Tony Allen is to be honoured at the AIM Awards 2020, as the event announces plans to take place virtually a month earlier than planned.
UK rapper Digga D and jazz drummer Moses Boyd lead the way with three nominations each for this year’s ceremony, which will take place digitally on August 12.
Transgressive-signed singer Arlo Parks is the first performer to be revealed for the event, which received the highest number of nominations in its history. Johnny Marr was among the performers last year.
Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen, who passed away in April, has been revealed as the winner of the Outstanding Contribution To Music award. His We’ve Landed collaboration with Hugh Masekela is also up for Best Track.
Polish pianist Hania Rani, London singer Greentea Peng, Flying Lotus and Floating Points are all nominated in two categories each.
To recognise the breadth of talent in independent electronic music AIM launched a new Best Remix category, with Lafawndah’s Tourist X Nídia Rework and Makaya McCraven’s reimagining of Gil Scott-Heron’s We’re New Again among the nominees.
It’s wonderful that this year’s list of nominees is firmly on the cultural cutting edge
Paul Pacifico
The public vote for the Best Live Act award is open now. This year’s shortlist includes 54 independent artists and voting closes on June 29.
Attendees of the virtual event will be able to purchase VIP hampers and AIM Awards “Pub In A Box” from the end of June via Signature Brew.
This year’s charity partner will be the Roundhouse, where last year’s show took place.
AIM CEO Paul Pacifico said: “As the ceremony evolves into a virtual event, it’s wonderful to see that this year’s list of nominees is also firmly on the cultural cutting edge. This is an eclectic and talented group of artists that truly represents the breadth, depth and diversity of independent music which these awards exist to celebrate. With our new virtual format opening the door to an exciting range of possibilities, we can’t wait to reveal what we have in store for August, and see where this year takes us.”
The judges and nominees for the AIM Awards 2020 are listed below.
Judges:
Kirsty Allison (Writer/Performer/Editor — Cold Lips, DJ Mag), Yemi Abiade (Journalist — Complex UK/Trench Mag), Marcus Barnes (Freelance Music Journalist & Copywriter), Kelly Betts (Production Manager — BBC Music Introducing), Tom Billington (Editor —BBC Music Introducing), Millie Carter (Production Coordinator — BBC Music Introducing), Daniel P Carter (Presenter — BBC Radio 1’s Rock Show), Tina Edwards (Broadcaster & DJ — Worldwide FM), Patrick Hinton (Digital Features Editor — Mixmag), Tara Joshi (Music Editor — gal-dem), Felicity Martin (Editor — Dummy Mag), Aine Cronin-McCartney (Freelance Radio Presenter/Music Journalist), Neev Spencer (Radio Broadcaster — Kiss FM), Emma Swann (Founding Editor — DIY) and Kalex Willzy (Presenter/Head of Social Media — SBTV).
Nominees:
UK Independent Breakthrough
Georgia
Digga D
Fontaines D.C.
Kokoroko
Moses Boyd
International Breakthrough
Bicep
Floating Points
Hania Rani
Idles
Yaeji
Best Independent Track In Association With Facebook
AJ Tracey – Dinner Guest (Ft. Mostack)
Digga D – No Diet
Flying Lotus – More (Ft. Anderson .Paak)
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 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
Best [Difficult] Second Album
Floating Points – Crush
FKA Twigs – Magdalene
Joe Armon Jones – Turn To Clear View
Life – A Picture Of Good Health
Moses Sumney – Græ
Best Independent Remix
Lafawndah – Tourist X Nídia Rework
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
Blanco White
Caroline
Greentea Peng
Lavida Loca
Best Creative Packaging In Association With Signature Brew
Digga D – Double Tap Diaries
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)
Best Independent Video
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
Zebra Katz – Moor
Outstanding Contribution To Music In Association With Merlin
Tony Allen (Winner)
PHOTO: Bernard Benant
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