AIM Awards 2024: Jorja Smith, CASISDEAD, Barry Can’t Swim Lead Nominations

LONDON — Jorja Smith, CASISDEAD and Barry Can’t Swim are among the leading nominees for the 2024 Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards, which recognize the achievements of the artists, labels, entrepreneurs and companies that make up the U.K.’s indie sector.

The 14th edition of the annual awards show is set for Oct. 17 at London’s Roundhouse venue. Nominees also include D-Block Europe, Kim Gordon, Actress, rapper Skrapz, Mount Kimbie, Anohni and the Johnsons and jazz nine-piece Nubiyan Twist, who are all in the running for the best independent album prize alongside Smith and electronic music producer Barry Can’t Swim, real name Joshua Mainnie.

R&B singer Jorja Smith, a 2019 Grammy nominee for best new artist, is also listed in the best independent track category for her hit “Little Things,” which spent 22 weeks on the Official U.K. Singles chart, peaking at No. 11.

2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective are on the best track shortlist, along with Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, Hudson Mohawke and Nikki Nair, Sampha, NikNak, Matthew Halsall, Amy Gadiaga and CASISDEAD — who was crowned best hip-hop/grime/rap act at the BRIT Awards on March 2.

Other categories announced by AIM, which represents more than 1,000 U.K. independent labels, artists and music companies, include best EP/mixtape, best remix and best video. 

The five contenders for the independent breakthrough award number London rapper CASISDEAD, Barry Can’t Swim, Bar Italia, Saint Harison and Wunderhorse, who all receive free access to studio time at London’s Metropolis Studios as part of their nomination.

AIM’s One to Watch category, which has previously been collected by Nia Archives and Arlo Parks, shines a light on spoken word artist Antony Szmierek, drum and bass MC OneDa, DJ Kitty Amor and artist/producers Lynks and Miso Extra.

Nominees and winners are picked by the AIM board and a panel of expert judges with the exception of the best live performer award, which is decided by a public vote.

In terms of most nominated indie labels, London-based Ninja Tune leads the pack with its artists receiving four nods across the categories announced so far (Actress, Barry Can’t Swim, Nabihah Iqbal and George Riley). XL Recordings, Heavenly Recordings and artist services company EGA Distro each have three acts up for prizes.

Nominations for the remaining award categories, including best boutique label and independent champion, as well as live performers at this year’s ceremony will be announced in the coming months, said AIM. Sponsors and media partners for October’s awards include Spotify, Vevo, Meta, Notion, Amazon Music and the BBC.

Gee Davy, interim AIM CEO, said that this year’s nominees “spans the regions and nations, genres and communities of the U.K.’s independent music scene, recognizing success, talent and artistry.”

Ruth Barlow, the not-for-profit organization’s chair, said in a statement that the 2024 awards shortlist provides “a great glimpse into the length and breadth of the U.K.’s independent sector and highlight a handful of the innovators, culture makers and commercial successes AIM’s outstanding community has to offer.”

According to figures released earlier this year from U.K. labels trade body BPI, independently released songs and albums accounted for almost one-third of all music consumption in the U.K. in 2023 with the equivalent of more than 53 million independently released albums streamed or purchased across digital and physical formats. The U.K. is the world’s third-biggest recorded music market in IFPI’s annual rankings behind the U.S. and Japan.

See below for a full list of the nominees for the 2024 AIM Independent Music Awards announced so far:

Best Independent Album (in association with Spotify)

Actress – LXXXVIII (Ninja Tune)

ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross (Rough Trade Records)

Barry Can’t Swim – When Will We Land? (Ninja Tune)

D-Block Europe – Rolling Stone (EGA Distro)

Jorja Smith – falling or flying (FAMM)

Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)

Mount Kimbie  – The Sunset Violent (Warp Records)

Nabihah Iqbal  – Dreamer (Ninja Tune)

Nubiyan Twist – Find Your Flame (Strut Records)

Skrapz – Reflection (EGA Distro)

Best Independent Remix

P-rallel Remix –  Aluna, Jayda G – Mine O’ Mine (Mad Decent Under Exclusive License to Because Music)

Olof Dreijer Remix – Björk – Oral (feat. Rosalia) (One Little Independent)

L BEATS Mashup – Jorja Smith – Little Things x Gypsy Woman (FAMM)

Egyptian Lover Remix – Sudan Archives – Freakalizer (Stones Throw Records)

Ezra Collective, Sampa The Great – JOY (Life Goes On) (Partisan Records)

One to Watch (in association with BBC Music Introducing)

Antony Szmierek (LAB Records)

Kitty Amor (Defected Records)

Lynks (Heavenly Recordings)

Miso Extra (Transgressive)

OneDa (Heavenly Recordings)

Best Independent Track (in association with Meta)

Amy Gadiaga – “All Black Everything” (Jazz re:freshed)

CASISDEAD – “Venom” (XL Recordings)

Sampha – “Spirit 2.0” (Young)

Fontaines DC – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)

Ezra Collective – “Ajala” (Partisan Records)

Jorja Smith – “Little Things” (FAMM)

KNEECAP, Grian Chatten – “Better Way to Live” (Heavenly Recordings)

Matthew Halsall – “An Ever Changing View” (Gondwana Records)

NikNak – “1200RPM” (Accidental Records)

Hudson Mohawke & Nikki Nair – “Set the Roof” (Warp Records)

Best Independent EP/Mixtape

George Riley – Un/limited Love (Ninja Tune)

Headie One & K-Trap – STRENGTH TO STRENGTH (One Records and Thousand8)

JGrrey – If Not Now? (PACE, a subsidiary of Marathon Music Group)

Potter Payper – Thanks for Hating (EGA Distro)

HONESTY – BOX (Partisan Records)

UK Independent Breakthrough (in association with Amazon Music)

Bar Italia (Matador Records)

CASISDEAD (XL Recordings)

Wunderhorse (Communion Records)

Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)

Saint Harison (Platoon)

Best Independent Video (in association with Vevo)

Gia Ford – Poolside (Chrysalis Records)

Khruangbin – A Love International (Dead Oceans)

Master Peace – I Might Be Fake feat. Georgia (PMR Records)

Mitski – My Love Mine All Mine (Dead Oceans)

Sampha – Only (Young)

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Written by Mr. Nimbus