Richard Russell, founder and owner of XL Recordings, will be honoured with the Pioneer Award at the 2016 AIM Awards in September.
The producer, DJ, artist and label boss founded XL Recordings back in 1989 in partnership with Beggars Banquet Records.
XL’s first major success was The Prodigy, who became one of the three best-selling UK artists of the nineties.
During the decade, Russell also tasted chart success for himself, as one half of rave duo Kicks Like a Mule.
In 1992 they scored a top 10 hit, The Bouncer, before going on to produce London Posse’s Pass the Rizzla and remix scores of rave anthems.
Since then, XL has broadened into other musical genres, with Russell working alongside top shelf artists including The White Stripes, Adele, Radiohead, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., The xx and FKA Twigs.
Alison Wenham, AIM chair and chief executive, said: ‘I have long admired Richard as an artist whose natural abilities as a music man have extended in many directions and always brought forth music to astonish.
‘He is at home as a composer, musician, producer, collaborator, inspirer… his confidence with music shines. He is our Pioneer for 2016.’
The Pioneer Award is among the first of 2016’s Independent Music Awards to be announced, with Best Live Act now open to public voting on songkick.com and Best Independent Festival Golden Welly Award open for voting via diymag.com/aimawards.
Shortlisted nominees for the remaining 13 categories will be announced on 2 August at an awards launch party at House of Vans, London.
It was announced last week that Róisín Murphy will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at this year's ceremony.
The AIM Independent Music Awards 2016 returns to The Brewery in Clerkenwell, London, on 6 September. Tickets are on sale from www.musicindie.com/awards
The producer, DJ, artist and label boss founded XL Recordings back in 1989 in partnership with Beggars Banquet Records.
XL’s first major success was The Prodigy, who became one of the three best-selling UK artists of the nineties.
During the decade, Russell also tasted chart success for himself, as one half of rave duo Kicks Like a Mule.
In 1992 they scored a top 10 hit, The Bouncer, before going on to produce London Posse’s Pass the Rizzla and remix scores of rave anthems.
Since then, XL has broadened into other musical genres, with Russell working alongside top shelf artists including The White Stripes, Adele, Radiohead, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., The xx and FKA Twigs.
Alison Wenham, AIM chair and chief executive, said: ‘I have long admired Richard as an artist whose natural abilities as a music man have extended in many directions and always brought forth music to astonish.
‘He is at home as a composer, musician, producer, collaborator, inspirer… his confidence with music shines. He is our Pioneer for 2016.’
The Pioneer Award is among the first of 2016’s Independent Music Awards to be announced, with Best Live Act now open to public voting on songkick.com and Best Independent Festival Golden Welly Award open for voting via diymag.com/aimawards.
Shortlisted nominees for the remaining 13 categories will be announced on 2 August at an awards launch party at House of Vans, London.
It was announced last week that Róisín Murphy will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at this year's ceremony.
The AIM Independent Music Awards 2016 returns to The Brewery in Clerkenwell, London, on 6 September. Tickets are on sale from www.musicindie.com/awards
