Genesis Owusu, Photograph: Bartolomeo Celestino (PR)
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association has announced the nominees for its annual AIR Awards. Genesis Owusu, Maple Glider and RVG all feature prominently, alongside Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Jen Cloher and Cub Sport. Find the complete list of nominees below.
The winners will be announced on Thursday 1 August in a ceremony at Adelaide’s Queen’s Theatre. The AIR Awards occur midway through Indie-Con Australia, happening at Adelaide’s Mercury Cinema from Wednesday 31 July to Friday 2 August.
The latest full-length releases from Cub Sport, Genesis Owusu, Jen Cloher, Maple Glider and RVG are nominated for Independent Album Of The Year. BIG WETT, Chloe Dadd, ENOLA, Pacific Avenue and Royel Otis make up the nominees for Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year. ABC Music, Dot Dash Recordings, OURNESS, Poison City Records and Spinning Top Records are in the running for Independent Label Of The Year.
Owusu’s STRUGGLER won Album of the Year at the ARIA Awards in November 2023, while RVG’s Brain Worms won the 2023 Australian Music Prize. At last year’s AIRs, Chapter Music won Label Of The Year and King Stingray claimed both Album Of The Year and Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year.
SEE ALSO: Troye Sivan wins Song of the Year at the 2024 APRA Music Awards
Maple Glider - "Don't Kiss Me"
2024 AIR Awards Nominees
Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EP
Dan Sultan – Dan Sultan
Dope Lemon – Kimosabè
Georgia Mooney – Full Of Moon
Leah Senior – The Music That I Make
The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way
Best Independent Jazz Album or EP
Elixir – A Small Shy Truth
Grievous Bodily Calm – Cascades
Lance Gurisik & Jeremy Rose – Cull Portal
Mike Nock – Hearing
The Rookies – Feed The Fire
Best Independent Soul/RnB Album or EP
Bumpy – Morning Sun EP
Immy Owusu – Lo-Life!
Ruby Jackson – Sweeter For Me
WILSN – Those Days Are Over
Women Of Soul Collective – Feel Good
Best Independent Rock Album or EP
Alex Lahey – The Answer Is Always Yes
Pacific Avenue – Flowers
Royel Otis – Sofa Kings
RVG – Brain Worms
Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers – I Love You
Best Independent Country Album or EP
Fanny Lumsden – Hey Dawn
Henry Wagons – South Of Everywhere
Maple Glider – I Get Into Trouble
The Wolfe Brothers – Livin’ The Dream
Travis Collins – Any Less Anymore
Independent Album Of The Year
Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar
Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER
Jen Cloher – I Am The River, The River Is Me
Maple Glider – I Get Into Trouble
RVG – Brain Worms
Independent Marketing Team Of The Year
Domestic La La – Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, I Love You
I OH YOU, Mushroom – DMA’S, How Many Dreams?
Ivy League, Mushroom – The Teskey Brothers, The Winding Way
Slow Clap– Private Function, 370HSSV 0773H
The Annex, OURNESS, Awal – Genesis Owusu, STRUGGLER
Independent Publicity Team Of The Year
I OH YOU, Mushroom – DMA’S, How Many Dreams?
Janine Morcos – Teenage Joans, The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest
Jessica Searle – Jen Cloher, I Am The River, The River Is Me
Thinking Loud– Genesis Owusu, STRUGGLER
This Much Talent– Nat Vazer, Strange Adrenaline
Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year
Presented By PPCA
BIG WETT
Chloe Dadd
ENOLA
Pacific Avenue
Royel Otis
Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP
Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER
JK-47 – Revision For Regrowth
Teether & Kuya Neil – STRESSOR
Urthboy – Savour
Ziggy Ramo – Sugar Coated Lies
Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP
BIG WETT – PU$$Y
Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar
Haiku Hands – Pleasure Beast
Simona Castricum – Sink
Skeleten – Under Utopia
Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single
Confidence Man (& Daniel Avery) – “On & On (Again)”
Fisher & Kita Alexander – “Atmosphere”
Memphis LK – “Black And Blue”
Odd Mob & Omnom – “Losing Control”
The Jungle Giants – “Trippin Up”
Best Independent Punk Album or EP
ENOLA – All Is Forgiven EP
Luca Brasi – The World Don’t Owe You Anything
Private Function – 370HSSV 0773H
Radio Free Alice – Radio Free Alice
Teenage Joans – The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest
Best Independent Heavy Album or EP
C.O.F.F.I.N – Australia Stops
Glitoris – Glitoris
Polaris – Fatalism
Redhook – Postcard From A Living Hell
Void Of Vision– Chronicles
Independent Song Of The Year
Genesis Owusu – “Leaving The Light”
Jem Cassar-Daley – “King Of Disappointment”
Maple Glider – “Don’t Kiss Me”
RVG – “Nothing Really Changes”
Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers – “I Used To Be Fun”
Independent Label Of The Year
ABC Music
Dot Dash Recordings
OURNESS
Poison City Records
Spinning Top Records
New industry awards…
Independent Music Video Of The Year
Adam Munnings – Cub Sport, “Keep Me Safe”
Chris Cowburn – Emma Donovan, “Blak Nation”
Hayden Somerville – RVG, “Nothing Really Changes”
Sean Higgins – Adam Noviello, “Fumbling”
Tobias Willis – Georgia Mooney, “War Romance”
Independent Producer Of The Year
Bonnie Knight – ENOLA, All Is Forgiven EP
Konstantin Kersting – DMA’S, How Many Dreams?
Oscar Dawson – Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, I Love You
PNAU – Multiple singles in 2023
Tom Iansek – Maple Glider, I Get Into Trouble
