The American Association of Independent Music‘s (A2IM) Libera Awards 2022 nominations have been announced! This year’s ceremony is presented in partnership with Merlin and will be held in a hybrid format with the in-person ceremony being held on Thursday, June 16th at an “iconic New York venue” a rep for the event revealed. Even as COVID-19 guidelines have been significantly loosened in New York City, the organizers acknowledge some attendees may not fill comfortable returning for such a large celebration so they’ve decided to offer a virtual broadcast exclusively on YouTube, which also sponsoring the evening.
With a total of over 191 nominees across 33 categories, leading the pack with a whopping seven awards up for grabs is none other than Japanese Breakfast, the most coveted being Record of the Year for Jubilee (via Dead Oceans) where they will face off against Arlo Parks, Dry Cleaning, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Low and, Snail Mail. The band fronted by New York Times best-selling author, Michelle Zauner, is also up for Video of the Year, Best Alternative Rock Record, Breakthrough Artist/Release, Best Live/Livestream Act, Marketing Genius, and Creative Packaging. Last year proved to be a great year in independent music making this year’s genre categories tougher than ever. Other notable categories include the A2IM Humanitarian Award and Independent Champion which both signify major philanthropic efforts that have had an impact on the independent music community as a whole, fans and musicians alike.
For the full list of this year’s nominees, continue below. Tickets for the in-person ceremony are not available at this time but will be made available to the public soon according to a tweet posted by the organization.
BEST ALTERNATIVE ROCK RECORD
Cautious Clay – “Wildfire” (Cautious Clay)
Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time (Mom + Pop Music)
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg (4AD)
girl in red – if i could make it go quiet (AWAL)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Low – HEY WHAT (Sub Pop Records)
Snail Mail – Valentine (Matador Records)
BEST AMERICANA RECORD
Fruit Bats – The Pet Parade (Merge Records)
Hiss Golden Messenger – Quietly Blowing It (Merge Records)
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Georgia Blue (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers)
John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings (New West Records)
Leo Nocentelli – Another Side (Light in the Attic)
Madi Diaz – History Of A Feeling (ANTI-)
Steve Gunn – Other You (Matador Records)
BEST BLUES RECORD
Cedric Burnside – I Be Trying (Single Lock Records)
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – 662 (Alligator Records)
Eric Bibb – Dear America (Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group)
Neal Francis – “Can’t Stop The Rain” (ATO Records)
Nick Waterhouse – Promenade Blue (Innovative Leisure)
Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps – Rose-Colored Glasses, Vol. 1 (Blue Heart Records
BEST CLASSICAL RECORD
Bryce Dessner, Australian String Quartet, Sydney Dance Company – Impermanence/Disintegration (37d03d)
Canadian Brass – Canadiana (Linus Entertainment)
Grandbrothers – All The Unknown (City Slang)
Jeremiah Fraites – Piano Piano (Dualtone Music Group)
Theo Alexander – Sunbathing Through A Glass Screen (Arts & Crafts)
Vitamin String Quartet – Our Flashback Wedding (CMH Label Group)
BEST COUNTRY RECORD
Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) (ATO Records)
Emily Scott Robinson – American Siren (Oh Boy Records)
Morgan Wade – Reckless (Ladylike Records/Thirty Tigers)
Sturgill Simpson – The Ballad of Dood & Juanita (High Top Mountain Records/Thirty Tigers)
Fancy Hagood – Southern Curiosity (Mick Music/Downtown Music Services)
Lainey Wilson – Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ (Broken Bow Records/BMG)
BEST DANCE RECORD
Presented by EDM.com
Brittany Howard – “Stay High again..” (Fred again.. & Joy Anonymous Remix) (ATO Records)
Dawn Richard – “Loose Your Mind” (Merge Records)
Disclosure – DJ-Kicks: Disclosure (!K7 Records)
Jungle – Loving In Stereo (AWAL)
Keys N Krates – “Original Classic” (Last Gang Records)
Logic1000 – You’ve Got the Whole Night to Go (Therapy distributed by Because Music)
BEST ELECTRONIC RECORD
Presented by Redeye Worldwide
Arca – KicK iii (XL Recordings)
Caribou – “You Can Do It” (Merge Records)
Dawn Richard – Second Line (Merge Records)
Flying Lotus – Yasuke (Warp Records)
박혜진 Park Hye Jin – Before I Die (Ninja Tune)
BEST FOLK/BLUEGRASS RECORD
Aisha Badru – The Way Back Home (Nettwerk Records)
Hand Habits – Fun House (Saddle Creek)
Jose Gonzalez – Local Valley (Mute)
Shannon Lay – Geist (Sub Pop Records)
The Weather Station – Ignorance (Fat Possum Records)
Various Artists – Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 (Oh Boy Records)
BEST HEAVY RECORD
Babymetal – 10 Babymetal Budokan (Cooking Vinyl)
Deafheaven – Infinite Granite (Sargent House)
Every Time I Die – Radical (Epitaph)
Quicksand – Distant Population (Epitaph)
Spiritbox – Eternal Blue (Rise Records / BMG)
BEST HIP-HOP/RAP RECORD
Presented by Virgin Music
Injury Reserve – By the Time I Get to Phoenix (Self-Released/Stem)
Joyner Lucas & J. Cole – “Your Heart” (Twenty Nine Music Group)
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (AWAL)
Mick Jenkins – Elephant In The Room (Cinematic Music Group/Ingrooves)
Mykki Blanco – Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Young M.A – Off the Yak (M.A Music/3D)
BEST JAZZ RECORD
Adrian Younge – The American Negro (Jazz Is Dead)
BADBADNOTGOOD – Talk Memory (XL Recordings)
John Carroll Kirby – Septet (Stones Throw Records)
Nala Sinephro – Space 1.8 (Warp Records)
Jihye Lee Orchestra – Daring Mind (Motéma Music)
Nick Hakim – “QADIR” (BADBADNOTGOOD Remix) (ATO Records)
BEST LATIN RECORD
Alejandro Escovedo – La Cruzada (Yep Roc Records)
Arca – KICK ii (XL Recordings)
Cimafunk – El Alimento (Terapia Productions/Thirty Tigers)
Helado Negro – Far In (4AD)
Los Retros – Looking Back (Stones Throw Records)
Xenia Rubinos – Una Rosa (ANTI-)
BEST OUTLIER RECORD
Presented by The Orchard
Bo Burnham – Inside (The Songs) (Bo Burnham/Imperial/Ingrooves)
L’Rain – Fatigue (Mexican Summer)
Moor Mother – Black Encyclopedia of the Air (ANTI-)
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH (Saddle Creek)
Tirzah – Colourgrade (Domino Recording Co.)
BEST POP RECORD
Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Ashe – Ashlyn (Mom + Pop Music)
Big Red Machine – How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? (Jagjaguwar)
CHAI – WINK (Sub Pop Records)
Noga Erez – KIDS (City Slang)
BEST PUNK RECORD
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me (ATO Records)
Chubby and the Gang – The Mutt’s Nuts (Partisan Records)
illuminati hotties – Let Me Do One More (Hopeless Records)
Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs (Rough Trade Records)
The Linda Lindas – “Racist, Sexist Boy” (Live at LA Public Library) (Epitaph)
RECORD OF THE YEAR
Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams (Transgressive/[PIAS])
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg (4AD)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Georgia Blue (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers)
Low – HEY WHAT (Sub Pop)
Snail Mail – Valentine (Matador Records)
BEST R&B RECORD
Brittany Howard – Jaime (Reimagined) (ATO Records)
Charlotte Day Wilson – ALPHA (Stone Woman Music Inc.)
Durand Jones & The Indications – Private Space (Dead Oceans)
Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant (Brainfeeder (Ninja Tune))
serpentwithfeet – DEACON (Secretly Canadian)
Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 (4AD)
BEST ROCK RECORD
Presented by MSK
Black Pumas – Capitol Cuts (Live from Studio A) (ATO Records)
IDLES – CRAWLER (Partisan Records)
Parquet Courts – Sympathy for Life (Rough Trade Records)
shame – Drunk Tank Pink (Dead Oceans)
The The – The
Comeback Special (earMUSIC)
SELF-RELEASED RECORD OF THE YEAR
Cautious Clay – Deadpan Love (Cautious Clay)
Emma-Jean Thackray – Yellow (Movementt)
Jackson Wooten – A New Child (The Assembly LLC)
Rebecca Black – Rebecca Black Was Here (Rebecca Black)
Sinéad Harnett – Ready Is Always Too Late (Thairish Limited)
Wiki – Half God (Wikset Enterprise)
BEST SPIRITUAL RECORD
Blind Boys of Alabama feat. Bela Fleck – “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” (Single Lock Records)
Hiss Golden Messenger – O Come All Ye Faithful (Merge Records)
Natalie Bergman – Mercy (Third Man Records)
Oak Ridge Boys – Front Porch Singin’ (Lightning Rod Records / Thirty Tigers)
Wande feat. Porsha Love – “Don’t Worry Bout It” (Reach Records)
BEST WORLD RECORD
Altin Gün – Yol (ATO Records)
Femi Kuti and Made Kuti – Legacy + (Partisan Records)
Joao Donato – João Donato JID007 (Jazz Is Dead)
Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (Matador Records)
Pachyman – The Return of Pachyman (ATO Records)
BEST REISSUE
Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club (25th Anniversary Edition) (World Circuit Records/BMG)
Gang Of Four – 77-81 (Matador Records)
Radiohead – Kid A Mnesia (XL Recordings)
Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (Fat Possum Records)
Thundercat – The Golden Age of Apocalypse (Ten Year Anniversary Edition) (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune)
Tom Tom Club – The Good, The Bad and The Funky (Nacional Records)
BEST SYNC USAGE
Adele – “Hello” – NFL / Tom Brady’s Return (XL Recordings)
Black Pumas – “Colors” – Concrete Cowboy Trailer (ATO Records)
Fela Kuti – “Zombie’” – Gucci 100 Promo Campaign (Knitting Factory Records)
John Prine – “Caravan of Fools” – Ep 3 Yellowstone (Oh Boy Records)
Phoebe Bridgers – “I Know The End” – Ep 106 Mare of Easttown (Dead Oceans)
The Rolling Stones – “She’s A Rainbow” – Ep 205 Ted Lasso (ABKCO)
Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” – Ep 5 Gossip Girl (Domino Recording Co.)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Presented by YouTube Music
Danny Elfman – “True” (Epitaph Records)
IDLES – “CAR CRASH” (Partisan Records)
Japanese Breakfast – “Savage Good Boy” (Dead Oceans)
Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen – “Like I Used To” (Jagjaguwar)
Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” (Domino Recording Co.)
Yves Tumor – “Jackie” (Warp Records
BEST LIVE/LIVESTREAM ACT
Amyl and The Sniffers – Live on KEXP at Home
Black Pumas – “Colors” – Biden Inauguration Performance
Japanese Breakfast – “Be Sweet” – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – “Driver 8” – Live from Athens, GA
Mdou Moctar – “Live at the Niger River”
St. Vincent – “At the Holiday Party” – Austin City Limits
A2IM HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Common – (for work with) A Rebirth of Sound
Margo Price – (for work with) Farm Aid
Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD)
Rev. Moose – (for work with) National Independent Venue Association (NIVA)
Secretly Group – SC25: Every Light On This Side Of The Town
Hopeless Records / Sub City Records – Songs That Saved My Life
INDEPENDENT CHAMPION
Presented by Merlin
Bandcamp
FUGA
Light in the Attic Distribution
Redeye Worldwide
SoundExchange
MARKETING GENIUS
Bicep – Isles (Ninja Tune)
Various Artists – Death Row Records 30th Anniversary (Death Row Records)
Eyedress – Mulholland Drive (Lex Records)
Helado Negro – Helado Negro Ice Cream Tricycle (4AD)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Official Bootlegger Series (KGLW/Virgin Music)
LABEL OF THE YEAR (SMALL)
Don Giovanni Records
Innovative Leisure
Oh Boy Records
Sargent House
Sundazed
LABEL OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM)
City Slang
Hopeless Records
New West Records
Sacred Bones Records
Saddle Creek
Yep Roc Records
LABEL OF THE YEAR (BIG)
Presented by ADA
ATO Records
Matador Records
Merge Records
Mom + Pop Music
Ninja Tune
Polyvinyl Record Co.
Third Man Records
CREATIVE PACKAGING
Buzzcocks – Complete UA Singles 1977-1980 (Domino)
Erroll Garner – Liberation in Swing: Centennial Collection (Mack Avenue Music Group / Octave Music Licensing, LLC)
Fela Kuti – Box Set #5 Co-Curated by Chris Martin & Femi Kuti (Knitting Factory Records)
Gang Of Four – 77-81 (Matador Records)
Gary Numan 45X15 – The Singles Collection 1978-1983 (Beggars Arkive)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee (Dead Oceans)
In addition to the annual Libera Awards ceremony, A2IM presents Indie Week, an international conference that brings together leaders and visionaries from the independent music world for four days of keynotes, workshops, and panels. This year’s Indie Week will take place June 13-16 as a hybrid event — both online and in-person. To learn more about Indie Week 2022, click here.
