Association of Independent Music
Final nominations have been announced for this year’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards. Electronic music producer Barry Can’t Swim (real name: Joshua Mainnie) leads the pack with three nominations, followed closely by Jorja Smith, Sampha, CASISDEAD and Kneecap, who are up for two awards each.
Singer-songwriter Sampha, who is in the running for best independent video and best independent track, will be among the live performers on the night, alongside Manchester rapper and fellow nominee OneDa.
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The 14th edition of the annual awards show, which recognizes the achievements of the artists, labels, entrepreneurs and companies that make up the U.K.’s indie sector, is set for Oct. 17 at London’s Roundhouse venue.
Nominees also include D-Block Europe, Kim Gordon, Actress, rapper Skrapz, Mount Kimbie, Anohni and the Johnsons and jazz nine-piece Nubiyan Twist, who are all in the running for the best independent album prize alongside Smith and Barry Can’t Swim.
AIM announced the nominees in seven categories on Aug. 13, but have now announced the nominees in all 14 competitive categories, as well as the recipient of the diversity champion award. Afrobeats artist, producer and songwriter Silvastone, who has collaborated with the likes of Popcaan, Sneakbo, Bugzy Malone and Lady Leshurr, has been named AIM’s 2024 diversity champion in recognition of his commitment to his local community in Croydon and work as a youth ambassador.
R&B singer Jorja Smith, a 2019 Grammy nominee for best new artist, is also listed in the best independent track category for her hit “Little Things,” which reached No. 11 on the Official U.K. Singles chart.
2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective, Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, Hudson Mohawke and Nikki Nair, Sampha, NikNak, Matthew Halsall, Amy Gadiaga and CASISDEAD — who was crowned best hip-hop/grime/rap act at the BRIT Awards on March 2 – round out the best track shortlist.
Other categories announced on Tuesday (Oct. 1) by AIM, which represents more than 1,000 U.K. independent artists and music companies, include best independent label. Heavenly Recordings, Ninja Tune, Partisan Records, Seattle’s Sub Pop Records and British indie Transgressive Records are the nominees in that category.
New for 2024 is the award for the U.K.’s best independent record store. Drift in Totnes, Manchester-based Piccadilly Records, Rough Trade Bristol and London’s Honest Jon’s and Stranger Than Paradise Records are all in the running for the inaugural prize.
The top five list for the public-voted best live performer title numbers Belfast rap trio Kneecap, Laura Misch, Pendulum, Raye and Frank Turner. All other nominees and winners are decided by the AIM board and a panel of expert judges.
The five contenders for the independent breakthrough award number London rapper CASISDEAD, Barry Can’t Swim, Bar Italia, Saint Harison and Wunderhorse, who all receive free access to studio time at London’s Metropolis Studios as part of their nomination.
AIM’s One to Watch category, which has previously been collected by Nia Archives and Arlo Parks, shines a light on spoken word artist Antony Szmierek, drum and bass MC OneDa, DJ Kitty Amor and artist/producers Lynks and Miso Extra.
Sponsors and media partners for October’s awards ceremony, which will be hosted by BBC Radio 1 DJ Jack Saunders, include Spotify, Vevo, Meta, Notion, Amazon Music and the BBC.
Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2024 AIM Independent Music Awards:
Diversity Champion
Silvastone
Best Independent Label
Heavenly Recordings
Ninja Tune
Partisan Records
Sub Pop Records
Transgressive Records
Best Creative Campaign
Chrysalis Records (BODEGA, ‘Our Brand Could Be Yr Life’)
Dead Oceans (Slowdive, ‘everything is alive’)
Identity Music (Lofi Girl, ‘Snowman’)
Warp Records (Aphex Twin, ‘Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / In a Room7 F760’)
Young (Sampha, ‘LAHAI’)
Best Live Performer
Frank Turner (Xtra Mile Recordings)
KNEECAP (Heavenly Recordings)
Laura Misch (One Little Independent)
Pendulum (Mushroom Music)
RAYE (Human Re Sources)
Best Boutique Label
AD 93
Houndstooth
LAB Records
New Soil
Sonic Cathedral
PPL Award for Most Played Independent Artist
Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)
Coach Party (Chess Club Records)
Far From Saints (Ignition Records)
Popeth (Recordiau Côsh Records)
Tom A. Smith (TYM Records)
Best Independent Record Store
Drift
Honest Jon’s
Piccadilly
Rough Trade Bristol
Stranger Than Paradise Records
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Andrew Batey (Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Beatdapp)
Atlanta Cobb (Founder & Director, Music Industry Mentor)
Colin Batsa (President and Chairman, EGA Distro)
Meg Carnie (Studio Manager / Co-Founder / Artist Manager – South Lanes Studios)
Tom Allen (President, Downtown Royalties and Financial Services, Downtown Music)
Best Independent Album
Actress – LXXXVIII (Ninja Tune)
ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross (Rough Trade Records)
Barry Can’t Swim – When Will We Land? (Ninja Tune)
D-Block Europe – Rolling Stone (EGA Distro)
Jorja Smith – falling or flying (FAMM)
Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)
Mount Kimbie – The Sunset Violent (Warp Records)
Nabihah Iqbal – Dreamer (Ninja Tune)
Nubiyan Twist – Find Your Flame (Strut Records)
Skrapz – Reflection (EGA Distro)
Best Independent Remix
“The Egyptian Lover Remix” – Sudan Archives – Freakalizer (Stones Throw Records)
“Joy Anonymous Remix” – Ezra Collective, Sampa the Great – JOY (Life Goes On) (Partisan Records)
“L BEATS Mashup” – Jorja Smith – Little Things x Gypsy Woman (FAMM)
“Olof Dreijer Remix” – Björk – Oral (feat. Rosalia) (One Little Independent)
“P-rallel Remix” – Aluna, Jayda G – Mine O’ Mine (Mad Decent Under Exclusive Licence to Because Music)
One To Watch
Antony Szmierek (LAB Records)
Kitty Amor (Defected Records)
Lynks (Heavenly Recordings)
Miso Extra (Transgressive Records)
OneDa (Heavenly Recordings)
Best Independent Track
Amy Gadiaga – “All Black Everything” (Jazz re:freshed)
CASISDEAD – “Venom” (XL Recordings)
Ezra Collective – “Ajala” (Partisan Records)
Fontaines DC – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)
Hudson Mohawke & Nikki Nair – “Set the Roof” (Warp Records)
Jorja Smith – “Little Things” (FAMM)
KNEECAP, Grian Chatten – “Better Way To Live” (Heavenly Recordings)
Matthew Halsall – “An Ever Changing View” (Gondwana Records)
NikNak – “1200RPM” (Accidental Records)
Sampha – “Spirit 2.0” (Young)
Best Independent EP/Mixtape
George Riley – Un/limited Love (Ninja Tune)
Headie One & K-Trap – Strength to Strength (One Records and Thousand8)
HONESTY – BOX (Partisan Records)
JGrrey – If Not Now? (PACE, a subsidiary of Marathon Music Group)
Potter Payper – Thanks for Hating (EGA Distro)
UK Independent Breakthrough
Bar Italia (Matador Records)
Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)
CASISDEAD (XL Recordings)
Saint Harison (Tell Your Friends)
Wunderhorse (Communion Records)
Best Independent Video
Gia Ford – “Poolside” (Chrysalis Records)
Khruangbin – “A Love International” (Dead Oceans)
Master Peace – “I Might Be Fake” feat. Georgia (PMR Records)
Mitski – “My Love Mine All Mine” (Dead Oceans)
Sampha – “Only” (Young)
LONDON — Jorja Smith, CASISDEAD and Barry Can’t Swim are among the leading nominees for the 2024 Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards, which recognize the achievements of the artists, labels, entrepreneurs and companies that make up the U.K.’s indie sector.
The 14th edition of the annual awards show is set for Oct. 17 at London’s Roundhouse venue. Nominees also include D-Block Europe, Kim Gordon, Actress, rapper Skrapz, Mount Kimbie, Anohni and the Johnsons and jazz nine-piece Nubiyan Twist, who are all in the running for the best independent album prize alongside Smith and electronic music producer Barry Can’t Swim, real name Joshua Mainnie.
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R&B singer Jorja Smith, a 2019 Grammy nominee for best new artist, is also listed in the best independent track category for her hit “Little Things,” which spent 22 weeks on the Official U.K. Singles chart, peaking at No. 11.
2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective are on the best track shortlist, along with Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, Hudson Mohawke and Nikki Nair, Sampha, NikNak, Matthew Halsall, Amy Gadiaga and CASISDEAD — who was crowned best hip-hop/grime/rap act at the BRIT Awards on March 2.
Other categories announced by AIM, which represents more than 1,000 U.K. independent labels, artists and music companies, include best EP/mixtape, best remix and best video.
The five contenders for the independent breakthrough award number London rapper CASISDEAD, Barry Can’t Swim, Bar Italia, Saint Harison and Wunderhorse, who all receive free access to studio time at London’s Metropolis Studios as part of their nomination.
AIM’s One to Watch category, which has previously been collected by Nia Archives and Arlo Parks, shines a light on spoken word artist Antony Szmierek, drum and bass MC OneDa, DJ Kitty Amor and artist/producers Lynks and Miso Extra.
Nominees and winners are picked by the AIM board and a panel of expert judges with the exception of the best live performer award, which is decided by a public vote.
In terms of most nominated indie labels, London-based Ninja Tune leads the pack with its artists receiving four nods across the categories announced so far (Actress, Barry Can’t Swim, Nabihah Iqbal and George Riley). XL Recordings, Heavenly Recordings and artist services company EGA Distro each have three acts up for prizes.
Nominations for the remaining award categories, including best boutique label and independent champion, as well as live performers at this year’s ceremony will be announced in the coming months, said AIM. Sponsors and media partners for October’s awards include Spotify, Vevo, Meta, Notion, Amazon Music and the BBC.
Gee Davy, interim AIM CEO, said that this year’s nominees “spans the regions and nations, genres and communities of the U.K.’s independent music scene, recognizing success, talent and artistry.”
Ruth Barlow, the not-for-profit organization’s chair, said in a statement that the 2024 awards shortlist provides “a great glimpse into the length and breadth of the U.K.’s independent sector and highlight a handful of the innovators, culture makers and commercial successes AIM’s outstanding community has to offer.”
According to figures released earlier this year from U.K. labels trade body BPI, independently released songs and albums accounted for almost one-third of all music consumption in the U.K. in 2023 with the equivalent of more than 53 million independently released albums streamed or purchased across digital and physical formats. The U.K. is the world’s third-biggest recorded music market in IFPI’s annual rankings behind the U.S. and Japan.
See below for a full list of the nominees for the 2024 AIM Independent Music Awards announced so far:
Best Independent Album (in association with Spotify)
Actress – LXXXVIII (Ninja Tune)
ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross (Rough Trade Records)
Barry Can’t Swim – When Will We Land? (Ninja Tune)
D-Block Europe – Rolling Stone (EGA Distro)
Jorja Smith – falling or flying (FAMM)
Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)
Mount Kimbie – The Sunset Violent (Warp Records)
Nabihah Iqbal – Dreamer (Ninja Tune)
Nubiyan Twist – Find Your Flame (Strut Records)
Skrapz – Reflection (EGA Distro)
Best Independent Remix
P-rallel Remix – Aluna, Jayda G – Mine O’ Mine (Mad Decent Under Exclusive License to Because Music)
Olof Dreijer Remix – Björk – Oral (feat. Rosalia) (One Little Independent)
L BEATS Mashup – Jorja Smith – Little Things x Gypsy Woman (FAMM)
Egyptian Lover Remix – Sudan Archives – Freakalizer (Stones Throw Records)
Ezra Collective, Sampa The Great – JOY (Life Goes On) (Partisan Records)
One to Watch (in association with BBC Music Introducing)
Antony Szmierek (LAB Records)
Kitty Amor (Defected Records)
Lynks (Heavenly Recordings)
Miso Extra (Transgressive)
OneDa (Heavenly Recordings)
Best Independent Track (in association with Meta)
Amy Gadiaga – “All Black Everything” (Jazz re:freshed)
CASISDEAD – “Venom” (XL Recordings)
Sampha – “Spirit 2.0” (Young)
Fontaines DC – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)
Ezra Collective – “Ajala” (Partisan Records)
Jorja Smith – “Little Things” (FAMM)
KNEECAP, Grian Chatten – “Better Way to Live” (Heavenly Recordings)
Matthew Halsall – “An Ever Changing View” (Gondwana Records)
NikNak – “1200RPM” (Accidental Records)
Hudson Mohawke & Nikki Nair – “Set the Roof” (Warp Records)
Best Independent EP/Mixtape
George Riley – Un/limited Love (Ninja Tune)
Headie One & K-Trap – STRENGTH TO STRENGTH (One Records and Thousand8)
JGrrey – If Not Now? (PACE, a subsidiary of Marathon Music Group)
Potter Payper – Thanks for Hating (EGA Distro)
HONESTY – BOX (Partisan Records)
UK Independent Breakthrough (in association with Amazon Music)
Bar Italia (Matador Records)
CASISDEAD (XL Recordings)
Wunderhorse (Communion Records)
Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)
Saint Harison (Platoon)
Best Independent Video (in association with Vevo)
Gia Ford – Poolside (Chrysalis Records)
Khruangbin – A Love International (Dead Oceans)
Master Peace – I Might Be Fake feat. Georgia (PMR Records)
Mitski – My Love Mine All Mine (Dead Oceans)
Sampha – Only (Young)
LONDON — Less than a year after being appointed chief executive of the Association for Electronic Music, Silvia Montello is exiting the global trade body to become CEO of AIM, the London-based Association of Independent Music.
Montello takes up the new post on Jan. 31. She will succeed Paul Pacifico, who leaves AIM later this month to head up the Saudi Music Commission, where he will be responsible for developing and championing the music sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In April, the London-based Montello was appointed the first female CEO of the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM). The New York-headquartered non-profit organization, founded in 2013, represents the interests of over 250 electronic music companies across 25 countries.
Montello’s appointment as CEO of AIM — which represents more than 1,000 U.K. indie labels, artists and music companies, including Beggars Group, Domino, Warp and Ninja Tune — comes on the back of another strong year for independent labels and artists in the United Kingdom. According to labels trade body BPI, independently released music made up 29% of the U.K.’s recorded music market in the first 10 months of 2022, up from 27% for the whole of 2021 — when total recorded music sales reached £1.3 billion ($1.6 million) in the U.K. — and an increase of 30% from 2017, when independents claimed a 22% share.
Independently released albums that have topped the U.K. albums chart this year include Arctic Monkeys’ The Car, Wet Leg’s self-titled debut, Fontaines D.C.’s Skinty Fia and rapper Central Cee’s 23.
“The growth of the indie sector has been fantastic to see and what’s really exciting about it is the rise in grass roots independent artists who are self-releasing and creating their own teams and finding ways of being able to build their own fanbase,” Montello tells Billboard.
Despite the growth, it remains difficult for many DIY and independent artists to make a decent living from streaming alone, she says, echoing well-publicized discontent from the creator community over low returns from music streams.
In her new role as CEO of AIM, Montello — who has been an active member of the U.K. trade body for several years — says she will continue the organization’s push for an “equitable and fair” split of streaming revenues but will also focus on educating and training independent artists and businesses about how they can monetize their art in the fast-changing music ecosystem.
“Looking outside of the reliance on just the major streaming platforms is going to be more of a significant conversation and trend going forward,” she says, citing the metaverse, Web3 and growth of neighboring rights revenues as potential avenues for artists to maximize their future earning potential.
“We always need to be looking forward and making sure that we’re trying to anticipate where there may be new opportunities for our members, but also anticipate where there may be challenges arising and making sure that we’re up to speed with everything,” says Montello.
Prior to heading AFEM, Montello held senior executive roles at the U.K. arm of Universal Music Group, where she worked as director of catalog marketing between 2006 and 2010, and BMG, where, according to her LinkedIn profile, she served as group senior vp of recordings operations and integrations from 2014 to 2016. She was subsequently appointed senior vp of operations at the then-Kobalt-owned artist services company AWAL, a post she held from 2017 to 2020.
More recently, Montello held senior posts at music rights data platform Blokur and Audio Network, a U.K.-based creator and publisher of music for film, television and digital content. Since 2011, she has also acted as CEO of Voicebox Consulting, which has worked with music companies and charities that include BMG, PIAS and the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Montello co-founded and is director of #remarQabl, an electronic music label services and publishing company that champions female, LGBTQ+ and underrepresented artists, and is a trustee for U.K. charity Help Musicians.
In a press release announcing Montello’s appointment, AIM chair Nadia Khan called the executive a “fantastic leader” whose “extensive industry background, contact base, business development skills, passion for diversity and inclusion, and vision for the future bring renewed leadership to AIM.”
Association for Electronic Music co-founders Ben Turner and Kurosh Nasseri congratulated Montello on what they called a “landmark appointment” for both her and the genre of electronic music.
“It is amazing to see an organization as influential as AIM looking to our sector and actually to our own trade body AFEM for their next leader,” Turner and Nasseri say in a statement. They thanked Montello for “her valuable input into AFEM in her short time with us” and said the organization has begun the process of recruiting a new CEO to succeed her.
Montello says she looks forward to “really getting under the skin of AIM” and doing all that she can to make the independent music business flourish, help artists avoid burnout and add to the “richness and diversity” of music coming out of the United Kingdom.
“Because if we don’t have that from the independent sector, where a lot of the creativity comes from the grass roots, the margins and underrepresented groups who have got something to say,” she says, “then all music lovers are going to miss out.”
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