2023 AIR Awards Nominations Revealed

Recordings by Daniel Johns (Futurenever), Julia Jacklin (Pre Pleasure), King Stingray (King Stingray), Laura Jean (Amateurs) and Northlane (Obsidian) will duke it out for the coveted independent album of year category at the 2023 AIR Awards, set for Aug. 3 in Adelaide.

Best independent label is stacked with ABC Music, Chapter Music, Domestic La La, Liberation and UNFD, while independent song of the year will be contested by Cub Sport (“Always Got The Love”), Genesis Owusu (“Get Inspired”), Jen Cloher (“Mana Takatāpui”), Julia Jacklin (“I Was Neon”) and King Stingray (“Camp Dog”).

Also scoring nominations are Allday, Casey Barnes, Donny Benet, Emily Wurramara, Flume, The Wiggles and many others.

As previously reported, organiser AIR this year introduces two new industry categories – the independent marketing team of the year and the independent publicity team of the year.

The AIR Awards recognise, promote, and celebrate the success of Australia’s independent music sector, the trade body explains, and is supported by the South Australian government through a multi-year arrangement.

Freemasons Hall will once again host the indie music community’s annual party, part of the Indie-Con Australia conference, which is confirmed for Wednesday, Aug. 2 to Friday, Aug. 4 at Mercury Cinema, followed by Scouted.

“The Malinauskas government is proud to support the AIR Awards and Indie-Con Australia Conference in 2023,” comments state minister for arts Andrea Michaels MP in a statement.

“It is fantastic to be hosting the awards here in Adelaide – Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music – and I congratulate all of the nominees.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work the independent music industry does in providing talented and emerging artists and music businesses with a platform to share their art with a wider audience.”

AIR associate, full and distributor members receive complimentary tickets to Indie-Con.

See the full list of nominations here and below.

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM OR EP
BABY VELVET – Please Don’t Be In Love With Someone Else
DOPE LEMON – Rose Pink Cadillac
LITTLE QUIRKS – Call to Unknowns
WILLIAM CRIGHTON – Water and Dust
ZIGGY ALBERTS – Dancing In The Dark

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM OR EP
ALLDAY – Excuse Me
DANTÉ KNOWS – Phase One
JESSWAR – LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIG
KWEEN G – Sensible Rebel
YAWDOESITALL – LIFE I CHOSE

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM OR EP
ADAM BRAND – All or Nothing
ANDY GOLLEDGE – Strength Of A Queen
CASEY BARNES – Light It Up
FREYA JOSEPHINE HOLLICK – The Real World
LYN BOWTELL – Wiser

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM OR EP
BARNEY MCALL – Precious Energy
DONNY BENÉT – Le Piano
JEREMY ROSE – Face to Face
MILDLIFE – Live From South Channel Island
SURPRISE CHEF – Education & Recreation

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM OR EP
ENSEMBLE OFFSPRING – To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers
MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/BENJAMIN NORTHEY – Nigel Westlake: Blueback [Original Motion Picture Score]
MIRUSIA – Songbird
TASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – Nightlight
WILLIAM BARTON/VERONIQUE SERRET – Heartland

BEST INDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S ALBUM OR EP
EMILY WURRAMARA – Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs)
EMMA MEMMA – Emma Memma
PLAY SCHOOL – Very Jazzy Street Party
TEENY TINY STEVIES – How to Be Creative
THE WIGGLES – ReWiggled

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE
CUB SPORT – Always Got The Love
FLUME – Say Nothing feat. MAY-A
LIME CORDIALE, IDRIS ELBA, FATBOY SLIM – Holiday Fatboy Slim Remix
MEMPHIS LK – Coffee
PNAU & TROYE SIVAN – You Know What I Need

BEST INDEPENDENT PUNK ALBUM OR EP
BODY TYPE – Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s Surprising
HARD-ONS – Yummy!
PRESS CLUB – Endless Motion
TEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS – Pretty Good For A Girl Band
THESE NEW SOUTH WHALES – TNSW

BEST INDEPENDENT HEAVY ALBUM OR EP
CLAMM – Care
NORTHLANE – Obsidian
PARKWAY DRIVE – Darker Still
THORNHILL – Heroine
YOURS TRULY – is this what i look like?

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE OR ELECTRONICA ALBUM OR EP
CONFIDENCE MAN – TILT
FLUME – Palaces
NINAJIRACHI – Second Nature
TELENOVA – Stained Glass Love (Telenoir Versions)
THE JUNGLE GIANTS – Love Signs Remixed

BEST INDEPENDENT ROCK ALBUM OR EP
BALL PARK MUSIC – Weirder & Weirder
CAMP COPE – Running with the Hurricane
KING STINGRAY – King Stingray
OCEAN ALLEY – Low Altitude Living
SLOWLY SLOWLY – Daisy Chain

BEST INDEPENDENT SOUL/RNB ALBUM OR EP
ASHLI – Only One
BECKAH AMANI – April
FELIVAND – Ties
WANDERERS – WANDERERS
WINSTON SURFSHIRT – Panna Cotta

BEST INDEPENDENT POP ALBUM OR EP
BIG SCARY – Me and You
DANIEL JOHNS – FutureNever
JEM CASSAR-DALEY – I Don’t Know Who To Call
TELENOVA – Stained Glass Love
VANCE JOY – In Our Own Sweet Time

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY PPCA
ANDY GOLLEDGE
JEM CASSAR-DALEY
KING STINGRAY
TEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS
WANDERERS

INDEPENDENT SONG OF THE YEAR
CUB SPORT – Always Got The Love
GENESIS OWUSU – Get Inspired
JEN CLOHER – Mana Takatāpui
JULIA JACKLIN – I Was Neon
KING STINGRAY – Camp Dog

INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR
DANIEL JOHNS – FutureNever
JULIA JACKLIN – PRE PLEASURE
KING STINGRAY – King Stingray
LAURA JEAN – Amateurs
NORTHLANE – Obsidian

INDEPENDENT MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR
ABC MUSIC, THE ORCHARD – The Wiggles, ReWiggled
CHUGG MUSIC, THE ANNEX – Lime Cordiale, Cordi Elba
DOMESTIC LA LA – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Pretty Good For A Girl Band
FUTURE CLASSIC – Flume, Palaces
I OH YOU, MUSHROOM MARKETING – Confidence Man, TILT

INDEPENDENT PUBLICITY TEAM OF THE YEAR
GENNA ALEXOPOULOS – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Pretty Good For A Girl Band
MUSHROOM PUBLICITY – Confidence Man, TILT
POSITIVE FEEDBACK – Lime Cordiale, Cordi Elba
RPM, THE COMMS DEPARTMENT – The Wiggles, ReWiggled
THINKING LOUD – Genesis Owusu, Get Inspired

BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL
ABC MUSIC
CHAPTER MUSIC
DOMESTIC LA LA
LIBERATION
UNFD