Wet Leg, Nova Twins Victorious At AIM Independent Music Awards 2022

  • The two bands on the rise walk away with UK Independent Breakthrough and Best Independent Track respectively

  • Other winners include Mitski, Jeshi, Blxst, TAAHLIAH, Cleo Sol, Nilüfer Yanya, Champion, Nia Archives, Corey Johnson, Rough Trade, Local Action, and more

  • Stormzy, Rina Sawayama, Lethal Bizzle and The Libertines also recognised

28 September 2022, London: After bringing down the curtain on riotous performances from The Libertines, Lethal Bizzle and Pixey, the AIM Independent Music Awards celebrates another glorious year of the independent sector and the talented artists, labels and outstanding individuals at the forefront of its success.

With a winners list of exciting fresh talent and trailblazing legends, 2022 is a year of triumph for those who have paved the way and those now forging their own path. After rapidly rising up the ranks of the indie rock scene due to their killer choruses and label guidance, Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company) saunter in as winners of UK Independent Breakthrough in association with YouTube Music, while Nova Twins (Marshall Records) scoop Best Independent Track in association with Meta for ‘Antagonist’ after a similar upward trajectory in 2022.

On their win for UK Independent Breakthrough, Wet Leg said via videolink: “Thanks so much for the Breakthrough award. It’s been a really wild year for us and we just want to take this opportunity to thank our team and all the other members of our new-found family. As a great man once said, “To infinity and beyond!””

On the LP front, Cleo Sol (Forever Living Originals) took home Best Independent Album in association with Spotify for the majestic ‘Mother’ and Nilüfer Yanya (ATO Records) proved the follow up record can be a pretty ‘Painless’ experience as she reigned supreme in the Best [Difficult] Second Album in association with BBC 6 Music category.

Via video link, Nilüfer Yanya said: “Just wanted to say thanks so much for the award. Really means a lot, especially coming from AIM.”

This year marked the introduction of two new categories, Best Independent EP/Mixtape and Music Entrepreneur Of The Year, with Scottish producer TAAHLIAH‘s ‘Angelica’ (untitled (recs)) and Corey Johnson (CEO & Founder of Defenders Ent.) winning respectively. The latter is recognised for his work founding The Digital Holdings studio to create a safe space in the UK rap scene.

With previous recipients including Arlo Parks and ENNY, Nia Archives has been earmarked for similar stratospheric success by winning this year’s One To Watch in association with BBC Introducing, while American rapper and songwriter Blxst (Red Bull Records) has been making waves thanks to his recent debut album and feature on the new Kendrick Lamar album. He was awarded International Breakthrough in association with Deezer.

With over 29,000 votes cast by fans across the category, Mitski (Dead Oceans) emerged victorious as the Best Live Performer for her revered show and British DJ D.O.D (Axtone Records) claims the PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist. There’s also wins for Jeshi (Because Music), who claims the Best Independent Video in association with VEVO prize for the ambitious ‘3210’ and Champion’s reimagining of Ibeyi’s 'Lavender & Red Roses ft. Jorja Smith’ (XL Recordings) is hailed as Best Independent Remix, as well as Maylee Todd’s ‘Maloo’ from Stones Throw Records for Best Creative Campaign in association with Able. After celebrating their tenth anniversary this year, Local Action win Best Boutique Label for their trailblazing and uplifting community ethos in dance music.

Having helped to define what an independent record label is when it was established in 1978, Rough Trade Records cemented their reputation with the Best Independent Label award demonstrating how a label's cultural identity can benefit and enhance its artists since its inception. Under the leadership of Jeannette Lee and Geoff Travis, the label has released music from the likes of Black Midi, Jockstrap and Dean Blunt in recent times, while also dipping into its back catalogue for a series of reissues. Fittingly, indie-rock heavyweights The Libertines received Special Recognition for their legendary career and influence on guitar music. As Rough Trade signees, it emphasises the strength of the working relationship between the two as they scoop an Award apiece.

As previously announced, Stormzy was honoured as Diversity Champion for using his platform to level the playing field in the music industry and inspiring wider society through his charity #Merky Foundation and #Merky Books. Alongside Lethal Bizzle, a fellow grime legend who took home Outstanding Contribution to Music in association with Merlin, there were wins for several music industry leaders, including Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music for the unstoppable Rina Sawayama and Independent Champion in association with MCPS for Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot of [PIAS].

Collecting his award via video link, Stormzy said: “I encourage everyone in the room today to not just use diversity as a buzzword. Whatever position you lot are in, whatever roles you might play, try to be a real driving factor for it and not just see it as a quota or a box to tick and really see the worth and value in being diverse. Thank you to the AIM Awards and to God be the glory.”

Opening this year’s ceremony, AIM CEO Paul Pacifico said: “Tonight is about us as a community celebrating the incredible successes of the world-beating UK independent music sector. It is a hugely competitive market out there, but we understand that we are stronger together and a win for one of us is a win for all of us. I’d like to say a huge congratulations to tonight’s winners, and thank you to our sponsors and especially our Platinum Partners.


See below for the full list of winners:


Diversity Champion 

Stormzy WINNER

Best Independent Album in association with Spotify

Boj - 'Gbagada Express' (Moves Recordings)

Children Of Zeus - 'Balance' (First Word Records)

Cleo Sol  - 'Mother' (Forever Living Originals) WINNER

Dave - 'We're All Alone In This Together' (Neighbourhood Recordings)

Dave Okumu - 'Knopperz' (Transgressive Records)

Emma-Jean Thackray - 'Yellow' (Movementt)

Mustafa - 'When Smoke Rises' (Young)

Nilüfer Yanya - 'Painless' (ATO Records)

SAULT - 'NINE' (Forever Living Originals)

Walt Disco - 'Unlearning' (Lucky Number)

Best Independent Track in association with Meta

Anz - 'You Could Be' (ft. George Riley) (Ninja Tune)

Dave - 'Starlight' (Neighbourhood Recordings)

FKA twigs - 'tears in the club' ft. the weeknd (Young)

Jeshi - 'Protein' feat. Obongjayar (Because Music)

Knucks, SL - 'Nice & Good' (No Days Off)

Nova Twins - 'Antagonist' (Marshall Records) WINNER

Overmono - 'So U Kno' (XL Recordings)

Wet Leg - 'Chaise Longue' (Domino Recording Company)

Wu-Lu - 'Broken Homes' (Warp Records)

Yves Tumor - 'Jackie' (Warp Records)


UK Independent Breakthrough in association with YouTube Music

Children of Zeus (First Word Records)

Knucks (No Days Off)

Nova Twins (Marshall Records)

Warmduscher (Bella Union)

Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company) WINNER

International Breakthrough in association with Deezer

Amyl & the Sniffers (Rough Trade)

Blxst (Red Bull Records) WINNER

Kokoroko (Brownswood Recordings)

Mdou Moctar (Matador Records)

Mitski (Dead Oceans)

Best Live Performer

Ben Böhmer (Anjunadeep)

IDLES (Partisan Records)

Mitski (Dead Oceans) WINNER

Shao Dow (DiY Gang Entertainment)

The Hu (Better Noise)


Best [Difficult] Second Album in association with BBC 6 Music

Black Country, New Road  - ‘Ants From Up There’ (Ninja Tune)

Jana Rush - ‘Painful Enlightenment’ (Planet Mu Records)

Nilüfer Yanya - ‘Painless’ (ATO Records) WINNER

Ross From Friends - ‘Tread’ (Brainfeeder)

Tirzah - 'Colourgrade' (Domino Recording Company)

Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music

Rina Sawayama WINNER

Outstanding Contribution to Music in association with Merlin

Lethal Bizzle WINNER

Special Recognition

The Libertines (Rough Trade) WINNER

Best Independent EP/Mixtape

FKA twigs - ‘CAPRISONGS’ (Young)

Joy Orbison - 'still slipping vol.1' (XL Recordings)

Surya Sen - 'At What Cost?' (Skint Records)

TAAHLIAH - 'Angelica' (untitled (recs)) WINNER

Wesley Joseph - 'ULTRAMARINE' (EEVILTWINN)

Best Independent Remix

ATO / FLOHIO remix of ATO - 'no caroline' (MCMXCV)

Mura Masa remix of Erika de Casier - 'Polite' (4AD)

Champion remix of Ibeyi - 'Lavender & Red Roses ft. Jorja Smith' (XL Recordings) WINNER

Thom Yorke ‘Man on Fire’ remix of MF DOOM - 'Gazzillion Ear' (Lex Records)

Kaydy Cain remix of Shygirl - 'BDE' (Because Music)

One To Watch in association with BBC Introducing

Barry Can't Swim (Technicolour / Ninja Tune) 

Jeshi (Because Music)

Léa Sen (Partisan Records)

Nia Archives (HIJINXX) WINNER

TAAHLIAH (untitled (recs))

Best Independent Video in association with VEVO

Arlo Parks - 'Softly' (Transgressive Records)

Ibeyi - 'Made of Gold ft. Pa Salieu' (XL Recordings)

Jeshi - '3210' (Because Music) WINNER 

Wesley Joseph - 'Cold Summer' (Secretly Canadian)

FKA twigs -  'tears in the club' ft. the weeknd (Young)

PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist

Arlo Parks (Transgressive Records)

D.O.D (Axtone Records) WINNER

KC Lights (Toolroom Productions)

Rathbone Place (Good Company Records)

Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company)


Best Creative Campaign in association with Able

Fontaines D.C. - 'Skinty Fia' campaign from Partisan Records

Maylee Todd - 'Maloo' campaign from Stones Throw Records WINNER

Mitski - 'Laurel Hell' campaign from Dead Oceans 

Obongjayar - 'Some Nights I Dream of Doors' campaign from September Recordings 

Radiohead - 'KID A MNESIA' campaign from XL Recordings

Best Independent Label

Domino Recording Company

Ninja Tune

Partisan Records

Rough Trade Records WINNER

Soundway Records


Best Boutique Label

Chess Club

Edition Records

Finesse Foreva

Local Action WINNER

Rough Bones


Independent Champion in association with MCPS

Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot of [PIAS] WINNER

Music Entrepreneur Of The Year

Corey Johnson - CEO & Founder of Defenders Ent. WINNER

Jamie Oborne - Founder of Dirty Hit/All On Red Management

Karen Emanuel - CEO & Founder of Key Production

Laura Lewis-Paul - CEO & Founder of Saffron Music

Peter Adarkwah - Label Owner of BBE Music

For press enquiries, please contact:

lee@namemusic.net

amy@namemusic.net


About AIM

AIM is the not-for-profit organisation representing and supporting the UK’s independent music sector and community, which makes up over a quarter of the UK’s recorded music market. Now in its 23rd year, AIM’s members range from the largest, most respected record labels and associated music businesses in the world to DIY or self-releasing artists and the next generation of entrepreneurs in music – including 4AD, Black Acre, CTRL Music, Dirty Hit, Domino Recording Co, Hospital Records, Killing Moon Group, FAMM, Ninja Tune, Numbers, Transgressive, Secretly Canadian, Supernature, Warp, and XL Recordings.   

AIM exists to level the playing field for UK independent music businesses – the beating heart of music. No matter their genre, their background, how much money they have, how they identify or their age, AIM provides access to the knowledge and contacts creative entrepreneurs need to create, build and win. AIM supports its members, not only through the difficult times, but also on a day-to-day level with practical support that makes a real difference to their lives and work, helping them take their businesses to the next level.   

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