The Association for Independent Music (AIM) held its annual Independent Music Awards last night (September 22), unveiling a host of winners for 2026.
Among them are Pauline Black, Fabio & Grooverider, Jorja Smith, Robyn, Jalen Ngonda, Jim Legxacy and Fcukers, all of whom picked up gongs at the 16th edition of the awards, held at London’s Roundhouse.
Pauline Black, frontwoman of The Selecter and one of the defining voices of the 2 Tone movement, received the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, recognising a career spanning more than four decades.
DJ duo Fabio & Grooverider received the Innovator Award, recognising their contribution to UK music and dance culture, in particular their place in jungle and D&B, and their continuing work with young people.
Among the night’s other biggest artist awards: Jorja Smith won Best Independent Track for The Way I Love You (FAMM), while Robyn took home Best Independent Album for ‘Sexistential’ (Young).
Jalen Ngonda was named Independent Breakthrough, while Jim Legxacy received Best Independent Mixtape/EP award for 2025’s Black British Music (XL Recordings).
The PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist went to Bees & Honey, while rising rap-rocker Native James (SharpTone Records/Saviour Music) was named One to Watch.
Because Music was named Best Independent Label, Untitled (Recs) took home Best Boutique Label, and Ninja Tune/Fcukers won collaboratively the Best Release Campaign for the band’s breakthrough 2025 album, ‘Ö’.
AIM’s Independent Music Awards brings together the independent music community for a celebration of the artists, entrepreneurs, labels and teams shaping the sector today as well as some of the community’s heroes. You can see the full list of nominees here – the winners are posted below.
Gee Davy, CEO of AIM, said: "Tonight's winners demonstrate everything that makes the independent music community special. We've celebrated artists, labels, entrepreneurs, record stores and organisations achieving extraordinary success, building opportunities, and improving the world around them – not by standing alone, but through collective strength. That spirit of collaboration is a unique characteristic of the independent community and a key reason why our members continue to create cultural and commercial value far beyond their scale.
“In every corner of the UK, independent music businesses and entrepreneurs form a vital but largely unseen 'cultural high street’ - local independent labels, distributors, studios, and more – that creates jobs, exports, investment and opportunity in communities everywhere. If we want to see more world-class artists emerge from the UK in the years ahead, we need to support and develop that cultural high street and back the independent businesses that use their expertise to take risks on new music and new talent. The success we celebrated tonight didn't happen by accident, and neither will tomorrow's.”
WINNERS – AIM INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS 2026
Outstanding Contribution to Music – in association with Merlin
Pauline Black
Innovator Award
Fabio & Grooverider
Best Independent Track – in association with Meta
Jorja Smith – The Way I Love You
Best Independent Album – in association with Spotify
Robyn – Sexistential (Young / Konichiwa)
Independent Breakthrough – in association with Amazon Music
Jalen Ngonda (Daptone Records)
Best Independent Mixtape/EP – in association with Notion
Jim Legxacy – Black British Music (2025) (XL Recordings)
Best Independent Remix
Love Who You Love (Sherelle’s Intelligent Dyke Music Remix) – Sherelle, Romy (Young)
One To Watch – in association with BBC Music Introducing
Native James (Sharptone Records/ Saviour Music)
Best Independent Video
Léa Esmaili (director) for Thundercat – She Knows Too Much feat. Mac Miller (Brainfeeder/ Ninja Tune)
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist – in association with PPL
Bees & Honey
Best Live Performer
Billy Lockett (Lockett Records)
Best Independent Label – in association with IDOL / Labelcamp
Because Music
Best Boutique Label – in association with Qobuz
Untitled (Recs)
Independent Music Champion – in association with PRS for Music
Qobuz
Best Catalogue Release
Cooking Vinyl for The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot
Best Release Campaign – in association with Hey! What?
Ninja Tune + Fcukers – Ö
Music Entrepreneur of the Year
Mark Lippmann (Scruff Of The Neck)
Best Independent Record Store
Jacaranda Records (Liverpool)
DEI Champion
Cre8ing Vision
PHOTOS: Diya
