The 2021 AIR Awards nominees have been announced
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) have announced the nominees for the 2021 AIR Awards, with some of the country’s biggest names in music receiving nods.
Set to take place at Adelaide’s Freemasons Hall on Thursday, August 5th, the awards will see some of Australia’s greatest independent artists recognised for their work over the past year.
For many of the past winners and nominees, the recognition from the awards helped lead to an increase in both national and international attention.
Some of the artists to have received awards in the past include music industry mainstays like Courtney Barnett, Vance Joy, Flume, Sampa The Great, Sia, Sheppard, Peking Duk, A.B Original, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Violent Soho.
Meanwhile, AIR’s Indie-Con Australia conference will be held from Wednesday, August 4th to Friday, August 6th at Adelaide’s Freemason Hall as a hybrid event.
AIR members will receive complimentary invitations to attend the 2021 Indie-Con Australia conference as well as the AIR Awards. On top of that, non-members can also purchase tickets to attend Indie-Con Australia online.
While we wait for the date to approach, check out the full list of AIR Awards nominees below.
2021 AIR Awards Nominees
Independent Album of the Year
BALL PARK MUSIC – BALL PARK MUSIC
DMA’S – THE GLOW
EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS – CROSSOVER
FANNY LUMSDEN – FALLOW
SPACEY JANE – SUNLIGHT
Independent Song of the Year
GORDI – EXTRAORDINARY LIFE
KING STINGRAY – HEY WANHAKA
MERCI, MERCY– FUCKED MYSELF UP
SPACEY JANE – BOOSTER SEAT
THE JUNGLE GIANTS – SENDING ME UR LOVING
Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year – presented by PPCA
HAIKU HANDS
HAYLEY MARY
MIA WRAY
SPACEY JANE
SYCCO
Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP
CHARLIE THREADS – SAY LESS
CHILLINIT – THE OCTAGON
HORRORSHOW – NEW NORMAL DELUXE
RYLAND ROSE – CHAMPION OF THE LOSERS
CHRISTOPH & SHAADE – BIG MOOD
Best Independent Soul/RNB Album or EP
EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS – CROSSOVER
JEIDA WOODS – HIVE
KYLIE AULDIST – THIS IS WHAT HAPPINESS LOOKS LIKE
LIYAH KNIGHT – NESTING
SERINA PECH – POLITICS
Best Independent Country Album or EP
ANDY GOLLEDGE – NAMOI
CASEY BARNES – TOWN OF A MILLION DREAMS
COOL SOUNDS – SLEEPERS
FANNY LUMSDEN – FALLOW
TRAVIS COLLINS – WRECK ME
Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EP
#1 DADS – GOLDEN REPAIR
EMMA SWIFT – BLONDE ON THE TRACKS
JOSH TESKEY & ASH GRUNWALD – PUSH THE BLUES AWAY
THE TESKEY BROTHERS – LIVE AT THE FORUM
VIKA & LINDA – SUNDAY (THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ISO)
Best Independent Pop Album or EP
CUB SPORT – LIKE NIRVANA
DONNY BENÉT – MR EXPERIENCE
GORDI – OUR TWO SKINS
JACK RIVER – STRANGER HEART
TIA GOSTELOW – CHRYSALIS
Best Independent Rock Album or EP
DMA’S – THE GLOW
LIME CORDIALE – 14 STEPS TO A BETTER YOU
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER – SIDEWAYS TO NEW ITALY
SLOWLY SLOWLY – RACE CAR BLUES
SPACEY JANE – SUNLIGHT
Best Independent Heavy Album or EP
IN HEARTS WAKE – KALIYUGA
MAKE THEM SUFFER – HOW TO SURVIVE A FUNERAL
PARKWAY DRIVE – VIVA THE UNDERDOGS
POLARIS – THE DEATH OF ME
WOLF & CUB – NIL
Best Independent Punk Album or EP
A. SWAYZE & THE GHOSTS – PAID SALVATION
CABLE TIES – FAR ENOUGH
CRY CLUB – GOD, I’M SUCH A MESS
THE CHATS – HIGH RISK BEHAVIOUR
VIOLENT SOHO – EVERYTHING IS A-OK
Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP
BANOFFEE – LOOK AT US NOW DAD
HAIKU HANDS – HAIKU HANDS
LANKS – SPIRITS PT. 1
LASTLINGS – FIRST CONTACT
VLOSSOM – MY FRIEND
Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single
DMA’S – CRIMINALS (THE AVALANCHES REMIX)
FLUME – THE DIFFERENCE FEAT. TORO Y MOI
PNAU – RIVER FEAT. LADYHAWKE
SHOCKONE – FOLLOW ME
THE JUNGLE GIANTS – SENDING ME UR LOVING (TOM TRAGO REMIX)
Best Independent Jazz Album or EP
JULIEN WILSON – STOCK
KATIE NOONAN – THE SWEETEST TABOO
MILDLIFE – AUTOMATIC
PARTY DOZEN – PRAY FOR PARTY DOZEN
VANESSA PERICA ORCHESTRA – LOVE IS A TEMPORARY MADNESS
Best Independent Classical Album or EP
ANDREW BLANCH / ARIEL NURHADI – ALCHEMY
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA / RICHARD TOGNETTI – BRAHMS: SYMPHONIES 3 & 4
ENSEMBLE OFFSPRING – SONGBIRDS
JAYSON GILLHAM / ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / NICHOLAS CARTER – BEETHOVEN: THE PIANO CONCERTOS
JOSEPH TAWADROS / JAMES TAWADROS/ SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / BENJAMIN NORTHEY – LIVE AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
Best Independent Children’s Album or EP
AMBER LAWRENCE – KIDS GONE COUNTRY 2 – FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY
DIVER CITY – WELCOME TO DIVER CITY
SPOTTY KITES – HAVE A SPOTTY CHRISTMAS
TEENY TINY STEVIES – THOUGHTFUL SONGS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE
THE WIGGLES – CHOO CHOO TRAINS, PROPELLER PLANES & TOOT TOOT CHUGGA CHUGGA BIG RED CAR!
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.