Independent labels won 36 out of the 84 or just over 40% of Grammys handed out this week. A2IM member labels 4AD (Beggars Group), ATO, Big Machine, Concord Music Group, Compass, eOne, Mack Avenue, Motema, Naxos, Sub Pop and Thirty Tigers all scored wins. 10 of the 36 winners were distributed by The Orchard.
“Independent artists swept more than forty percent of last night’s wins at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in New York City,” A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess shared on Monday. “A2IM is gratified that our peers, The Recording Academy voting members, so powerfully endorsed the diverse musical values and relevance of our independent community.”
Some of the main categories were won by indies: ATO Records’ Alabama Shakes took home the Best American Roots Performance. The National (4AD) won Best Alternative Music Album and Compass Records’ The Infamous Stringdusters were awarded Best Bluegrass Album. Best Contemporary Blues Album was taken by Concord Records with Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’, ‘TajMo’ and Aimee Mann’s ‘Mental Illness’ won Best Folk Album for SuperEgo Records.
Thirty Tigers took home four awards including two Grammys go to Jason Isbell for Best Americana Album for ‘The Nashville Sound’ and Best American Roots Song for ‘If We Were Vampires’! Thirty Tigers also claimed another two wins with CeCe Winans for Best Gospel Performance/Song and Best Gospel Album.
Mack Avenue Records won in three Jazz categories with Billy Childs taking the Grammy in Best Jazz Instrumental Album for ‘Rebirth’, Christian McBride Big Band received Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for ‘Bringin’ It’, and Best Jazz Vocal Album for Cécile McLorin Salvant’s ‘Dreams and Daggers’.
Naxos also won three awards. Their Classical category wins included the Classic Album category with Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for ‘Death & The Maiden’ by Patricia Kopatchinskaja & The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Best Classical Compendium for ‘Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto’ by Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor. Tim Handley, producer (James Button, Roberto Díaz & Nashville Symphony), and ‘Viola Concerto’ by Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Díaz, Giancarlo Guerrero & Nashville Symphony) for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.