The official home of Australian Independent Music, a place for music industry professionals alike, featuring the cream of the crop of Australia’s diverse and thriving independent music sector.

Sorry we haven't blogged for a while. It's because we've been attending a million different versions of the ARIA Awards.

Apparently the ARIA's at Sydney Opera House wasn't the best television. But that's alright, they took huge risks this year, changed location, changed format, changed television network. It's a high risk/high reward game.  ARIA are trying to get their show right for a national audience and at AIR we think it's important that they do. The ARIAs mean something....

That said, we've got a bit of gripe about the format. "Niche" awards for CRAZY genres like 'Dance', 'Blues and Roots', 'Hip Hop' and 'Metal' were awarded in the week leading up to the main event, a small ceremonies in the Botanical gardens. Yep, ummm niche...

Dance (Won by Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP, how many millions of sales worldwide?)

Blues and Roots (Won by Dan Sultan, one of Australian music's brightest stars)

Metal (Won by Parkway Drive, arguably one of the biggest bands in the country, certainly in terms of concert attendances, album and merch sales they are).

Hip Hop (Won by M-Phazes, one of Australia's best producers, our greatest exporting hip hop artist, currently working on tracks for everyone in world Hip Hop)

And what about Classical or Jazz? Are these genre's not worthy of a national audience, were their achievements any less impressive?

We need to celebrate the exciting parts of the Australian music industry, not hide it away. The talent, taste-makers and boundary pushers in Australian music reside in the fringes... it really worries us that ARIA are presenting an industry devoid of the tasty bits. Australia's Metal, Dance, Hip Hop and Dance need to be celebrated.

Finally, Independent Music is the lifeblood of our industry. Please never ever ever get an independent politician as a gimic to present that award again. It's an insult, Bob Katter doesn't care about contemporary music.

Finally,  Independent Labels won 17 ARIA's combined. How many did Sony or Warner win?

Yep, zero

Congratulations to the following Independent ARIA Award winning Artists!!!!

Best Male Artist
Dan Sultan - Get Out While You Can (MGM)

Best Group
The Temper Trap - Love Lost (Liberation Music)

Best Independent Release
Sia - We Are Born (Monkey Puzzle/Inertia)

Most Popular Australian Single
The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition (Liberation Music)

Best Pop Release
Sia - We Are Born (Monkey Puzzle/Inertia)

Best Rock Album
Birds of Tokyo - Birds of Tokyo (Independent/EMI)

Best Comedy Release
Andrew Hansen, Chris Taylor & Craig Schuftan - The Blow Parade (ABC Music)

Best Classical Album
Paul Dyer and Australian Brandenburg Orchestra - Tapas - Tastes Of The Baroque (ABC Classics)

Best Jazz Album
James Morrison & The Idea Of North - Feels Like Spring (ABC Jazz)

Best Dance Release
Yolanda Be Cool and Dcup - We No Speak Americano (Sweat it
Out/Central Station Records)

Best Urban Album
M-Phazes - Good Gracious (Obese Records)

Best Blues & Roots Album
Dan Sultan - Get Out While You Can (MGM)

Best Children's Album
The Wiggles - Let's Eat! (ABC Music)

Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show
Various - Before Too Long: Triple J's Tribute to Paul Kelly (ABC Music)

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Parkway Drive - Deep Blue (Resist Records/Shock)

Best Music DVD
Various - Sound Relief (Liberation Music)

Best World Music Album
Mamadou Diabate, Bobby Singh & Jeff Lang - Djan Djan (ABC Music)