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The Libera Awards, the American Association of Independent Music’s annual show celebrating the best in indie music over the past year, used to be the finale of Indie Week, the conference that unites the community every year.
But it was previously held on the same night as the Songwriters Hall of Fame awards, and beginning last year the awards — presented this year by Merlin — basically became the kickoff event, and it’s that much better for it: People haven’t worn out their voices (or their welcomes) yet, and the event actually resembles a big wedding, where there’s someone you want to talk to at every table, but it’s OK if you don’t because you’ll see them tomorrow and the next day and the next day.
That analogy is not an overstatement, although maybe a family reunion is more accurate: The independent music community is a close one, much more supportive and less competitive than the major-label world, because in many ways they’re all in it together, and having survived illegal downloading and a pandemic in this century alone, the Libera Awards find the entire community taking a breath at the top of the hill and saying, “We made it through another one!”
And every year, there are certain artists winning big, and this year’s were singer-songwriters MJ Lenderman (who not only dropped a solo album but is a full-time member of Wednesday and an auxiliary one for Waxahatchee) and Jessica Pratt, and next-level hip-hop auteur MF Doom.
Performers at the ceremony were roots singer Swamp Dogg (Oh Boy Records), genre-bending singer-songwriter Serpentwithfeet (Secretly Canadian), punk-rockers Ekko Astral (Topshelf Records), Latin pop artist Reyna Tropical, and the event was hosted by Billboard’s Content Producer, Delisa Shannon.
The show also paid homage to outgoing A2IM chief Richard James Burgess, who said, “The 2025 Libera Awards were a powerful reminder of what makes our community extraordinary. We honored not only remarkable music and artistry, but the spirit and purpose that define the independent sector. These nominees and winners embody the innovation, determination, and authenticity that push our industry forward. Congratulations to all who continue to shape the future of music on their own terms.”
The full winners list appears below:
Best Alternative Rock Record Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)
Best American Roots Record MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)
Best Blues Record Ruthie Foster – Mileage (Sun Records)
Best Classical Kelly Moran – Moves in the Field (Warp Records)
Best Country Record Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)
Best Dance Record Fcukers – Baggy$$ (Technicolour / Ninja Tune)
Best Electronic Record Caribou – Honey (Merge Records)
Best Folk Record Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)
Best Global Record Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice (Matador Records)
Best Heavy Record METZ – Up On Gravity Hill (Sub Pop Records)
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record Shygirl – “Immaculate (feat. Saweetie)” (Because Music)
Best Jazz Record Nala Sinephro – Endlessness (Warp Records) Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement (Young)
Best Latin Record Reyna Tropical – Malegría (Psychic Hotline)
Best Outlier Record Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans) SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING (Saddle Creek)
Best Pop Record Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk (Mom+Pop)
Best Punk Record Pissed Jeans – Half Divorced (Sub Pop Records)
Best R&B Record Mavis Staples – “Worthy” (ANTI-)
Best Reissue MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20th Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Best Remix MF DOOM – “One Beer (Madlib Remix)” (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Best Rock Record Fontaines D.C. – Romance (XL Recordings)
Best Singer-Songwriter Record Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)
Best Soul/Funk Record Thee Sacred Souls – Got a Story to Tell (Daptone Records)
Best Spiritual Record The Harlem Gospel Travelers – Rhapsody (Colemine Records)
Best Sync Usage De La Soul – “Say No Go” (Civil War) (A.O.I./Chrysalis/Reservoir)
Breakthrough Artist MJ Lenderman (ANTI-)
Creative Packaging MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20 Year Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Distributor of the Year Redeye
Independent Champion Bandcamp
Impact Award
Shaboozey – Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)
Label of the Year (15 or more employees) Partisan Records
Label of the Year (5 or fewer employees) True Panther
Label of the Year (6-14 employees) Mexican Summer
Marketing Genius IDLES – TANGK (Partisan Records)
Music Video of the Year Fontaines D.C. – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)
Publisher of the Year Warp Publishing
Record of the Year Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)
Self-Released Record of the Year RAYE – Genesis. (Human Re Sources)
English (US) ·