The final nominees for this year’s AIM Awards have been announced ahead of the ceremony on 28 September, with Pixey also joining the line-up for the live show. Also announced today are two new honourees for 2022, with Stormzy and Rina Sawayama recognised for their achievements.
Stormzy will be presented with the Diversity Champion award for using his platform to level the playing field in the music industry and his work with the #Merky Foundation, whilst Rina Sawayama will receive the Innovator award for her dexterity and creativity in the recording studio and state-of-the-art visuals.
Completing this year's list of nominees, AIM has announced the shortlists for Best Independent Video and Best Live Performer. The Awards will be hosted by BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Target and TV host and presenter Joelah Noble, with performances from The Libertines, Lethal Bizzle, and rising star Pixey.
The full list of AIM Awards nominees and honourees for 2022 is:
Diversity Champion
Winner: Stormzy
Innovator in association with Amazon Music
Winner: Rina Sawayama (Dirty Hit)
Best Live Performer
Ben Böhmer (Anjunadeep)
IDLES (Partisan Records)
Mitski (Dead Oceans)
Shao Dow (DiY Gang Entertainment)
The Hu (Better Noise)
Best Independent Video in association with VEVO
Arlo Parks - Softly
Ibeyi - Made of Gold ft. Pa Salieu
Jeshi - 3210
Wesley Joseph - Cold Summer
FKA Twigs - tears in the club ft. the weeknd
UK Independent Breakthrough in association with YouTube Music
Children of Zeus (First Word Records)
Warmduscher (Bella Union)
Knucks (No Days Off)
Nova Twins (Marshall Records)
Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company)
International Breakthrough in association with Deezer
Amyl & the Sniffers (Rough Trade)
Blxst (Red Bull Records)
Kokoroko (Brownswood Recordings)
Mdou Moctar (Matador Records)
Mitski (Dead Oceans)
Best Independent Track in association with Meta
Anz - You Could Be (ft. George Riley) (Ninja Tune)
Dave - Starlight (Neighbourhood Recordings)
FKA twigs - tears in the club ft. the weeknd (Young Recordings)
Jeshi - Protein feat. Obongjayar (Because Music)
Knucks, SL - Nice & Good (No Days Off)
Nova Twins - Antagonist (Marshall Records)
Overmono - So U Kno (XL Recordings)
Wet Leg - Chaise Longue (Domino Recording Company)
Wu-Lu - Broken Homes (Warp Records)
Yves Tumor - Jackie (Warp Records)
Best Independent EP/Mixtape
FKA twigs - ‘CAPRISONGS’ (Young Recordings)
Joy Orbison - 'still slipping vol.1' (XL Recordings)
Surya Sen - 'At What Cost?' (Skint Records)
TAAHLIAH - 'Angelica' (untitled (recs))
Wesley Joseph - 'ULTRAMARINE' (EEVILTWINN)
Best Independent Album in association with Spotify
Boj - 'Gbagada Express' (Moves Recordings)
Children Of Zeus - 'Balance' (First Word Records)
Cleo Sol - 'Mother' (Forever Living Originals)
Dave - 'We're All Alone In This Together'
Dave Okumu - 'Knopperz' (Neighbourhood Recordings)
Emma-Jean Thackray - 'Yellow' (Movementt)
Mustafa - 'When Smoke Rises' (Young)
Nilüfer Yanya - 'Painless' (ATO Records)
SAULT - 'NINE' (Forever Living Originals)
Walt Disco - 'Unlearning' (Lucky Number)
Best [Difficult] Second Album in association with BBC6 Music
Black Country, New Road - ‘Ants From Up There’ (Ninja Tune)
Jana Rush - ‘Painful Enlightenment’ (Planet Mu Records)
Nilüfer Yanya - ‘Painless’ (ATO Records)
Ross From Friends - ‘Tread’ (Brainfeeder)
Tirzah - 'Colourgrade' (Domino Recording Company)
Best Independent Remix
ATO - no caroline remix (FLOHIO) (MCMXCV)
Erike de Casier - Polite (Mura Masa Remix) (4AD)
Ibeyi - Lavender & Red Roses ft. Jorja Smith (Champion Remix) (XL Recordings)
MF DOOM - 'Gazzillion Ear (Thom Yorke Man on Fire Remix)' (Lex Records)
Shygirl - 'BDE (Kaydy Cain Remix)' (Because Music)
One To Watch in association with BBC Introducing
Barry Can't Swim (Technicolour / Ninja Tune)
Jeshi (Because Music)
Léa Sen (Partisan Records)
Nia Archives (HIJINXX)
TAAHLIAH (untitled (recs))
Music Entrepreneur Of The Year
Corey Johnson (CEO & Founder of Defenders Ent.)
Jamie Oborne (Founder of Dirty Hit/All On Red Management)
Karen Emanuel (CEO and Founder of Key Production)
Laura Lewis-Paul (Founder & CEO of Saffron Music)
Peter Adarkwah (Label Owner of BBE Music)
Best Independent Label
Domino Recording Company
Ninja Tune
Partisan Records
Rough Trade
Soundway Records
Best Boutique Label
Chess Club
Edition Records
Finesse Foreva
Local Action
Rough Bones
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist
Arlo Parks (Transgressive Records)
D.O.D (Axtone Records)
KC Lights (Toolroom Productions)
Rathbone Place (Good Company Records)
Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company)
Best Creative Campaign in association with Able
Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia (Partisan Records)
Maylee Todd - Maloo (Stones Throw Records)
Mitski - Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)
Obongjayar - Some Nights I Dream of Doors (September Recordings)
Radiohead - KID A MNESIA (XL Recordings)
