The Australian Independent Record Labels Association have announced the 2024 nominees for the annual AIR Awards. The ceremony, celebrating independent Australian music, will take place at the Queen’s Theatre in Adelaide on Thursday, August 1st. A full list of nominees can be found below.
As has become the norm for Australian music awards ceremonies, Genesis Owusu leads with the most nominations at five: Independent Album Of The Year for Struggler, Independent Marketing Team Of The Year, Independent Publicity Team Of The Year, Best Independent Hip-Hop Album Or EP and Independent Song Of The Year for ‘Leaving The Light’.
Melbourne post-punk band (and Australian Music Prize winners) RVG trail close behind on four nominations, a feat equaled by both Maple Glider and Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers. Cub Sport and Enola, meanwhile, have both received three nominations apiece.
Genesis Owusu – ‘Leaving The Light’
In a press statement, MP Andrea Michaels – the Minister For Arts – expressed her excitement at the ceremony taking place in her home state of South Australia. “It is fantastic to be hosting the awards here in Adelaide again – Australia’s only UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] City Of Music – and I congratulate all of the nominees.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work the independent music industry does in providing talented and emerging artists and music businesses with a platform to share their art with a wider audience.”
Last year’s ceremony took place at the Freemasons Hall in Adelaide, and saw King Stingray win Independent Album Of The Year for their self-titled debut. Independent Song Of The Year was won by Genesis Owusu, for his stand-alone single ‘Get Inspired’.
AIR Awards 2024 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 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 Pop Album Or EP
- Hatchie – Giving The World Away [Deluxe]
- Jack River – Endless Summer
- Kate Ceberano – My Life is a Symphony
- Molly Millington– 5 Stages
- Nat Vazer – Strange Adrenaline
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, Dallas Does PR – Teenage Joans, The Rot That Grows Inside My Chest
- Jessica Searle, Collected PR – 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
- 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 – ‘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
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 – 2023 singles
- Tom Iansek – Maple Glider, I Get Into Trouble
Further Reading
André 3000 Heads Up Sydney Art Gallery’s Volume 2024
All the Winners at the 2023 ARIA Awards – Genesis Owusu, Troye Sivan Dominate
All the Winners at the 2023 ARIA Awards – Genesis Owusu, Troye Sivan Dominate
