Nominees for the 2017 AIM Awards have been revealed at a launch event at House of Vans in London. London rap crew 67, nominated for Independent Breakthrough of the Year, performed at the event.
The seventh edition of the awards ceremony for the indie sector will take place on September 5 at the Brewery in Clerkenwell.
Stormzy, Dave, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Jane Weaver lead the field this year with three nominations each, while artists earning a pair of nominations include Sampha and Little Simz.
Last year's big winners included Stormzy (Innovator Award), Christine And The Queens (Independent Breakthrough Of The Year) and Roísín Murphy (Outstanding Contribution To Music).
AIM’s charity partner for this year’s awards is Youth Music, the leading national charity providing music-making opportunities for more than 75,000 children experiencing challenging circumstances.
Tickets for the AIM Awards are now sold out but limited tickets for the after party are available via the official awards website. AIM Awards 2017 sponsors and media partners include AIF, Believe, DIY, FUGA, INgrooves, MCPS, Music Week, The Orchard, PPL, Proper Music Distribution, Radio X, Songkick, Spotify, Vevo, Youtube.
The full list of nominees is below.
BEST SMALL LABEL (in association with Proper Music Distribution)
Cannibal Hymns
LAB Records
Local Action
Planet Mu
Shogun Audio
SPECIAL CATALOGUE RELEASE OF THE YEAR (in association with MCPS)
Alice Coltrane – The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda
Buzzcocks – Time’s Up
Erasure – From Moscow To Mars: An Erasure Anthology
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1984 – 2014)
Steve Hillage – Searching For The Spark
BEST DIFFICULT SECOND ALBUM (in association with Radio X)
Bear’s Den – Red Earth & Pouring Rain
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Modern Ruin
Jlin – Black Origami
Little Simz – Stillness in Wonderland
Songhoy Blues – Résistance
HARDEST WORKING BAND OR ARTIST
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Little Simz
Michael Chapman
ShaoDow
Worriedaboutsatan
GOLDEN WELLY AWARD FOR BEST INDEPENDENT FESTIVAL (in association with AIF, voted for via DIY)
Blissfields
Brainchild Festival
Handmade Festival
Hospitality In The Park
Lost Evenings
INDEPENDENT BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR (in association with YouTube)
67
Angel Olsen
Dave
Jane Weaver
Sampha
INDIE CHAMPION AWARD
Andy Carr – The Kids Are Solid Gold
Jess Partridge – Vice / London in Stereo
John Kennedy – Radio X
Katie Riding & Joe Daniel – Indie Label Market
Stephen Ackroyd – Dork / Upset
INDEPENDENT VIDEO OF THE YEAR (in association with Vevo)
Bonobo - No Reason
DJ Shadow – Nobody Speak (feat. Run The Jewels)
FEMME – Fire With Fire
Jacob Plant – Bike Engine
The Blaze – Territory
The Japanese House – Saw You in a Dream
BEST LIVE ACT (voted for by visitors to Songkick)
Counterfeit
Jack Savoretti
LP
Passenger
Rick Astley
INDEPENDENT TRACK OF THE YEAR (in association with Spotify)
Dave – Wanna Know
Goldfrapp – Anymore
Jane Weaver – Slow Motion
Joe Goddard – Music Is The Answer
Methyl Ethel – Ubu
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Jesus Alone
Sacred Paws – Everyday
Sampha – (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano
Stormzy – Big For Your Boots
The xx – On Hold
INDEPENDENT LABEL OF THE YEAR (in association with Believe)
Because Music
Heavenly Recordings
Hospital Records
Matador Records
Nuclear Blast
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC
The Dillinger Escape Plan
PIONEER AWARD (in association with The Orchard)
Steve Beckett – Warp Records
PPL AWARD FOR MOST PLAYED NEW INDEPENDENT ACT
Dave
Gavin James
Låpsley
Stormzy
Viola Beach
INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR (in association with INgrooves)
alt-J – RELAXER
Bing & Ruth – No Home of the Mind
Childish Gambino – “Awaken, My Love!”
Giggs – Landlord
Jane Weaver – Modern Kosmology
Jlin – Black Origami
Justice – Woman
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
Sacred Paws – Strike A Match
Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer