Tones & I, Sampa The Great & More Among 2020 AIR Awards Winners

Celebrating Australia’s vibrant independent music sector, tonight’s 2020 AIR Awards ceremony has seen the likes of Tones & I, Stella Donnelly, Sampa The Great, Northlane and more win big.

Held at Adelaide’s Lion Arts Factory and broadcast via YouTube, this year’s event featured 18 categories, four of which were new awards.

Donnelly, who performed during the event, picked up multiple gongs for Beware Of The Dogs, including Independent Album of the Year and Best Independent Pop Album, while Tones & I claimed Breakthrough Artist Of The Year and Song of the Year for Dance Monkey and Sampa The Great’s The Return saw her win Best Independent Hip Hop Album.

ABC Music was bestowed the highly-coveted Best Independent Label and the 2020 Outstanding Achievement Award was picked up by Isol-Aid’s Emily Ulman, while Dom Dolla, DZ Deathrays, Julia Jacklin and more also won awards.

“We congratulate all the nominees and award recipients and are grateful for the ongoing support we have received from the South Australian Government and our supporting partners,” AIR CEO Maria Amato said.

“We look forward to celebrating the success of the Australian Independent music sector in Adelaide again next year!

Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni added: “Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2020 AIR Awards which celebrate the outstanding and inspiring talent of Australia’s independent artists across multiple genres.”

The event also featured performances from The Teskey Brothers, Angie McMahon and The Soul Movers, and returning host Dylan Lewis.

Check out the full list of winners below.

BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL 

ABC MUSIC

INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR

STELLA DONNELLY – BEWARE OF THE DOGS

INDEPENDENT SONG OF THE YEAR

TONES & I – DANCE MONKEY

BEST INDEPENDENT SOUL/RNB ALBUM OR EP

CAITI BAKER – DUST (PT. 1)

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM OR EP

CHARLIE COLLINS - SNOWPINE 

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM OR EP

JULIA JACKLIN - CRUSHING

BEST INDEPENDENT POP ALBUM OR EP

STELLA DONNELLY – BEWARE OF THE DOGS

BEST INDEPENDENT ROCK ALBUM OR EP

ANGIE MCMAHON - SALT

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM OR EP

RICHARD TOGNETTI & ERIN HELYARD – BEETHOVEN & MOZART VIOLIN SONATAS

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR

TONES & I
 
BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM OR EP

SAMPA THE GREAT – THE RETURN

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE OR ELECTRONICA ALBUM OR EP

THE JUNGLE GIANTS – HEAVY HEARTED 1,2,3,4 AM REMIXES

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE

DOM DOLLA – SAN FRANDISCO

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM OR EP

KATE CEBERANO AND PAUL GRABOWSKY – TRYST

BEST INDEPENDENT PUNK ALBUM OR EP

DZ DEATHRAYS – POSITIVE RISING: PART 1

BEST INDEPENDENT HEAVY ALBUM OR EP

NORTHLANE - ALIEN

BEST INDEPENDENT CHILDREN'S ALBUM OR EP

REGURGITATOR’S POGOGO SHOW – THE REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY BORING ALBUM

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD SUPPORTED BY MERLIN

EMILY ULMAN

Tones & I

Stella Donnelly

Sampa The Great

Northlane

Dom Dolla

DZ Deathrays

Emily Ulman

Julia Jacklin

The Tesky Brothers

Angie McMahon

The Soul Movers

Caiti Baker

Charlie Collins

The Jungle Giants

Kate Ceberano

Paul Grabowsky