AIR announces Rdio as major partner of Independent Music Awards
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) has announced streaming service Rdio as its major partner for the 2014 Carlton Dry Independent Awards.
Rdio Australia will present the Best Independent Album Award at the ceremony in Melbourne on October 8. The five acts up for the award are Chet Faker, Sia, RÜFÜS, Total Control and Violent Soho.
Rdio has been very forward-thinking in its team-up activations in recent months; locally, the digital service was the official partner for the 2013 ARIA Awards and this year’s Big Day Out festival. In the US the Grammy Awards used Rdio’s application programming interface (API) for their app, creating a series of themed playlists for this year’s event.
Colin Blake, Head of Territory Australia & New Zealand at Rdio told TMN the company will curate playlists for the award categories on a dedicated profile station and hopes to accomplish a similar offering to that which was provided for the 2013 ARIAs – Rdio was the official streaming partner for the awards and awarded two users a VIP package.
“Rdio Australia is dedicated to working hand in hand with Australia’s independent labels and artists as it strives to nurture and support local talent,” Blake told TMN. “Previously, Rdio Australia has supported local tours, campaigns and music festivals, so teaming up with the Carlton Dry Independent AIR awards makes perfect sense.
“To show our ongoing commitment to local releases and indie acts we will be sponsoring the Best Independent Album Award, which in previous years has been awarded to breakthrough acts including Flume, Adalita, Cloud Control and Royal Headache,” Blake added. “We have a great deal of respect for independent artists and the impact they have on the local music landscape so we are excited to see who will take out the awards for 2014.”
AIR has already updated its Rdio playlist or ’station’ with award nominees like Allday, DMA’s, Sia and Hilltop Hoods.
:: VIEW THE FULL LIST OF 2014 AIR AWARDS NOMINEES
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Rdio on board as a Major Partner for the 2014 Carlton Dry Independent Awards,” said Joanna Cameron, Communications Manager for AIR. “It is fantastic to have Rdio support AIR in our objectives of promoting the interests and development of Australian independent musicians, labels and music companies.”
Past award winners include Flume, Chet Faker, Vance Joy, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Seth Sentry, Gotye, John Butler Trio, Hilltop Hoods, Parkway Drive, The Getaway Plan, The Jezabels, Gurrumul, The Drones, Tom Piper, Pnau, Cloud Control, Sneaky Sound System, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Gurrumul, Kasey Chambers and Dan Sultan.
Earlier this month Rdio launched a significant update in 20 of the 60 countries in which it operates, offering users free Internet radio and a suite of new features.