Libera Award for Best Breakthrough Artist

Country| United States
Presented by| American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)
First award| 2012
Currently held by| Sudan Archives (2023)
Website| liberaawards.com

The Libera Award for Best Breakthrough Artist is an award presented by the American Association of Independent Music at the annual Libera Award which recognizes "independent artist whose release exceeded a certain total of streams or equivalent sales" since 2012.[1] The category was previously called Up & Comer Award in 2012 to 2014.

For the first two years of the awards, the category had two winners, one voted by A2IM members and the other voted by eMusic members. Indie pop band The Dø and Indie soul band JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound were the inaugural recipients of the award. Since 2013, a set of nominees is annually presented, with the nomination sometimes being credited for a specific release.

## Winners and nominees

[edit]

Year  | Winner(s)  | Work  | Nominees  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2012  | The Dø[a] | —  | —  | [2]
JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound[b]
2013  | Mikal Cronin[a] | —  |

* Air Dubai
* Boy
* Leogun
* MNDR

| [3][4]
The Virginmarys[b]
2014  | Angel Olsen (Up & Comer Artist Award)  | Burn Your Fire for No Witness |

* Alpine – A is for Alpine
* FKA Twigs – EP2
* Lo-Fang – Blue Film
* Mandolin Orange – This Side of Jordan
* The Strypes – Blue Collar Jane EP

| [5][6]
Chvrches (Breakthrough Artist)  | The Bones of What You Believe |

* Cécile McLorin Salvant – WomanChild
* Hurray for the Riff Raff – Small Town Heroes
* Mikal Cronin – MCII
* Savages – Silence Yourself
* The Front Bottoms – Talon of the Hawk
* Valerie June – Pushin' Against a Stone
* William Onyeabor – Who is William Onyeabor?

2015  | Sturgill Simpson | —  |

* Alvvays
* Chet Faker
* Kygo
* Mac DeMarco
* MisterWives
* Viet Cong

| [7][8]
2016  | Courtney Barnett | Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit |

* Hop Along – Painted Shut
* Julien Baker – Sprained Ankle
* Kamasi Washington – The Epic
* Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
* Shamir – Ratchet
* Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon

| [9][10]
2017  | Whitney | Light Upon the Lake |

* Delicate Steve – This Is Steve
* The Lemon Twigs – Do Hollywood
* Margaret Glaspy – Emotions and Math
* Margo Price – Midwest Farmer's Daughter
* Roosevelt – Roosevelt
* Young M.A – Ooouuu

| [11][12]
2018  | Princess Nokia | 1992 Deluxe |

* Alice Merton – No Roots
* Jamila Woods – Heavn
* Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
* Trippie Redd – A Love Letter to You

| [13][14]
2019 | Idles | Joy as an Act of Resistance |

* Caroline Rose – Loner
* Lucy Dacus – Historian
* Snail Mail – Lush
* Sunflower Bean – Come for Me

| [15][16]
2020 | Orville Peck |

* Sudan Archives
* Black Pumas
* Fontaines D.C.
* Julia Jacklin

| [17][18]
2021 | Arlo Parks |

* Bonny Light Horseman
* Overcoats
* Arlo McKinley
* Orion Sun

| [19]
2022 | Wet Leg | "Chaise Longue"  |

* Black Country, New Road – For the First Time
* Girl in Red – If I Could Make It Go Quiet
* Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
* Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime

| [20]
2023 | Sudan Archives |

* Allison Russell
* Charlotte Sands
* Soul Glo
* The Linda Lindas

| [21]
[22]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Voted by A2IM members.
2. ^ a b Voted by eMusic members.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2020 Libera Awards - 2020 Categories". October 9, 2019. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
2. ^ Rys, Dan (June 22, 2012). "Bon Iver, Arcade Fire Named Best of the Independents at Inaugural Libera Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
3. ^ Ugwu, Reggie (June 21, 2013). "Dualtone, Alabama Shakes, Tom Silverman Take Honors at 2013 Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
4. ^ "A2IM Announces Indie Artist & Label 2013 LIBBY Awards Nominees". Hypebot. 25 April 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
5. ^ Gesler, Andy (June 20, 2014). "Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Daptone, Bruce Iglauer Honored at A2IM's Libby Awards". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
6. ^ Peters, Mitchell (April 25, 2014). "A2IM Libby Awards: Chvrches, William Onyeabor, ATO, Glassnote Among 2014 Nominees (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
7. ^ Houghton, Bruce (May 5, 2015). "A2IM Names Libera Indie Music Award Nominees". Hypebot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
8. ^ "A2IM's Libera Awards: Merlin, Sub Pop and Sturgill Simpson Amongst Winners". Music Business Worldwide. June 29, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
9. ^ "SoundExchange Presents The 2016 A2IM Libera Awards". Shorefire. April 11, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
10. ^ White, Caitlin (June 17, 2016). "Alabama Shakes And Kamasi Washington Win Big At The Independent Music Awards". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
11. ^ Gensler, Andy (April 25, 2017). "Radiohead, Run The Jewels, Bonobo, King Gizzard Lead A2IM's Libera Award Noms: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
12. ^ Aswad, Jem (June 9, 2017). "Angel Olsen, Radiohead, Sharon Jones Win Big at A2IM's Libera Awards". Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
13. ^ "A2IM Libera Awards 2018 - Nominees". Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
14. ^ Aswad, Jem (June 22, 2018). "Aimee Mann, Funky Four +1 Perform, Slowdive Wins Big at Indie Libera Awards". Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
15. ^ Houghton, Bruce (March 28, 2019). "A2IM Names Indie Libera Award Nominees 2019: Mitski, Bad Bunny, Courtney Barnett, More". Hypebot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
16. ^ Houghton, Bruce (June 24, 2019). "A2IM Libera Indie Music Awards 2019 – Full Winners List". Hypebot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
17. ^ Brandle, Lars (April 2, 2020). "Chance the Rapper, FKA Twigs, Courtney Barnett & More Shortlisted For 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
18. ^ "2020 - Libera Awards". Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
19. ^ Grein, Paul (March 22, 2021). "Phoebe Bridgers, Run the Jewels & Perfume Genius Among Top Nominees For 2021 Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
20. ^ Aswad, Jem (March 23, 2022). "Japanese Breakfast, Jason Isbell, Arlo Parks Lead Indie-Music Collective A2IM's 2022 Libera Awards Nominees". Variety. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
21. ^ Aswad, Jem (March 22, 2023). "Wet Leg Leads Nominations for A2IM's Indie Libera Awards". Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
22. ^ Garcia, Thania; Okusanya, Emanuel (June 16, 2023). "Wet Leg, Sudan Archives and More Win Big at 2023 A2IM Libera Awards". Variety. Retrieved June 17, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Libera Awards

Major awards|

* Record of the Year
* Best Live Act
* Best Breakthrough Artist
* Best Sync Usage
* Marketing Genius
* Label of the Year
* Video of the Year
* Best Americana Record
* Best Blues Record
* Best Classical Record
* Best Dance/Electronic Record
* Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record

Ceremony year|

* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Related|

* American Association of Independent Music

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