About
The Association Of Independent Music
AIM is a not-for-profit trade body established in 1999 to represent the UK independent music industry. Now in its 10th year, AIM acts for over 90% of the independent market, with over 800 members from small start-ups to the largest and most respected independents in the world. AIM promotes this exciting and diverse sector globally, leveraging the sector’s power as a fifth major to enable its members to grow, grasp new opportunities and break into new markets.
AIM oversees an independent sector whose artists have claimed four Mercury Music Prizes in a row (2003 – 2006) and earned two thirds of all nominations between 2005 and 2008. Artists signed to UK Independents also scooped a quarter of all available prizes at the 2008 Brit Awards, with an independent-signed act grabbing “Best British Group” for the fourth year running. This confirms the sector’s undoubted lead in A&R.
The independent sector regularly accounts for 30% of all UK artist album awards (silver, gold, platinum/multi-platinum). In 2008, independent albums made up over half of the fifty “best albums of the year” according to the UK music press, and independents claimed five of the top ten releases.
Artists signed to AIM member labels include: Adele, Amadou & Miriam, Arctic Monkeys, Basement Jaxx, Battles, Bjork, Bloc Party, Bon Iver, Coldcut, Enter Shikari, Franz Ferdinand, Infadels, Jack Penate, Jarvis Cocker, Jay Sean, Jose Gonzalez, Justice, Katie Melua, M.I.A., Maximo Park, Mr. Scruff, Nitin Sawnhey, Radiohead, Reverend And The Makers, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Roots Manuva, Royksopp, Seasick Steve, Sufjan Stevens, Super Furry Animals, The Cribs, The Futureheads, The Prodigy, The Raconteurs, The Strokes, The White Stripes, Vampire Weekend and thousands of others.
