The Indies 2012 - 12th Annual Independent Music Awards

Don't miss your LAST CHANCE to submit to The Indies.



Winners of the The Indies - 12th Annual Independent Music Awards will be honored at Canadian Music Week during Canadian Music Fest as representatives of Canada’s (and the world's) burgeoning independent sector. With categories open to Canadian and international artists, The Indies gives all entrants a free 2-year membership in CAAMA and a 1 year subscription to Canadian Musician magazine.


Past years' winners have included The Arcade Fire, Taylor Swift, Bedouin Soundclash, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, Feist, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, Sleigh bells, Hot Hot Heat, and M.I.A., to name a few./n/n“The Indies” – The Canadian Independent Music Awards – is the first and only awards show recognizing the efforts of Canada’s burgeoning independent sector. But don't let the name fool you -- 6 additional international categories are open to artists from all over the world! What began as a small celebration of the Canadian independent spirit in music has now become a worldwide barometer for future success.

Now in its 12th year, The Indies recognizes the achievements of new emerging artists while celebrating the accomplishments of the independent music community as a whole. Each year these artists are honoured with a public awards presentation in March in Toronto during Canada’s largest music convention and festival, Canadian Music Week.

More than an awards show, The Indies features appearances and performances by some of Canada’s and the worlds most talented emerging artists fused with the presentation of awards to the past year’s favourites. The event has attracted agents from internationally recognized festivals such as Glastonbury, Summer Sonic, Singfest, BIGSOUND, Peats Ridge Festival, Fuji Rock, Reeperbahn, Haldern Pop and The Great Escape as well as high profile talent buyers both domestically and worldwide.

Media attention and recognition for the Indies has grown exponentially since The Indies first launched. Over the past five years alone, the awards show has been simulcast live on XM Satellite Radio, reaching audiences throughout North America.

Past years' winners have included: Mumford & Sons, Sleigh Bells, Taylor Swift, The Black Keys, Arcade Fire, Metric, Crystal Castles, Bedouin Soundclash, City and Colour, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, The Trews, Fucked Up, Die Mannequin, Phoenix, The XX, Interpol, Alexisonfire, Marianas Trench, Neko Case, Danny Fernandes, Kataklysm, Feist, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, Silverstein, Great Lake Swimmers, Shad, Hannah Georgas, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Silversun Pickups, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Hollerado, Caribou, Joel Plaskett, Arkells, Alex Cuba, Hot Hot Heat, The Sadies, Deadmau5, Tokyo Police Club, Peaches, Hey Rosetta!, The New Pornographers, 3 Inches of Blood, Voivod, Default, The Weakerthans, USS, Lights, Doc Walker, Protest The Hero, Annihilator, The Midway State, M.I.A., Kathleen Edwards, Jack Grunsky, Nikki Yanofsky, Dashboard Confessional, and many more.



2012 Award categories are:

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  Album Of The Year
• 
  Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Single Of The Year
• 
  Solo Artist Of The Year
• 
  Video Of The Year
• 
  Live Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  International Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  International Solo Artist Of The Year
• 
  International Album Of The Year
• 
  International Single Of The Year
• 
  International Breakthrough Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  International Video Of The Year
• 
  Alternative Artist/Group or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Blues Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Children's Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Classical Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Country Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Dance Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Electronic Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Folk/Roots Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Francophone Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Jazz Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Metal Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Pop Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Punk/Hardcore Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Rock Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Urban Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  World Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year
• 
  Alternative Artist/Group Or Duo Of The Year

Artists may submit to multiple categories (there is a separate fee for each category nomination

International Criteria

International categories are open to all artists; however, the rest of the categories are only open to Canadian artists.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the 2012 Indie Awards, recordings submitted must have been released between August 1, 2010 and November 1, 2011 and must be a commercial release (available for purchase). Nominees must have been active during the eligibility period and are based on the performance of the group or artist either on record or in live performances.

A nominee’s distributor may be a Canadian and/or multi-national company.

An Artist must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. At least 50% of the Group or Duo must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. 50% of the nominee's songwriting and recording must be 100% Canadian. Exceptions: International Group or Duo, International Solo Artist, International Album, International Single, International Breakthrough Artist/Group or Duo, and International Video.

Please note that EPKs that are not complete by November 15th 2011 will not be considered and will not be refunded. For this purpose, a complete EPK consists of a bio, photo, music, contact information and where applicable, a video. For complete submission details and eligibility criteria, visit www.indies.ca.

All entrants will receive a free year's subscription to Canadian Musician magazine and a two-year membership to C.A.A.M.A.(Canadian Association for the Advancement of Music and the Arts) - a national, non-profit organization dedicated to the commercial development of the Canadian sound recording business domestically and internationally.