Pauline Black, Fabio & Grooverider, Jorja Smith, Robyn and Jalen Ngonda Amongst Those Honoured At 2026 Independent Music Awards

• Pauline Black receives Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, while Fabio & Grooverider receive Innovator Award
• Best Independent Track goes to Jorja Smith’s The Way I Love You, with Robyn’s ‘Sexistential’ named best Independent Album
• Jalen Ngonda wins Independent Breakthrough, with awards for Jim Legxacy, Fcukers, Native James, Billy Lockett, bees & honey and more
• Because Music named Best Independent Label, Untitled (recs) taking Best Boutique Label and Mark Lippmann named Music Entrepreneur of the Year
• The Selecter, Jalen Ngonda and Naima Bock perform live
• Qobuz recognised as Independent Music Champion and Cre8ing Vision receiving the DEI Champion award

The Association for Independent Music (AIM) has unveiled the winners of the 2026 Independent Music Awards, with Pauline Black, Fabio & Grooverider, Jorja Smith, Robyn, Jalen Ngonda, Jim Legxacy, and Fcukers among those honoured at the 16th edition of the awards at London’s Roundhouse.

Pauline Black, pioneering frontwoman of The Selecter and one of the defining voices of the 2 Tone movement, received the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, in association with Merlin, recognising a career spanning more than four decades. Black marked the honour by taking to the Roundhouse stage with The Selecter for an incredible live performance during the ceremony.

Pauline Black said “I started my career on an independent label, Two Tone, because it fitted who I was perfectly. It brought together the best of black music, with the best of white music in 1979. 
And it mixed it up to make something new, and that was a hybrid, just like me. 47 years later, I’m still making music, with independent labels, and, most of all, people I trust. Still mixing it up, and still spreading the same anti racist, anti-sexist message, because believe me, as one of the previous recipients, said, We are better together than divided.”

Legendary DJ duo Fabio & Grooverider received the Innovator Award, recognising their pioneering contribution to UK music and dance culture, in particular their pivotal place in Jungle and Drum’n’Bass and their continuing work with young people. They said “We appreciate the love that we get and the support that we’ve constantly got for the last 30 plus years. I can’t believe we’re still doing this, but it’s the independence that keep us going. So please keep it up.”

Among the night’s other biggest artist awards, Jorja Smith won Best Independent Track, in association with Meta, for The Way I Love You (FAMM). This is a second Independent Music Award for Smith, who was named UK Independent Breakthrough in 2018 and has since gone on to arena tour success, all from within the independent sector. Jorja Smith said “Everyone should be so proud of being an independent artist…doing everything independently, you should all be so proud of yourselves! Thank you, AIM and thank you fans, I’m just very grateful and I can’t believe I’ve been able to have this space to create the same way I’ve done since I was 11.”

Robyn took home Best Independent Album, in association with Spotify, for ‘Sexistential’ (Young). Jalen Ngonda was named Independent Breakthrough, in association with Amazon Music, capping an exceptional rise for the Daptone Records soul artist. Ngonda also gave a standout performance on the night of ‘Hannah, What’s The Matter’ and ‘If You Don’t Want My Love’. Elsewhere, former member of Goat Girl, Naima Bock, who was nominated in the Best Independent Mixtape / EP category, gave attendees a mesmerizing rendition of ‘Gentle’ and brand new song ‘Showers’.

Jim Legxacy saw one of his three nominations convert into a win, receiving Best Independent Mixtape/EP, in association with NOTION, for the widely-acclaimed black british music (2025) (XL Recordings).

The PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist went to bees & honey, while rising rap-rocker Native James (SharpTone Records / Saviour Music) was named One to Watch, in association with BBC Music Introducing.

Billy Lockett (Lockett Records) won the publicly voted Best Live Performer award, made possible by his dedicated grassroots following and groundbreaking producer SHERELLE won Best Independent Remix for her “Intelligent Dyke Music Remix” of Love Who You Love by Romy (Young).

Elsewhere, director Léa Esmaili and releasing label Ninja Tune received Best Independent Video for Thundercat’s She Knows Too Much (feat. Mac Miller) (Brainfeeder/Ninja Tune). To add to the surprises of the night, it was revealed that Dolby has offered the winning labels the opportunity to create a Dolby Vision version of a music video, along with a ‘primer’ session.

It was also a standout night for the independent labels and teams behind the successes. Because Music was named Best Independent Label, in association with IDOL / Labelcamp. The award follows the label’s 20th anniversary celebrations and recognises two decades of independent success alongside its continued work nurturing artists and new music.

untitled (recs) took home Best Boutique Label, in association with Qobuz, while Ninja Tune and Fcukers won collaboratively the Best Release Campaign in association with Hey! What?, for the campaign behind breakthrough album, ‘Ö’. Elsewhere, Cooking Vinyl, who just celebrated their 40 year anniversary, received the inaugural Best Catalogue Release for a beautiful and comprehensive deluxe edition of The Alan Parsons Project’s ‘I Robot’.

The awards continued to celebrate entrepreneurship seeing Music Entrepreneur of the Year go to Mark Lippmann, Founder of Scruff of the Neck Records (previous winners of Best Boutique Label) for building a multi-faceted label business and work on recent largescale shows in the live sector, where he has helped grow the Blackpool Live series into a huge success.

The awards also championed organisations and record stores whose work strengthens the wider independent sector. Qobuz was recognised as Independent Music Champion, in association with PRS for Music, for building a platform through a collaborative approach with the independent sector and their excellent editorial support for independent music. Cre8ing Vision received the DEI Champion award recognising the impact they make on young people across the UK and Liverpool’s Jacaranda Records was named Best Independent Record Store, celebrating the importance of independent record shops as spaces for music discovery and local community.

The Independent Music Awards brings together the independent music community for a celebration of the artists, entrepreneurs, labels and teams shaping the sector today as well as some of the community’s heroes. The Awards shine a light on the independent artists and businesses who have overcome the challenges of operating at a small scale whilst sitting at the forefront of creativity and innovation in music. This year’s awards celebrate the theme of Collective Strength – AIM’s theme of the year for 2026. The theme was evident at many points throughout the night, from the communal dining introduced by AIM’s outgoing Chair, Ruth Barlow, which incorporated sharing plates, to celebrations of collaboration across the award categories such as Best Release Campaign and Best Independent Video, both of which highlighted the collaborative work done by close teams of artists, labels, directors and more

untitled (recs) took home Best Boutique Label, in association with Qobuz, while Ninja Tune and Fcukers won collaboratively the Best Release Campaign in association with Hey! What?, for the campaign behind breakthrough album, ‘Ö’. Elsewhere, Cooking Vinyl, who just celebrated their 40 year anniversary, received the inaugural Best Catalogue Release for a beautiful and comprehensive deluxe edition of The Alan Parsons Project’s ‘I Robot’.

The awards continued to celebrate entrepreneurship seeing Music Entrepreneur of the Year go to Mark Lippmann, Founder of Scruff of the Neck Records (previous winners of Best Boutique Label) for building a multi-faceted label business and work on recent largescale shows in the live sector, where he has helped grow the Blackpool Live series into a huge success.

The awards also championed organisations and record stores whose work strengthens the wider independent sector. Qobuz was recognised as Independent Music Champion, in association with PRS for Music, for building a platform through a collaborative approach with the independent sector and their excellent editorial support for independent music. Cre8ing Vision received the DEI Champion award recognising the impact they make on young people across the UK and Liverpool’s Jacaranda Records was named Best Independent Record Store, celebrating the importance of independent record shops as spaces for music discovery and local community.

The Independent Music Awards brings together the independent music community for a celebration of the artists, entrepreneurs, labels and teams shaping the sector today as well as some of the community’s heroes. The Awards shine a light on the independent artists and businesses who have overcome the challenges of operating at a small scale whilst sitting at the forefront of creativity and innovation in music. This year’s awards celebrate the theme of Collective Strength – AIM’s theme of the year for 2026. The theme was evident at many points throughout the night, from the communal dining introduced by AIM’s outgoing Chair, Ruth Barlow, which incorporated sharing plates, to celebrations of collaboration across the award categories such as Best Release Campaign and Best Independent Video, both of which highlighted the collaborative work done by close teams of artists, labels, directors and more

Gee Davy, CEO of AIM, said:

“Tonight’s winners demonstrate everything that makes the independent music community special. We’ve celebrated artists, labels, entrepreneurs, record stores and organisations achieving extraordinary success, building opportunities, and improving the world around them – not by standing alone, but through collective strength. That spirit of collaboration is a unique characteristic of the independent community and a key reason why our members continue to create cultural and commercial value far beyond their scale. 

In every corner of the UK, independent music businesses and entrepreneurs form a vital but largely unseen ‘cultural high street’ – local independent labels, distributors, studios, and more – that creates jobs, exports, investment and opportunity in communities everywhere. If we want to see more world-class artists emerge from the UK in the years ahead, we need to support and develop that cultural high street and back the independent businesses that use their expertise to take risks on new music and new talent. The success we celebrated tonight didn’t happen by accident, and neither will tomorrow’s.”
AIM would like to thank its partners and sponsors:  Amazon Music, Merlin, Meta, Notion, Spotify, BBC Introducing, PPL, PRS For Music, IDOL, Labelcamp, Qobuz, Hey! What?, Inch’s Cider, Heineken and 1800 Tequila

INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS 2026 WINNERS AND NOMINEES
Outstanding Contribution to Music – in association with Merlin
Pauline Black – WINNER

Innovator Award
Fabio & Grooverider – WINNER

Best Independent Track – in association with Meta
DEBBY FRIDAY – Bet On Me (Sub Pop Records)
Fcukers – L.U.C.K.Y (Ninja Tune)
Genesis Owusu – Stampede (Ourness)
Jalen Ngonda – Doctrine of Love (Daptone Records)
Jim Legxacy – 3x (XL Recordings)
Jorja Smith – The Way I Love You (FAMM) – WINNER
Nova Twins – Piranha (Marshall Records)
Robyn – Dopamine (Young / Konichiwa)
Romy – Love Who You Love (Young)
Tiana Major9 – Desire (+1 Records)

Best Independent Album – in association with Spotify
BICEP – TAKKUUK (Original Soundtrack) (Ninja Tune, EarthSonic)
Blawan – SickElixir (XL Recordings)
Fcukers – Ö (Ninja Tune)
Geese – Getting Killed (Partisan Records)
Mitski – Nothing’s About to Happen to Me (Dead Oceans)
Nova Twins – Parasites & Butterflies (Marshall Records)
Prostitute – Attempted Martyr (Mute)
Robyn – Sexistential (Young / Konichiwa) – WINNER
SCALER – Endlessly (Black Acre)
Thundercat – Distracted (Brainfeeder/ Ninja Tune)

Independent Breakthrough – in association with Amazon Music
Fat Dog (Domino Recording Co.)
Fcukers (Ninja Tune)
Jalen Ngonda (Daptone Records) – WINNER
Tiana Major9 (+1 Records)
Ego Ella May (Believe UK)

Best Independent Mixtape/EP – in association with NOTION
Bricknasty – Blacks Law (FAMM)
Jim Legxacy – black british music (2025) (XL Recordings) – WINNER
Naima Bock – Live in Toulon (Sub Pop Records)
Strandz – Diaspora Dance Music (Strandz Music)
TTSSFU – Blown (Partisan Records)

Best Independent Remix
If We Ever (High Contrast Remix) – Overmono (XL Recordings)
Love Who You Love (SHERELLE’s Intelligent Dyke Music Remix) – SHERELLE, Romy (Young) – WINNER
Sexistential (Arca’s Take) – Robyn (Young / Konichiwa)
The Way I Love You (TS7 Remix) – Jorja Smith, TS7 (FAMM)
You (Donae’O Remix) – House Gospel Choir and Donae’O (Swear Down Music)

One To Watch – in association with BBC Music Introducing
Ashaine White (Marshall Records)
Alewya (LDN Records)
Lauren Auder (untitled (recs))
Mandy, Indiana (Sacred Bones Records)
Native James (Sharptone Records/ Saviour Music) – WINNER

Best Independent Video
Zak Watson (director) for Antony Szmierek – The Heron (Mushroom Music)
Yorgos Lanthimos (director) for Jerskin Fendrix – Beth’s Farm (untitled (recs))
Noel Paul (director) for Mitski – Where’s My Phone (Dead Oceans)
Léa Esmaili (director) for Thundercat – She Knows Too Much feat. Mac Miller (Brainfeeder/ Ninja Tune) – WINNER
OCURENS (director) for Tinie Tempah, Skepsis, Carla Monroe – Eat It Up (Imhotep Records)

PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist – in association with PPL
bees & honey – WINNER
Beyond Chicago
Clementine Douglas
Jim Legxacy
Poppy Baskcomb

Best Live Performer
Amelia Coburn (Quiet Crown)
Billy Lockett (Lockett Records) – WINNER
High Fade (RPN RECORDS)
Katherine Priddy (Cooking Vinyl)
The Molotovs (Marshall Records)

Best Independent Label – in association with IDOL / Labelcamp
Because Music – WINNER
Dead Oceans
FAMM
Ninja Tune
Tru Thoughts

Best Boutique Label – in association with Qobuz
Big Scary Monsters
Black Acre
TLD Records
Sweardown
untitled (recs) – WINNER

Independent Music Champion – in association with PRS for Music
Qobuz – WINNER

Best Catalogue Release
Cooking Vinyl for The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot – WINNER
Stones Throw for Haruomi Hosono – Tropical Dandy
4AD for Lush – Gala (2025 Remaster)
London Records for Orbital – The Brown Album
Cherry Red Records for Toyah – Chameleon – The Very Best of Toyah

Best Release Campaign – in association with Hey! What?
Dead Oceans + Mitski – ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’
Domino Recording Co + Wet Leg – ‘moisturizer’ 
Ninja Tune + Fcukers – Ö – WINNER
Ourness/Believe + Genesis Owusu – ‘REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE’ 
Partisan Records/PIAS + Geese – ‘Getting Killed’
Steel City Dance Discs + Kettama – ‘Archangel’ 

Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Mark Lippmann (Scruff Of The Neck) – WINNER

Best Independent Record Store
Jacaranda Records (Liverpool) – WINNER
Applestump Records (Nantwich, Cheshire)
Just Dropped In (Coventry)
Ignite Record Store (Birmingham)
Slow Century Records (Solihull)

DEI Champion
Cre8ing Vision – WINNER

Independent Music Awards

About AIM
AIM is the not-for-profit organisation representing and supporting the UK’s independent music sector and community, which makes up close to a third of the UK’s recorded music market. Now in its 28th year, AIM’s 1000+ members range from the largest, most respected independent record labels and associated music businesses in the world to self-releasing artists and the next generation of entrepreneurs in music. They include Black Acre, Because Music, Beggars Group (4AD, Matador, Rough Trade Records, XL Recordings and Young), Chrysalis / Blue Raincoat, Domino, Finesse Foreva, Hospital Records, HQ Familia, The Leaf Label, London Records, Ninja Tune, Numbers, Partisan, Transgressive, Scruff of the Neck, Secretly Canadian, Stones Throw, and Warp.

AIM exists to level the playing field for independent music businesses and entrepreneurs – the beating heart of UK music. Regardless of genre, background, income, identity, or location, AIM provides access to the knowledge and contacts creative entrepreneurs need to create, build, and succeed.

AIM champions talent and innovation in the independent music community at its annual Independent Music Awards, which recognise global success and the best emerging talent in the sector. It also provides professional development and insight sessions throughout the year as part of the AIM Academy, and through its regular conference programme, comprising AIM Connected, AIM Sync and AIM’s Future Independents.