The 13th annual Libera Awards featured 36 categories honoring the best in independent music last week (June 10) in New York City.

This year’s Libera Awards, presented by Merlin, also featured the addition of three new categories, including Best Record From Games and Interactive Media, Publisher of the Year and Distributor of the Year.

De La Soul won for Best Reissue (3 Feet High and Rising), for Creative Packaging (3 Feet High and Rising), and also for Marketing Genius (De La Soul Catalogue Release)

Killer Mike’s Michael, featuring “SPACESHIP VIEWS” with Curren$y, 2 Chainz, and Kaash Paige, and “Exit 9” with Blxst, co-written/co-produced by Willy “Will” Yanez, released on Loma Vista Recordings, which won a Grammy for best rap album on Feb. 4, won best hip-hop/rap record.

This year, Louis Posen, Founder of Hopeless Records, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions, accomplishments, philanthropy, and outstanding leadership in the independent sector.

The American Association of Independent Music, better known as A2IM, is a not-for-profit trade association that represents independent music recording owners. With 800 music companies in our community, A2IM works every day to provide education, business, and commerce opportunities, and networking and community spaces for our members. Most importantly, A2IM advocates for music owners on a policy level to ensure fair compensation for their work. The Libera Awards is a celebration of these independents, along with the businesses and community that support independent music.

Congratulations to The American Association of Independent Music, Inc. (A2IM) 2024 Libera Awards winners!

Record of the Year
Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (Dead Oceans)

Label of the Year (5 or fewer employees)
True Panther

Label of the Year (6-14 employees)
Light in the Attic

Label of the Year (15 or more employees)
Partisan Records

Breakthrough Artist presented by Virgin Music Group
Blondshell (Partisan Records)

Music Video of the Year
IDLES – “Dancer” (Partisan Records)

Self-Released Record of the Year
Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Perpetual Novice)

Independent Champion presented by Merlin
Bandcamp

Distributor of the Year
Redeye Worldwide

Publisher of the Year
Secretly Publishing

Best Alternative Rock Record
Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Perpetual Novice)

Best American Roots Record
MJ Lenderman – “Rudolph” (ANTI)

Best Blues Record
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Live In London (Alligator Records)

Best Classical Record
Hauschka – Philanthropy (City Slang)

Best Country Record
Margo Price – Strays (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Dance Record
Romy – Mid Air (Young)

Best Electronic Record
Yaeji – With A Hammer (XL Recordings)

Best Folk Record
Sufjan Stevens – Javelin (Asthmatic Kitty Records)

Best Global Record presented by Redeye Worldwide
WITCH – Zango (Desert Daze Sound)

Best Heavy Record
Model/Actriz – Dogsbody (True Panther)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record
Killer Mike – MICHAEL (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Jazz Record
John Carroll Kirby – Blowout (Stones Throw Records)

Best Latin Record
Helado Negro – “LFO (Lupe Finds Oliveros)” (4AD)

Best Outlier Record
L’Rain – I Killed Your Dog (Mexican Summer)

Best Pop Record
Samia – Honey (Grand Jury Music)

Best Punk Record
Mannequin Pussy – “I Got Heaven” (Epitaph)

Best R&B Record
Sampha – Lahai (Young)

Best Record From Games and Interactive Media
HEALTH – “HATEFUL” (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Reissue
De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising (AOI Records/Chrysalis Records)

Best Remix
Sudan Archives, ODESZA – “Selfish Soul (ODESZA Remix)” (Stones Throw under exclusive license to Foreign Family Collective/Ninja Tune)

Best Rock Record
Blondshell – Blondshell (Partisan Records)

Best Short-Form Video
IDLES – “Grace” Teaser (Partisan Records)

Best Singer-Songwriter Record
Angel Olsen – Forever Means (Jagjaguwar)

Best Soul/Funk Record
Betty Davis – Crashin’ From Passion (Light in the Attic)

Best Spiritual Record
Blind Boys of Alabama – Echoes of the South (Single Lock Records)

Best Sync Usage
Refused – “New Noise” in The Bear (Season 2) (Epitaph)

Creative Packaging
De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising (AOI Records/Chrysalis Records)

Marketing Genius
De La Soul – De La Soul Catalog Release (AOI Records/Chrysalis Records)