Independents Break Grammy Nominations Record

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) recognizes the Independent music labels and artists who control their own copyrights by congratulating them on their nominations for the 59th annual Grammy Awards, earning 283 out of 420 non-producer category nominations. This is the seventh year in a row earning more than half of the overall nominations. Independents continue to reach new heights through diverse music, composition, arrangement and songwriting, scoring the majority of nominations in 38 of the 84 non-producer categories.

Independent labels received several nominations in key categories, including Record of the Year, Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, Best Rap Album, Best New Age Album, Best Alternative Music Album, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best Rap/Sung Performance, and Best R&B Performance. For eight of the categories, including Best Latin Jazz Album, Best Traditional Blues Album, Best Reggae Album, Best Engineered Album/Classical, Best Orchestral Field/Classical, Best Opera Recording/Classical, and Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance and Best Contemporary Classical Composition, Independents secured 100% of the nominations.

Leading the way with multiple nominations from the A2IM Independent member community were Entertainment One, Rounder Records, ATO Records, Motema Music, Concord Music Group and Naxos.

"Congratulations to all of our members who have recordings nominated for the 59th Annual Grammy awards. We are proud to announce that independent labels garnered 67% of the 420 nominations, the highest number yet," says A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess. "This is the seventh year in a row that independent labels have received a majority of the Grammy nominations proving, yet again, that independent labels are able to attract the very best artists, make great records, and consummate hits."

Rihanna (Westbury Road Entertainment) leads the independent artist nominations, receiving nods in eight categories, including Record of the Year, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Performance, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Recording package categories. Also an independent artist, Chance The Rapper (Chance The Rapper) scored the most nominations of any Best New Artist contender with six nominations in the Best Rap Performance, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Album categories. 

A2IM member Entertainment One received eight nominations and is up for awards in the Best R&B Performance (Music Soulchild), Best Traditional R&B Performance (Lalah Hathaway), Best R&B Album (Lalah Hathaway), Best Gospel Performance/Song (Shirley Caesar feat. Anthony Hamilton, Jekalyn Carr, Hezekiah Walker) and Best Gospel Album (Shirley Caesar, Todd Delaney) categories.

Rounder Records received five nominations, including Best Americana Album (The Time Jumpers), Best Bluegrass Album, Blue Highway, The O'Connor Band), Best Traditional Blues Album (Bobby Rush) and Best Folk Album (Sierra Hull). 

ATO Records and Motema Music received four nominations each. ATO's nominations included Best Rock Performance (Alabama Shakes), Best Reggae Album (SOJA), Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package (Paper Wheels) and Best Surround Sound Album (Primus & The Chocolate Factory), and Motema Music received nods in the Best Improvised Jazz Solo (Joey Alexander, soloist), Best Jazz Vocal Album (Rene Marie), Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album (Ted Nash Big Band), and Best Instrumental Composition (Ted Nash, composer) categories. 

Concord Music Group received three nominations, including Best Contemporary Blues Album (The Record Company), Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals (Alan Broadbent, arranger) and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package (Simon Earth & James Musgrave, art directors). 

Naxos proved once again to be the Classical music powerhouse with five nominations for Best Engineered Album, Best Choral Performance, Best classical Instrumental Solo, Best Classical Compendium and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

Other A2IM members receiving nominations: 300 Entertainment, Alligator Records, Big Machine, Black River Entertainment, Bloodshot Records, Blue Engine Records, Canyon Records, Cleopatra Records, Compass Records, Curb Records, Domino Recordings, Ghostlight, Ghostly International, Jagjaguwar, Loma Vista Recordings, Mack Avenue Records, Mascot Records, Mom+Pop Music/Future Classic, Provogue, Roughtrade, Six Degrees Records, Sugar Hill Records, Vagrant, VP Records and XL Recordings.

About A2IM

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City representing a broad coalition of 391 Independently-owned American music labels. The organization represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine, using Nielsen SoundScan data, identified the Independent music label sector as 34.4 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2015 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry segment.

The organization's board of directors are composed of the following: Razor & Tie President Craig Balsam, Concord Music Group President Glen Barros, INgrooves General Manager Amy Dietz, Epitaph/Anti- General Manager Dave Hansen, Beggars Group Chairman Martin Mills, Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen, Dualtone Music Group CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson, Kill Rock Stars Owner/President Portia Sabin, Adshare President Jim Selby, Tommy Boy Owner/CEO Thomas Silverman, and Secretly Group Co-Founder/Co-Owner Darius Van Arman. A2IM's president's advisory committee is Curb Records Vice President Taylor Childress, Red House Records Vice President Chris Frymire, and Innovative Leisure Co-Owner Nate Nelson.

http://www.a2im.org