AIM Awards Reveals Details Of Judging Panel And Brings Date Forward
AIM Awards unveils eclectic broadcasters and tastemakers on its judging panel
Independent music’s spotlight night moves forward to Wednesday 25 August
12April, London –The AIM Independent Music Awards has announced an eclectic list of broadcasters and tastemakers making up the judging panel for its 2021 event, and moved forward to a new date on Wednesday 25 August, for what is gearing up to be the event’s most dazzling ceremony yet.
Celebrating the dynamism, innovation and resilience of the independent sector over one of the most challenging years in its history, the event will build on last year’s groundbreaking experience with a livestreamed show and extra content on the AIM Awards app to create an immersive virtual showcase event, featuring performances from some of the world’s leading independent artists.
Submissions are now open for this year’s awards until midday on Tuesday 4 May. All submissions are free for AIM’s Rightsholder / Distributor Members. Several categories including Best Small Label, Best Independent Remix, One to Watch and - new for this year – Diversity Champion, are free for anyone to submit to. Submissions can be made via the awards’ website: www.aimawards.co.uk.
The judging panel for this year’s event will feature some of the UK’s leading tastemakers, representing a diverse range of genres, broadcasters and publications. They include: Amazing Radio, BBC Cymru, BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 1Xtra, Capital XTRA, ChillDaBeats, DIY Mag, DJ Mag, Dummy Mag, gal-dem, Kerrang!, Line of Best Fit, Mixmag, Mixtape Madness, The Quietus, The Skinny, The Telegraph, TRENCH and Worldwide FM.
Nadia Khan, AIM Chair and Founder of Women In CTRL, said: “Once again AIM has pulled together a diverse and eclectic mix of tastemakers for this year’s AIM Awards, representing a cross-section of music genre expertise as well as diversity of locations and backgrounds, which is, after all, fundamentally representative of the independent music sector as a whole. 2020 was a hugely challenging year, but that didn’t stop the UK's independent music sector from releasing some of the most innovate and exciting music in the world. Picking the winners will not be easy with so much talent to choose from.”
Gee Davy, COO of AIM said "Holding the Awards for a second year as a virtual event is incredibly exciting. It has given AIM scope to be as experimental and innovative as our members and to build on the foundations of our gripping immersive show last year. The new date at the end of summer will be at a time, we hope, of renewed positivity and optimism for the music community and for the world at large - a fitting time for AIM to celebrate and showcase the best and brightest independent talent."
2021 AIM Independent Music Awards Categories
UK Independent Breakthrough (in association with YouTube Music)
International Breakthrough
Best Independent Album (in association with Spotify)
Best Independent Track (in association with Facebook)
Best Independent Remix (in association with SoundCloud)
Best Independent Video
Best [Difficult] Second Album
Best Independent Label
Best Small Label
One to Watch (in association with BBC Music Introducing)
Best Live [Streamed] Act - *new for 2021*
Best Creative Packaging
Diversity Champion - *new for 2021*
Indie Champion
Innovator Award (in association with Amazon Music)
Outstanding Contribution to Music (in association with Merlin)
Pioneer Award
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist
AIM thanks its Annual Platinum Partners, Amazon Music, Facebook, Merlin, PPL, Spotify, and YouTube Music, whose support helps to make AIM’s annual programming, including the AIM Independent Music Awards, possible.
Socials
Facebook: AIMIndependentMusicAwards
Twitter: @AIMAwards
Instagram: @AIMAwards
About AIM
AIM is the not-for-profit trade body exclusively representing the UK’s independent music sector, which makes up a quarter of the recorded music market alone. Now in its 22nd year, AIM’s members range from the largest, most respected, record labels and associated music businesses in the world to self-releasing artists and the next generation of entrepreneurs in music. AIM promotes and supports this exciting and diverse sector globally and provides a range of services, commercial opportunities and practical help to members; enabling them to innovate, grow and break into new markets.