AIR Independent Music Awards
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers | Credit: Martin Philbey/Getty

Nominees Announced for the Australian Independent Music Awards 2023

The Australian Independent Record labels association (AIR) has unveiled the full list of nominees for this year’s Independent Music Awards. The awards will be handed out on Thursday, 3rd August in a ceremony at Adelaide’s Freemasons Hall.

Only a few acts are up for multiple awards this year, including Andy Golledge (Country Album Or EP and Breakthrough Artist), Flume (Dance, Electronica Or Club Single and Dance Or Electronica Album Or EP) and Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers (Punk Album Or EP and Breakthrough Artist). See all the nominees below.

Jen Cloher – ‘Mana Takatāpui’

2023 AIR Awards Nominees

Best Independent Blues And Roots Album Or EP

  • Baby Velvet – Please Don’t Be In Love With Someone Else
  • Dope Lemon – Rose Pink Cadillac
  • Little Quirks – Call To Unknowns
  • William Crighton – Water And Dust
  • Ziggy Alberts – Dancing In The Dark

Best Independent Hip Hop Album Or EP

  • Allday – Excuse Me
  • Danté Knows – Phase One
  • Jesswar – LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIG
  • Kween G – Sensible Rebel
  • Yawdoesitall – LIFE I CHOSE

Best Independent Country Album Or EP

  • Adam Brand – All or Nothing
  • Andy Golledge – Strength Of A Queen
  • Casey Barnes – Light It Up
  • Freya Josephine Hollick – The Real World
  • Lyn Bowtell – Wiser

Best Independent Jazz Album Or EP

  • Barney Mcall – Precious Energy
  • Donny Benét – Le Piano
  • Jeremy Rose – Face to Face
  • Mildlife – Live From South Channel Island
  • Surprise Chef – Education & Recreation

Best Independent Classical Album Or EP

  • Ensemble Offspring – To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers
  • Melbourne Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Northey – Nigel Westlake: Blueback [Original Motion Picture Score]
  • Mirusia – Songbird
  • Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – Nightlight
  • William Barton/Veronique Serret – Heartland

Best Independent Children’s Album Or EP

  • Emily Wurramara – Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs)
  • Emma Memma – Emma Memma
  • Play School – Very Jazzy Street Party
  • Teeny Tiny Stevies – How to Be Creative
  • The Wiggles – ReWiggled

Best Independent Dance, Electronica Or Club Single

  • Cub Sport – Always Got The Love
  • Flume – Say Nothing feat. MAY-A
  • Lime Cordiale, Idris Elba, Fatboy Slim – Holiday Fatboy Slim Remix
  • Memphis LK – Coffee
  • Pnau & Troye Sivan – You Know What I Need

Best Independent Punk Album Or EP

  • Body Type – Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s Surprising
  • Hard-Ons – Yummy!
  • Press Club – Endless Motion
  • Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers – Pretty Good For A Girl Band
  • These New South Whales – TNSW

Best Independent Heavy Album Or EP

  • CLAMM – Care
  • Northlane – Obsidian
  • Parkway Drive – Darker Still
  • Thornhill – Heroine
  • Yours Truly – is this what i look like?

Best Independent Dance Or Electronica Album Or EP

  • Confidence Man – TILT
  • Flume – Palaces
  • Ninajirachi – Second Nature
  • Telenova – Stained Glass Love (Telenoir Versions)
  • The Jungle Giants – Love Signs Remixed

Best Independent Rock Album Or EP

  • Ball Park Music – Weirder & Weirder
  • Camp Cope – Running with the Hurricane
  • King Stingray – King Stingray
  • Ocean Alley – Low Altitude Living
  • Slowly Slowly – Daisy Chain

Best Independent Soul/RNB Album Or EP

  • Ashli – Only One
  • Beckah Amani – April
  • Felivand – Ties
  • WANDERERS – WANDERERS
  • Winston Surfshirt – Panna Cotta

Best Independent Pop Album Or EP

  • Big Scary – Me and You
  • Daniel Johns – FutureNever
  • Jem Cassar-Daley – I Don’t Know Who To Call
  • Telenova – Stained Glass Love
  • Vance Joy – In Our Own Sweet Time

Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year – Presented By PPCA

  • Andy Golledge
  • Jem Cassar-Daley
  • King Stingray
  • Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers
  • WANDERERS

Independent Song Of The Year

  • Cub Sport – Always Got The Love
  • Genesis Owusu – Get Inspired
  • Jen Cloher – Mana Takatāpui
  • Julia Jacklin – I Was Neon
  • King Stingray – Camp Dog

Independent Album Of The Year

  • Daniel Johns – FutureNever
  • Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE
  • King Stingray – King Stingray
  • Laura Jean –  Amateurs
  • Northlane – Obsidian

Best Independent Label

  • ABC Music
  • Chapter Music
  • Domestic La La
  • Liberation
  • UNFD

Independent Marketing Team Of The Year

  • ABC Music, The Orchard – The Wiggles: ReWiggled
  • Chugg Music, The Annex – Lime Cordiale: Cordi Elba
  • Domestic La La – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers: Pretty Good For A Girl Band
  • Future Classic – Flume: Palaces
  • I OH YOU, Mushroom Marketing – Confidence Man: TILT

Independent Publicity Team Of The Year

  • Genna Alexopoulos – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers: Pretty Good For A Girl Band
  • Mushroom Publicity – Confidence Man: TILT
  • Positive Feedback – Lime Cordiale: Cordi Elba
  • RPM, Bec Brown Communications – The Wiggles: ReWiggled
  • Thinking Loud – Genesis Owusu: Get Inspired

Further Reading

Nominees Announced For AIR Independent Music Awards 2022

Genesis Owusu Wins Big At The 2022 AIR Awards

King Stingray Win the 18th Australian Music Prize

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