A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.) is poud to announce the 2023 Libera Awards nominees! Taking place on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the historic Town Hall in New York City. Get your tickets now!
2023 Libera Awards Nominees
Record of the Year
- Alvvays – Blue Rev (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
- Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork (4AD)
- Plains – I Walked With You A Ways (ANTI-)
- Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems (Epitaph)
- The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention (XL Recordings)
- Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)
Label of the Year (5 or fewer employees)
- Don Giovanni Records
- Fire Talk
- Innovative Leisure
- Oh Boy Records
- Topshelf Records
Label of the Year (6-14 employees)
- Captured Tracks
- City Slang
- Daptone Records
- Glassnote Records
- Saddle Creek
- Yep Roc Records
Label of the Year (15 or more employees)
- ATO Records
- Hopeless Records
- Merge Records
- New West Records
- Ninja Tune
- Partisan Records
- Sub Pop Records
- Third Man Records
- Warp Records
A2IM Humanitarian Award
- Allison Russell
- Björk
- Hopeless Records
- Killer Mike
- Margo Price
- Tegan and Sara
Independent Champion presented by Merlin
- Aaron Axelsen
- Bandcamp
- FUGA
- Redeye
- Secretly Distribution
- TuneCore
Video of the Year presented by YouTube Music
- Amanda Shires – Hawk For The Dove (ATO Records)
- Fontaines D.C. – Jackie Down The Line (Partisan Records)
- JayWood – Thank You (Captured Tracks)
- NoSo – Parasites (Partisan Records)
- Wet Leg – Ur Mum (Domino Recording Co.)
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Spitting Off the Edge of the World (Secretly Canadian)
Breakthrough Artist/Release
- Allison Russell (Fantasy Records)
- Charlotte Sands (CS Records/Lakeside)
- Soul Glo (Epitaph)
- Sudan Archives (Stones Throw Records)
- The Linda Lindas (Epitaph)
Best Alternative Rock Record
- Alvvays – Blue Rev (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
- Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork (4AD)
- Mitski – Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
- Nilüfer Yanya – Painless (ATO Records)
- Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)
Best American Roots Record
- 49 Winchester – Fortune Favors the Bold (New West Records)
- Angel Olsen – Big Time (Jagjaguwar)
- Calexico – El Mirador (ANTI-)
- Charley Crockett – The Man From Waco (Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers)
- Kevin Morby – This Is A Photograph (Dead Oceans)
- Nikki Lane – Denim & Diamonds (New West Records)
Best Blues Record
- Ben Harper – Bloodline Maintenance (Chrysalis)
- Delbert McClinton – Outdated Emotion (Hot Shot Records/Thirty Tigers)
- North Mississippi Allstars – Set Sail (New West Records)
- Shemekia Copeland – Done Come Too Far (Alligator Records)
- G. Love – Philadelphia Mississippi (Philadelphonic Records/Thirty Tigers)
- John Mayall – The Sun Is Shining Down (Forty Below Records)
Best Classical Record
- Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Pigments (Merge Records)
- Deru – We Will Live On (Friends of Friends)
- doeke – memorie (Nettwerk Music Group)
- James Heather – Invisible Forces (Ahead Of Our Time)
- Jonas Colstrup – At the Crest (!7K Records)
- Sean Shibe – Lost & Found (Pentatone)
Best Country Record
- Colter Wall – Cypress Hills and the Big Country (La Honda Records)
- Dolly Parton – Run, Rose, Run (Butterfly Records)
- Joshua Hedley – Neon Blue (New West Records)
- Lavender Country – Blackberry Rose (Don Giovanni Records)
- Margo Price – Change of Heart (Loma Vista Recordings)
- Plains – I Walked With You A Ways (ANTI-)
- Steve Earle and The Dukes – JERRY JEFF (New West Records)
Best Dance Record
- Bicep – Water (Ninja Tune)
- Jungle – GOOD TIMES / PROBLEMZ (AWAL)
- Kelela – Happy Ending (Warp Records)
- Logic1000 – Can’t Stop Thinking About (Therapy/Because Music)
- Romy feat. Fred Again… – Strong (Young)
- Theo Parrish – DJ-Kicks (!K7 Records)
Best Electronic Record presented by Ingrooves
- Bonobo – Fragments (Ninja Tune)
- Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Topical Dancer (DEEWEE/Because Music)
- Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B (Rough Trade Records)
- Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – Let’s Turn It Into Sound (Ghostly International)
- ODESZA – The Last Goodbye (Ninja Tune/Foreign Family Collective)
- Shygirl – Nymph (Because Music)
- Sylvan Esso – No Rules Sandy (Loma Vista Recordings)
Best Folk Record
- Aoife O’Donovan – Age of Apathy (Yep Roc Records)
- Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (4AD)
- Christian Lee Hutson – Quitters (ANTI-)
- Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
- Skullcrusher – Quiet The Room (Secretly Canadian)
Best Global Record presented by Redeye Worldwide
- Dungen – En Är För Mycket och Tusen Aldrig Nog (Mexican Summer)
- Ibibio Sound Machine – Electricity (Merge Records)
- Los Bitchos – Let the Festivities Begin! (City Slang)
- Mdou Moctar – Afrique Refait (Matador Records)
- Rodrigo y Gabriela – Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (ATO Records)
- Tinariwen – Kel Tinariwen (Wedge)
- Vieux Farka Touré et Khruangbin – Ali (Dead Oceans)
Best Heavy Record
- Bad Omens – The Death of Peace of Mind (Sumerian Records)
- Beartooth – Riptide (Red Bull Records)
- black midi – Hellfire (Rough Trade Records)
- Russian Circles – Gnosis (Sargent House)
- Show Me The Body – Trouble The Water (Loma Vista Recordings)
- Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems (Epitaph)
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record presented by Virgin Music
- Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes (BMG)
- Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyez See My Future (Loma Vista Recordings)
- Kenny Beats – LOUIE (XL Recordings)
- Run The Jewels – RTJ CU4TRO (BMG)
- Saba – Few Good Things (Pivot Gang LLC)
- Sampa The Great – As Above, So Below (Loma Vista Recordings)
Best Jazz Record
- Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be (Partisan Records)
- Kamasi Washington – The Garden Path (Young)
- Leland Whitty – Anyhow (Innovative Leisure)
- Sun Ra Arkestra – Living Sky (Omni Sound)
- Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton, Matthew Stevens – new STANDARDS Vol. 1 (Candid Records)
Best Latin Record
- Adrian Quesada – Boleros Psicodélicos (ATO Records)
- Combo Chimbita – IRE (ANTI-)
- Eliane Elias – Quietude (Candid Records)
- Flora Purim – If You Will (STRUT Records)
- Helado Negro – Ya No Astoy Aquí (4AD)
- Sessa – Estrela Acesa (Mexican Summer)
- Silvana Estrada – Marchita (Glassnote Records)
Best Live/Livestream Act
- Bartees Strange – Live at the Getty (4AD)
- Black Pumas – Colors Live at Abbey Road Studios (ATO Records)
- IDLES – Live on ‘From The Basement’ (Partisan Records)
- King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard at Red Rocks (KGLW)
- Low – Live (Sub Pop Records)
- Phoebe Bridgers – Glastonbury 2022 (Dead Oceans)
- Wet Leg – US 2022 tour (Domino Recording Co.)
Best Outlier Record
- Animal Collective – Time Skiffs (Domino Recording Co.)
- Matisyahu – Matisyahu (Fallen Sparks Records/Thirty Tigers)
- Moor Mother – Jazz Codes (ANTI-)
- Nick Hakim – COMETA (ATO Records)
- NNAMDÏ – Please Have A Seat (Secretly Canadian/Sooper Records)
- yeule – Glitch Princess (Bayonet Records)
Best Pop Record
- Björk – Fossora (One Little Independent/MRI)
- Let’s Eat Grandma – Two Ribbons (Transgressive Records)
- Lucius – Second Nature (Mom + Pop Music)
- MUNA – MUNA (Saddest Factory Records)
- NoSo – Stay Proud of Me (Partisan Records)
- Rina Sawayama – Hold The Girl (Dirty Hit)
- Tegan and Sara – Crybaby (Mom + Pop Music)
Best Punk Record
- Big Joanie – Back Home (Kill Rock Stars)
- Special Interest – Endure (Rough Trade Records)
- The Linda Lindas – Growing Up (Epitaph)
- The Wonder Years – The Hum Goes On Forever (Hopeless Records)
- Wu-Lu – LOGGERHEAD (Warp Records)
Best R&B Record
- Bettye LaVette – Let Me Down Easy: Bettye LaVette In Memphis Sun Records 70th / Remastered 2022 (Sun Label Group, LLC)
- Khruangbin & Leon Bridges – Texas Moon (Dead Oceans)
- Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stones Throw Records)
- Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls (Daptone Records)
- Yaya Bey – Remember Your North Star (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)
Best Re-Issue
- Bon Iver – Bon Iver, 10th Anniversary Edition (Jagjaguwar)
- Fela Kuti – Fela with Ginger Baker Live! (Partisan Records)
- Karen Dalton – In My Own Time, 50th Anniversary Edition (Light In The Attic Records)
- Lou Reed – Words & Music, May 1965, Deluxe Edition (Light In The Attic Records)
- Nancy Sinatra – Nancy & Lee (Light In The Attic Records)
- Neko Case – Wild Creatures (ANTI-)
- Ray Charles – A Message From The People (Tangerine Records)
Best Remix
- ACRAZE + Tiësto – Do It To It (Tiësto Mix) (Thrive Music)
- Bartees Strange – Wretched (keiyaA Remix) (4AD)
- Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – Cliché (Soulwax Remix) (DEEWEE/Because Music)
- Clipping – Nothing Is Safe (remx) (Sub Pop Records)
- Hiatus Kaiyote – Get Sun (Georgia Anne Muldrow Remix) (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune)
- Nilüfer Yanya – Midnight Sun (Sampha remix) (ATO Records)
- Wet Leg – Too Late Now (Soulwax Remix) (Domino Recording Co.)
Best Rock Record
- Built to Spill – When The Wind Forgets Your Name (Sub Pop Records)
- Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia (Partisan Records)
- Jack White – Fear of the Dawn (Third Man Records)
- Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever (Loma Vista Recordings)
- Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa (Matador Records)
Best Short-Form Video
- Belle And Sebastian – Scooter (Matador Records)
- Black Midi – Hellfire TikTok promotion (Rough Trade Records)
- Boy Harsher – The Runner (City Slang)
- Cigarettes After Sex – Pistol (Partisan Records)
- Kenny Beats – LOUIE 001 Instagram vignette series (XL Recordings)
- Toro y Moi – MAHAL TikTok series (Dead Oceans)
Best Singer-Songwriter Record
- Aldous Harding – Warm Chris (4AD)
- Allison Russell Feat. Brandi Carlile – You’re Not Alone (Fantasy Records)
- Beth Orton – Weather Alive (Partisan Records)
- MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs (Dear Life Records)
- Weyes Blood – And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop Records)
Best Soul/Funk Record
- Lee Fields – Sentimental Fool (Daptone Records)
- Ray Charles – Live In Stockholm 1972 (Tangerine Records)
- SERATONES – Love & Algorhythms (New West Records)
- St. Paul & The Broken Bones – The Alien Coast (ATO Records)
- Swamp Dogg – I Need A Job…So I Can Buy More Auto-Tune (Don Giovanni)
Best Spiritual Record
- Brent Cobb – And Now, Let’s Turn to Page… (Ol’ Buddy Records/Thirty Tigers)
- Israel & New Breed – Worship Anywhere: Live from Camp NewBreed (District 11 Entertainment)
- Lecrae – Church Clothes 4 (Reach Records)
- Montell Fish – JAMIE (Lord’s Child)
- The Harlem Gospel Travelers – Look Up! (Colemine Records)
Self-Released Record of the Year
- Echosmith – Cool Kids (our version) (Echosmith)
- Jessie Baylin – Jersey Girl (Missing Piece Records/The Orchard)
- Rita Wilson – Rita Wilson Now & Forever: Duets (Sing it Loud)
- Sarah Davachi – Two Sisters (Late Music)
- Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – When the Lights Go (Nice Age)
Best Sync Usage
- Angel Olsen – Go Home, Empire of Light Trailer (Jagjaguwar)
- Fela Kuti – Water No Get Enemy, Airbnb (Partisan Records)
- Lawrence – Don’t Lose Sight, Microsoft (Beautiful Mind / Lakeside)
- Sinéad O’Connor – Drink Before the War, Euphoria (Chrysalis Records)
- Stereolab – A Flower Called Nowhere, Atlanta (Warp Records)
Creative Packaging
- Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There, Deluxe (Ninja Tune)
- Jack White – 2022 Collectors’ Set (Third Man Records)
- Lou Reed – Words & Music, May 1965, Deluxe Edition (Light In The Attic Records)
- Mitski – Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
- My Morning Jacket – Circuital, Deluxe Edition (ATO Records)
- Sleep – Dopesmoker, Weedian High-Fi Edition (Third Man Records)
Marketing Genius
- Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia (Partisan Records)
- Ghost – IMPERA (Loma Vista Recordings)
- Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen (Stones Throw Records)
- Wet Leg – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Co.)
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down (Secretly Canadian)