News

We are thrilled to reveal the final wave of nominees for the 2026 Independent Music Awards, celebrating the creativity, ambition and diversity of independent labels and teams across the UK and beyond. This year’s nominees reflect the breadth of the independent sector, spanning genres, business models and regions, from established labels to emerging independent businesses and grassroots organisations.

Because Music, Dead Oceans, FAMM, Ninja Tune and Tru Thoughts are nominated for Best Independent Label (in association with IDOL), with the shortlist reflecting both long-term achievement and continued success across the independent sector. For example, Because Music recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a two-day takeover of Paris’s Centre Pompidou, while FAMM marks a decade of nurturing artists such as Jorja Smith. Brighton’s Tru Thoughts, meanwhile, enters its 27th year as a fully independent label and publisher, with recent collaborations across its roster featuring King Krule, Roots Manuva, James Mollison and JME. Ninja Tune recently delivered three UK Top 10 albums across three different artists alongside a breakout year for Fcukers, this year’s joint most nominated artist, while Dead Oceans, home to Phoebe Bridgers, has continued its success with the recent release of her acclaimed new album Lost Weekend. FAMM and Tru Thoughts receive their first nominations in the category this year, demonstrating the success of the latest generation of cutting-edge labels.

The breadth of independent music is also reflected in Best Boutique Label (in association with Qobuz), where Big Scary Monsters, Black Acre, TLD Records, Sweardown and untitled (recs) represent independent businesses at different stages of their journeys. Big Scary Monsters is celebrating its 25th anniversary with special releases, reissues and live events, while TLD Records has grown its catalogue to more than 1.2 million monthly streams across fewer than 100 releases. Bristol-based Black Acre recently celebrated its 100th release while continuing to champion its local music community, including through sold-out hometown activity arounf SCALER.

Ingenuity in building fanbases through engaging campaigns is recognised in the Best Release Campaign category (in association with Hey! What?), which sees Partisan Records nominated for Geese’s Getting Killed, Ourness/Believe for Genesis Owusu’s REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, Steel City Dance Discs for Kettama’s Archangel, Dead Oceans for Mitski’s Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, and Domino Recording Co for Wet Leg’s moisturizer.

The vitality of the UK’s local music scenes is reflected in the publicly nominated Best Independent Record Store category, with Applestump Records in Nantwich, Jacaranda Records in Liverpool, Just Dropped In Records in Coventry, Ignite Record Store in Birmingham and Slow Century Records in Solihull — the latter three demonstrating the support for these community hubs amongst music lovers in the midlands.

Best Live Performer celebrates artists who have made their mark on stage this year, with Amelia Coburn (Quiet Crown), Billy Lockett (Lockett Records), High Fade (RPN RECORDS), Katherine Priddy (Cooking Vinyl) and The Molotovs (Marshall Records) competing for the award. Publicly voted, the category showcases artists who have built communities of superfans.

The newly-introduced Best Catalogue Release category celebrates labels finding imaginative new ways to connect with fans. Stones Throw Records brought Haruomi Hosono’s Tropical Dandy to international audiences for the first time, supported by live events and pop-ups in London and Paris, while Cooking Vinyl sold out an impressive Super Deluxe Box Set of The Alan Parsons Project’s I Robot. London Records’ campaign for Orbital’s The Brown Album saw the reissue surpass its original 1993 chart peak, while 4AD and Cherry Red Records are nominated for exceptional campaigns around Lush’s Gala (2025 Remaster) and Toyah’s Chameleon – The Very Best of Toyah respectively.

Alongside the industry categories, AIM has announced that pioneering DJ duo Fabio & Grooveriderwill receive this year’s Innovator Award, recognising their contribution to UK music and dance culture. Across careers spanning more than three decades, the pair have played an integral role in the evolution of drum & bass and jungle, helping take the sounds from underground club culture to audiences around the world.

Responding to news of their award, Fabio & Grooverider said: “We’re incredibly proud to be receiving the Innovator Award. We’ve spent our lives pushing this music forward, breaking boundaries and staying true to what we believe in, so to be recognised for that journey means a lot to us!”

The PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist shortlist features bees & honey, Beyond Chicago, Clementine Douglas, Jim Legxacy and Poppy Baskcomb, with Jim Legxacy now receiving three nominations across this year’s awards, level with Fcukers as 2026’s joint most nominated artist.

Finally, Best Independent Video recognises directors Léa Esmaili for Thundercat’s She Knows Too Much feat. Mac Miller (Brainfeeder), acclaimed director Yorgos Lanthimos for Jerskin Fendrix’sBeth’s Farm  (untitled (recs)), OCURENS for Tinie Tempah, Skepsis and Carla Monroe’s Eat It Up (Imhotep Records), Noel Paul for Mitski’s Where’s My Phone  (Dead Oceans), and Zak Watson for Antony Szmierek’s The Heron (Mushroom Music).

AIM CEO Gee Davy commented:

“AIM is delighted to recognise Fabio and Grooverider’s pioneering music and careers and their impact on generations of fans, and at the same time, to recognise the importance of club culture to so many in the UK. The Independent Music Awards exists to spotlight many of those who contribute so much to the UK’s rich musical landscape but who would otherwise go unnoticed — from independently owned record stores around the UK to the ‘hidden high street businesses’ that are local record labels, from the artistry of video directors to live performances and special catalogue releases. Though each category can only have one winner, we salute all of the nominees and the long list of submissions, all of whom have contributed to the collective strength of this exciting community. We thank our members, Friends, sponsors and partners for their support of the UK’s independent music community and for making these unique awards possible.”

The newly announced nominees are listed in full below.

Best Independent Video 

• Zak Watson (director) for Antony Szmierek – The Heron (Mushroom Music)
• Yorgos Lanthimos (director) for Jerskin Fendrix – Beth’s Farm – (untitled (recs))
• Noel Paul (director) for Mitski – Where’s My Phone – (Dead Oceans)
• Léa Esmaili (director) for Thundercat – She Knows Too Much feat. Mac Miller (Brainfeeder)
• OCURENS (director) for Tinie Tempah, Skepsis, Carla Monroe – Eat It Up – (Imhotep Records)

PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist – in association with PPL

• bees & honey
• Beyond Chicago
• Clementine Douglas 
• Jim Legxacy 
• Poppy Baskcomb 

Best Live Performer

• Amelia Coburn (Quiet Crown)
• Billy Lockett (Lockett Records)
• High Fade (RPN RECORDS)
• Katherine Priddy (Cooking Vinyl)
• The Molotovs (Marshall Records)

Best Independent Label – in association with IDOL

• Because Music
• Dead Oceans
• FAMM
• Ninja Tune
• Tru Thoughts

Best Boutique Label – in association with Quboz

• Big Scary Monsters
• Black Acre
• TLD Records
• Sweardown
• untitled (recs)

Best Catalogue Release

• The Alan Parsons Project – ‘I Robot’ (Cooking Vinyl)
• Haruomi Hosono – ‘Tropical Dandy’ (Stones Throw)
• Lush – ‘Gala (2025 Remaster)’ (4AD)
• Orbital – ‘The Brown Album’ (London Records)
• Toyah – ‘Chameleon – The Very Best of Toyah’ (Cherry Red Records)

Best Release Campaign in association with Hey! What?

• Geese – ‘Getting Killed’ (Partisan Records)
• Genesis Owusu – ‘REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE’ (Ourness/Believe)
• Kettama – ‘Archangel’ (Steel City Dance Discs)
• Mitski – ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’ (Dead Oceans)
• Wet Leg – ‘moisturizer’ (Domino Recording Co)

Best Independent Record Store

• Applestump Records
• Jacaranda Records
• Just Dropped IN
• Ignite Record Store
• Slow Century Records

Innovator Award Winner

• Fabio & Grooverider