Last week’s American Association Of Independent Music Libera Awards in New York City celebrated the best in independent music. Hosted by comedian Kate Wolff and sponsored by SoundExchange and BuzzAngle, the evening included a special celebration of Merlin’s 10th Anniversary.
2018 Libera Award Winners
Best Live Act
Nick Cave
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album
Shabazz Palaces – ‘Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star’
Sub Pop Records
Best American Roots/Folk Album
Aimee Mann – ‘Mental Illness’
SuperEgo Records
Best Blues Album
Benjamin Booker – ‘Witness’
ATO Records
Best Classical Album
Detroit Symphony Orchestra – ‘Copland: Symphony No. 3 & 3 Latin American Sketches’
Naxos
Best Country/Americana Album
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – ‘The Nashville Sound’
Southeastern Records /Thirty Tigers
Best Jazz Album
Kamasi Washington – ‘Harmony of Difference’
Young Turks
Best Latin Album
Chicano Batman – ‘Freedom Is Free’
ATO Records
Best Outlier Album
Moses Sumney – ‘Aromanticism’
Jagjaguwar
Best Metal Album
Converge – ‘The Dusk In Us’
Epitaph Records
Best Dance/Electronic Album
Sylvan Esso – ‘What Now’
Loma Vista Recordings
Best R&B Album
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – ‘Soul of a Woman’
Daptone Records
Best Re-Issue
Elliott Smith – ‘Either/Or: Expanded Edition’
Kill Rock Stars
Best Rock Album
The National – ‘Sleep Well Beast’
4AD
Best Sync Usage
Cigarettes After Sex – ‘Cigarettes After Sex’
Partisan Records
Best World Usage
Ibeyi – ‘Ash’
XL Recordings
Independent Icon
Funky 4 + 1
Breakthrough Artist
Princess Nokia – ‘1992 Deluxe’
Rough Trade Records
Creative Packaging
Bob’s Burgers – ‘The Bob’s Burgers Music Album’
Sub Pop Records
Independent Champion
MERLIN
Label of the Year (6+ employees)
Dead Oceans
Label of the Year (<5 employees)
Daptone Records
Marketing Genius Award
Run the Jewels – Call Ticketron! 646.846.RTJ3
Run the Jewels, Inc.
Video of the Year
Perfume Genius – “Die 4 You”
Matador Records
A2IM Lifetime Achievement Award
Brett Gurewitz
Independent Impact Award
Taylor Swift – ‘Reputation’
Big Machine Label Group
Album of the Year
Slowdive – ‘Slowdive’
Dead Oceans