AIR Award Nominees Announced With UNIFIED Artists Recognised Across The Shortlist

The AIR Awards recognise, promote, and celebrate the success of Australia’s Independent Music sector. Hundreds of talented Australian independent artists have been recognised over the past 20 years including Gotye, Paul Kelly, Hilltop Hoods, A.B Original, The Temper Trap, Dan Sultan, Emily Wurramara, Emma Donovan, Parkway Drive, Amyl and the Sniffers, Dom Dolla, The Amity Affliction, Genesis Owusu, Courtney Barnett, Fanny Lumsden, Flume, G Flip, King Stingray, Violent Soho, Vance Joy, PNAU, DZ Deathrays, The Jungle Giants, Methyl Ethel, Tones and I, Gordi, Polaris, Josh Pyke, Cub Sport, Northlane, and Alice Ivy. The 2026 AIR Awards will be held at the Adelaide Town Hall on Thursday 30th July as an invite only industry event.

AIR’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition will be held at Mercury Cinema and Nexus Arts from the 29th – 31st of July. Early bird tickets are on sale and can be purchased HERE.

Minister for Arts Kyam Maher MLC said: ‘The South Australian Government is proud to support Indie‑Con Australia and the AIR Awards, and to welcome nominees, industry leaders and delegates from across Australia and around the world to South Australia.’

‘Hosting this celebration in Adelaide – Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music – alongside A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition reinforces South Australia’s role as a national and international leader in the independent music sector.’

‘Together, these events recognise the outstanding contribution of independent artists and music businesses, while delivering opportunities for creative collaboration, industry development and global engagement that strengthen South Australia’s creative economy.’

JOHN BUTTLER TRIO – PRISM
FOLK BITCH TRIO – NOW COULD BE A GOOD TIME
LIZ STRINGER – THE SECOND HIGH
MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA – BUTHE BALLAD OF MONTE LOCO
SONS OF THE EAST – SONS

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM OR EP

BLISS N ESO – THE MOON (THE LIGHT SIDE)
DEVAURA – VOL 1. LEARNING IN PUBLIC
ELSY WAMEYO – WAMEYO
JAMAICA MOANA – BUD & DENI
TEETHER & KUYA NEIL – YEARN IV

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM OR EP

EMILY LUBITZ – TWO BLACK HORSES
HAYLEY JENSEN – COUNTRY SOUL
IMOGEN CLARK – CHOKING ON FUEL
RUBY GILL – SOME KIND OF CONTROL
WADE FORSTER – GOOSENECK PARTY

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM OR EP

NATALIE GAUCI – PICTURES OF MARS
PHIA – WHEN I’M HOLDING YOU, I’M HOLDING ME
TEMPORARY BLESSINGS – SUMBISORI
THE CAT EMPIRE – BIRD IN PARADISE
TOUCH SENSITIVE – IN PARADISE

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM OR EP

ANDREA LAM – PIANO DIARY
AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET – VANESSA PERICA, STRING QUARTET NO. 1 NO FEELING IS FINAL
JOSEPH TAWADROS – THE FORGOTTEN PATH TO HUMANITY
ROSE RIEBL – DUST
WILLIAM BARTON, OMEGA ENSEMBLE – GIFT – OUR BREATH OF LIFE

BEST INDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S ALBUM OR EP

DIVER CITY – WEEKEND BABY
EMMA MEMMA – DANCE ISLAND PARTY
JUSTINE CLARKE – MIMI’S SYMPHONY
TEENY TINY STEVIES – BRAIN FART
THE WIGGLES, THE TREE OF WISDOM – THE TREE OF WISDOM

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE/CLUB SINGLE

CONFIDENCE MAN, JADE – GOSSIP
DJ PGZ AND YIKES – OUSS OUSS
FISHER – STAY
SHOUSE – SUNRISE
VV PETE – WASSA FEAT. UTILITY, FORMATION BOYZ

BEST INDEPENDENT ELECTRONIC SINGLE

COSMO’S MIDNIGHT – 45
KEANU NELSON – PLACE WHERE I GO / KAPI NGALYANANNI
NINAJIRACHI – IPOD TOUCH
ROBERT BAXTER & SWEATBABY – ICY (TAKE IT OFF)
THE SUPERJESUS & THE JOURNEY – SOMETHING GOOD

BEST INDEPENDENT PUNK ALBUM OR EP

PRESS CLUB – TO ALL THE ONES I LOVE
PRIVATE FUNCTION – ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
RADIO FREE ALICE – EMPTY WORDS EP
THESE NEW SOUTH WHALES – GODSPEED
WET KISS – THUS SPOKE THE BROKEN CHANTEUSE

BEST INDEPENDENT HEAVY ALBUM OR EP

BATTLESNAKE – DAWN OF THE EXULTANTS AND THE HUNT FOR THE SHEPHERD
HANDS LIKE HOUSES – ATMOSPHERICS
NPCEDE – NPCEDE
THE MAGGIE PILLS – HEARTS ENDURING LINGERING LOSS
THORNHILL – BODIES

BEST INDEPENDENT ELECTRONIC ALBUM OR EP

ESSENDON AIRPORT – MOR
MEL BLUE – NO MORE JACKETS PLEASE
NINAJIRACHI – I LOVE MY COMPUTER
RONA. – IT’S ALL HERE (EP)
SHOUSE – COLLECTIVE ECSTASY

BEST INDEPENDENT ROCK ALBUM OR EP

PLAYLUNCH – SEX ED
SPACEY JANE – IF THAT MAKES SENSE
TEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS – GLORY
THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS – AGAIN
THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND – EASIER SAID THAN DONE

BEST INDEPENDENT SOUL/RNB ALBUM OR EP

BUMPY – KANANA
COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS – COOKIN’ THE BOOKS
DON WEST – GIVE ME ALL YOUR LOVE
FELIVAND – MY BODY’S MY TRUE NORTH
WILSN – BLOOM

BEST INDEPENDENT POP ALBUM OR EP

GEORGIA KNIGHT – BEANPOLE
MONTAIGNE – IT’S HARD TO BE A FISH
STELLA DONNELLY – LOVE AND FORTUNE
THE TULLAMARINES – SAFETY BLANKET
WAY DYNAMIC – MASSIVE SHOE

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY PPCA

FOLK BITCH TRIO
GEORGIA KNIGHT
RAGEFLOWER
RONA.
YES BOONE

INDEPENDENT SONG OF THE YEAR

JEM CASSAR-DALEY – KISS ME LIKE YOU’RE LEAVING
KELI HOLIDAY – DANCING2
NINAJIRACHI – IPOD TOUCH
PLAYLUNCH – KEITH
WAY DYNAMIC – MIFFED IT

INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR

FOLK BITCH TRIO – NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME
NINAJIRACHI – I LOVE MY COMPUTER
THE 046 – LEGACY IN MOTION
THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS – AGAIN
WAY DYNAMIC – MASSIVE SHOE

BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL

ABC MUSIC
ASTRAL PEOPLE RECORDINGS
COLLEGE OF KNOWLEDGE
MUSHROOM MUSIC
NLV RECORDS

INDEPENDENT MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR

MUSHROOM MUSIC – BLISS N ESO, THE MOON (THE LIGHT SIDE)
NLV RECORDS, THE ORCHARD – NINAJIRACHI, I LOVE MY COMPUTER
PLAYLUNCH, ABC MUSIC – PLAYLUNCH, KEITH
SECRETLY GROUP – FOLK BITCH TRIO, NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME
THE ANNEX – OCEAN ALLEY, LOVE BALLOON

INDEPENDENT PUBLICITY TEAM OF THE YEAR

CULT LOGIC – OCEAN ALLEY, LOVE BALLOON
MUSHROOM MUSIC – BLISS N ESO, THE MOON (THE LIGHT SIDE)
MUSHROOM MUSIC – WILSN, BLOOM
TWNTY THREE – FOLK BITCH TRIO, NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME
TWNTY THREE – NINAJIRACHI, I LOVE MY COMPUTER

INDEPENDENT MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

BALL BASS JOHN – NINAJIRACHI, FUCK MY COMPUTER
BRIDGETTE WINTEN, FOLK BITCH TRIO – FOLK BITCH TRIO, CATHODE RAY
CLAUDIA SANGIORGI DALIMORE – MISS KANINNA, BACKSTREETS
TAS WILSON, JAMES ADAMS – JEM CASSAR-DALEY, KISS ME LIKE YOU’RE LEAVING
JASPER VAN DAATSELAAR – WAY DYNAMIC, PEOPLE SETTLE DOWN

INDEPENDENT PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

ANGUS STONE – DOPE LEMON, GOLDEN WOLF
BENJAMIN STEWART – SLOWLY SLOWLY, FORGIVING SPREE
DYLAN YOUNG – WAY DYNAMIC, MASSIVE SHOE
NICK DIDIA – OCEAN ALLEY, LOVE BALLOON
NINA WILSON – NINAJIRACHI, I LOVE MY COMPUTER

INDEPENDENT MIX, STUDIO OR MASTERING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

BECKI WHITTON, TIMOTHY HARVEY, HANNAH CAMERON – RUBY GILL, SOME KIND OF CONTROL
LEON ZERVOS – OCEAN ALLEY, LOVE BALLOON
MICHAEL CARPENTER – IMOGEN CLARK, CHOKING ON FUEL
STEPHEN MOWAT – WILSN, BLOOM
THOMAS PURCELL PKA WAVE RACER – NINAJIRACHI, I LOVE MY COMPUTER