Libera Awards Open Submissions for 2027 Ceremony

The Libera Awards announced that submissions are open for 2027. The 16th annual Libera Awards are presented by FIM (The Foundation for Independent Music) with support from A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.). Next year's event is set to take place Monday, June 7, 2027, in New York City, and will kick off the 19th annual Indie Week conference, set to take place June 8-10.

The Libera Awards celebrate the artistry, innovation, and resilience of the independent music community, recognizing not only the extraordinary achievements of independent artists but also the dedicated teams and visionaries who power the independent music ecosystem. The 2027 awards will feature 37 categories across all genres of music and the independent music industry.

'Independent music had a big year, and the Libera Awards are where we celebrate it together. From the talented artists to the people behind them who got their music heard. This night is about independent excellence and we encourage you to submit your work,' said A2IM CEO, Ian Harrison.

'It is a continued honor for The Foundation for Independent Music to host this incredible evening, celbrating the very best in independent music,' says A2IM COO & FIM President, Lisa Hresko.

The 2026 Libera Awards ceremony was hosted by Billboard's Content Producer, Delisa Shannon, and featured dynamic performances from Nigerian Tuareg guitar innovator Mdou Moctar, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Valerie June, multi-hyphenate artist Dawn Richard, and eclectic synth-pop artist Aaron Maine of Porches. Thirty-eight awards were distributed throughout the evening, including multiple awards for the night's biggest winners, Geese and Oklou. Rough Trade NYC took home the inaugural Libera Award for Best Independent Record Store. The 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award honored Terry McBride and Mark Jowett, co-founders of Nettwerk Music Group.

A2IM and FIM look forward to hosting the independent community once again in New York City.

2027 Categories

Best Alternative Rock Record

Best American Roots Record

Best Blues Record

Best Classical Record

Best Country Record

Best Dance Record

Best Electronic Record

Best Folk Record

Best Global Record

Best Heavy Record

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record

Best Independent Record Store

Best Jazz Record

Best Latin Record

Best Outlier Record

Best Pop Record

Best Punk Record

Best R&B Record

Best Record From Games and Interactive Media

Best Reissue

Best Rock Record

Best Singer-Songwriter Record

Best Soul/Funk Record

Best Spiritual Record

Best Sync Usage

Breakthrough Artist

Creative Packaging

Distributor of The Year

Independent Champion

Label of the Year (<5 Employees)

Label of the Year (6–14 Employees)

Label of the Year (15+ Employees)

Marketing Genius

Music Video of the Year

Publisher of The Year

Record of the Year

Self-Released Record of the Year

Photo Credit: Nick Karp

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