Independent music legends and rising stars triumphed at the AIM Awards 2021. The virtual ceremony was hosted by Tiffany Calver and Jamz Supernova.
Music Week reported this week how the independent sector has been thriving despite the impact of the pandemic.
Adding two more wins to her AIM Awards tally after scooping the One To Watch in 2020, Arlo Parks collected coveted trophies for UK Independent Breakthrough in association with YouTube Music and Best Independent Album in association with Spotify. Arlo Parks’ debut Collapsed In Sunbeams (Transgressive) is a Top 100 breakthrough in 2021.
Arlo Parks said: “I want to say a big big thank you to my fans, to my team, I'm grateful to be growing every day as an independent artist and this period has been so difficult, so chaotic and so confusing, so to be able to bring people light in this time of need has been really special.”
Enny also won two awards at the virtual ceremony: Best Independent Track category in association with Facebook for Peng Black Girls feat Amia Brave and One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing.
Enny said: “Very, very, very unexpected, especially how early on everything has started happening, so I'm just really filled with a lot of gratitude. Wanna big up my team and everyone that’s been a part of this journey so far. Thank you!”
A Hero’s Death by Fontaines DC reigned supreme in the Best [Difficult] Second Album category in association with BBC Radio 6 Music, while Wesley Joseph’s self-directed visuals for Thrilla were recognised in Best Independent Video in association with Vevo.
I'm grateful to be growing every day as an independent artist
Arlo Parks
The electronic music community was well represented too. Jayda G scooped International Breakthrough in association with Deezer; Elkka’s vibrant twist on Ela Minus’ Megapunk landed Best Independent Remix in association with SoundCloud.
Jayda G said: “Thank you everyone. This award is for all the female Black music producers working in electronic music. There’s room for us!”
Working Men’s Club took the prize for Best Creative Packaging with the RAW Edition of their self-titled debut, released by Heavenly Recordings.
US singer-songwriter Lauv notched his first AIM Awards win with the PPL Award For Most Played New Independent Artist, while the public voted to crown Ben Böhmer the winner of Best Live [Streamed] Act in association with On Air.
The strength of independent labels were highlighted once again, as Forever Living Originals and Strut Records took home, respectively, Best Independent Label in association with Integral and Best Small Label in association with Believe.
As well as highlighting fresh talent, the AIM Awards is also about honouring those who have paved the way. Joan Armatrading scooped Outstanding Contribution To Music in association with Merlin after reinventing folk, pop, soul, blues and rock across an almost five decade career at the top. She released her 20th album, the critically acclaimed Consequences (BMG) last month.
Tricky (Pioneer in association with FUGA) and Adrian Sherwood (Innovator in association with Amazon Music) were also recognised for their achievements.
The livestreamed ceremony featured performances by Lava La Rue, Tricky, Working Men’s Club and Enny. All performances and interviews are available to watch now, alongside the full livestream on the AIM AwardsYouTube and Facebook channels, which will be available for seven days.
On the AIM Awards 2021, AIM CEO Paul Pacifico said: “Having been through one of the toughest times in music history, this year’s Awards celebrate the humanity at the heart of the independent music community. The relationships between people, whether artists and their teams, independent distributors, and the platforms and independent record stores out there surviving and thriving in spite of challenges of the day. And of course, the fans, the people that make all of this possible. We’re a mutually reinforcing community that stands and succeeds together. Congratulations to all of our winners!”
For the first time ever, the winners of the Local Heroes Awards in association with BBC Music Introducing have been announced. Nominated by BBC Introducing presenters throughout the regional territories, the new category shines a light on individuals, artists or companies who have demonstrated unwavering support for their local community.
The awards eligibility period was the 12 months until May 4, 2021. The full list of winners are below.
AIM Independent Music Awards Winners & Nominees:
UK Independent Breakthrough in association with YouTube Music
Winner: Arlo Parks (Transgressive Records)
Conducta (Kiwi Rekords)
India Jordan (Ninja Tune)
Rina Sawayama (Dirty Hit)
Working Men’s Club (Heavenly Recordings)
International Breakthrough in association with Deezer
Bicep (Ninja Tune)
Fontaines D.C. (Partisan Records)
Winner: Jayda G (Ninja Tune)
Park Hye Jin (Ninja Tune)
Tkay Maidza (4AD)
Best Independent Track in association with Facebook
Arlo Parks – Hope (Transgressive Records)
Bonobo & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Heartbreak (OUTLIER – Ninja Tune)
Winner: ENNY – Peng Black Girls ft. Amia Brave (FAMM)
Katy J Pearson – Take Back The Radio (Heavenly Recordings)
Lava La Rue – Magpie (Marathon Artists)
Mustafa – Air Forces (Young)
serpentwithfeet – Fellowship (Secretly Canadian)
Shygirl – TASTY (Because Music)
Squid – Narrator ft. Martha Skye Murphy (Warp Records)
Tkay Maidza – Shook (4AD)
Best Independent Album in association with Spotify
Winner: Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams (Transgressive Records)
Che Lingo – The Worst Generation (7Wallace Music)
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg (4AD)
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra – Promises (Luaka Bop)
Krust – The Edge of Everything (Crosstown Rebels)
Moses Sumney – græ (Jagjaguwar)
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Speaker Music – Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry (Planet Mu)
Rian Treanor – File Under UK Metaplasm (Planet Mu)
Working Men’s Club – Working Men’s Club (Heavenly Recordings)
Best [Difficult] Second Album in association with BBC Radio 6 Music
AJ Tracey – Flu Game (Revenge Records)
Bicep – Isles (Ninja Tune)
Dream Wife – So When You Gonna… (Lucky Number)
Winner: Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death (Partisan Records)
Leon Vynehall – Rare, Forever (Ninja Tune)
Best Independent Remix in association with SoundCloud
Bon Bon (Mike Lindsay Remix) – Songhoy Blues (Transgressive Records)
Fair Chance ft. Ty Dolla $ign & Lil B (Floating Points Remix) – Thundercat (Brainfeeder)
Winner: Megapunk (Elkka Remix) – Ela Minus (Domino)
soulboy (IZCO Remix) – p-rallel, Greentea Peng (Different Recordings)
Sweat ft. LIZ (SOPHIE Remix) – Sonikku (Bella Union)
One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing
Che Lingo (7Wallace Music)
Winner: ENNY (FAMM)
Lava La Rue (Marathon Artists)
Nova Twins (Nova Twins Ltd)
TSHA (Ninja Tune)
Best Creative Packaging
AJ Tracey – Flu Game (Special Edition) (Revenge Records)
Figaro de Montmartre – Emotion Soap (Figaro de Montmartre)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Eco Wax Editions (Heavenly Recordings and Flightless Records)
Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs (Rough Trade Records)
Winner: Working Men’s Club – Working Men’s Club (RAW Edition) (Heavenly Recordings)
Best Independent Video in association with Vevo
Arlo Parks – Hope (Transgressive Records)
Julien Baker – Hardline (Matador Records)
Kojaque – No Hands (Different Recordings)
Novo Amor – If We’re Being Honest (AllPoints)
Winner: Wesley Joseph – Thrilla (EEVILTWINN)
Best Independent Label in association with Integral
4AD
Dead Oceans
Winner: Forever Living Originals
Partisan Records
Transgressive Records
Best Small Label in association with Believe
Athens of the North
Finesse Foreva
Killing Moon
Sonic Cathedral
Winner: Strut Records
PPL Award For Most Played New Independent Artist
Arlo Parks
Central Cee
John Summit
KC Lights
Winner: Lauv
Best Live [Streamed] Act in association with On Air
Arlo Parks
Beabadoobee
Winner: Ben Böhmer
Kate Rusby
Lucy Spraggan
Pioneer Award in association FUGA
Tricky
Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music
Adrian Sherwood
Outstanding Contribution To Music in association with Merlin
Joan Armatrading CBE
Indie Champion in association with MCPS
Love Record Stores & Bandcamp
Diversity Champion
Paulette Long
Full list of Local Heroes Awards winners in association with BBC Music Introducing:
Sammy Clarke (BBC Music Introducing in Kent)
Billy Lockett (BBC Music Introducing in Northampton)
David Plumtree & his Cafe Indie Team (BBC Music Introducing in Humberside)
Bryony Williams (BBC Music Introducing in the West Midlands)
Bridgitte Tetteh (BBC Music Introducing in Berkshire)
Chloe Mogg & Amy Crouch (7 Arts Still Exist) (BBC Music Introducing in Hereford & Worcester)
Georgie Keen (BBC Music Introducing in Suffolk)
Ladies of Rage, Cardiff (BBC Music Introducing in Wales)
Ace Ambrose (BBC Music Introducing in Coventry & Warwickshire)
Tramlines Festival (BBC Music Introducing in Sheffield)
Lavz (BBC Music Introducing in Beds, Herts and Bucks)
Zahra Tehrani (BBC Music Introducing in Oxford)
Jennifer John (BBC Music Introducing in Merseyside)
Yasin El Ashrafi (BBC Music Introducing in the East Midlands - Notts, Derbys, Leics, East Staffs, Rutland)
Xidus Pain (BBC Music Introducing in Cambridgeshire)
Come Play With Me (BBC Music Introducing in West Yorkshire)
Joe Townsley, Noise Academy (BBC Music Introducing in Lincolnshire)
Hot Box Live Events (BBC Music Introducing in Essex)
Guy Britton (BBC Music Introducing in the West)
Harkirit Boparai & Joe Coates (BBC Music Introducing in York)
Save Our Scene - George Fleming (BBC Music Introducing in London)
Wendy House (BBC Music Introducing in Norfolk)
Ensemble (BBC Music Introducing in Scotland)
Nelson Navarro (BBC Music Introducing The South)
Trademark Blud (BBC Music Introducing in Shropshire)
Young Musicians Project - Laura Brewis (BBC Music Introducing in the North East)
Sarah Wilson (BBC Music Introducing Tees)
Danni Brownsill (BBC Music Introducing in Stoke)
Nikki MacRae (BBC Music Introducing in Northern Ireland)
Emma Twamley (BBC Music Introducing in South West)
The Lottery Winners (BBC Music Introducing in Lancashire)
Rivca Burns (SFTOC, MIF Festival) (BBC Music Introducing in Manchester)
Tyrone Gordon (BBC Music Introducing Solent)
Kiya Ashton (BBC Music Introducing in the Channel Islands)
Josh Duncan (JD) & Josh Spedding (Swerve) (BBC Music Introducing in Cumbria)
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