The Independent Music Awards (IMAs) is an international awards program created by Music Resource Group (MRG) in 2000[1] to recognize self-distributed recordings and releases from independent record labels.[2] The IMAs honor works in over 100 categories[3] that are evaluated by judges who are genre experts.[2]
Notable winners and nominees have included Valerie June , Killer Mike , ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead , Flying Lotus , Macy Gray , Five Finger Death Punch , Esprit D'Air ,[4] Reeve Carney , Roman Miroshnichenko , Simon Phillips , Foreigner , George Benson , Jeff Healey , Paul Wertico , Frank Colon , Marco Benevento , Roberto Tola , Paquito D’Rivera ,[5] Jake La Botz , and Pokey LaFarge .[6]
Judging process [ ]
A preliminary judging panel chooses up to five nominees in each category. A panel of high-profile and celebrity judges then selects winners based on artistic merit.[1]
In addition to the awards selected by judges, the IMAs also gives out Vox Pop awards determined by fan voting.[1]
Judges have included Robert Smith of The Cure , Tom Waits , Gloria Gaynor ,[3] Keith Richards ,[7] Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart , Judy Collins ,[8] Peter Gabriel , Roger Daltrey , Keith Urban and Suzanne Vega .[2]
Winners are announced at the annual award ceremony in New York City.[9]
Best Album winners [ ]
2017 [ ]
Album Category
Artist/Group
Album Title
Adult Contemporary
Camila Meza
Traces
Alt. Country
Cashavelly Morrison
The Kingdom Belongs to a Child
Americana
Anna & Elizabeth
Anna & Elizabeth
Bluegrass
Rebecca Patek
Come up and Meet Me
Blues
Little Freddie King
Messin' Around Tha Living Room
Children's Music
Kattam et ses Tam-Tams
De Tombouctou à Bombay
Compilation
Various Artists
For the Record
Concept
Masta Ace
The Falling Season
Contemporary Christian/Gospel
Maranda
Deep Within
Contemporary Classical
International Contemporary Ensemble
On the Nature of Thingness
Country
Jack Grelle
Steering Me Away
Dance/Electronica
Serge Bulat
Queuelbum
Eclectic
Superhand
American Teeth
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
Brooke Annibale
The Simple Fear
Funk/Fusion/Jam
Write Minded
Eye Above
Indie/Alt. Rock
Air Traffic Controller
Black Box
Instrumental (mainly)
Roman Miroshnichenko , José Antonio Rodríguez & Henrik Andersen
World of Guitar Trio: Perfect Strangers
Jazz Instrumental (mainly)
Kay-Ta
Arrival
Jazz With Vocals
Macy Gray
Stripped
Latin
Xcelencia
Enigma
Live Performance
RUNA
LIVE
Metal/Hardcore
All Hail the Yeti
Screams from a Black Wilderness
New Age
Fiona Joy
Signature Synchronicity
Pop
Hive Riot
Hive Riot
R&B/Soul
Pierre and The Cosmic Mermaids
Pierre and The Cosmic Mermaids
Rap/Hip-Hop
Ty Bru & Tenacious
The Dopest MC's
Rock/Hard Rock
The Mud Howlers
Timeliness
Spoken Word (with music accompaniment)
Divinity Roxx
ImPossible
Tribute Album
Various Artists
On Top of Old Smoky: New Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music
World Beat
Yemi Alade
Mama Africa
World Traditional
Newpoli
Nun Te Vutà
2018 [ ]
Album Category
Artist/Group
Album Title
Adult Contemporary
Reeve Carney
Youth Is Wasted
Alt. Country
Jake La Botz
Sunnyside
Americana
John McEuen
Made in Brooklyn
Bluegrass
The Bankesters
Nightbird
Blues
Cary Morin
Cradle to the Grave
Children's Music
Dan Zanes and Friends
Lead Belly, Baby!
Compilation
Various Artists
Classic English and Scottish Ballads from Smithsonian Folkways
Concept
Sofía Rei
El Gavilán
Contemporary Christian/Gospel
TrueNorth Worship
TrueNorth Worship (Live)
Contemporary Classical
Douglas Knehans
Unfinished Earth
Country
Dani Strong
Time to Breathe
Dance/Electronica
Dark Model
Saga
Debut
Sai da Frente
Sai da Frente
Eclectic
Goat's Notes
Cosmic Circus
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
Seth Glier
Birds
Funk/Fusion/Jam
Sr. Langosta
El Experimento Caribeño
Indie/Alt. Rock
Soup
Remedies
Instrumental
Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge
Mount Royal
Jazz Instrumental
David Whitman
Oh, Clara!
Jazz With Vocals
Rozina Pátkai
Paraíso na Terra
Latin
Luz Pinos
Mariposa Azul
Live Performance
Petros Klampanis
CHROMA
Metal/Hardcore
Esprit D'Air
Constellations
New Age
FLOW (feat. Will Ackerman, Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt & Jeff Oster)
FLOW
Pop
Taylor Grey
Space Case
R&B/Soul
Katrina Marie
When There Is No Color
Rap/Hip-Hop
Wordsmith
Perspective Jukebox
Re-Issue
Various Artists
Indus Raag: Music Beyond Borders (Gold Edition)
Rock / Hard Rock
Sleep Machine
Sleep Machine
Spoken Word
Jenni Asher
Freedom
Tribute
Carlos Cano & Hernán Milla
Por la Rivera de Paquito
World Beat
Karim Baggili
Apollo You Sixteen
World Traditional
Sangpuy
Yaangad
2019 [ ]
Album Category
Artist/Group
Album Title
Adult Contemporary
Jean Rohe
Sisterly
Alt. Country
Rich Webb
Le Rayon Vert
Americana
Pharis and Jason Romero
Sweet Old Religion
Bluegrass
Various Artists
The Crooked Road's Mountains of Music Homecoming: 2017 Live Concert Recordings
Blues
Tom Hambridge
The NOLA Sessions
Children's Music
Sara Lovell
Wild Is Everywhere
Compilation
Various Artists
Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition
Concept
Elizabeth Joan Kelly
Music for the DMV
Contemporary Christian / Gospel
TrueNorth Worship
TrueNorth Worship (Live)
Contemporary Classical
Eric Klein
The Myth of Tomorrow
Country
JP Harris
Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing
Dance/Electronica
Miss Tara
LOVE
Debut
Birdland Avenue
Come Around
Eclectic
Bombay Rickey
Electric Bhairavi
Film / TV / Game Score
Kristoffer Lo
Trondheimsreisen
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
Lucy Wainwright Roche
Little Beast
Funk/Fusion/Jam
Karmic Juggernaut
The Dreams That Stuff Are Made Of
Indie / Alt. Rock
Árstíðir
Nivalis
Instrumental
Gypsy Jazz Club
Menestrel
Jazz Instrumental
Kobi Arad
Segments
Jazz with Vocals
Camille Thurman
Waiting for the Sunrise
Latin
Pedro Luís e a Parede
Vale Quanto Pesa – Pérolas de Luiz Melodia
Live Performance
Rogério Caetano
convida ao vivo no Rio
Metal/Hardcore
Beyond Creation
Algorythm
New Age
Jeff Oster
REACH
Pop
Between Giants
Jupiter
R&B/Soul
Nina Attal
JUMP
Rap/Hip-Hop
Masta Ace & Marco Polo
A Breukelen Story
Reggae/Ska/Dancehall
Mamita Peyote
Runfla Calavera
Rock / Hard Rock
BrokenRail
Til Death Do Us Part: The California Vault
Spoken Word
Jeremy McEwen
Barnyard Dream Poems
Tribute
Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John
World Beat
Ron Korb
World Café
World Traditional
Sara Ajnnak
Gulldalit: Can You Hear Me
Best Song winners [ ]
2017 [ ]
Song Category
Artist/Group
Song Title
A Cappella
Deejay Young
"Bøx (feat. Antonio Fernandez)”
Acoustic
Birds of Bellwoods
"Grey Ghosts”
Adult Contemporary
Caroline Savoie
"Little House”
Alt. Country
Don DiLego
"Drive Like Pirates”
Americana
Emily Roig
"Skin”
Bluegrass
The Danberrys
"Long Song”
Blues
Benny Turner
"I Can't Leave”
Children's Music
Lucy Kalantari
"Fantastic”
Contemporary Christian/Gospel
JoJo Worthington
"The Pool of Bethesda”
Country
Dori Freeman
"Go on Lovin'”
Cover Song
A Fragile Tomorrow
"One Way Ticket (feat. Joan Baez) – (orig. by Mimi & Richard Fariña)”
Dance/Electronica
Mechanik Project
"Coming Home (feat. Brooke Mitchell)”
Eclectic
Le Boeuf Brothers + Jack Quartet
"Alkaline”
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
The Krickets
"Cool Cool Water”
Funk/Fusion/Jam
The High Head Hunters
"Broken Down House”
Holiday
Olivia Penalva
"Christmas for Two”
Indie/Alt. Rock
Air Traffic Controller
"The House”
Instrumental
Roman Smirnov
"Reflection 1 (feat. Alexis Baro, Jeremy Ledbetter & Luis Orbegoso)”
Jazz Instrumental
Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra
"Free Time”
Jazz With Vocals
Cécile McLorin Salvant
"Fog”
Latin
Camila Meza
"Para Volar”
Love
Casii Stephan
"I Like the Way”
Metal/Hardcore
Rivethead
"Truth or Fiction”
New Age
Fiona Joy
"Calling Earth”
Pop
Alicia Beale
"New Fling (feat. Kristo Rewlz)”
R&B/Soul
Deejay Young
"Bøx (feat. Antonio Fernandez)”
Rap/Hip-Hop
Shan Vincent de Paul
"Thank God”
Rock/Hard Rock
The Mud Howlers
"The River”
Social Action
Maria Dunn
"Malala”
Spoken Word (with music accompaniment)
Deep Dive Corp. + Ingrid Chavez
"Ride”
Story Song
The Alternate Routes
"Somewhere in America”
World Beat
Valentina Blú
"Another Sky”
World Traditional
Roman Miroshnichenko, José Antonio Rodríguez & Henrik Andersen
"Moon Over Tanjore”
2018 [ ]
Song Category
Artist/Group
Song Title
A Cappella
Eh440
Never Stop Lovin' You
Acoustic
Reeve Carney
Think of You
Adult Contemporary
Chris Ayer
Heavy
Alt. Country
Ben Leece
Trace (feat. Tori Forsyth)
Americana
Big Little Lions
Against the Wall
Bluegrass
Sad Daddy
Mountainside
Blues
Altered Five Blues Band
Cookin' in Your Kitchen
Children's Music
Marla Lewis
Major Minor
Contemporary Christian/Gospel
Drew Greenway
Walk in the Light
Country
Dani Strong
What You Need
Cover
The Bankesters
Seven Nation Army – (orig. by The White Stripes)
Dance/Electronica
Anish Sood
Starry Night (feat. Zach Sorgen & Kelechi)
Eclectic
Leftbank
I just want to know for sure
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
Seth Glier
Like I Do
Funk/Fusion/Jam
Nik West
Purple Unicorn
Holiday
Deejay Young
Christmas Time Is Here
Indie/Alt. Rock
HALF SHY
Growing up to Grow Apart
Instrumental
Gustavo Ballesteros
Tocata
Jazz Instrumental
Frank Catalano, Jimmy Chamberlin and David Sanborn (tie)
Shakin'
Jazz With Vocals
Quinn Bachand's Brishen
Cheyenne (Quit Your Talkin')
Latin
Delia Fischer
Mercado (feat. Antonio Fischer-Band & Matias Correa)
Love
Carolina Calvache
La Última Vez (feat. Camila Meza)
Metal/Hardcore
Blood of Angels
Odin's Wrath
New Age
Lenka Lichtenberg
Dobrú noc, má milá
Pop
Taylor Grey
Miami (feat. Spencer Kane of Anthem Lights )
R&B/Soul
Beth
Free
Rap/Hip-Hop
Amiss O.mega
Diva Look (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Rock/Hard Rock
Reeve Carney
Resurrection
Social Action
Mouths of Babes
Any Other Day
Spoken Word
Stephen Emmer
Soil (feat. Ursula Rucker)
Story
Jonah Smith
Ocala
World Beat
Karim Baggili
Exitimuse
World Traditional
Magín Díaz
Me Amarás (feat. Monsieur Periné)
2019 [ ]
Song Category
Artist/Group
Song Title
A Cappella
Patrice Jégou
Lover Come Back to Me (feat. Mark Kibble & Alvin Chea)
Acoustic
Chris Ayer
Ringing in My Ears
Adult Contemporary
LACES
someday is not tonight
Alt. Country
Rich Webb
Let It Rain
Americana
Jen Sygit
It's About Time (feat. Luther Dickinson)
Bluegrass
Low Lily
10,000 Days Like These
Blues
Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson
Blues in My Blood
Children's Music
Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats
I Know a Little Fellow
Contemporary Christian / Gospel
Rocking Horse Music Club
Everywhere Is Home
Country
Blane Howard
Promise to Love Her
Cover
Kristy Krüger
Folsom Prison Blues (orig. by Johnny Cash)
Dance/Electronica
Mosimann
Anymore (feat. Carla Katz)
Eclectic
Monica Pasqual
Sun in My Eye
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
Rebecca Hurn
Waves
Funk/Fusion/Jam
CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion
Danger
Holiday
Twin Kennedy
I'm a Child Again
Indie / Alt. Rock
Shadow of Whales
Words
Instrumental
Cimarrón
Zumbajam
Jazz Instrumental
Ivan Diaz
Write or Wrong
Jazz with Vocals
Lindsay Kay
Lush Life
Latin
Juana Luna
Vienen Como
Love
Bleu
Love You So
Metal/Hardcore
Ne Obliviscaris
Intra Venus
New Age
Jeff Oster
Five Great Mountains
Pop
Ella Vos
White Noise
R&B/Soul
Jessica Lá Rel
Here Comes the Sun
Rap/Hip-Hop
Young Rado
Make Sense
Reggae/Ska/Dancehall
Leilani Wolfgramm
Live Wire
Rock / Hard Rock
Head With Wings
Goodbye Sky
Social Action
Mark Erelli
By Degrees
Spoken Word
J.ournal
Pride & Prejudice (feat. The Rogue Pianist)
Story
Emily Scott Robinson
Overalls
Used in Ad Campaign
Bleu
Love You So
Used in Film / TV / Game Score
André Barros
Leda
World Beat
Nsimbi
Leo Ni Leo
World Traditional
Toronto Tabla Ensemble
Faceoff
Best Music Producer winners [ ]
2018 [ ]
Category
Music Producer
Winning Work
Dance/Electronica
Michael Gray and David Paul Newell
Midnight Mystery Club – Reason or Rhyme
Eclectic
A.G. Syjuco
Jack of None – Who Shot Bukowski?
Instrumental
Adam Werner and Adam Howe
Adam Werner – Deep
Jazz
Mike Field and Dominic Mancuso
Mike Field – The Ghost and the Paperboy EP
Pop
Steve Lunt and Seth Glier
Seth Glier – Birds
Rock
Dan Kalisher
Sleep Machine – Animal High
Roots/Country
Jimmy Sutton
Jake La Botz – Sunnyside
World
Jeremy Ledbetter
Eliana Cuevas – Golpes y Flores
2019 [ ]
Category
Music Producer
Winning Work
Dance/Electronica
Leo Salom
Leo Salom – Sugar on Demand
Eclectic
Riley McMahon
Spottiswoode & His Enemies – Lost in the City
Instrumental
Erik Scott
Erik Scott – A Trick of the Wind
Jazz
Earl MacDonald
Earl MacDonald – Open Borders
Pop
Rachael Sage, John Shyloski
Rachael Sage – Myopia
Rock
Kevin Billingslea, Andrey Borzykin, Adam Soucy
Major Moment – one small stEP
Roots/Country
Iuliano
Iuliano – Hidden Roots
Urban
Joseph Vitterito
Agency – Exponents
World
Ronald Mente Miyares, Richi Martinez
Ludmila Mercerón & Guitarras y Trovadores – La Pastelera del Tivolí
References [ ]
External links [ ]