The Independent Music Awards (IMAs) celebrates independent artists and releases from independent record labels every year. The IMAs honor releases in over 100 categories, including best albums, songs, EPs, producers, and videos across all genres. The 18th IMA’s will be honoring over 400 nominees from over 100 nations and ultimately handing out more than 140 awards to all winners.
Nominees are chosen solely on artistry and authenticity alone, not streams, likes, or marketing success. The judges for the nominations and winners span across the music industry with artists from a variety of genres and professionals from various different companies. Fans also vote for a few of the nominees, such as their favorite Song and Video entries, to determine the IMA Vox Pop nominees and winners. Fan voting for Vox Pop Song and Video Winners ends Thursday, April 23rd at Midnight PST.
The ceremony is set to take place online in place of a live event in New York City like years prior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All Judge and Fan selected Winners will be announced online on Tuesday, April 28th at 2PM EST.
The Orchard is proud to partner with independent labels worldwide that have achieved over 70 nominations this year! Over 20 labels were nominated across over 40 categories with nods to albums, songs, EPs, and videos, as well as producers and creatives.
Wicked Cool Records, a Garage Rock label founded by Steven Van Zandt, totaled a whopping 19 nominations! Wicked Cool Records was founded in 2004 and continues to be a great support for new rock bands that are emerging on the scene. Nominations include Best Americana Album for Jesse Malin’s Sunset Kids, Best Indie/Alternative Rock Album for The Dollyrots’ Daydream Explosion, and Best Rock/Hard Rock Song for Soraia’s “Evergreen.”
Season of Mist also impressed judges, garnering 13 nominations! Season of Mist is an extreme metal independent label out of Marseille, France and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nominees including four of five nominations for Best Metal/Hardcore Album: 1349’s The Infernal Pathway, Abbath’s Outstrider, Misery Index’s Rituals of Power, and Rotting Christ’s The Heretics. Other nominations include Best Rock/Hard Rock Album for Voyager’s Colours in the Sun and Best World Traditional Song for Heilung’s “Norupo.”
Nathalie Hazim (Malagana Records SRL) achieved three nominations, Best Dance/Electronica Song for “Apaga la Luz (Nueva Versión),” and Best Love Song and Best Pop Producer for “Más de lo que Soñé.”
Wouter Kellerman (Kellerman Music/Next Music) was nominated for six awards including Best Concept Album for In a Different Light, and Best Social Action Short Form Video and Best Social Action Song for “Baroque to the Rescue.”
We are so proud of all the labels and artists who have been recognized for their fantastic work! To view the full list of nominees, head over to IMA’s nominee list or see those distributed by The Orchard below:
Best Americana Album
Jesse Malin Sunset Kids (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Blues Album
Frank Bey All My Dues Are Paid (Nola Blue Records)
Sunday Wilde Sunday WIlde & The 1 Eyed Jacks (Sunday Wilde)
Best Concept Album
S.J. Jananiy Shiva Mahimai, Vol. 2 (JSJ Audio)
Wouter Kellerman In a Different Light (Kellerman Music/Next Music)
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Delaporte Como Anoche (Mad Moon Music/Gran Sol)
Best Debut Album
VLTIMAS Something Wicked Marches In (Season of Mist)
Best Indie/Alternative Rock Album
Palmyra Delran and The Doppel Gang Come Spy With Me (Wicked Cool Records)
Ryan Hamilton and The Harlequin Ghosts This Is the Sound (Wicked Cool Records)
The Dollyrots Daydream Explosion (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Instrumental Album
Foli Griô Orquestra AJO (Tratore)
House of Waters Rising (GroundUP Music)
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Ferenc Nemeth Freedom (Dreamers Collective Records)
Best Metal/Hardcore Album
1349 The Infernal Pathway (Season of Mist)
Abbath Outstrider (Season of Mist)
Misery Index Rituals of Power (Season of Mist)
Rotting Christ The Heretics (Season of Mist)
Best Reggae/Ska/Dancehall Album
Taj Weekes & Adowa To All My Relations (Jatta Records)
Best Rock/Hard Rock Album
Moron Police A Boat on the Sea (Mighty Jam Music Group)
Richard And The Young Lions Richard And The Young Lions: Volume 2 (Wicked Cool Records)
Voyager Colours in the Sun (Season of Mist)
Spidergawd V (Crispin Glover Records)
Best Tribute Album
Marius Noss Gundersen Brazilian Guitar Music (Gvito Records)
Best World Beat Album
Foli Griô Orquestra AJO (Tratore)
Best World Traditional Album
Grupo Ofá Obatalá: Uma Homenagem a Mãe Carmen (Deck)
Best Adult Contemporary Song
Nihira Joshi Deshpande “Nirmohiya (feat. Rhythm Shaw)” (Ok Listen Media)
Best Americana Song
Jesse Malin “Room 13 (feat. Lucinda Williams)” (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Blues Song
Cash McCall “One Who’s Got a Lot” (Nola Blue Records)
Best Children’s Music (Song)
Sara Lovell “I Don’t Sleep in a Bed” (Unbreakable Chord Music)
Best Country Song
Mallory Johnson “Drunk Mind, Sober Heart” (MRI Entertainment)
Best Dance/Electronica Song
Nathalie Hazim “Apaga la Luz (Nueva Versión)” (Malagana Records SRL)
Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter Song
Jonatha Brooke “Fire” (Bad Dog / PRA Records)
Best Holiday Song
Nickie Conley “100 Christmas Kisses” (Aftertouch Music)
Best Indie/Alternative Rock Song
Jesse Malin “Strangers & Thieves (feat. Billie Joe Armstrong)’” (Wicked Cool Records)
Ryan Hamilton and The Harlequin Ghosts “This is the Sound” (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Instrumental Song
Sultans of String “The Grand Bazaar (feat. Béla Fleck & Robi Botos)” (CEN)
Best Love Song
Nathalie Hazim “Más de lo que Soñé” (Malagana Records SRL)
Best Metal/Hardcore Song
Abbath “Harvest Pyre” (Season of Mist)
Misey Index “New Salem” (Season of Mist)
Best Rock/Hard Rock Song
The Dollyrots “Everything” (Wicked Cool Records)
VATTICA “Criminal” (MRI Entertainment)
Wyldlife “Neon Nightmare” (Wicked Cool Records)
Soraia “Evergreen” (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Social Action Song
Wouter Kellerman “Baroque to the Rescue (feat. Konshens The MC & Lady Zamar)” (Kellerman Music/Next Music)
Used in Ad Campaign
NEEDSHES “Unbelievable” (Music Line)
Best World Traditional Song
Heilung “Norupo” (Season of Mist)
Best Eclectic EP
Dub Mentor A Slow Hot Wind (Lior Suliman/EnT-T)
Ruud Houwling The Wind Just Blew a Day Away (Arland Records)
Best Rock EP
The Coolies Uh-Oh! It’s… The Coolies (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Roots/Country EP
Jonatha Brooke Imposter (Bad Dog / PRA Records)
Best Eclectic Producer
Dub Mentor – Dub Mentor 4YX (Lior Suliman/EnT-T)
Best Instrumental Producer
Wouter Kellerman, Wessel van Rensburg, Ralf Schmitt, Andy Innes, Mauritz Lotz, Lonnie Park, Cornielle H. Hutton – Wouter Kellerman In a Different Light (Kellerman Music/Next Music)
Best Pop Producer
Hafid Salaxar Banoy, Nathalie Hazim, Alexandro Seguí – Nathalie Hazim “Más de lo que Soñé” (Malagana Records SRL)
Best Rock Producer
Steven Van Zandt – Richard and The Young Lions Richard and The Young Lions: Volume 2 (Wicked Cool Records)
Kim Shattuck, The Coolies – The Coolies Uh-Oh! It’s…The Coolies (Wicked Cool Records)
John Fields, The Dollyrots – The Dollyrots Daydream Explosion (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Roots/Country Producer
Lucinda Williams, Tom Overby (Producers); Geoff Sanoff, Michael Iurato (Executive Producers) – Jesse Malin Sunset Kids (Wicked Cool Records)
Best World Producer
Christopher Juul – Heilung Futha (Season of Mist)
Chris McKhool, John “Beetle” Bailey – Sultans of String Refuge (CEN)
Best Album Art/Photography
DULK (Antonio Segura Donat) – Moron Police A Boat on the Sea (Might Jam Music Group)
Fred Lammers – Palmyra Delran and the Doppel Gang Come Spy With Me (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Album Packaging
Louis Arzonico – The Coolies Uh-Oh! It’s…The Coolies (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Artist Publicity Photo
Jorn Veberg – Gaahls WYRD Ghosts Invited (Season of Mist)
Søren Bech – Heilung Futha (Season of Mist)
Best Music Promo Poster
Ashleigh Flynn, Kate Flather – Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters “Spare Room Event Poster” (Home Perm Records)
Best Music Website
Ashleigh Flynn, Kate Flather – Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters Website (Home Perm Records)
Best Swag
Ashleigh Flynn, Kate Flather – Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters “B-17 Baseball T-Shirt” (Home Perm Records)
Best Concept/Experimental Short-Form Video
The Jellybricks “Brooklyn” (Wicked Cool Records)
Best Narrative Short Form Video
Árstíðir “Entagled” (Season of Mist)
Best Performance Short Form Video
Wouter Kellerman “Shape of You (feat. Ndlovu Youth Choir)” (Kellerman Music/Next Music)
Best Social Action Short Form Video
Wouter Kellerman “Baroque to the Rescue (feat. Konshens The MC & Lady Zamar)” (Kellerman Music/Next Music)
