Details Confirmed For 2021 AIR Awards As Nominees Announced

Celebrating Australia vibrant independent music sector, the AIR Awards will return to South Australia this year alongside the annual Indie-Con conference.

With the invite-only ceremony set to take over Freemasons Hall, Adelaide on August 5, the 2021 nominees have been announced, with some of the biggest names in Aussie music up for awards.

Vying for the coveted Independent Album Of The Year title is Ball Park Music, DMA’S, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Fanny Lumsden and Spacey Jane, while Single Of Year sees nominations for Gordi, King Stingray, Merci, Mercy, Spacey Jane and The Jungle Giants, some of whom are up for multiple gongs in 2021.

“We look forward to welcoming our members and speakers to Adelaide for the 2021 AIR Awards and our Indie-Con Australia Conference and are extremely grateful for the continued support from South Australia’s Department for Innovation and Skills, through the Music Development Office and the South Australian Tourism Commission, through Events South Australia,” AIR CEO Maria Amato said.

Taking place around the awards, AIR’s Indie-Con Australia conference will take over Freemason Hall’s as a hybrid event from 4-6 August, with details about speakers and the program announced in July. 

AIR members will receive complimentary invitations to attend the conference and awards.

The 2020 AIR Awards took place in Adelaide last October, broadcast across Australia and beyond via YouTube in a hybrid-style format, with artists and industry folk chiming in from the across the country to complement the on-the-ground celebrations.

Check out the full list of nominees below and head to AIR website for more details on the awards and conference.

2021 AIR AWARDS NOMINEES

INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR

BALL PARK MUSIC - BALL PARK MUSIC

DMA’S – THE GLOW

EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS –CROSSOVER

FANNY LUMSDEN – FALLOW

SPACEY JANE – SUNLIGHT

INDEPENDENT SONG OF THE YEAR

GORDI –EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

KING STINGRAY – HEY WANHAKA

MERCI, MERCY– FUCKED MYSELF UP

SPACEY JANE – BOOSTER SEAT

THE JUNGLE GIANTS – SENDING ME UR LOVING

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY PPCA

HAIKU HANDS

HAYLEY MARY

MIA WRAY

SPACEY JANE

SYCCO

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM OR EP

CHARLIE THREADS – SAY LESS

CHILLINIT – THE OCTAGON

HORRORSHOW – NEW NORMAL DELUXE

RYLAND ROSE – CHAMPION OF THE LOSERS

ST. CHRISTOPH & SHAADE – BIG MOOD

BEST INDEPENDENT SOUL/RNB ALBUM OR EP

EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS – CROSSOVER

JEIDA WOODS – HIVE

KYLIE AULDIST – THIS IS WHAT HAPPINESS LOOKS LIKE

LIYAH KNIGHT – NESTING

SERINA PECH – POLITICS

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM OR EP

ANDY GOLLEDGE – NAMOI

CASEY BARNES – TOWN OF A MILLION DREAMS

COOL SOUNDS – SLEEPERS

FANNY LUMSDEN – FALLOW

TRAVIS COLLINS – WRECK ME

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM OR EP

#1 DADS - GOLDEN REPAIR

EMMA SWIFT – BLONDE ON THE TRACKS

JOSH TESKEY & ASH GRUNWALD - PUSH THE BLUES AWAY

THE TESKEY BROTHERS – LIVE AT THE FORUM

VIKA & LINDA – SUNDAY (THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ISO)

BEST INDEPENDENT POP ALBUM OR EP

CUB SPORT – LIKE NIRVANA

DONNY BENÉT – MR EXPERIENCE

GORDI – OUR TWO SKINS

JACK RIVER – STRANGER HEART

TIA GOSTELOW – CHRYSALIS

BEST INDEPENDENT ROCK ALBUM OR EP

DMA’S – THE GLOW

LIME CORDIALE – 14 STEPS TO A BETTER YOU

ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER – SIDEWAYS TO NEW ITALY

SLOWLY SLOWLY – RACE CAR BLUES

SPACEY JANE – SUNLIGHT

BEST INDEPENDENT HEAVY ALBUM OR EP

IN HEARTS WAKE – KALIYUGA

MAKE THEM SUFFER - HOW TO SURVIVE A FUNERAL

PARKWAY DRIVE – VIVA THE UNDERDOGS

POLARIS – THE DEATH OF ME

WOLF & CUB – NIL

BEST INDEPENDENT PUNK ALBUM OR EP

A. SWAYZE & THE GHOSTS - PAID SALVATION

CABLE TIES – FAR ENOUGH

CRY CLUB – GOD, I’M SUCH A MESS

THE CHATS  – HIGH RISK BEHAVIOUR

VIOLENT SOHO - EVERYTHING IS A-OK

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE OR ELECTRONICA ALBUM OR EP

BANOFFEE – LOOK AT US NOW DAD

HAIKU HANDS - HAIKU HANDS

LANKS – SPIRITS PT. 1

LASTLINGS – FIRST CONTACT

VLOSSOM – MY FRIEND

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE

DMA’S – CRIMINALS (THE AVALANCHES REMIX)

FLUME – THE DIFFERENCE FEAT. TORO Y MOI

PNAU – RIVER FEAT. LADYHAWKE

SHOCKONE – FOLLOW ME

THE JUNGLE GIANTS – SENDING ME UR LOVING (TOM TRAGO REMIX)

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM OR EP

JULIEN WILSON – STOCK

KATIE NOONAN - THE SWEETEST TABOO

MILDLIFE - AUTOMATIC

PARTY DOZEN – PRAY FOR PARTY DOZEN

VANESSA PERICA ORCHESTRA – LOVE IS A TEMPORARY MADNESS

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM OR EP

ANDREW BLANCH / ARIEL NURHADI – ALCHEMY

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA / RICHARD TOGNETTI – BRAHMS: SYMPHONIES 3 & 4

ENSEMBLE OFFSPRING – SONGBIRDS

JAYSON GILLHAM / ADELAIDE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / NICHOLAS CARTER – BEETHOVEN: THE PIANO CONCERTOS

JOSEPH TAWADROS / JAMES TAWADROS/ SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / BENJAMIN NORTHEY – LIVE AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

BEST INDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S ALBUM OR EP

AMBER LAWRENCE – KIDS GONE COUNTRY 2 - FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

DIVER CITY – WELCOME TO DIVER CITY

SPOTTY KITES – HAVE A SPOTTY CHRISTMAS

TEENY TINY STEVIES – THOUGHTFUL SONGS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE

THE WIGGLES – CHOO CHOO TRAINS, PROPELLER PLANES & TOOT TOOT CHUGGA CHUGGA BIG RED CAR!