This year sees the likes of Julia Jacklin, Sampa The Great, Stella Donnelly and The Teskey Brothers leading the nominations, while other artists in the mix include Flume, Pond, Tones & I, Haiku Hands, Dom Dolla, Dyson Stringer Cloher and more.
Coinciding with Indie-Con Australia, the AIR Awards are slated to go down on Thursday October 1, with organisers discussing the possibility of an online event if COVID restrictions are still in place.
“The Indie-Con Australia conference provides the music industry both nationally and locally an opportunity to come together to support each other through these challenging times as well as have important conversations about navigating the future,” South Australia’s Innovation and Skills Minister David Pisoni said today in a statement.
“The AIR Awards will recognise and celebrate the inspiring talent of Australia’s independent artists during what has been a tough time for the music industry. Congratulations to all the award nominees on their success.”
Check out the full list of nominees below.
Independent Album Of The Year:
Ainslie Wills – All You Have Is All You Need
Julia Jacklin – Crushing
Sampa The Great – The Return
Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow
Independent Song Of The Year:
Ainslie Wills – ‘Fear Of Missing Out’
Dom Dolla – ‘San Frandisco’
Julia Jacklin – ‘Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You’
Sampa The Great – ‘Final Form’
Tones And I – ‘Dance Monkey’
Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year – Presented By PPCA:
Angie Mcmahon
Carla Geneve
Stella Donnelly
Tones And I
Vlossom
Best Independent Hip-Hop Album or EP:
Allday – Starry Night Over The Phone
Horrorshow – New Normal
Sampa The Great – The Return
Shadow – Cream
Tasman Keith & Stevie Jean – Evenings
Best Independent Soul/R’n’B Album or EP:
Caiti Baker – The Dust (pt. 1)
Jordan Rakei – Origin
Laneous – Monstera Deliciosa
The Soul Movers – Bona Fide
Tiana Khasi – Meghalaya
Best Independent Country Album or EP:
Charlie Collins – Snowpine
Cool Sounds – More To Enjoy
Felicity Urquhart – Frozen Rabbit
Lee Kernaghan – Backroad Nation
Lucky Oceans – Purple Sky
Best Independent Blues And Roots Album or EP:
Bobby Alu – Flow
Dyson Stringer Cloher – Dyson Stringer Cloher
Julia Jacklin – Crushing
Paul Kelly – Live At The Sydney Opera House
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow
Best Independent Pop Album or EP:
Cub Sport – Cub Sport
G Flip – About Us
Jack River – Sugar Mountain (Deluxe)
Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs
Tones And I – The Kids Are Coming
Best Independent Rock Album or EP:
Angie Mcmahon – Salt
Bad//Dreems – Doomsday Ballet
Jess Ribeiro – Love Hate
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
Pond – Tasmania
Best Independent Heavy Album or EP:
Alpha Wolf – Fault
Northlane – Alien
Ocean Sleeper – Don’t Leave Me This Way
Superheist – Sidewinder
Thornhill – The Dark Pool
Best Independent Punk Album or EP:
Ausmuteants – …Present The World In Handcuffs
Dear Seattle – Don’t Let Go
Dz Deathrays – Positive Rising: Part 1
The Gooch Palms – III
Hexdebt – Rule Of Four
Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP:
Flume – Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape)
Hermitude – Pollyanarchy
Huntly – Low Grade Buzz
The Jungle Giants – Heavy Hearted 1,2,3,4 AM Remixes
Sui Zhen – Losing, Linda
Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single:
Confidence Man – ‘Does It Make You Feel Good?’
Dom Dolla – ‘San Frandisco’
Flume – ‘Rushing Back (Feat. Vera Blue)’
Haiku Hands – ‘Dare You Not To Dance’
PNAU – ‘Solid Gold’
Best Independent Jazz Album or EP:
Angela Davis – Little Did They Know
Joe Chindamo – Arias
Kate Ceberano and Paul Grabowsky – Tryst
Mike Nock; Hamish Stuart; Julien Wilson; Jonathan Zwartz – This World
Phil Slater – The Dark Pattern
Best Independent Classical Album or EP:
Amy Dickson – In Circles
Joseph Tawadros – Betrayal Of A Sacred Sunflower
Katie Noonan and Australian String Quartet – The Glad Tomorrow
Richard Tognetti & Erin Helyard – Beethoven & Mozart Violin Sonatas
Stuart Skelton, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Asher Fisch – Tristan Und Isolde
Best Independent Children’s Album or EP:
Hillsong Kids – Songs Of Some Silliness
Pevan & Sarah – Be Kind
Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show – The Really Really Really Really Boring Album
The Vegetable Plot – Season Two
The Wiggles – Party Time!
