FKA Twigs, Run the Jewels, Aphex Twin Top Artist Nominees for 4th Annual A2IM Libera Awards

A2IM today announces the nominees for the 4th Annual Libera Awards (The 'LIBBYs'), to be held Thursday, June 25 at NYC's Highline Ballroom, closing out A2IM's 10th anniversary and annual Indie Week. The Libera Awards, co-presented by Pandora, celebrate the continually expanding successes of Independent labels and artists – and the services that support them – and are voted on solely by members of the Independent community.

Beggars Group (4AD, Matador, XL, Young Turks) lead with 11 nominations, including 4 for FKA Twigs ("Album of the Year", "Best Sync", "Groundbreaking Album", "Video of the Year"); followed by Warp Records who scored 6 nominations, including 3 for Aphex Twin ("Album of the Year", "Marketing Genius", "Creative Packaging"); Mass Appeal scored 5 nominations, including 4 for Run the Jewels ("Album of the Year", "Marketing Genius", "Hardest Working Artist", "Groundbreaking Album"); Concord Music Group (Concord Records, Loma Vista, Fantasy) scored 6 nominations;  Secretly Group (Jagjaguwar, Numero Group, Secretly Canadian) scored 5 nominations; while Sub Pop and Thirty Tigers scored 4 nominations.

From Matt Harmon, President of Beggars Group US:

"We are blown away by the number of Libby nominations that the Beggars Group labels have received this year. Our labels and artists have always espoused hard work and creativity, and 2014 was no different. We are humbled to be recognized by our peers across the independent community for the results across the Group. We look forward to celebrating everyone's achievements at this year's Libera Awards."

From Steven Hill, Head of North America, Warp:

"It is endlessly inspiring to work alongside such a visionary group of Artists, and we are proud to be recognized by the wider music community for these collaborations. 2014 was a special year for Aphex, Lotus, HudMo and Warp - and there is much more to come.  Thanks to everyone for the support."

From Peter Bittenbender, CEO, Mass Appeal

"A2IM is the cornerstone of the indie music business. Having Mass Appeal recognized at the Libera Awards is a great honor. We had a wild 2014 with Run The Jewels and look forward to continuing off that success this year and beyond!"

"Concord stands for independence," stated Concord Music Group president and CEO, Glen Barros. "We're proud to be a part of such a vital musical community and honored to be recognized by our indie peers."

From Darius Van Arman, Co-founder/Partner, Secretly Group:

"It is truly a great honor to be recognized by your community and your peers for what you have accomplished. Secretly Group is very proud to be nominated for five Libera Awards, including a Label of the Year nomination for Secretly Canadian. The hard work of the artists we work with is the very foundation of our success. So we are especially proud of the nominations that both The War On Drugs and Viet Cong received. Thank you to them, and thank you to A2IM."

For the first time in the Libera Awards' history, one label had two of their artists receive nominations for Album of the Year. Jonathan Poneman, Co-Founder of Sub Pop, noted "Were it within our control, we'd give Sleater-Kinney and Father John Misty every possible award. So, we're thrilled to see both of their new albums recognized by the 2015 Libera Awards with Album of the Year nominations."

From David Macias, President, Thirty Tigers:

"To get this kind of recognition from the independent community for Thirty Tigers, Lucinda and Sturgill is tremendously gratifying. There are so many gifted labels and amazing artists in the independent music community these days, for our family to be recognized is an honor that I don't take lightly. I'm very humbled and grateful right now."

The 2015 Libera Awards will also feature a special live performance by two-time Libera Award winner (Road Warrior, Hardest Working Artist) Charles Bradley sponsored by SoundExchange. Charles will perform as part of an 8-piece band, playing a selection of fiery, floor-stomping songs.

YouTube is sponsoring this year's Video of the Year Award, where for the first time in Libera Award history, fans will select a winner for that category via views of the nominees' music videos starting Friday May 8th until Sunday May 24th. The nominees are Die Antwoord "Ugly Boy"; FKA Twigs "Two Weeks"; Flying Lotus "Never Catch Me" (featuring Kendrick Lamar); Jungle "Time"; OK Go "I Won't Let You Down", and tUnE-yArDs "Water Fountain."

Check out the nominees for this year's Video of the Year Award here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL62SJLnyvK_i7hfqnehSPicKgJ2lHk2Dl

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL62SJLnyvK_i7hfqnehSPicKgJ2lHk2Dl

From Heather Moosnick, Head of Music Label Partnerships (YouTube):

"YouTube is committed to fan-driven music discovery and authentic creative expression, giving all aspiring artists and indie labels a global platform to build deep connections with over a billion potential fans. We are so proud to team with A2IM on this award to honor the ground-breaking creativity of these inspiring artists."

A2IM thanks this year's Libera Awards sponsors: Pandora, ADA, Fox Rothschild LLP, INgrooves, Mailchimp, Merlin, The Orchard, SoundExchange, YouTube, Silva Screen/So Recordings, AtoZ Media, and Bandzoogle! 

Please contact Jennifer Masset at Jen@A2IM.org about A2IM Libera Award sponsorship opportunities.

2015 Libera Award Nominees:

Marketing Genius Award
311 'STER3OL1TH1C' PledgeMusic album release campaign (marketing lead: Rich Lyne) (311 Music)
Aphex Twin 'Syro' album release campaign (marketing lead: Steven Hill) (Warp)
Little Dragon '1-800-NABUMA' campaign (marketing lead: Adam Farrell) (Loma Vista)
Run the Jewels 'Meow the Jewels / Tag the Jewels' (marketing lead: Run the Jewels) (Mass Appeal)
Various Artists 'Or Thousands of Prizes: Merge 25' Campaign (marketing lead: Becky Mormino) (Merge)
Various Artists 'Ten Bands One Cause: Pink Vinyl' (marketing lead: Alex Brody) (RED)
William Onyeabor 'William Onyeabor Box Set' campaign (marketing lead: Eric Welles Nystrom) (Luaka Bop)
 

Hardest Working Artist of the Year
Andy Grammer (S-Curve)
Father John Misty (Sub Pop)
Future Islands (4AD)
Pop Evil (eOne)
Run the Jewels (Mass Appeal)
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (Daptone)
Steve Earle (New West)


Best Sync Usage (sponsored by Silva Screen/So Recordings)
Family of the Year "Hero" (usage: 'Boyhood') (Nettwerk)
FKA Twigs "Video Girl" (usage: Google Glass Commercial) (Young Turks)
Hudson Mohawke "Chimes" (usage: Apple MacBook Air Ad: 'The Notebook People Love') (Warp)
Nick Waterhouse "Times All Gone" (usage: Lexus Commercial) (Innovative Leisure)
Passenger "Let Her Go" (usage: Budweiser Puppy Bowl) (Nettwerk)
Syl Johnson "I'm Talking About Freedom" (usage: Nike Free SB Commercial) (Numero Group)
tUnE-yArDs "Water Foundtain" (usage: Sonos Commercial) (4AD)
Woody Guthrie "This Land Is Your Land" (usage: 'Sonic Highways') (Smithsonian Folkways)


Marketplace Ally
Bandcamp
The Orchard
PledgeMusic
Rdio
Record Store Day
Spotify
Synchtank


Independent Champion
KEXP
Merlin
NPR
Pandora
SiriusXM
SoundExchange
WFMU
 

Creative Packaging Award (sponsored by A to Z Media)
Aphex Twin 'Syro' (Warp)
As Tall As Lions 'As Tall As Lions' (Triple Crown)
Belle and Sebastian 'Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance' (Matador)
Ibeyi 'Ibeyi' (XL)
Leadbelly 'The Smithsonian Folkways Collection' (Smithsonian Folkways)
Panda Bear 'Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper' (Domino)
Various Artists 'Warfaring Strangers: Darkscorch Canticles' (Numero Group)


Groundbreaking Album of the Year  (sponsored by INgrooves)
Azealia Banks 'Broke With Expensive Taste' (Prospect Park)
Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker (ATO)
Caribou 'Our Love' (Merge)
FKA Twigs 'LP1' (Young Turks)
Flying Lotus 'You're Dead!' (Warp)
John Luther Adams 'Become Ocean' (Cantaloupe Music)
Run the Jewels 'Run the Jewels 2' (Mass Appeal)


Heritage Album of the Year
Dr. John 'Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch' (Concord Records)
Lucinda Williams 'Down Where The Spirit Meets the Bone' (Highway 20 Records/Thirty Tigers)
Miles Davis 'Prestige 10" LP Collection, V.1' (Prestige/Fantasy)
Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens 'Cold World' (Daptone)
Nikki Lane 'All of Nothin' (New West)
Shovels & Rope 'Swimmin Time' (Dualtone)
Sturgill Simpson 'Metamodern Sounds in Country Music' (High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers)

Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Alvvays (Polyvinyl)
Chet Faker (Downtown)
Kygo (Ultra)
Mac Demarco (Captured Tracks)
MisterWives (Photo Finish)
Sturgill Simpson (High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers)
Viet Cong (Jagjaguwar)

 
Video of the Year  (sponsored by YouTube)
Die Antwoord "Ugly Boy" (Zef Records/Kobalt Label Services)
FKA Twigs "Two Weeks" (Young Turks)
Flying Lotus "Never Catch Me" (feat. Kendrick Lamar) (Warp)
Jungle "Time" (XL)
OK Go "I Won't Let You Down" (BMG Rights Management)
tUnE-yArDs "Water Fountain" (4AD)


Album of the Year (sponsored by Fox Rothschild LLP)
Aphex Twin 'Syro' (Warp)
Ex Hex 'Rips' (Merge)
Father John Misty 'I Love You, Honeybear' (Sub Pop)
FKA Twigs 'LP1' (Young Turks)
Run the Jewels 'Run the Jewels 2' (Mass Appeal)
Sleater-Kinney 'No Cities to Love' (Sub Pop)
Spoon 'They Want My Soul' (Loma Vista)
Taylor Swift '1989' (Big Machine)
Tycho 'Awake' (Ghostly International)
The War on Drugs 'Lost In the Dream' (Secretly Canadian)


Label of the Year (5 or Less Employees) (sponsored by The Orchard)
Dangerbird Records
Daptone Records
Ghostly International
Kill Rock Stars
Innovative Leisure

Lindseystomp Music

Loma Vista Recordings
Mass Appeal Records
 

Label of the Year (6 or More Employees) (sponsored by ADA)
4AD
Big Machine
Concord
Hopeless Records
Partisan Records
Secretly Canadian
Sub Pop
Thirty Tigers

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 over 350 Independently-owned American music label small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The organization represents Independents' interest in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community, as well as, supports a key segment of America's creative class and the small business community that represents America's cultural and musical genre diversity. Billboard Magazine, using Nielsen SoundScan data, identified the Independent music label sector as 35.1 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2014 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, Secretly Label Group Head of Domestic Sales & Marketing Cathy Bauer, Smithsonian Folkways Director of Marketing & Sales Richard Burgess, Epitaph/Anti- General Manager Dave Hansen, Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen, Dualtone Music Group CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson, Kill Rock Stars Owner/President Portia Sabin, Glassnote Records General Manager Chris Scully, Ole SVP Digital Jim Selby and Tommy Boy Owner/CEO Thomas Silverman. A2IM's president's advisory committee is Loma Vista Recordings Label Manager Josh Berman, Mack Avenue Records President Denny Stilwell and Compass Records Group Co-Founder Garry West. A2IM's Worldwide Independent Network lead representative is Wind-up Records General Manager Alan Galbraith.