
During the show, hosted by NYC comedian Kate Wolff, the audience was treated to performances by Aimee Mann, Funky 4+ 1, Natalie Prass, Raul Midon, Sam Outlaw, Vicktor Taiwo, and a special tribute to Sharon Jones by her band The Dap-Kings.
This year, A2IM honored punk rock trailblazer Brett Gurewitz with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Merlin’s 10th Anniversary was also celebrated at the awards.
2018 Libera Award Winners:
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Live Act
Nick Cave
Bad Seed Ltd.
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album
Shabazz Palaces – ‘Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star’
Sub Pop Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best American Roots/Folk Album
Aimee Mann – ‘Mental Illness’
SuperEgo Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Blues Album
Benjamin Booker – ‘Witness’
ATO Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Classical Album
Detroit Symphony Orchestra – ‘Copland: Symphony No. 3 & 3 Latin American Sketches’
Naxos
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Country/Americana Album
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – ‘The Nashville Sound’
Southeastern Records /Thirty Tigers
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Jazz Album
Kamasi Washington – ‘Harmony of Difference’
Young Turks
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Latin Album
Chicano Batman – ‘Freedom Is Free’
ATO Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Outlier Album
Moses Sumney – ‘Aromanticism’
Jagjaguwar
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Metal Album
Converge – ‘The Dusk In Us’
Epitaph Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Dance/Electronic Album
Sylvan Esso – ‘What Now’
Loma Vista Recordings
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best R&B Album
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – ‘Soul of a Woman’
Daptone Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Re-Issue
Elliott Smith – ‘Either/Or: Expanded Edition’
Kill Rock Stars
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Rock Album
The National – ‘Sleep Well Beast’
4AD
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best Sync Usage
Cigarettes After Sex – ‘Cigarettes After Sex’
Partisan Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Best World Usage
Ibeyi – ‘Ash’
XL Recordings
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Independent Icon
Funky 4 + 1
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Breakthrough Artist
Princess Nokia – ‘1992 Deluxe’
Rough Trade Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Creative Packaging
Bob’s Burgers – ‘The Bob’s Burgers Music Album’
Sub Pop Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Independent Champion
MERLIN
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Label of the Year (6+ employees)
Dead Oceans
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Label of the Year (<5 employees)
Daptone Records
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Marketing Genius Award
Run the Jewels – Call Ticketron! 646.846.RTJ3
Run the Jewels, Inc.
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Video of the Year
Perfume Genius – “Die 4 You”
Matador Records
A2IM Lifetime Achievement Award
Brett Gurewitz
2018 A2IM Libera Awards
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Independent Impact Award
Taylor Swift – ‘Reputation’
Big Machine Label Group
2018 A2IM Libera Awards: Album of the Year
Slowdive – ‘Slowdive’
Dead Oceans