The 2020 Libera Awards was held on July 18, 2020[1] to recognize the best in independent music presented by the American Association of Independent Music. The nominations were announced on April 2, 2020 and the ceremony was streamed online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

2020 Libera Awards
DateJuly 18, 2020
Presented byA2IM
Hosted byChris Gethard
Websiteliberaawards.com
← 2019 · Libera Awards · 2021 →

A number of new genre-specific awards were introduced, namely: Best Alternative Rock Album and Best Mainstream Rock Album, succeeding Best Rock Album; Best Folk/Bluegrass Album; and Best Punk/Emo Record.

2020 marked the first year that the award ceremony could be viewed by the public and featured an increased number of musical performances. Performers included Wyclef Jean, Shabazz Palaces, Salt Cathedral, Orville Peck, Y La Bamba, Sudan Archives, Julia Jacklin, Alejandro Escovedo, Suzanne Ciani, Big Thief, and IDLES. The show's livestream was hosted by comedian Chris Gethard with event proceeds going toward the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.[3]

Winners and nominees

edit
Album of the Year Best Live Act

U.F.O.F. - Big Thief

IDLES (Partisan Records)

Best Alternative Rock Album Best Americana Album

Dogrel - Fontaines D.C.

The Unseen in Between - Steve Gunn

Best Blues Album Best Classical Album

We Get By - Mavis Staples

Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No. 3 (Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs) - Beth Gibbons

Best Country Album Best Dance/Electronic Album

Pony - Orville Peck

Flamagra - Flying Lotus

Best Folk/Bluegrass Album Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album

Crushing - Julia Jacklin

uknowhatimsayin¿ - Danny Brown

Best Indie Rock Album Best Jazz Album

Titanic Rising - Weyes Blood

Blume - Nerija

Best Latin Album Best Mainstream Rock Album

Mujeres - Y La Bamba

Cry - Cigarettes After Sex

Best Metal Album Best Outlier Album

Infest the Rats' Nest - King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

Reward - Cate Le Bon

Best Punk/Emo Album Best R&B Album

Amyl and the Sniffers - Amyl and the Sniffers

Athena - Sudan Archives

Best Re-Issue Best Sync Usage

2019 Reissue Campaign - Stereolab

  • Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990 – Various Artists
  • Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music, Volumes 1&2Ray Charles
  • Acoustic FoolishSuperchunk
  • Music Of Many ColoursFela Kuti

Partisan Records for the usage of Idles' "Never Fight A Man With a Perm" and "I'm Scum" in Peaky Blinders

Best World Album Breakthrough Artist/Release

Amadjar - Tinariwen

Orville Peck

Creative Packaging Independent Champion

Flamagra - Flying Lotus

  • VMP Anthology: The Story Of Ghostly International – Various Artists
  • WXAXRXP Boxset – Various Artists
  • Sub Pop Singles Club – Various Artists
  • A Beautiful Thing: IDLES Live at Le BataclanIDLES

Bandcamp

Label of the Year (Large) Label of the Year (Medium)

Partisan Records

Sacred Bones

Label of the Year (Small) Marketing Genius

Father/Daughter Records

"Hot Girl Summer" - Megan Thee Stallion

Video of the Year

"Cellophane" - FKA Twigs

Most nominations

edit
  • Fontaines D.C. – 4
  • Flying Lotus – 4
  • Orville Peck – 4

Most wins

edit
  • IDLES – 2
  • Flying Lotus – 2
  • Orville Peck – 2

Special awards

edit

Independent Icon Award

A2IM Lifetime Achievement Award

References

edit
  1. ^ Brandle, Lars (April 2, 2020). "Chance the Rapper, FKA Twigs, Courtney Barnett & More Shortlisted For 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "2020 - Libera Awards". Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "A2IM Announces Performers for 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". Music Connection Magazine. 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
edit