Nominations Now Open For 2026 AIR Awards

upnext2blowFebruary 10, 20262 Mins read0

Nominations Now Open For 2026 AIR Awards

In addition to nominations opening for this year’s awards, the AIR team has expanded its Dance and Electronic Award categories.

AIR Awards 2025(Credit: Lucy Partington Photography)

The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) has confirmed that the 20th edition of its annual AIR Awards will take place later this year, and nominations are now open.

The 2026 AIR Awards are occurring at the Adelaide Town Hall on Thursday, 30 July. AIR members are invited to nominate eligible artist songs, albums, and EPs released between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025. To check if you qualify for AIR membership, head here.

Nominations are now open and will close at 5 pm AEDT on Friday, 13 March. You can find more information on the AIR website.

In addition to nominations opening for this year’s awards, the AIR team has expanded its Dance and Electronic Award categories, acknowledging the cultural and global impact of Australian EDM.

This year will see the launch of the Best Independent Dance/Club Single and Best Independent Electronic Single, plus the former Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP being renamed to Best Independent Electronic Album or EP.

You can find the complete list of 2026 AIR Awards nomination categories below.

Since their inception 20 years ago, the AIR Awards have recognised, promoted, and celebrated independent music released in Australia. Previous winners and nominees include Amyl And The Sniffers, Genesis Owusu, Courtney Barnett, Fanny Lumsden, Flume, Sampa the Great, Alice Ivy, Miss Kaninna, Emma Donovan, The Amity Affliction, Kasey Chambers, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Confidence Man, G Flip, A.B Original, King Stingray, Violent Soho, Electric Fields, Telenova and many others.

As well as the annual awards, Adelaide will once again be home to AIR’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition Conference from Wednesday, 29 July, and Friday, 31 July, at the Mercury Cinema and Nexus Arts. Early Bird tickets will be available later this month.