The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has unveiled the winners of the 2024 Independent Music Awards – the annual celebration of the UK’s independent community of artists, labels and entrepreneurs.
Returning to the Roundhouse for their 14th edition, the awards (October 17) showcased the independent community’s trademark mix of cultural influence and commercial success.
The prestigious award for Best Independent Album in association with Spotify was presented to Jorja Smith for her second studio album, Falling Or Flying, independently released through her label FAMM. It follows her win for UK Independent Breakthrough in 2018.
Sampha emerged as one of this year’s biggest winners, picking up the award for Best Independent Track in association with Meta for his 2023 single Spirit 2.0 (Young) and Best Independent Video in association with Vevo for Only. The former Mercury Prize winner also performed at the ceremony.
Other live performances came from Manchester MC OneDa, who received this year’s award for One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing, plus electropop experimentalist Lynks and rising punk act Bex.
Singer-songwriter, rapper and producer Neneh Cherry was presented with the Innovator award in recognition of her innovation and influence across generations.
Sparks were announced as the recipients of this year’s award for Outstanding Contribution To Music, with a surprise reveal that the experimental pop duo had signed to independent label Transgressive Records for their upcoming 28th studio album.
The award for UK Independent Breakthrough in association with Amazon Music went to Scottish producer Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune), recognising the critical success of his debut album When Will We Land? AIM presented him with his award in person at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) ahead of his performance at the event.
Following on from his win at the 2024 MOBOs, UK rapper Potter Payper received the award for Best Independent EP/Mixtape for Thanks for Hating (EGA Distro). Electronic duo Joy Anonymous took home Best Independent Remix for Ezra Collective’s Life Goes On feat. Sampa The Great.
The award for Best Live Performer, voted on by the public, went to Pendulum for their euphoric live shows. The data-driven PPL Award for Most Played New Artist went to Far From Saints (Ignition Records), the new project from Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones and Dwight Baker of The Wind And The Wave.
Previously announced winner, Afrobeats artist and changemaker Silvastone, collected the award for Diversity Champion, in recognition of his community work in Croydon, including music and mentoring programmes with young people in schools, young offender units and youth clubs.
The coveted award for Best Independent Label in association with BBC Radio 6 Music was presented to Heavenly Recordings, celebrating over 30 years in the business and with a roster including One To Watch winner OneDa, plus nominees Lynks and Kneecap.
Aphex Twin and Warp Records took home Best Creative Campaign for their work on EP Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a Room7 F760, which saw them generate organic buzz through 3D installations at festivals.
Meg Carnie, artist manager and co-founder of Brighton’s South Lanes Studios, won through in a close contest for the title of 2024’s Music Entrepreneur of the Year. Best Boutique Label in association with Qobuz was presented to cult shoegaze imprint Sonic Cathedral following several previous nominations.
The ceremony also marked the introduction of a brand new award for Best Independent Record Store, in recognition of the key role that record stores play as cultural hubs. Drift was crowned its first ever winner, having had a central place in the community in Totnes, Devon for the past 30 years.
Music Venue Trust’s win as Independent Music Champion was celebrated with a video of AIM’s interim CEO Gee Davy and chair Ruth Barlow surprising co-founders Mark Davyd and Beverley Whitrick with the award at MVT’s 10th annual Venues Day. The award recognises their impact in protecting grassroots music venues, as well as creating and nurturing local scenes and artist careers.
As an additional prize, winners of the One To Watch & UK Independent Breakthrough categories, OneDa and Barry Can’t Swim, will be granted access to complimentary tour splitters for one week of any upcoming UK tours, courtesy of Civilised Car Hire.
Amazon Music has also awarded all UK Independent Breakthrough nominees complimentary studio time at The Breakthrough Lab, their songwriting and production suite at London’s Metropolis Studios.
A full list of nominees and winners is below:
UK Independent Breakthrough (in association with Amazon Music)
Bar Italia (Matador Records)
Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune) *WINNER*
CASISDEAD (XL Recordings)
Saint Harison (Tell Your Friends)
Wunderhorse (Communion Records)
Best Independent Album (in association with Spotify)
Actress - LXXXVIII (Ninja Tune)
ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross (Rough Trade Records)
Barry Can’t Swim - When Will We Land? (Ninja Tune)
D-Block Europe - Rolling Stone (EGA Distro)
Jorja Smith - Falling or Flying (FAMM) *WINNER*
Kim Gordon - The Collective (Matador Records)
Mount Kimbie - The Sunset Violent (Warp Records)
Nabihah Iqbal - Dreamer (Ninja Tune)
Nubiyan Twist - Find Your Flame (Strut Records)
Skrapz - Reflection (EGA Distro)
Best Independent Track (in association with Meta)
Amy Gadiaga - ‘All Black Everything’ (Jazz re:freshed)
CASISDEAD - ‘Venom’ (XL Recordings)
Ezra Collective - ‘Ajala’ (Partisan Records)
Fontaines DC - ‘Starburster’ (XL Recordings)
Hudson Mohawke & Nikki Nair - ‘Set The Roof’ (Warp Records)
Jorja Smith - ‘Little Things’ (FAMM)
KNEECAP, Grian Chatten - ‘Better Way To Live’ (Heavenly Recordings)
Matthew Halsall - ‘An Ever Changing View’ (Gondwana Records)
NikNak - ‘1200RPM’ (Accidental Records)
Sampha - ‘Spirit 2.0’ (Young) *WINNER*
Best Independent Remix (in association with Notion)
The Egyptian Lover Remix - Sudan Archives - Freakalizer (Stones Throw Records)
Joy Anonymous Remix - Ezra Collective, Sampa The Great - JOY (Life Goes On) (Partisan Records) *WINNER*
L BEATS Mashup - Jorja Smith - Little Things x Gypsy Woman (FAMM)
Olof Dreijer Remix - Björk - Oral (feat. Rosalia) (One Little Independent)
P-rallel Remix - Aluna, Jayda G - Mine O’ Mine (Mad Decent Under Exclusive Licence to Because Music)
Best Live Performer
Frank Turner (Xtra Mile Recordings)
KNEECAP (Heavenly Recordings)
Laura Misch (One Little Independent)
Pendulum (Mushroom Music) *WINNER*
RAYE (Human Re Sources)
One To Watch (in association with BBC Music Introducing)
Antony Szmierek (LAB Records)
Kitty Amor (Defected Records)
Lynks (Heavenly Recordings)
Miso Extra (Transgressive Records)
OneDa (Heavenly Recordings) *WINNER*
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist
Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)
Coach Party (Chess Club Records)
Far From Saints (Ignition Records) *WINNER*
Popeth (Recordiau Côsh Records)
Tom A. Smith (TYM Records)
Best Independent EP/Mixtape
George Riley - Un/limited Love (Ninja Tune)
Headie One & K-Trap - Strength To Strength (One Records and Thousand8)
Honesty - Box (Partisan Records)
JGrrey - If Not Now? (PACE, a subsidiary of Marathon Music Group)
Potter Payper - Thanks For Hating (EGA Distro) *WINNER*
Best Independent Video (in association with Vevo)
Gia Ford - Poolside (Chrysalis Records)
Khruangbin - A Love International (Dead Oceans)
Master Peace - I Might Be Fake feat. Georgia (PMR Records)
Mitski - My Love Mine All Mine (Dead Oceans)
Sampha - Only (Young) *WINNER*
Best Independent Label (in association with BBC Radio 6 Music)
Heavenly Recordings *WINNER*
Ninja Tune
Partisan Records
Sub Pop Records
Transgressive Records
Best Boutique Label (in association with Qobuz)
AD 93
Houndstooth
LAB Records
New Soil
Sonic Cathedral *WINNER*
Best Creative Campaign (in association with Able)
Chrysalis Records (BODEGA, Our Brand Could Be Yr Life)
Dead Oceans (Slowdive, Everything Is Alive)
Lofi Girl – Identity Music (Snowman)
Warp Records (Aphex Twin, ‘Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a Room7 F760’) *WINNER*
Young (Sampha, Lahai)
Best Independent Record Store
Drift *WINNER*
Honest Jon’s
Piccadilly
Rough Trade Bristol
Stranger Than Paradise Records
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Andrew Batey (Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Beatdapp)
Atlanta Cobb (Founder & Director, Music Industry Mentor)
Colin Batsa (President and Chairman, EGA Distro)
Meg Carnie (Studio Manager / Co-Founder / Artist Manager - South Lanes Studios) *WINNER*
Tom Allen (President, Downtown Royalties and Financial Services, Downtown Music)
Diversity Champion
SILVASTONE *WINNER*
Independent Music Champion (in association with Downtown)
Music Venue Trust *WINNER*
Outstanding Contribution to Music (in association with Merlin)
Sparks *WINNER*
Innovator
Neneh Cherry *WINNER*
