Run The Jewels (Mass Appeal) And Sturgill Simpson (High Top Mountain / Thirty Tigers) Top Artist Winners; Secretly Canadian’s The War On Drugs Scores Album Of The Year At 4th Annual A2IM Libera Awards

NEW YORK, June 25, 2015 -- Independent label titans gathered at the Highline Ballroom in NYC this evening to celebrate a year of achievements by the Independent music community at A2IM’s fourth annual Libera Awards ("The LIBBYs") hosted by comedian John Ross Bowie (The Big Bang Theory, Curb Your Enthusiasm). Year after year, the LIBBYs draw a VIP crowd of label executives from around the globe representing every genre imaginable, and this year was no different with awards and honorees showcasing the breadth and diversity of talent within the Independent label sector.

Mass Appeal’s Run the Jewels and High Top Mountain/Thirty Tiger’s Sturgill Simpson each took home two LIBBY awards; Run the Jewels nabbed “Groundbreaking Album” and “Marketing Genius,” while Sturgill Simpson took home “Breakthrough Artist” and “Heritage Album” awards. The coveted Label of the Year awards went to Ghostly International for small label (5 full-time employees or fewer) and Sub Pop for large label (6 full-time employees or more).

A2IM Vice President Molly Neuman said of the evening's honors: “We are so proud that our members came together to celebrate excellence, creativity and the quality of Independent music. We truly feel the Liberas represents the best that music has to offer: from under-represented genres, to innovative and risk-taking artists, to bonafide superstars, our community has them all. We were also privileged to honor two pioneers in our industry: VP Records Co-Founder Patricia Chin and WIN and AIM’s Alison Wenham. A huge congratulations all around!"

Alligator Records Founder/CEO and 2014 A2IM Lifetime Achievement Award winner Bruce Iglauer presented Patricia Chin, VP Records Co-Founder/CEO, with the A2IM Libera Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for her 50+ years as an indie advocate.

Patricia Chin said: “VP Records is one of the great achievements of my life. It would not have been possible without the love and support of my family and the reggae music community. I share this award with all who dedicate their livelihood to the advancement of music and culture.”

The 2015 Libera Awards also honored WIN chair Alison Wenham with a special “Appleseed Award” recognizing her contributions to the Independent community as an early pioneer in banding the community together.

Alison Wenham said: “The strength of WIN lies in the passion and commitment that comes from our member associations around the world. Our collective voice grows louder each year and we have proved time and time again that we have the ability and resolve to face down those who would threaten our community. WIN could not have happened without A2IM, and I would like to extend thanks and congratulations on their 10th anniversary. I am flattered and honored to receive this award and accept it on behalf of all of those who have played a part in the continuing growth and success of the independent music sector.”

Jeremy Peters, Ghostly International's Director of Creative Licensing on their "Label of the Year (5 or less employees)" win: "We're absolutely blown away to be honored by our Independnet label peers. It was such a strong list of nominees across so many labels we love. The amount of work we put in to grow this organization, I can't put into words how awesome it is."

Jonathan Poneman, Sub Pop Co-Founder on their "Label of the Year (6 or more employees)" win: "It's a fabulous honor on behalf of Sup Pop, Hardly Arts , our coworkers, our artists and the Independent community we love."

The 2015 Libera Awards also featured a special live performance by two-time LIBBY winner (Road Warrior, Hardest Working Artist) Charles Bradley, sponsored by SoundExchange. Charles opened the show with his electrifying performance and closed the show with another riveting number with his 8-piece band.

For the first time in LIBBY history, fans selected a winner for a special “Video of the Year – fan vote” category via views of the nominees' music videos on YouTube. The winner as chosen by fans was Zef Records/Kobalt Label Services’ Die Antwoord and their star-studded “Ugly Boy” video directed by Ninja. Young Turks/Beggars Group’s FKA Twigs received the Video of the Year award, as voted by A2IM members, for her seductive “Two Weeks” video directed by Nabil Elderkin.

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

2015 Libera Award Winners:

Hardest Working Artist of the Year (sponsored by BMI)
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (Daptone)

Marketing Genius Award
Run the Jewels 'Meow the Jewels / Tag the Jewels' (marketing lead: Run the Jewels) (Mass Appeal)

Best Sync Usage (sponsored by Silva Screen/So Recordings)
Family of the Year "Hero" (usage: 'Boyhood') (Nettwerk)

Marketplace Ally
Record Store Day

Independent Champion
Merlin

Creative Packaging Award (sponsored by A to Z Media)
Aphex Twin 'Syro' (Warp)

Groundbreaking Album of the Year (sponsored by INgrooves)
Run the Jewels 'Run the Jewels 2' (Mass Appeal)

Heritage Album of the Year
Sturgill Simpson 'Metamodern Sounds in Country Music' (High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers)

Breakthrough Artist of the Year (Sponsored by Merlin)
Sturgill Simpson (High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers)

Video of the Year (sponsored by YouTube)
FKA Twigs "Two Weeks" (Young Turks)

Video of the Year (sponsored by YouTube) – Fan Vote
Die Antwoord "Ugly Boy" (Zef Records/Kobalt Label Services)

Album of the Year (sponsored by Fox Rothschild LLP)
The War on Drugs 'Lost In the Dream' (Secretly Canadian)

Label of the Year (5 or Less Employees) (sponsored by The Orchard)
Ghostly International

Label of the Year (6 or More Employees) (sponsored by ADA)
Sub Pop
 

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.

As of July 4, 2015, the organization's board of directors are composed of the following: Razor & Tie President Craig Balsam, Concord Music Group President Glen Barros, Smithsonian Folkways Director of Marketing & Sales Richard Burgess, INgrooves General Manager Amy Dietz, Epitaph/Anti- General Manager Dave Hansen, Beggars Group Chairman Martin Mills, Dualtone Music Group CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson, Kill Rock Stars Owner/President Portia Sabin, Ole SVP Digital 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. A2IM's Worldwide Independent Network lead representative is Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen.

For more information on A2IM, please visit a2im.org.