IMA Winners Announced

The 7th Annual IMA program honored more than 50 winners in a variety of categories in Music, Music Packaging and Design categories. Also new to the program this year were awards in Music Video, Music For Children and College Record Label release.

Videos by American Songwriter

The awards were selected by a panel of celebrities and industry insiders like Snoop Dogg, Suzanne Vega, Mavis Staples and Vans Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman, among others.

Among the group of winners were some established artists such as Koko Taylor (Blues Album Winner), Miguel Migs (Dance/Electronica Album Winner, Ike Turner (Blues Album Finalist) and Ernie Watts (Jazz Album Winner). There were some indie favorites that also took home awards this year, like The Apples in Stereo (Pop/Rock Song Winner), Johnny Dowd (Alt. Country Album Winner), Joan As Police Woman (Pop/Rock Album – Tie), and rising stars including No More Kings, Miko Marks (Country Song Winner), Girl In A Coma (Punk Song Winner) and The Silver Seas (Pop/Rock Finalist).

Winners are chosen on artist merit alone. Record sales and merit-marketing campaigns have no impact on judges’ decisions. IMA is dedicated to helping indie artists and releases overcome mainstream obstacles and reach wider audiences. Winners will be featured in The Musician’s Atlas – a best-selling guide for the indie music business read around the world. They also receive yearlong marketing support and distribution alliances that place them in front of millions of music fans and industry decision makers around the world. They are also rewarded by getting their music placed on an IMA compilation CD, Now Hear This, that is distributed at SXSW, Folk Alliance, NXNE, Ozzfest, Warped Tour, MTV Springbreak, and many other major industry and consumer events throughout 2008.

IMA Music Winners Include

ALBUM CATEGORIES

ALT. COUNTRY – Johnny Dowd, Cruel Words; AMERICANA – Hannah Blaylock & Eden’s Edge, Lights Of Home; BLUES – Koko Taylor, Old School; CHILDREN’S – Kira Willey, Dance For The Sun; CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN – Sebastian Demrey, Searching; COUNTRY – Chris Gray, It’s All About Me; DANCE/ELECTRONICA – Miguel Migs, Those Things; FOLK/ SINGER-SONGWRITER – Drew Pilgram, Magnetic Sideways Pull; GOSPEL – The Minister John Butler, The Tribute – Phase II; HARD ROCK/METAL – Ashes Are Nutritious, Frustration +; JAM – Jason Seed Elixer Ensemble, Where The Corners Meet; JAZZ – Ernie Watts, Analog Man; LATIN – Jose Conde & Ola Fresca, Revolucion; LIVE PERFORMA NCE – Marco Benevento, Live At Tonic; NEW AGE – Priscilla Hernandez, Ancient Shadows; POP/ROCK (TIE) – Joan As Policewoman, Real Life, – and – No More Kings, No More Kings; R&B – Aja West & Friends, Total Recall 2012; RAP/HIP-HOP – Zeph & Azeem, Rise Up; WORLD FUSION – Cholo Soy – Jamie Cuadra, Peruvian Waltz Chillout; WORLD TRADITIONAL – Alasdair White, An Clàr Geal.

SONG CATEGORIES

ALT. COUNTRY – Yarn, “No Future Together;” AMERICANA – Boulder Acoustic Society, “Does It Really Matter;” BLUES – Little Miss Higgins, “In The Middle Of Nowhere;” CHILDREN’S – Kira Willey, “Caterpillar, Caterpillar;” CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN – Vincent Joseph Manzo, “Only By Grace;” COUNTRY – Miko Marks, “It Feels Good;” DANCE/ELECTRONICA – Midville, “Wicked;” FILM/TV & MULTIMEDIA – Jennifer Kreisberg, “Have Hope;” FOLK/ SINGER-SONGWRITER – Tannis Slimmon, “Ernest, Charlie & Allan;” GOSPEL – Robbin Thompson, “Move On Down The Line;” HARD ROCK/METAL – Pløk, “I Do Not Live In A Condo;” JAM – The Frequency, “Jim Gordon Part II;” JAZZ – Stanley Maxwell, “Mousetrap;” LATIN – Zoraida Santiago, “Canciones Por Todas Partes;” NEW AGE – Jeff Oster, “Saturn Calling;” POP/ROCK – The Appl es In Stereo, “Same Old Drag;” PUNK – Girl In A Coma, “Clumsy Sky;” RAP/HIP-HOP – Animate Objects, “El Dorado;” R&B – Ari Gold, “Love Wasn’t Built In A Day;” SOCIAL ACTION – Kenny White, “How Long;” WORLD FUSION – Luca Mundaca, “Ha Dias;” WORLD TRADITIONAL – Lionel Loueke, “Kponnon Kpètè.”