records)
Helado Negro – Helado Negro Ice Cream Tricycle (4AD)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Official Bootlegger Series (KGLW/Virgin Music)

FKA Twigs Takes Home Video of the Year Prize at A2IM Libera Awards

FKA Twigs is celebrating a sad day

The 10th annual A2IM Libera Awards have been announced, with the 33-year-old part-Spanish English singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress taking home one of the top prizes.

FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs won the award for Video of the Year for the official clip for her single “Sad Day.”

The awards, now in their 10th year, celebrate the independent recorded music sector.

Gabriel Garzón-Montano also picked up an award…

The 31-year-old half-Colombian American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist took home the Best Latin Record prize for his album Agüita, his acclaimed sophomore album.

Here’s a full list of 2021 Libera Award winners:

Record of the year: Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Video of the year: FKA twigs – “Sad Day” (Young Turks)
Best live/livestream act: Phoebe Bridgers (Dead Oceans)
Breakthrough artist/release (presented by Ingrooves): Arlo Parks (Transgressive/[PIAS])
A2IM humanitarian award: Killer Mike & El-P of Run the Jewels (Jewel Runners, Inc.)
Best alternative rock record: Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Best Americana record: Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman (37d03d)
Best blues record: Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (Cooking Vinyl Ltd.)
Best classical record: Erik Hall – Music for 18 Musicians (Steve Reich) (Western Vinyl)
Best country record: Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud (Merge Records)
Best dance/electronic record: Caribou – Suddenly (Merge Records)
Best folk/bluegrass record: Angel Olsen- Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar)
Best hip-hop/rap record (presented by Virgin Music): Run the Jewels – RTJ4 (Jewel Runners, Inc.)
Best jazz record (presented by Qobuz): Gil-Scott Heron & Makaya McCraven – We’re New Again – A Reimagining by Makaya McCraven (XL Recordings)
Best Latin record: Gabriel Garzón-Montano – Agüita (Jagjaguwar in partnership with Stones Throw Records)
Best metal record: Architects – “Animals” (Epitaph Records)
Best outlier record (presented by The Orchard): Khruangbin – Mordechai (Dead Oceans)
Best punk record: IDLES – Ultra Mono (Partisan Records)
Best R&B record: Thundercat – It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
Best rock record (presented by Mitchell; Silberberg & Knupp LLP): Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death (Partisan Records)
Best spiritual record: Sun Ra Arkestra – Swirling (STRUT)
Best world record (presented by Redeye Worldwide): TIE: Altin Gün – “Ordunun Dereleri” (ATO Records) and Songhoy Blues – Optimisme (Fat Possum Records)
Best re-issue: J Dilla – Donuts (Jelly Edition) (Stones Throw Records)
Best sync usage: Run the Jewels (Jewel Runners, Inc.) – “Ooh LA LA” – Season three of Netflix’s Ozark
Creative packaging: Soccer Mommy – Color Theory limited edition back to school binder (Loma Vista Recordings)
Independent champion (presented by Merlin): Bandcamp
Marketing genius: Beggars Group – Supporting Indie Retail #loverecordstores Campaign
Label of the year (big–15 or more employees globally) (presented by ADA): Sub Pop Records
Label of the year (medium—6 to 14 employees globally): Light In The Attic
Label of the year (small—five or fewer employees globally) (presented by Spotify): Daptone Records
Independent icon: Mavis Staples
Lifetime achievement award: Stax Records

 

FKA twigs Earns Libera Awards Nomination for Video of the Year

FKA twigs is celebrating a Sad recognition…

The nominees for the 10th annual A2IM Libera Awards, presented by Merlin, have been revealed, with the 33-year-old part-Spanish singer earning a nod in one of the top categories.

FKA-twigs

FKA twigs is up for Video of the Year for her “Sad Day” clip. The song appears on her chart-topping album Magdalene.

Lido Pimienta has picked up a nod in the Best Alternative Rock Record category.

The 35-year-old Colombian Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter earned the nod for her acclaimed Miss Colombia album.

Raul Midon is nominated in the Best Jazz Record category.

The 55-year-old half-Argentine American singer-songwriter and guitarist earned the nod for his The Mirror album.

Bebel Gilberto has earned a nod in the Best World Record category.

The 54-year-old Brazilian American singer picked up the nod for her album Agora.

The Best Latin Record category features a competitive group of nominees, including Bad Bunny (El Último Tour Del Mundo), Gabriel Garzón-Montano (Agüita) and The Mavericks (En Español).

A2IM is the New York-based trade organization that works to strengthen the independent recorded music sector.

This marks the second year that the Libera Awards will be held as a livestreaming ceremony, open to the public. Produced by The Control Room, the June 17 show will feature performances from nominees as well as the presentation of this year’s Independent Icon Awards. This is the second year that Sweet Relief will serve as A2IM’s official charity partner for the Libera Awards. All proceeds raised during the show will be donated to career musicians and music industry professionals in need.

The Libera Awards are the culmination of Indie Week, the world’s largest independent music conference, taking place from June 14 to 17. Sponsored by SoundExchange, Indie Week features keynotes, panels, networking sessions and more. Indie Week 2021 will mark the second year A2IM will hold the event virtually.

“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the A2IM Libera Awards, it is extremely satisfying to see the remarkable growth of the independent sector,” said Richard James Burgess, A2IM CEO. “The A2IM Libera Awards is an acknowledgement, celebration and representation of everything independents work so hard to accomplish.”

The 2021 Libera Awards are presented by Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner.

Voting is open to A2IM members until 11:59 p.m. ET on April 5. Follow A2IM on Instagram and Twitter for programming updates. RSVP to the Libera Awards by visiting A2IM’s YouTube page or liberaawards.com.To learn more about Indie Week 2021, visit a2im.org/indieweek.

Here’s a full list of 2021 Libera Award nominees:

Record of the Year
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Run the Jewels – RTJ4 (Jewel Runners, Inc.)
Perfume Genius – Set My Heart On Fire Immediately (Matador Records)
Yves Tumor – Heaven To A Tortured Mind (Warp Records)
Thundercat – It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud (Merge Records)

Video of the Year
FKA twigs – “Sad Day” (Young Turks)
Perfume Genius – “Describe” (Matador Records)
Phoebe Bridgers – “Savior Complex” (Dead Oceans)
Run the Jewels – “Ooh La La” (Jewel Runners, Inc.)
Christine and the Queens – “La vita nuova” (Because Music)
ford. – “Fruit&Sun” (Foreign Family Collective)

Best Live/Livestream Act
Run the Jewels (Jewel Runners, LLC.)
Phoebe Bridgers (Dead Oceans)
Fontaines D.C. (Partisan Records)
Perfume Genius (Matador Records)
Arca (XL Recordings)

Breakthrough Artist/Release (Presented by Ingrooves)
Arlo Parks (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Bonny Light Horseman (37d03d)
Overcoats (Loma Vista Recordings)
Arlo McKinley (Oh Boy Records)
Orion Sun (Mom + Pop Music)

A2IM Humanitarian Award
Rev. Moose (Marauder/NIVA)
Killer Mike & El-P of Run the Jewels (Jewel Runners, Inc.)
Megan Thee Stallion (300 Entertainment)
Paul Redding (Beggars Group)
Kevin Liles (300 Entertainment)

Best Alternative Rock Record
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Soccer Mommy – Color Theory (Loma Vista Recordings)
Car Seat Headrest – Making A Door Less Open (Matador Records)
Lido Pimienta – Miss Colombia (Anti- Records)
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Sideways to New Italy (Sub Pop Records)

Best Americana Record
Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman (37d03d)
Kevin Morby – Sundowner (Dead Oceans)
Calexico – Seasonal Shift (Anti- Records)
Courtney Marie Andrews – Old Flowers (Fat Possum Records)
Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels (Highway 20/Thirty Tigers)

Best Blues Record
Bobby Rush – Rawer Than Raw (Deep Rush Records/Thirty Tigers)
Don Bryant – You Make Me Feel (Fat Possum Records)
Robert Cray Band – That’s What I Heard (Nozzle Records/Thirty Tigers)
Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (Cooking Vinyl Ltd.)
Sonny Landreth – Blacktop Run (Provogue Records)

Best Classical Record
Erik Hall – Music for 18 Musicians (Steve Reich) (Western Vinyl)
Paul Moravec – Sanctuary Road (Naxos American Classics)
Echo Collective – The See Within (7K!)
Niklas Paschburg – Svalbard (7K!)
Vitamin String Quartet – Vitamin String Quartet Performs Lana Del Rey (CMH Label Group/Vitamin Records)

Best Country Record
Margo Price – That’s How Rumors Get Started (Loma Vista Recordings)
Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud (Merge Records)
Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes And Other Punchy Songs (La Honda Records/Thirty Tigers)
Various Artists – Willie Nelson American Outlaw (Live At Bridgestone Arena/2019) (Blackbird Productions)
Jaime Wyatt – Neon Cross (New West Records)

Best Dance/Electronic Record
Caribou – Suddenly (Merge Records)
Arca – KiCk i (XL Recordings)
Ela Minus – acts of rebellion (Domino Recording Co.)
Yaeji – What We Drew (XL Recordings)
Actress – Karma & Desire (Ninja Tune)

Best Folk/Bluegrass Record
Ben Harper – Winter Is For Lovers (Anti- Records)
Angel Olsen- Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar)
Gillian Welch – Boots No. 2: The Lost Songs (Acony Records)
Jason Molina – Eight Gates (Secretly Canadian)
Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter (Partisan Records)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record (Presented by Virgin Music)
Run the Jewels – RTJ4 (Jewel Runners, Inc.)
clipping. – Visions of Bodies Being Burned (Sub Pop Records)
Little Simz – Drop 6 (AGE101/AWAL)
The Koreatown Oddity – Little Dominiques Nosebleed (Stones Throw Records)
Naeem – Startisha (37d03d)

Best Jazz Record (Presented by Qobuz)
Gil-Scott Heron & Makaya McCraven – We’re New Again – A Reimagining by Makaya McCraven (XL Recordings)
Jeff Parker – Suite for Max Brown (International Anthem)
Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge – Azymuth JID004 (Jazz Is Dead)
Christian McBride – The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons (Mack Avenue Music Group)
John Carroll Kirby – My Garden (Stones Throw Records)
Raul Midon – The Mirror (Artistry Music)
Jyoti – Mama, You Can Bet! (SomeOthaShip/eOne)

Best Latin Record
Bad Bunny – El Último Tour Del Mundo (Rimas Entertainment)
Gabriel Garzón-Montano – Agüita (Jagjaguwar in partnership with Stones Throw Records)
The Mavericks – En Español (Mono Mundo Recordings/Thirty Tigers)
Buscabulla – Regresa (Ribbon Music)
Jungle Fire – Jungle Fire (Nacional Records)

Best Metal Record
Architects – “Animals” (Epitaph Records)
HUM – Inlet (Earth Analog Records)
Ghostemane – Anti-Icon (Blackmage)
Ingested – Where Only Gods May Tread (Unique Leader Records)
Pyrrhon – Abscess Time (Willowtip Records)

Best Outlier Record (Presented by The Orchard)
Khruangbin – Mordechai (Dead Oceans)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Magic Oneohtrix Point Never (Warp Records)
Yves Tumor – Heaven To A Tortured Mind (Warp Records)
Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Transmissions (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Mary Lattimore – Silver Ladders (Ghostly International)
Moses Sumney – Græ (Jagjaguwar)

Best Punk Record
IDLES – Ultra Mono (Partisan Records)
Protomartyr – Ultimate Success Today (Domino Recording Co.)
METZ – Atlas Vending (Sub Pop Records)
Viagra Boys – Common Sense (YEAR0001/AWAL)
Porridge Radio – Every Bad (Secretly Canadian)

Best R&B Record
Thundercat – It Is What It Is (Brainfeeder)
Khruangbin & Leon Bridges – Texas Sun (Dead Oceans)
Robert Glasper – “Better Than I Imagined” (feat. H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello) (Loma Vista Recordings)
Son Little – aloha (Anti- Records)
Orion Sun – Hold Space For Me (Mom + Pop Music)
Steve Arrington – Down To The Lowest Terms (Stones Throw Records)

Best Rock Record (Presented by Mitchell; Silberberg & Knupp LLP)
Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death (Partisan Records)
King Krule – Man Alive! (True Panther Sounds/Matador)
Bartees Strange – Mustang (Single Memory Music)
Bob Mould – Blue Hearts (Merge Records)
Caroline Rose – Superstar (New West Records)

Best Spiritual Record
Sun Ra Arkestra – Swirling (STRUT)
Lecrae – Restoration (Reach Records)
Jon Hopkins – “Singing Bowl (Ascension)” (Domino Recording Co.)
Thad Cockrell – If In Case You Feel The Same (ATO Records)
Wande – EXIT (Reach Records)

Best World Record (Presented by Redeye Worldwide)
Antibalas – Fu Chronicles (Daptone Records)
Bebel Gilberto – Agora ([PIAS])
Altin Gün – “Ordunun Dereleri” (ATO Records)
Songhoy Blues – Optimisme (Fat Possum Records)
Emel – The Tunis Diaries (Partisan Records)

Best Re-Issue
J Dilla – Donuts (Jelly Edition) (Stones Throw Records)
Pylon – Pylon Box (New West Records)
Hiroshi Yoshimura – GREEN (Light In The Attic)
Pixies – Bossanova 30th Anniversary Reissue (4AD)
Motorhead – Ace of Spades 40th Anniversary (Sanctuary Records)
Elliott Smith – Expanded 25th Anniversary Edition (Kill Rock Stars)
Grandaddy – The Sophtware Slump 20th Anniversary Collection (Dangerbird Records)

Best Sync Usage
Run the Jewels (Jewel Runners, Inc.) – “Ooh LA LA” – Season three of Netflix’s Ozark
Black Pumas (ATO Records) “Colors” – Samsung Galaxy S20
Brittany Howard (ATO Records) “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – Johnnie Walker’s #KeepWalking Campaign
Blood Orange (Domino Recording Co.) “Tuesday Feeling (Choose to Stay)” – Season four of HBO’s Insecure
IDLES (Partisan Records) “Grounds” – Watch Dogs: Legion

Creative Packaging
Soccer Mommy – Color Theory limited edition back to school binder (Loma Vista Recordings)
Black Pumas – Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) – ATO Records
Perfume Genius – Set My Heart On Fire Immediately vinyl (Matador Records)
Pylon – Pylon Box [CD Box Set](New West Records)
IDLES – Ultra Mono (Partisan Records)

Independent Champion (Presented by Merlin)
Bandcamp
SoundExchange
Secretly Distribution
TuneCore
The Orchard

Marketing Genius
Jewel Runners, LLC – Run the Jewels x Cyberpunk2077 “No Save Point”
Beggars Group – Supporting Indie Retail #loverecordstores Campaign
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Light In The Attic – Social Media & Digital Marketing
Perfume Genius – Set My Heart On Fire Immediately Campaign (Matador Records)

Label of the Year (Big) (Presented by ADA)
Partisan Records
Sub Pop Records
Warp Records
Stones Throw Records
Ninja Tune

Label of the Year (Medium)
Light In The Attic
Sacred Bones Records
Matador Records
Ghostly International
Rough Trade Records

Label of the Year (Small) (Presented by Spotify)
Daptone Records
Innovative Leisure
Fire Talk Records
International Anthem
Hardly Art
Oh Boy Records

Ceu Earns Libera Award Nomination for Acclaimed Album “Tropix”

The sky’s the limit for Céu

The 37-year-old Brazilian singer-songwriter, whose full name is Maria do Céu Whitaker Poças, has earned a Libera Award nomination from the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).

Céu

Céu is nominated in the Best Classical/World Album for her album Tropix, released by Six Degrees Records. The critically acclaimed album, which was released in March 2016, earned Céu two Latin Grammys last year, including Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album.

Meanwhile, Robert Trujillo and his Metallica bandmates picked up a nod in the Best Metal/Hard Rock Album category for the band’s Hardwired…To Self-Destruct album, which was released by Blackened Recordings.

The Libera Awards, which are presented by SoundExchange, recognize artistic, creative and business achievement in the independent music sector.

“The Libera Awards allow the independent recorded music community to celebrate and showcase its own,” said Richard James Burgess, CEO A2IM, in a statement. “In a digital environment where credits are sorely lacking it is increasingly necessary to identify and publically demonstrate the incredible diversity of independent music.”

The ceremony will be held June 8 at New York City’s PlayStation Theater with Ted Leo hosting the sixth annual event.

Here’s a look at this year’s nominees:

2017’s Libera Awards Nominations

Album of the Year 

  • Angel Olsen – MY WOMAN (Jagjaguwar)
  • Bon Iver – 22, A Million (Jagjaguwar)
  • Bonobo – Migration (Ninja Tune)
  • Mandolin Orange – Blindfaller (Yep Roc Records)
  • Radiohead – Moon Shaped Pool (XL Recordings)
  • Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 3 (Run the Jewels, Inc.)
  • Thundercat – Drunk (Brainfeeder)

Best Blues/Jazz/R&B Album

  • Adrian Young – Something About April II (Linear Labs)
  • BADBADNOTGOOD – IV (Innovative Leisure)
  • Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat (Rounder Records)
  • Charles Bradley – Changes (Daptone Records)
  • Nick Waterhouse – Never Twice (Innovative Leisure)
  • Sampha – Process (Young Turks)
  • Thundercat – Drunk (Brainfeeder)

Best Live Act 

  • Angel Olsen (Jagjaguwar)
  • Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)
  • Charles Bradley (Daptone Records)
  • Chuck Prophet (Yep Roc Records)
  • Iggy Pop (Loma Vista Recordings)
  • Radiohead (XL Recordings)
  • Run the Jewels (Run the Jewels, Inc)

Best Sync Usage

  • Alabama Shakes – Transparent | Season 3 Official Trailer | Amazon Video (Music Supervisor: Arranged by Zync Music) (ATO Records)
  • Gillian Welch – Hell or High Water (Music Supervisor: Chris Robertson) (Acony Records)
  • Perfume Genius – Toyatathon 2016 Ad Spot (Music Supervisor: Abby Rubin) (Matador Records)
  • Radiohead – The Accountant Official Trailer (Music Supervisor: Miwa Okumura) (XL Recordings)
  • Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – Lincoln MKZ Spot (Music Supervisor: Neal Sugarman) (Daptone Records)
  • Sharon Van Etten – 2016 Volvo XC90 TV Commercial (Music Supervisor: Ben Dorenfeld, Grey Advertising / Jon Coombs, Secretly Group) (Jagjaguwar)
  • tUnE-yArDs – #Pixel: Memories by you, Phone by Google (Music Supervisor: Abby Rubin) (4AD)

Breakthrough Artist 

  • Delicate Steve – This Is Steve (ANTI-)
  • The Lemon Twigs – Do Hollywood (4AD)
  • Margaret Glaspy – Emotions and Math (ATO Records)
  • Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter (Third Man Records)
  • Roosevelt – Roosevelt (City Slang)
  • Whitney – Light Upon the Lake (Secretly Canadian)
  • Young M.A – OOOUUU (M.A Music/3d)

Best Classical/World Album

  • Bing & Ruth – No Home Of The Mind (4AD)
  • Céu – Tropix (Six Degrees Records)
  • Hailu Mergia – Wede Harer Guzo (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
  • Imarhan – Imarhan (City Slang)
  • Laraaji – All In one Peace (Leaving Records)
  • Peter Broderick – Partners (Erased Tapes Records)
  • Tinariwen – Elwan (Anti-)

Best Country/Americana/Folk Album

  • Case/Lang/Veirs – Case/Lang/Veirs (ANTI-)
  • Drive-By Truckers – American Band (ATO Records)
  • Gillian Welch –  Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg (Acony Records)
  • Hiss Golden Messenger – Heart Like a Levee (Merge Records)
  • Mandolin Orange – Blindfaller (Yep Roc Records)
  • Margo Price – Midwest Farmers Daughter (Third Man Records)
  • Michael Chapman – 50 (Paradise of Bachelors)
  • Ryley Walker – Golden Sings That Have Been Sung (Dead Oceans)

Creative Packaging

  • Bobo Yéyé – Belle Époque in Upper Volta (Creative Director: Ken Shipley and Rob Sevier) (Numero Group)
  • Bonobo – Migration (Creative Director: Neil Krug) (Ninja Tune)
  • Bon Iver – 22, A Million (Creative Director: Eric Timothy Carlson) (Jagjaguwar)
  • Eggs Over Easy – The Eggs Over Easy Story (Creative Director: Nathan Golub) (Yep Roc Records)
  • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity (Creative Director: Jason Galea) (ATO Records)
  • My Morning Jacket – It Still Moves (Deluxe Edition) (Creative Director: Jim James & Danny Cash) (ATO Records)
  • Thundercat – Drunk (Creative Director: Adam Stober) (Brainfeeder)

Best Dance/Electronica Album

  • ANOHNI – HOPELESSNESS (Secretly Canadian)
  • Bonobo – Migration (Ninja Tune)
  • Boys Noize – Mayday (Boysnoize Records)
  • DJ Shadow – The Mountain Will Fall (Mass Appeal Records)
  • Flume – Skin (Mom + Pop Music/Future Classic)
  • Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – Ears (Western Vinyl)
  • TYCHO – Epoch (Ghostly International)

Independent Champion 

  • Bandcamp
  • MERLIN
  • NPR
  • PledgeMusic
  • Redeye
  • Secretly Distribution
  • Spotify

Label of the Year (6+ employees) 

  • ATO Records
  • Innovative Leisure
  • Jagjaguwar
  • Mexican Summer
  • Stones Throw
  • XL Recordings
  • Yep Roc Records

Label of the Year (<5 employees)

  • Acony Records
  • Dangerbird Records
  • Daptone Records
  • Erased Tapes Records
  • Run For Cover Records
  • Topshelf
  • Triple Crown Records

Marketing Genius

  • Bon Iver – 22, A Million – (Marketing Lead: Phil Waldorf / Tom Davies) (Jagjaguwar)
  • Charles Bradley – Changes – (Marketing Lead: Nydia Davila, Victoria Morris, and Joanna Noyes) (Daptone Records)
  • DJ Shadow – Nobody Speak Campaign – (Marketing Lead: Amit Nerurkar, Chris Mcilvenny, Annie Chen) (Mass Appeal Records)
  • Joseph – I’m Alone, No You’re Not – (Marketing Lead: Jon Salter, Laura Lyons) (ATO Records)
  • KAYTRANADA – 99.9% The Game – (Marketing Lead: Adam Berman, Pablo Douzoglou, Blake Thomas) (XL Recordings)
  • King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity – (Marketing Lead: Jon Salter, Dave McClain, Laura Lyons) (ATO Records)
  • Radiohead –  Radiohead Disappears from the Internet – (Marketing Lead: Radiohead, Scott Wright) (XL Recordings)
  • The xx – I See You (Marketing Lead: Pablo Douzoglou, Blake Thomas) (Young Turks)

Best Metal/Hard Rock Album

  • The Claypool Lennon Delirium – Monolith of Phobos (ATO Records)
  • Descendents – Hypercaffium Spazzinate (Epitaph)
  • King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity (ATO Records)
  • Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct (Blackened Recordings)
  • Pierce The Veil – Misadventures (Fearless Records)
  • Red Fang – Only Ghosts (Relapse Records)
  • White Lung – Paradise (Domino Recording Company)

Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album

  • Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
  • De La Soul – And The Anonymous Nobody (A.O.I. Records)
  • Gold Panda – Good Luck And Do Your Best (City Slang)
  • KAYTRANADA – 99.9% (XL Recordings)
  • NxWorries – Yes Lawd! (Stones Throw)
  • Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 3 (Run the Jewels, Inc.)
  • Tech N9ne – The Storm (Strange Music)

Video of the Year 

  • Angel Olsen – Shut Up Kiss Me (Jagjaguwar)
  • ANOHNI – Drone Bomb Me (Secretly Canadian)
  • Bonobo – Kerala (Ninja Tune)
  • DJ Shadow feat. Run The Jewels – Nobody Speak (Mass Appeal Records)
  • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Gamma Knife/People-Vultures (ATO Records)
  • Mitski – Your Best American Girl (Dead Oceans)
  • Radiohead – Daydreaming (XL Recordings)

Video of the Year (Fan Vote) Sponsored by YouTube

  • Angel Olsen – Shut Up Kiss Me (Jagjaguwar)
  • ANOHNI – Drone Bomb Me (Secretly Canadian)
  • Bonobo – Kerala (Ninja Tune)
  • DJ Shadow feat. Run The Jewels – Nobody Speak (Mass Appeal Records)
  • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Gamma Knife/People-Vultures (ATO Records)
  • Mitski – Your Best American Girl (Dead Oceans)
  • Radiohead – Daydreaming (XL Recordings)