Music

The 2018 AIR Awards were announced in Adelaide last night in a celebration demonstrating the enormous wealth of talent in the Australian independent music industry.

The awards acknowledged twelve of Australia’s finest artists, plus the work of two strong independent music businesses, rewarding them with financial funding from our supporting partners.

The AIR Award for Best Independent Label went to Milk! Records, including a digital marketing package from moshtix valued at $20,000 to help showcase their talent to the music public.

Skinnyfish Music took out AIR’s new Outstanding Achievement Award, receiving a $5,000 cash prize from global independent rights agency Merlin, in recognition of their significant and lasting contribution to the Australian independent music community.

Milk! Records celebrated once more with Jen Cloher taking home AIR’s Best Independent Artist award, and Best Independent Single went to Alex Lahey for her song Every Day’s The Weekend.

In an AIR Awards first, Best Independent Album or EP was a tie this year, going to both Methyl Ethel for Everything is Forgotten and The Jungle Giants for Quiet Ferocity.

In the genre awards PNAU dominated in their category for Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single and Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album. The Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy or Punk Album award went to King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, and BIRDZ took home Best Independent Hip Hop Album.

Fanny Lumsden accepted the award for Best Independent Country Album, before taking to the stage to perform Elastic Waistband off her Real Class Act record.

Having kicked off the night performing Welcome to Country with the Tal-Kin-Jeri Dancers, followed by his own Mr La Di Da Di single, Baker Boy stepped back onstage later in the night to receive the award for Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year, presented by PPCA.

Alex The Astronaut’s performance of Not Worth Hiding and Stella Donnelly’s raw performance of Boys Will Be Boys demonstrated the power music can have. While BAD//DREEMS kept the party atmosphere going with their Feeling Remains anthem.

ABC Classics had good reason to celebrate with their two artists James Morrison/BBC Concert Orchestra taking out the gong for Best Independent Jazz Album and Australian Chamber Orchestra/Richard Tognetti receiving Best Independent Classical Album.

The night’s proceedings came to a close with the unique and powerfully endearing Caiti Baker performing her R&B/Soul single I Won’t Sleep.

AIR GM Maria Amato commented, “It was great to celebrate the success of the Australian independent music sector at the 2018 AIR Awards in Adelaide last night. We are grateful to the South Australian Government for their continued support and to all our valued partners who helped us make it all happen.”

Minister for Industry and Skills, the Hon. David Pisoni MP said, “Congratulations to all the winners of the 2018 AIR Awards. The Marshall Liberal Government is committed to developing the environment for the next generation of creative talent in live music, to help the music industry grow and thrive in South Australia.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2018 AIR AWARDS RECIPIENTS

BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL
Milk! Records
Thanks to moshtix, the recipient of this year’s Best Independent Label award will receive a digital marketing package valued at $20,000 to help showcase their talent to the music public.

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY PPCA
Baker Boy (Independent)

BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST
Jen Cloher (Milk! Records)

BEST INDEPENDENT SINGLE
Every Day’s the Weekend – Alex Lahey (Nicky Boy Records)

BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM OR EP
Everything is Forgotten – Methyl Ethel (Dot Dash Recordings) AND Quiet Ferocity – The Jungle Giants (Amplifire Music)

BEST INDEPENDENT HARD ROCK, HEAVY OR PUNK ALBUM
Murder of the Universe – King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard (Flightless Records)

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE
Go Bang – PNAU (Etc Etc)

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE/ELECTRONICA ALBUM
Changa – PNAU (Etc Etc)

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM
Train of Thought – BIRDZ (Bad Apples Music)

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM
When We Fall – All Our Exes Live in Texas (ABC Music)

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM
Real Class Act – Fanny Lumsden (Red Dirt Road Records)

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM
The Great American Songbook – James Morrison/BBC Concert Orchestra (ABC Classics)

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM
Jonny Greenwood – Australian Chamber Orchestra/Richard Tognetti (ABC Classics)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award recognises an individual or group who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the Australian Independent Music Community
Skinnyfish Music
Thanks to the global independent rights agency Merlin, this year’s winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize to be used for business/professional development

Image: Morgan Sette