Independent Music Awards (IMAs)
The Independent Music Awards is an international awards program created by Music Resource Group in 2000 to recognize self-distributed recordings and releases from independent record labels. The IMAs honor works in over 100 categories that are evaluated by judges who are genre experts.
Notable winners have included Valerie June, Killer Mike,...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Flying Lotus, Macy Gray, Five Finger Death Punch, Esprit D'Air, Reeve Carney, Marco Benevento, Roberto Tola, Paquito D’Rivera, Jake La Botz, and Pokey LaFarge.
Judging Process
A preliminary judging panel chooses up to five nominees in each category. A panel of high-profile and celebrity judges then selects winners based on artistic merit.In addition to the awards selected by judges, the IMAs also gives out Vox Pop awards determined by fan voting.
Judges have included Robert Smith of The Cure, Tom Waits, Gloria Gaynor, Keith Richards, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Judy Collins, Peter Gabriel, Roger Daltrey, Keith Urban and Suzanne Vega.
Winners are announced at the annual award ceremony in New York City.
Best Album winners
2017
| Album Category | Artist/Group | Album Title |
| Adult Contemporary | Camila Meza | Traces |
| Alt. Country | Cashavelly Morrison | The Kingdom Belongs to a Child |
| Americana | Anna & Elizabeth | Anna & Elizabeth |
| Bluegrass | Rebecca Patek | Come up and Meet Me |
| Blues | Little Freddie King | Messin' Around Tha Living Room |
| Children's Music | Kattam et ses Tam-Tams | De Tombouctou à Bombay |
| Compilation | Various Artists | For the Record |
| Concept | Masta Ace | The Falling Season |
| Contemporary Christian/Gospel | Maranda | Deep Within |
| Contemporary Classical | International Contemporary Ensemble | On the Nature of Thingness |
| Country | Jack Grelle | Steering Me Away |
| Dance/Electronica | Serge Bulat | Queuelbum |
| Eclectic | Superhand | American Teeth |
| Folk/Singer-Songwriter | Brooke Annibale | The Simple Fear |
| Funk/Fusion/Jam | Write Minded | Eye Above |
| Indie/Alt. Rock | Air Traffic Controller | Black Box |
| Instrumental | Roman Miroshnichenko, José Antonio Rodríguez & Henrik Andersen | World of Guitar Trio: Perfect Strangers |
| Jazz Instrumental | Kay-Ta | Arrival |
| Jazz With Vocals | Macy Gray | Stripped |
| Latin | Xcelencia | Enigma |
| Live Performance | RUNA | LIVE |
| Metal/Hardcore | All Hail the Yeti | Screams from a Black Wilderness |
| New Age | Fiona Joy | Signature Synchronicity |
| Pop | Hive Riot | Hive Riot |
| R&B/Soul | Pierre and The Cosmic Mermaids | Pierre and The Cosmic Mermaids |
| Rap/Hip-Hop | Ty Bru & Tenacious | The Dopest MC's |
| Rock/Hard Rock | The Mud Howlers | Timeliness |
| Spoken Word | Divinity Roxx | ImPossible |
| Tribute Album | Various Artists | On Top of Old Smoky: New Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music |
| World Beat | Yemi Alade | Mama Africa |
| World Traditional | Newpoli | Nun Te Vutà |
2018
| Album Category | Artist/Group | Album Title |
| Adult Contemporary | Reeve Carney | Youth Is Wasted |
| Alt. Country | Jake La Botz | Sunnyside |
| Americana | John McEuen | Made in Brooklyn |
| Bluegrass | The Bankesters | Nightbird |
| Blues | Cary Morin | Cradle to the Grave |
| Children's Music | Dan Zanes and Friends | Lead Belly, Baby! |
| Compilation | Various Artists | Classic English and Scottish Ballads from Smithsonian Folkways |
| Concept | Sofía Rei | El Gavilán |
| Contemporary Christian/Gospel | Delra Harris | H M A I |
| Contemporary Classical | Douglas Knehans | Unfinished Earth |
| Country | Dani Strong | Time to Breathe |
| Dance/Electronica | Dark Model | Saga |
| Debut | Sai da Frente | Sai da Frente |
| Eclectic | Goat's Notes | Cosmic Circus |
| Folk/Singer-Songwriter | Seth Glier | Birds |
| Funk/Fusion/Jam | Sr. Langosta | El Experimento Caribeño |
| Indie/Alt. Rock | Soup | Remedies |
| Instrumental | Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge | Mount Royal |
| Jazz Instrumental | David Whitman | Oh, Clara! |
| Jazz With Vocals | Rozina Pátkai | Paraíso na Terra |
| Latin | Luz Pinos | Mariposa Azul |
| Live Performance | Petros Klampanis | CHROMA |
| Metal/Hardcore | Esprit D'Air | Constellations |
| New Age | FLOW | FLOW |
| Pop | Taylor Grey | Space Case |
| R&B/Soul | Katrina Marie | When There Is No Color |
| Rap/Hip-Hop | Wordsmith | Perspective Jukebox |
| Re-Issue | Various Artists | Indus Raag: Music Beyond Borders |
| Rock / Hard Rock | Sleep Machine | Sleep Machine |
| Spoken Word | Jenni Asher | Freedom |
| Tribute | Carlos Cano & Hernán Milla | Por la Rivera de Paquito |
| World Beat | Karim Baggili | Apollo You Sixteen |
| World Traditional | Sangpuy | Yaangad |
2019
Best Song winners
2017
| Song Category | Artist/Group | Song Title |
| A Cappella | Deejay Young | "Bøx ” |
| Acoustic | Birds of Bellwoods | "Grey Ghosts” |
| Adult Contemporary | Caroline Savoie | "Little House” |
| Alt. Country | Don DiLego | "Drive Like Pirates” |
| Americana | Emily Roig | "Skin” |
| Bluegrass | The Danberrys | "Long Song” |
| Blues | Benny Turner | "I Can't Leave” |
| Children's Music | Lucy Kalantari | "Fantastic” |
| Contemporary Christian/Gospel | JoJo Worthington | "The Pool of Bethesda” |
| Country | Dori Freeman | "Go on Lovin'” |
| Cover Song | A Fragile Tomorrow | "One Way Ticket – ” |
| Dance/Electronica | Mechanik Project | "Coming Home ” |
| Eclectic | Le Boeuf Brothers + Jack Quartet | "Alkaline” |
| Folk/Singer-Songwriter | The Krickets | "Cool Cool Water” |
| Funk/Fusion/Jam | The High Head Hunters | "Broken Down House” |
| Holiday | Olivia Penalva | "Christmas for Two” |
| Indie/Alt. Rock | Air Traffic Controller | "The House” |
| Instrumental | Roman Smirnov | "Reflection 1 ” |
| Jazz Instrumental | Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra | "Free Time” |
| Jazz With Vocals | Cécile McLorin Salvant | "Fog” |
| Latin | Camila Meza | "Para Volar” |
| Love | Casii Stephan | "I Like the Way” |
| Metal/Hardcore | Rivethead | "Truth or Fiction” |
| New Age | Fiona Joy | "Calling Earth” |
| Pop | Alicia Beale | "New Fling ” |
| R&B/Soul | Deejay Young | "Bøx ” |
| Rap/Hip-Hop | Shan Vincent de Paul | "Thank God” |
| Rock/Hard Rock | The Mud Howlers | "The River” |
| Social Action | Maria Dunn | "Malala” |
| Spoken Word | Deep Dive Corp. + Ingrid Chavez | "Ride” |
| Story Song | The Alternate Routes | "Somewhere in America” |
| World Beat | Valentina Blú | "Another Sky” |
| World Traditional | Roman Miroshnichenko, José Antonio Rodríguez & Henrik Andersen | "Moon Over Tanjore” |
2018
| Song Category | Artist/Group | Song Title |
| A Cappella | Eh440 | Never Stop Lovin' You |
| Acoustic | Reeve Carney | Think of You |
| Adult Contemporary | Chris Ayer | Heavy |
| Alt. Country | Ben Leece | Trace |
| Americana | Big Little Lions | Against the Wall |
| Bluegrass | Sad Daddy | Mountainside |
| Blues | Altered Five Blues Band | Cookin' in Your Kitchen |
| Children's Music | Marla Lewis | Major Minor |
| Contemporary Christian/Gospel | Drew Greenway | Walk in the Light |
| Country | Dani Strong | What You Need |
| Cover | The Bankesters | Seven Nation Army – |
| Dance/Electronica | Anish Sood | Starry Night |
| Eclectic | Leftbank | I just want to know for sure |
| Folk/Singer-Songwriter | Seth Glier | Like I Do |
| Funk/Fusion/Jam | Nik West | Purple Unicorn |
| Holiday | Deejay Young | Christmas Time Is Here |
| Indie/Alt. Rock | HALF SHY | Growing up to Grow Apart |
| Instrumental | Gustavo Ballesteros | Tocata |
| Jazz Instrumental | Frank Catalano, Jimmy Chamberlin and David Sanborn | Shakin' |
| Jazz With Vocals | Quinn Bachand's Brishen | Cheyenne |
| Latin | Delia Fischer | Mercado |
| Love | Carolina Calvache | La Última Vez |
| Metal/Hardcore | Blood of Angels | Odin's Wrath |
| New Age | Lenka Lichtenberg | Dobrú noc, má milá |
| Pop | Taylor Grey | Miami |
| R&B/Soul | Beth | Free |
| Rap/Hip-Hop | Amiss O.mega | Diva Look |
| Rock/Hard Rock | Reeve Carney | Resurrection |
| Social Action | Mouths of Babes | Any Other Day |
| Spoken Word | Stephen Emmer | Soil |
| Story | Jonah Smith | Ocala |
| World Beat | Karim Baggili | Exitimuse |
| World Traditional | Magín Díaz | Me Amarás |
2019
| Song Category | Artist/Group | Song Title |
| A Cappella | Patrice Jégou | Lover Come Back to Me |
| Acoustic | Chris Ayer | Ringing in My Ears |
| Adult Contemporary | LACES | someday is not tonight |
| Alt. Country | Rich Webb | Let It Rain |
| Americana | Jen Sygit | It's About Time |
| Bluegrass | Low Lily | 10,000 Days Like These |
| Blues | Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson | Blues in My Blood |
| Children's Music | Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats | I Know a Little Fellow |
| Contemporary Christian / Gospel | Rocking Horse Music Club | Everywhere Is Home |
| Country | Blane Howard | Promise to Love Her |
| Cover | Kristy Krüger | Folsom Prison Blues |
| Dance/Electronica | Mosimann | Anymore |
| Eclectic | Monica Pasqual | Sun in My Eye |
| Folk/Singer-Songwriter | Rebecca Hurn | Waves |
| Funk/Fusion/Jam | CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion | Danger |
| Holiday | Twin Kennedy | I'm a Child Again |
| Indie / Alt. Rock | Shadow of Whales | Words |
| Instrumental | Cimarrón | Zumbajam |
| Jazz Instrumental | Ivan Diaz | Write or Wrong |
| Jazz with Vocals | Lindsay Kay | Lush Life |
| Latin | Juana Luna | Vienen Como |
| Love | Bleu | Love You So |
| Metal/Hardcore | Ne Obliviscaris | Intra Venus |
| New Age | Jeff Oster | Five Great Mountains |
| Pop | Ella Vos | White Noise |
| R&B/Soul | Jessica Lá Rel | Here Comes the Sun |
| Rap/Hip-Hop | Young Rado | Make Sense |
| Reggae/Ska/Dancehall | Leilani Wolfgramm | Live Wire |
| Rock / Hard Rock | Head With Wings | Goodbye Sky |
| Social Action | Mark Erelli | By Degrees |
| Spoken Word | J.ournal | Pride & Prejudice |
| Story | Emily Scott Robinson | Overalls |
| Used in Ad Campaign | Bleu | Love You So |
| Used in Film / TV / Game Score | André Barros | Leda |
| World Beat | Nsimbi | Leo Ni Leo |
| World Traditional | Toronto Tabla Ensemble | Faceoff |
Best Music Producer winners
2018
| Category | Music Producer | Winning Work |
| Dance/Electronica | Michael Gray and David Paul Newell | Midnight Mystery Club – Reason or Rhyme |
| Eclectic | A.G. Syjuco | Jack of None – Who Shot Bukowski? |
| Instrumental | Adam Werner and Adam Howe | Adam Werner – Deep |
| Jazz | Mike Field and Dominic Mancuso | Mike Field – The Ghost and the Paperboy EP |
| Pop | Steve Lunt and Seth Glier | Seth Glier – Birds |
| Rock | Dan Kalisher | Sleep Machine – Animal High |
| Roots/Country | Jimmy Sutton | Jake La Botz – Sunnyside |
| World | Jeremy Ledbetter | Eliana Cuevas – Golpes y Flores |