The Association of Independent Music celebrated a triumphant year for independent music tonight, with Adele, Stormzy, Roisin Murphy and Richard Russell among the big winners at the 2016 AIM Awards.
Hosted by Radio X’s John Kennedy and BBC Radio 1/1Xtra presenter MistaJam, the event featured live performances this year from Oscar and Little Simz.
XL Recordings’ Richard Russell was the recipient of this year’s Pioneer Award, with long-term friend and collaborator Damon Albarn on-hand to present the award.
Grime star Stormzy received the Innovator Award, presented by Radio 1Xtra’s Twin B and Beats 1’s Julie Adenuga, while Roisin Murphy collected the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.
The coveted Independent Label of The Year was won by Epitaph/Anti, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, while Numbers went home with the Best Small Label award.
Jon Tolley from independent retailer Banquet Records was recognised for his support of independent labels and artists with the Indie Champion Award.
Elsewhere, Independent Album of The Year went to Little Simz for her debut A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons, Best Difficult Second Album was won by Daughter for Not To Disappear, and Adele scooped Independent Track of The Year for Hello.
Independent Breakthrough of The Year went to Christine and The Queens, while Sigala picked up the PPL Award For Most Played New Independent Act. Darren Hayman was awarded Hardest Working Band or Artist following his Thankful Villages project.
Commenting on the awards, Roisin Murphy told Music Week: "The quality of the winners tonight has been fantastic, and it feels wonderful to win this award. All of the albums I've worked on during my career have been special in their own way. The first and last Moloko albums we really important and what I'm doing now is a whole new, beautiful chapter."
Noddy Holder, whose band Slade picked up the Special Catalogue Release of the Year, said to Music Week: "Awards like this are extremely important. The indie market is the backbone of the industry, and always has been."
You can see the full list of winners below:
BEST SMALL LABEL (in association with Proper Music Distribution)
Numbers
BEST DIFFICULT SECOND ALBUM (in association with Radio X)
Daughter – Not To Disappear
SPECIAL CATALOGUE RELEASE OF THE YEAR (In association with MODO)
Slade – When Slade Rocked The World
HARDEST WORKING BAND OR ARTIST
Darren Hayman
GOLDEN WELLY AWARD FOR BEST INDEPENDENT FESTIVAL In association with AIF, voted for via DIYmag.com)
Brainchild Festival
INDEPENDENT BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR (in association with YouTube)
Christine And The Queens
INDIE CHAMPION AWARD (in association with CI)
Jon Tolley – Banquet Records
INDEPENDENT VIDEO OF THE YEAR (in association with Vevo)
Oscar – Sometimes
BEST LIVE ACT (voted for by visitors to Songkick)
BABYMETAL
INDEPENDENT TRACK OF THE YEAR (in association with MCPS)
Adele – Hello
PPL AWARD FOR MOST PLAYED NEW INDEPENDENT ACT
Sigala
INNOVATOR AWARD (in association with FUGA)
Stormzy
INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR (In association with The Orchard)
Little Simz – A Curious Tale Of Trials + Persons
INDEPENDENT LABEL OF THE YEAR (In association with Believe Digital)
Epitaph/ANTI
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC (in association with Amazon Music)
Roisin Murphy
PIONEER AWARD
Richard Russell, XL Recordings
