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Awards Business News
AIM Awards presented
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 4 September 2013
Billy Bragg provided a grand finale to the third edition of the AIM Independent Music Awards at The Brewery in the City Of London last night, performing three songs after picking up the Outstanding Contribution To Music prize from Michael Eavis.
“At least we know AIM definitely can organise a piss up in a brewery”, he joked as he bigged up the independent sector, and the two labels he has worked with over his career, Go Discs and Cooking Vinyl.
It concluded an evening celebrating the creative and commercial successes of the UK’s independent label community, which is now – AIM boss Alison Wenham declared at the start of the night – the “entire British record industry”, since the acquisition of the UK-based major music firm EMI by Sony and Universal.
Geoff Travis picked up the Pioneer Award after hearing a string of tributes from the likes of Daniel Miller, Jarvis Cocker, Scritti Politti’s Green Gartside, numerous current Rough Trade signings, and members of Pussy Riot, who Travis is currently working with on a book project. Travis in turn paid tribute to various former and current colleagues, and, of course, his long term business partner Jeanette Lee.
Elsewhere Warp Records picked up the Label Of The Year gong, a suited Enter Shikari collected the Independent Album Of The Year prize, and 6music’s Gilles Peterson won the Indie Champion Award. Coming up a full list of winners, but first a quote from the aforementioned Wenham.
“This year’s AIM Awards winners reflect the towering strength of the indies in A&R. The high quality and diversity of all the winners in a very strong year for the sector points to a bright future for the UK music industry. Historically, the UK’s indie sector has punched above its weight in the international marketplace and we are confident the winners will enjoy success across the world in the years to come”.
Best Live Act: Enter Shikari
Independent Breakthrough Of The Year: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Hardest Working Band Or Artist: Frankie & The Heartstrings
PPL Award For Most Played New Independent Act: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Independent Track Of The Year: Vampire Weekend – ‘Diane Young’
Independent Video Of The Year: Django Django – ‘WOR’
Independent Album Of The Year: Daughter – If You Leave
Best ‘Difficult’ Second Album: The xx – Co-exist
Special Catalogue Release Of The Year: Various Artists – Scared To Get Happy: A Story of Indie Pop 1980 – 89
Independent Label Of The Year: Warp
Best Small Label: Alcopop! Records
Golden Welly Award (Best Independent Festival): In The Woods
Indie Champion Award: Gilles Peterson – BBC 6music
Special Recognition Award: Steve Lamacq – BBC 6music
Pioneer Award: Geoff Travis, Rough Trade
Outstanding Contribution to Music: Billy Bragg
