Canadian Music Week has announced the winners of the 16th Annual INDIES with INDIE88, which took place yesterday at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. Presented by Indie88 and supported by the Ontario Media Development Corporation through the Ontario Music Fund, The INDIES celebrate the best of both Canadian and international independent music.
Experimental pop artist Grimes took home one of the evening’s top prizes, for album of the year, while Halifax alternative veterans Wintersleep were awarded single of the year for Amerika. Toronto talent had a strong showing, with locals The Strumbellas and Jazz Cartier winning group of the year and rap artist of the year, respectively. International artist/group of the year went to Southern rockers Alabama Shakes. A full list of nominees and winners can be found below.
The awards ceremony was hosted by Indie88’s Raina Douris and featured special performances by Wintersleep, The Strumbellas, The Zolas, and Alberta Cross.
A mix of votes from industry and the public were used to determine this year’s winners. The awards themselves, which come in the form of actual guitars, were supplied by Epiphone and Long & McQuade.
2016 INDIES NOMINEES (Winners are in bold)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
CARLY RAE JEPSEN – EMOTION (604 RECORDS)
GRIMES – ART ANGELS (4AD/CRYSTAL MATH)
MAJICAL CLOUDZ – ARE YOU ALONE? (ARTS AND CRAFTS)
TOBIAS JESSO JR. – GOON (ARTS AND CRAFTS)
VIET CONG* – VIET CONG (FLEMISH EYE) *Currently known as Preoccupations
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
ARKELLS – “LEATHER JACKET” (ARKELLS MUSIC INC./UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA)
COLEMAN HELL – “2 HEADS” (604 RECORDS)
JOCELYN ALICE – “JACKPOT” (DISRUPTOR RECORDS/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
THE STRUMBELLAS – “SPIRITS” (SIX SHOOTER RECORDS)
WINTERSLEEP – “AMERIKA” (DINE ALONE RECORDS)
GROUP OF THE YEAR
BADBADNOTGOOD (INNOVATIVE LEISURE)
METRIC (METRIC MUSIC INTERNATIONAL INC./UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA)
THE STRUMBELLAS (SIX SHOOTER RECORDS)
WHITEHORSE (SIX SHOOTER RECORDS)
YOUNG EMPIRES (PIRATES BLEND RECORDS/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
CARLY RAE JEPSEN (604 RECORDS)
CITY AND COLOUR (DINE ALONE RECORDS)
GRIMES (4AD/CRYSTAL MATH)
LIGHTS (LIGHTS MUSIC INC./UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA)
YOAN (PRODUCTIONS J)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
CITY AND COLOUR (DINE ALONE RECORDS)
HAYDEN (ARTS AND CRAFTS)
TOBIAS JESSO JR. (ARTS AND CRAFTS)
WHITEHORSE (SIX SHOOTER RECORDS)
YOUNG EMPIRES (PIRATES BLEND RECORDS/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
ABORIGINAL ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
A TRIBE CALLED RED (PIRATES BLEND RECORDS/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE (TRUE NORTH RECORDS)
CITY NATIVES (UNSIGNED)
DREZUS (DREZUS MUSIC)
TANYA TAGAQ (SIX SHOOTER RECORDS)
ALTERNATIVE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
DESTROYER (MERGE)
HALF MOON RUN (INDICA RECORDS/GLASSNOTE MUSIC)
MAC DEMARCO (CAPTURED TRACKS)
THE ZOLAS (LIGHT ORGAN RECORDS)
YUKON BLONDE (DINE ALONE RECORDS)
ELECTRONIC/DANCE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
A-TRAK (LAST GANG RECORDS)
BRAIDS (FLEMISH EYE)
KEYS N KRATES (DIM MAK)
POMO (HW&W/ULTRA MUSIC CANADA)
PURITY RING (LAST GANG RECORDS)
FRANCOPHONE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
CHOCOLAT (GROSSE BOITE)
GALAXIE (LA MEUTE)
LA BRONZE (KARTEL MUSIK)
LOUIS-JEAN CORMIER (SIMONE RECORDS)
MARIE-PIERRE ARTHUR (SIMONE RECORDS)
POP ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
COLEMAN HELL (604 RECORDS)
DAN TALEVSKI (EONE MUSIC CANADA)
JOCELYN ALICE (DISRUPTOR RECORDS/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
RIA MAE (RIA MAE MEDIA/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
TYLER SHAW (TYLER IP/SONY MUSIC CANADA)
RAP/R&B ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
DANIEL CAESAR (INDEPENDENT)
JAZZ CARTIER (SAFE & SOUND)
JOHN RIVER (INDEPENDENT)
SONREAL (BLACK BOX)
SPEK WON (INDEPENDENT)
ROCK ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
DILLY DALLY (BUZZ RECORDS)
HEY ROSETTA! (HR MUSIC INC./SONIC RECORDS)
MONSTER TRUCK (DINE ALONE RECORDS)
THE ELWINS (HIDDEN PONY RECORDS)
THE GLORIOUS SONS (BLACK BOX)
SINGER-SONGWRITER ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
BASIA BULAT (SECRET CITY RECORDS)
DAN MANGAN (ARTS AND CRAFTS)
LINDI ORTEGA (GRAND TOUR RECORDS/LAST GANG)
PATRICK WATSON (SECRET CITY RECORDS)
THE WEATHER STATION (OUTSIDE MUSIC)
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
ALABAMA SHAKES (CADENCE MUSIC/ATO RECORDS)
COURTNEY BARNETT (MOM + POP)
MAJOR LAZER (MAD DECENT)
MUMFORD & SONS (GLASSNOTE MUSIC)
NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND THE NIGHT SWEATS (BOTTLENECK MUSIC/CONCORD MUSIC GROUP)
For more information on the INDIES, visit indies.ca.
