2019 Libera Awards


The 2019 Libera Awards took place on June 20, 2019. Presented by the American Association of Independent Music, it recognized the best in independent music during a ceremony at New York City's Ziegfeld Ballroom.
The ceremony was hosted by comedian Chris Gethard and featured performances by Deva Mahal, Sunflower Bean, and Jean-Michel Blais.
This was the first year where there were three categories for Label of the Year as opposed to two; Small, Medium, and Big.

Winners and nominees

Adapted from Libera Awards.
Album of the YearBest Live Act
Kamasi WashingtonHeaven and Earth
BADBADNOTGOOD
  • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
  • Mitski
  • Run the Jewels
  • Kelela
  • Best American Roots/Folk AlbumBest Blues Album
    John PrineThe Tree of Forgiveness
  • CalexicoThe Thread That Keeps Us
  • Richard Thompson13 Rivers
  • I'm With HerSee You Around
  • Dom FlemonsBlack Cowboys
  • Fantastic NegritoPlease Don't Be Dead
  • Shemekia CopelandAmerica's Child
  • Boz ScaggsOut Of The Blues
  • Deva MahalRun Deep
  • Cedric BurnsideBenton County Relic
  • Best Classical AlbumBest Country/Americana Album
    Jean-Michel BlaisDans ma main
  • Niklas Paschburg – Oceanic
  • Henrik Schwarz & Metropole OrkestScripted Orkestra
  • London Symphony OrchestraFuchs: Piano Concerto "Spiritualist"
  • Oliver CoatesJohn Luther Adams: Canticles of the Sky
  • John PrineThe Tree of Forgiveness
  • PhosphorescentC'est La Vie
  • Mary GauthierRifles and Rosary Beads
  • Jim LauderdaleTime Flies
  • Alejandro EscovedoThe Crossing
  • Best Dance/Electronic AlbumBest Hip-Hop/Rap Album
    Yves TumorSafe In The Hands Of Love
  • Leon VynehallNothing Is Still
  • Jon HopkinsSingularity
  • SOPHIEOil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
  • Oneohtrix Point NeverAge Of
  • Awkwafina – In Fina We Trust
  • August GreeneAugust Greene
  • Myke Bogan – Joe Fontana
  • BluefaceFamous Cryp
  • JunglepussyJP3
  • Best Jazz AlbumBest Latin Album
    Kamasi WashingtonHeaven and Earth
  • Onyx Collective – Lower East Suite Part Three
  • Esperanza Spalding12 Little Spells
  • Julian LageModern Lore
  • Tia FullerDiamond Cut
  • Bad BunnyX 100PRE
  • CucoChiquito
  • Orquesta AkokánOrquesta Akokán
  • El AlfaEl Hombre
  • Mariachi Reyna de Los AngelesMariachi Reyna de Los Angeles
  • Best Metal AlbumBest Outlier Album
    DeafheavenOrdinary Corrupt Human Love
  • High on FireElectric Messiah
  • UnderoathErase Me
  • ThouMagus
  • SleepThe Sciences
  • KhruangbinCon Todo El Mundo
  • Kero Kero BonitoTime 'n' Place
  • Serpentwithfeetsoil
  • Yves TumorSafe In The Hands Of Love
  • Oneohtrix Point NeverAge Of
  • Best R&B AlbumBest Re-Issue Album
    Charles BradleyBlack Velvet
  • Durand Jones & The IndicationsDurand Jones & The Indications
  • Blood OrangeNegro Swan
  • Kadhja BonetChildqueen
  • Serpentwithfeetsoil
  • PixiesCome On Pilgrim...It's Surfer Rosa
  • Tom WaitsSmall Change
  • BauhausThe Bela Session
  • Liz PhairGirly-Sound To Guyville: The 25th Anniversary Boxset
  • Hiss Golden MessengerDevotion: Songs About Rivers and Spirits and Children
  • Best Rock AlbumBest Sync Usage
    Courtney BarnettTell Me How You Really Feel
  • MitskiBe The Cowboy
  • ShameSongs of Praise
  • Snail MailLush
  • IDLESJoy as an Act of Resistance
  • Run the Jewelsx Black Panther
  • Gillian Welch – "The Way It Will Be" in This Is Us
  • Shigeto – "Ann Arbor Pt 1" & "Lady Misaki" in Japan's Decorated Trucks - Shot on iPhone
  • Perfume GeniusEighth Grade trailer
  • Alice Merton – "No Roots"
  • Best World AlbumBreakthrough Artist/Release
    Bombino – Deran
  • Gilberto GilOK OK OK
  • Femi KutiOne People One World
  • Angelique KidjoRemain in Light
  • Seun Kuti & Egypt 80Black Times
  • IDLESJoy as an Act of Resistance
  • Snail MailLush
  • Lucy DacusHistorian
  • Sunflower BeanCome For Me
  • Caroline RoseLoner
  • Creative PackagingIndependent Champion
    Kamasi WashingtonHeaven and Earth
  • Various Artists – Brainfeeder X
  • Charles BradleyBlack Velvet Deluxe Box
  • MitskiBe The Cowboy
  • John MausVinyl Box Set
  • NPR
  • Caroline
  • CD Baby
  • Redeye
  • SoundExchange
  • Label of the Year (Big)Label of the Year (Medium)
    Domino Recording Co.
  • Dead Oceans
  • Polyvinyl Record Co.
  • Rough Trade Records
  • Warp Records
  • Partisan Records
  • Bloodshot Records
  • Mom+Pop
  • Saddle Creek
  • Yep Roc Records
  • Label of the Year (Small)Marketing Genius
    Daptone Records
  • Brainfeeder
  • Hardly Art
  • Innovative Leisure
  • Oh Boy Records
  • Aphex TwinCollapse EP
  • King GizzardKing Gizzard Reissues Campaign
  • KhruangbinCon Todo El Mundo
  • IDLESJoy as an Act of Resistance
  • Reggae Month – Studio One
  • Video of the Year
    Mitski – "Nobody"
  • Moses Sumney – "Quarrel"
  • John Prine – "Summer's End"
  • Aphex Twin – "T69 Collapse"
  • Kamasi Washington – "Street Fighter"
  • Special awards

    A2IM Lifetime Achievement Award