AIM Independent Music Awards

The AIM Independent Music Awards, hosted by the Association of Independent Music (commonly abbreviated to AIM), began in 2011. It is established through a collection of independent record labels and providing service and support to independent and smaller artists and record labels globally, achieving recognition for their efforts and works. The AIM Independent Music Awards are also providing recipients with greater opportunities to further expand their careers and name in the music industry.

The Association of Independent Music
The Association of Independent Music is a non-profit organization initiated in March 1999 and the current AIM's CEO is Paul Pacifico which previously held titles as CEO of the Featured Artists' Coalition (commonly abbreviated to FAC) and President of the International Artists Organisation (commonly abbreviated to IAO), a professor at the Berklee College of Music (the overseas campus in Valencia, Spain) and also owns his own Independent music company. The trade body was initiated in order to represent smaller indie artists, bands and labels. The organization provides support, education, publicity and assistance to their members through music awards and festivals. The Association of Independent Music advocate"providing a collective voice for UK's independent music industry" and "supporting UK's independent music." The organisation has expanded and representing approximately eight hundred varying record labels, artists and companies of diverse sorts within the music industry. The organisation are also branching into other trade bodies, such as the Association of Independent Festivals.

The Association of Independent Festivals
The Association of Independent Festivals (commonly abbreviated to AIF) are being a division of the AIM which are works with the direct aim of aiding independent festivals and labels. The aims of the Association of Independent Festivals is "represent, empower and provide a vital support network to independent festivals organizers." The trade body was initially founded in 2008 by DJ Robert John Gorham, more commonly known as Rob da Bank (who is also founder of the annual Bestival music festival), and Bestival director Ben Turner. The body currently represents approximately fifty member events.

2015 Awards winners

 * rowspan=17 | 2015
 * Erased Tapes Records || Best Small Label || Won
 * Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too || Best Difficult Second Album || Won
 * Cities of Darkscorch Boardgame || Special Catalogue Release of the Year || Won
 * Swans || Hardest Working Band of Artist|| Won
 * Brainchild Festival || Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival || Won
 * Wolf Alice || Independent Breakthrough of the Year || Won
 * Marc Riley, BBC 6 Music || Indie Champion || Won
 * Flying Lotus- 'Never Catch Me' || Independent Video of the Year || Won
 * All Time Low || 'Best Live Act || Won
 * FKA twigs - 'Two Weeks' || Independent Track of the Year || Won
 * Jungle || PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act || Won
 * Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep || Independent Album of the Year || Won
 * Transgressive Records || Independent Label of the Year || Won
 * Digby Pearson || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune || Innovator Award || Won
 * Skepta || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Flying Lotus- 'Never Catch Me' || Independent Video of the Year || Won
 * All Time Low || 'Best Live Act || Won
 * FKA twigs - 'Two Weeks' || Independent Track of the Year || Won
 * Jungle || PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act || Won
 * Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep || Independent Album of the Year || Won
 * Transgressive Records || Independent Label of the Year || Won
 * Digby Pearson || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune || Innovator Award || Won
 * Skepta || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Transgressive Records || Independent Label of the Year || Won
 * Digby Pearson || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune || Innovator Award || Won
 * Skepta || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune || Innovator Award || Won
 * Skepta || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Skepta || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Skepta || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won

2016 Awards winners

 * rowspan=18 | 2016
 * Numbers || Best Small Label || Won
 * Daughter, Not to Disappear || Best Difficult Second Album || Won
 * Slade, When Slade Rocked the World || Special Catalogue Release of the Year || Won
 * Darren Hayman || Hardest Working Band/Artist || Won
 * Brainchild Festival || Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival || Won
 * Christine and the Queens || Independent Breakthrough of the Year || Won
 * Jon Tolley || Indie Champion Award || Won
 * Oscar - 'Sometimes' || Independent Video of the Year || Won
 * Babymetal || Best Live Act || Won
 * Adele - 'Hello' || Independent Track of the Year || Won
 * Sigala || PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act || Won
 * Scott Gorham || Riff Lord Award || Won
 * Stormzy || Innovator Award || Won
 * Little Simz - A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons || Independent Album of the Year || Won
 * Epitaph/ANTI || Independent Label of the Year || Won
 * Róisín Murphy || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Richard Russell, XL Recordings || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Babymetal || Best Live Act || Won
 * Adele - 'Hello' || Independent Track of the Year || Won
 * Sigala || PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act || Won
 * Scott Gorham || Riff Lord Award || Won
 * Stormzy || Innovator Award || Won
 * Little Simz - A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons || Independent Album of the Year || Won
 * Epitaph/ANTI || Independent Label of the Year || Won
 * Róisín Murphy || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Richard Russell, XL Recordings || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Stormzy || Innovator Award || Won
 * Little Simz - A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons || Independent Album of the Year || Won
 * Epitaph/ANTI || Independent Label of the Year || Won
 * Róisín Murphy || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Richard Russell, XL Recordings || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Róisín Murphy || Outstanding Contribution to Music || Won
 * Richard Russell, XL Recordings || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Richard Russell, XL Recordings || Pioneer Award || Won
 * Richard Russell, XL Recordings || Pioneer Award || Won

2017 awards winners

 * Pioneer Award: Steve Beckett (Warp Records)
 * Outstanding Contribution to Music: The Dillinger Escape Plan
 * Innovator Award: Boy Better Know
 * Independent Label of the Year: Because Music
 * Independent Album of the Year: Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer
 * Most Played New Independent Act: Stormzy
 * Independent Video of the Year: DJ Shadow – "Nobody Speak" (featuring Run the Jewels)
 * Independent Track of the Year: The xx – "On Hold"
 * Indie Champion Award: Katie Riding and Joe Daniel (Independent Label Market)
 * Best Independent Festival: Lost Evenings
 * Best Difficult Second Album: Jlin – Black Origami
 * Special Catalogue Release of the Year: Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (1984-2014)
 * Hardest Working Group or Artist: Shao Dow
 * Independent Breakthrough of the Year: Sampha
 * Best Live Act: Counterfeit
 * Best Small Label: Planet Mu

2018 awards winners

 * Independent Album of the Year: Nadine Shah – Holiday Destination
 * Independent Track of the Year: Peggy Gou – "It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)"
 * Best Sophomore Release: Let's Eat Grandma – I'm All Ears
 * UK Breakthrough of the Year: Jorja Smith
 * International Breakthrough of the Year: Phoebe Bridgers
 * Best Live Act: Erasure
 * Hardest Working Group or Artist: Idles
 * Outstanding Contribution to Music: Tracey Thorn
 * Pioneer Award: Goldie
 * Innovator Award: Sophie
 * Best Creative Packaging: Black Sabbath – The Ten Year War
 * Independent Label of the Year: Ninja Tune
 * Best Small Label: Black Acre Records
 * Indie Champion Award: Femi Adeyemi (NTS Radio)
 * Most Played New Independent Act: Dave
 * Independent Video of the Year: Novo Amor – "Birthplace" (Directors: Sil van der Woerd and Jorik Dozy)

2019 awards winners

 * Best Live Act: Gerry Cinnamon
 * Best Small Label: Scruff of the Neck
 * Best Creative Packaging: Various Artists, handpicked and curated in collaboration with The Rolling Stones – Confessin' the Blues
 * UK Independent Breakthrough: Idles
 * Outstanding Contribution to Music: Debbie Harry
 * Best Independent Album: Dave – Psychodrama
 * Best Difficult Second Album: Idles – Joy as an Act of Resistance
 * Most Played New Independent Artist: Freya Ridings
 * International Breakthrough: Jade Bird
 * Innovator Award: Allen Kovac
 * Best Independent Video: Hot Chip – "Hungry Child"
 * Best Independent Track: Dave – "Funky Friday" (featuring Fredo)
 * One to Watch: Georgia
 * Best Independent Label: Partisan Records
 * Pioneer Award: Johnny Marr
 * Indie Champion: Charles Caldas

2020 awards winners

 * UK Independent Breakthrough: Moses Boyd
 * Best Creative Packaging: Digga D – Double Tap Diaries
 * Best Small Label: Speedy Wunderground
 * Best Independent Remix: Lafawndah – Tourist X Nídia Rework
 * One to Watch: Arlo Parks
 * Best Independent Video: The Howl & the Hum – "The Only Boy Racer Left on the Island"
 * Best Difficult Second Album: FKA twigs – Magdalene
 * International Breakthrough: Yaeji
 * Best Independent Album: Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving
 * Best Live Act: Five Finger Death Punch
 * Best Independent Track: Flying Lotus – "More" (featuring Anderson Paak)
 * Best Independent Label: Jazz re:freshed
 * Outstanding Contribution to Music: Tony Allen
 * Most Played New Independent Artist: Freya Ridings
 * Pioneer Award: Little Simz
 * Innovator Award: AJ Tracey
 * Special Recognition Award: Vince Clarke
 * Indie Champion: Helen Smith

2021 awards winners

 * UK Independent Breakthrough: Arlo Parks
 * International Breakthrough: Jayda G
 * Best Independent Track: Enny – "Peng Black Girls" (featuring Amia Brave)
 * Best Independent Album: Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
 * Best (Difficult) Second Album: Fontaines D.C. – A Hero's Death
 * Best Independent Remix: Ela Minus – "megapunk" (Elkka Remix)
 * One to Watch: Enny
 * Best Creative Packaging: Working Men's Club – Working Men's Club
 * Best Independent Video: Wesley Joseph – "Thrilla"
 * Best Independent Label: Forever Living Originals
 * Best Small Label: Strut Records
 * Most Played New Independent Artist: Lauv
 * Best Live (Streamed) Act: Ben Böhmer
 * Pioneer Award: Tricky
 * Innovator Award: Adrian Sherwood
 * Outstanding Contribution to Music: Joan Armatrading
 * Indie Champion: Love Record Stores Day and Bandcamp
 * Diversity Champion: Paulette Long

2023
The 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards were presented on 26 September 2023 at the Roundhouse in London. The first set of nominees were announced on 19 July 2023. The rest of the nominees as well as the Best Live Performance and Diversity Champion recipients were announced on 23 August 2023.