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Some of Australia’s biggest musical exports are up for high-profile honors at this year’s AIR Awards, set to be handed out on July 31 at the Adelaide Town Hall in South Australia.

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Leading the charge in this year’s event are the likes of Royel Otis, who are up for four awards, just one year after being named breakthrough independent artist of the year at the 2024 edition. This year sees them up for the likes of best independent rock album or EP, independent album of the year, and independent marketing team of the year.

Royel Otis will be in fine company, sharing the former two categories with both Amyl and the Sniffers and King Stingray. Amyl, meanwhile, are also up for independent song of the year for “U Should Not Be Doing That,” which recently took out song of the year at the APRA Music Awards last month.

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Other well-represented artists at this year’s ceremony are Emily Wurramara, Confidence Man and Alice Ivy, who are up for four awards each, with the latter pair in contention for best independent dance, electronica or club single and Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP. Acts such as Indigenous hip-hop supergroup 3%, Gut Health, and others are also hoping to take home multiples at the event.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work the independent music industry does in providing talented and emerging artists and music businesses with a platform to share their art with a wider audience,” commented South Australian minister for arts, Andrea Michaels MP.

Officially known as the Australian Independent Record Awards, the awards were first established in 2006 as an effort to “recognise, promote, and celebrate the success of Australia’s Independent Music sector.” This year also features a new category, with independent mix, studio or mastering engineer of the year set to be handed out at the July ceremony for the first time.

Some of Australia’s biggest musical exports have been recognized by the AIRs in recent years, including RVG, who took home last year’s best independent album for Brain Worms, and Jem Cassar-Daley, whose “King of Disappointment” was named best independent single/EP.

2025 AIR Awards Nominations

Best Independent Blues And Roots Album or EPEmma Donovan – Til My Song Is DoneLittle Quirks – Little QuirksMia Dyson – Tender HeartQueenie – New MoultSteph Strings – Cradle Mountain

Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP3% – Kill The DeadDobby – Warrangu; River StoryLithe – What Would You Do?Miss Kaninna – KaninnaZiggy Ramo – Human?

Best Independent Country Album or EPHenry Wagons – The Four SeasonsKasey Chambers – BackboneLane Pittman – Lane PittmanMichael Waugh – Beauty & TruthThe Whitlams Black Stump – Kookaburra

Best Independent Jazz Album or EPClaire Cross – Sleep CycleLucy Clifford – Between Spaces Of KnowingMolly Lewis – On The LipsParvyn – MaujudaSam Anning – Earthen

Best Independent Classical Album or EPAustralian Chamber Orchestra – Memoir Of A SnailElectric Fields X Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Live In ConcertKatie Noonan & Karin Schaupp – Songs Of The Southern Skies Vol 2Nat Bartsch – Forever ChangedSimon Mavin – Some Days EP

Best Independent Children’s Album or EPBunny Racket – PowerEmma Memma – Twirly TunesTeeny Tiny Stevies – The Green AlbumThe Quokkas – Songs For Silly BilliesThe Wiggles – The Wiggles Sound System: Rave Of Innocence

Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club SingleAlice Ivy – Do I Need To Know What Love Is? Feat. Josh TeskeyConfidence Man – I Can’t Lose YouHaiku Hands – KicksMoktar – Haraka ’حركة’Odd Mob – Vertigo Feat. Ed Graves

Best Independent Punk Album or EPDon’t Thank Me, Spank Me! – Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me!Dune Rats – If It Sucks, Turn It UpGut Health – StilettoRadio Free Alice – PolyesterRegurgitator – Invader

Best Independent Heavy Album or EPNorthlane – Mirror’s EdgeOcean Grove – OddworldRedhook – MutationThe Amity Affliction – Let The Ocean Take Me (Redux)The Southern River Band – D.I.Y

Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP1tbsp – Megacity1000Alice Ivy – Do What Makes You HappyConfidence Man – 3am (La La La)Ninajirachi – Girl EdmPnau – Hyperbolic

Best Independent Rock Album or EPAmyl And The Sniffers – Cartoon DarknessKing Stingray – For The DreamsParty Dozen – Crime In AustraliaRoyel Otis – Pratts & PainThe Rions – Happiness In A Place It Shouldn’t Be

Best Independent Soul/Rnb Album or EPBeckah Amani – This Is How I Remember It.Don West – Don WestElla Thompson – Ripple On The WingMilan Ring – MangosRadical Son – Bilambiyal

Best Independent Pop Album or EPAnnie Hamilton – Stop And Smell The LightningAsha Jefferies – Ego RideEmma Russack – About The GirlGood Morning – Good Morning SevenSheppard – Zora

Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year – Presented By PPCA3%Gut HealthMiss KaninnaQueenieThe Dreggs

Independent Song of the YearAlice Ivy – Do I Need To Know What Love Is? Feat. Josh TeskeyAmyl And The Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing ThatJem Cassar-Daley – Big ContainerOcean Alley – TangerineSycco – Meant To Be

Independent Album of the YearAmyl And The Sniffers – Cartoon DarknessEmily Wurramara – NaraKing Stingray – For The DreamsRoyel Otis – Pratts & PainThe Dreggs – Caught In A Reverie

Best Independent LabelABC MusicDinosaur CityEtcetc.I Oh YouImpressed Recordings

Independent Marketing Team of the YearABC Music, The Annex – Emily Wurramara, NaraFuture Classic, The Annex – Sycco, ZorbGyrostream – Lithe, Fall BackI Oh You, Mushroom Music – Confidence Man, 3am (La La La)Ourness, The Annex – Royel Otis, Pratts & Pain

Independent Publicity Team of the YearI Oh You, Mushroom Music – Confidence Man, 3am (La La La)Liz Ansley – Emily Wurramara, NaraSuper Duper – Radio Free Alice, PolyesterThinking Loud – Royel Otis, Pratts & PainTwnty Three Pr – The Rions, Happiness In A Place It Shouldn’t Be

Independent Music Video of the YearClaudia Sangiorgi Dalimore – Emily Wurramara, Lordy Lordy Ft. Tasman KeithNick Rae, Jordan Ruyi Blanch – 3%, Won’t Stop Feat. Jessica MauboyPond – Pond, (I’m) Stung!Rosemary Whatmuff – Kasey Chambers, Backbone (The Desert Child)Stephanie Jane Day – Emma Russack, Everything Is Big

Independent Producer of the YearAlice Ivy – Do What Makes You HappyBonnie Knight – Coldwave, The Ants/Italia ’06Dave Hammer – Lime Cordiale, Enough Of The Sweet TalkNick Didia – Ocean Alley, TangerineNina Wilson – Ninajirachi, Girl Edm

Independent Mix, Studio or Mastering Engineer of the YearNick Herrera – Miss Kaninna, KaninnaRobert Muinos – Rowena Wise, Senseless Acts Of BeautyRohan Sforcina, Lachlan Carrick – Emma Donovan, Til My Song Is DoneSteven Schram – Crowded House, Gravity StairsTom Iansek – Tom Snowdon, Lonely Tree