The Independent Music Awards has revealed the winners of its coveted ‘Innovator Award’, ‘Best Live Performer’ and ‘Independent Music Champion’ titles, as well as its final nominees for 2025.
This year’s 15th Anniversary edition will take place at London’s Roundhouse on 23rd September. Cosey Fanni Tutti will be honoured with the ‘Innovator Award’ for her radical work in art and music, which has redefined the boundaries of creative expression. As a founding member of Throbbing Gristle and art collective COUM Transmissions, she also co-founded the independent label Industrial Records to self-release the music of Throbbing Gristle.
Her later work with Chris & Cosey and CarterTutti, both formed with Throbbing Gristle bandmate Chris Carter, bridged experimental sound and accessible electronic music, shaping the evolution of industrial, synth-pop, and electronic music. Her books ‘Art, Sex, Music’ and ‘Re-sisters’ established her as a renowned author, to universal acclaim.
Continuing to embrace her fiercely independent spirit, her two recent albums TUTTI and 2t2 were released on her own Conspiracy International label.
Her fearless experimentation and boundary-pushing approach have directly inspired artists such as Björk, Nine Inch Nails, and FKA Twigs, who cite her work as a vital influence on their own daring and innovative music. Through decades of fearless creativity, Tutti remains a vital force in avant-garde culture and independent music.
Two-time UK Official Album Chart toppers Shed Seven (Cooking Vinyl) will be crowned winners of the public-voted ‘Best Live Performer’ award for their high-voltage, crowd-pleasing sets. Fellow Cooking Vinyl artists, soulful powerhouse Elles Bailey and timeless voice Alison Moyet were shortlisted, alongside acclaimed singer, songwriter and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson (Hill and Gully), and rising rock powerhouse Wunderhorse (Communion Records).
Nominees for ‘Best Independent Video’ (in association with VEVO) include Ezra Collective with ‘God Gave Me Feet For Dancing’, alongside Bricknasty’s ‘Vinland’ (FAMM), Fontaines D.C. with ‘In The Modern World’ (XL), Black Honey’s ‘Psycho’ (Foxfive), and Wet Leg with ‘Catch These Fists’ (Domino).
Ezra Collective and Fontaines D.C. now lead the pack with three nominations each . Following closely behind, two-time nominees anaiis, Fcukers, Hope Tala, and Maverick Sabre are now joined neck-and-neck with fellow shortlisters Fat Dog, Bon Iver, Wunderhorse, and Wet Leg after scooping second nominations, with further categories and nominations listed below.
Gee Davy, CEO of AIM, commented: “As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Independent Music Awards, I’m inspired by the extraordinary creativity flowing from the UK’s independent music community.
“Every year, our sector delivers music that speaks to hearts, minds and dancing feet – and this year’s nominees are no exception. Our panel of tastemakers has curated a spectacular selection from the vast array of submissions. This is only a glimpse of the immense talent and variety within the scene, but showcases the fearless artistry that defines this community.
The newly announced categories are as follows:
Innovator Award
Cosey Fanni Tutti – Winner
Best Live Performer
Alison Moyet (Cooking Vinyl)
Elles Bailey (Cooking Vinyl)
Ayanna Witter-Johnson (Hill and Gully Records)
Shed Seven (Cooking Vinyl) – Winner
Wunderhorse (Communion Records)
Best Independent Video (in association with VEVO)
Bricknasty – Vinland (FAMM)
Black Honey – Psycho (Foxfive Records)
Fontaines DC – In The Modern World (XL Recordings)
Ezra Collective – God Gave Me Feet For Dancing Ft. Yazmin Lacey (Partisan Records)
Wet Leg – Catch These Fists (Domino Recording Co.)
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist
Fat Dog (Domino Recording Co)
First Time Flyers (Lookout Mountain)
In Parallel (Method 808)
NDotz (Chosen Flystr8)
Popeth (Recordiau Cosh Records)
Best Independent Label
Because Music
Communion Records
Modern Sky UK
Transgressive
XL Recordings
Best Independent Record Store
Art Beats (Saffron Walden)
A Slice of Vinyl (Gosport)
Raven Records (Camden, London)
Spinning Around Records (Wellington, Telford)
Wax & Beans (Bury)
Best Creative Campaign
NQ Records and Aitch (4)
Jagjaguwar and Bon Iver (Sable, Fable)
XL Recordings and Fontaines DC (Romance)
The Leaf Label and Snapped Ankles (Hard Times Furious Dancing)
Transgressive and Sophie (Sophie)
Best Boutique Label (in association with Qobuz)
AD 93
Clasico Records
Flystr8
Submarine Cat Records
Untitled (Recs)
Independent Music Champion in association with PRS
Bandcamp – Winner
They join the previously announced shortlists below:
Best Independent Track
Anaiis, Grupo Cosmo – ‘B.P.E’ (5dB Records)
Ezra Collective, Yazmin Lacey – ‘God Gave Me Feet For Dancing’ (Partisan Records)
JIALING -‘Freaky Horns’ (Clasico Records)
Jim Legxacy – ‘father’ (XL Recordings)
Jorja Smith, Maverick Sabre – ‘Loving You’ (FAMM)
Miso Extra, Metronomy -‘Good Kisses’ (Transgressive Records)
Orla Gartland – ‘Mine’ (New Friends Music)
Wet Leg – ‘Catch These Fists’ (Domino Recording Co.)
Wunderhorse – ‘The Rope’ (Communion Records)
Yannis & The Yaw, Tony Allen – ‘Rain Can’t Reach Us’ (Transgressive Records)
Best Independent Album
Bon Iver – Sable, Fable (Jagjaguwar)
Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching (Partisan Records)
Fontaines DC – Romance (XL Recordings)
Hope Tala – Hope Handwritten (Big Family Music)
John Glacier – Like A Ribbon (Young)
Maverick Sabre – Burn The Right Things Down (FAMM)
Moonchild Sanelly – Full Moon (Transgressive Records)
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness (Warp Records)
Oklou – Choke Enough (Oklou / True Panther Records)
TAAHLIA – Gramarye (untitled (recs))
UK Independent Breakthrough (in association with Amazon Music)
Corto.alto (Ninja Tune)
Fat Dog (Domino Recording Co.)
Glass Beams (Ninja Tune)
Hope Tala (Big Family Music)
Sara Landry (HEKATE Records)
Best Independent EP/Mixtape
Fcukers – Baggy$$ (Technicolour Records)
MRCY – VOLUME 1(Dead Oceans)
Nectar Woode – Head Above Water (Communion Music)
Shygirl – Club Shy Room 2 (Because Music)
Zino Vinci – The Late Bloomer(Bawne London / Believe)
Best Independent Remix
Aluna – ‘Heatstroke’ (Paul Woolford remix) (Mad Decent / Because Music)
Home Counties, TATYANA – ‘Uptight’ – TATYANA remix (Submarine Cat Records)
Koreless – ‘Seven’ (Jorig Kuning Bicton Barns Remix) (Young)
Nilufer Yanya – ‘Just A Western’ (Boy Harsher Remix) (Ninja Tune)
Rosie Lowe – ‘Gratitudes’ (D’Monk remix) (Blue Flowers Music)
One To Watch
Anaiis (5dB Records
BINA. (TLD Records)
Chloe Qisha (VLF Records / Believe)
Cristale (Believe)
Fcukers (Ninja Tune)
