Tones and I, Stella Donnelly, Julia Jacklin and Sampa The Great lead the nominations for the 2020 AIR awards, with three each.
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) revealed the list of nominees for its 2020 awards ceremony on July 7, with the Independent Label of the Year nominees announced on September 1. AIR aims to recognise the achievements of those working in Australia’s independent music scene. As usual, the awards ceremony will be held in Adelaide, taking place at Freemasons Hall on October 1.
This year, prizes will be awarded in 16 categories rather than 12, as was the case in 2019. 2020 sees the introduction of four new categories: ‘Best Independent Pop Album or EP’, ‘Best Independent Rock Album or EP’, ‘Best Independent Children’s Album or EP’ and ‘Best Independent Soul/RNB Album or EP’.
AIR has also removed its ‘Best Independent Artist’ category this year.
In addition, 2019’s ‘Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy Or Punk Album’ category has been split in two, recognising Punk and Heavy music separately.
State Minister for Innovation and Skills, David Pisoni, said that the South Australian government is looking forward to the ceremony.
“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,” Mr. Pisoni said in a press 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.”
The Full List of AIR Awards Nominees for 2020 is:
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/RNB ALBUM OR EP
CAITI BAKER – ‘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 – EP’
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!’
INDEPENDENT LABEL OF THE YEAR
ABC MUSIC
SPINNING TOP
ELEFANT TRAKS
I OH YOU
SWEAT IT OUT