Ahh, the oncoming awards season. It's a time when the heavyweights in the various entertainment industries get together to slap each other on the backs and congratulate themselves over a job well done with gift baskets, elegantly-dressed starlets and for some continuing reason, Andy Dick. With independent music long being the redheaded stepchild at the music awards shows (remember when Steely Dan won Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2001?), the PLUG Independent Music Awards was born to recognize the best in independent music.
Why the history lesson? Because it's voting time for the 2008 PLUG awards, that's why. And we're pretty proud to announce that Ground Control had a presence on this year's PLUG Cartel, the nominating committee for the awards. It's nice to know that we are considered to be among those "key tastemakers recognized by the music community as those who fight most to raise the voice of independent artists and releases in every medium."
Now, to separate the actual winners from those who will end up saying "it's an honor just to be nominated" is you, the fan. Head on over to www.plugawards.com between now and February 8th to vote for your favorites. The winners will be announced at the awards show and concert on March 6th in NYC.
Here's a sampling of the nominees. Check out the full list and get your vote on at www.plugawards.com:
Album Of The Year:
† (Downtown/Vice/Ed Banger) – Justice
100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Boxer (Beggars Banquet) – The National
Cease To Begin (Sub Pop) – Band Of Horses
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge) – Spoon
Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (Polyvinyl) – Of Montreal
I'll Sleep When You're Dead (Definitive Jux) – El-P
In Rainbows (self-released) – Radiohead
Mirrored (Warp) – Battles
Neon Bible (Merge) – Arcade Fire
Person Pitch (Paw Tracks) – Panda Bear
The Flying Club Cup (Ba Da Bing) – Beirut
Artist Of The Year:
Animal Collective
Arcade Fire
Band Of Horses
Battles
El-P
Justice
Of Montreal
Okkervil River
Panda Bear
Radiohead
Spoon
The National
New Artist Of The Year:
Bat For Lashes
Battles
Dan Deacon
Deerhunter
Justice
Los Campesinos!
No Age
Sea Wolf
St. Vincent
Vampire Weekend
White Rabbits
Yeasayer
