And the nominees are….

Canadian Music Week yesterday announced the nominees for the 2016 Indies - the 16th Annual Independent Music Awards – presented with Toronto radio station Indie88. The nominees in the 14 categories include artists who have scored in such other awards as The Junos and Polaris Prize. In fact, three of the most recent Polaris nominees, Tobias Jesso Jr., Viet Cong, and [winner] Buffy Ste. Marie, are featured in the Indies list.

The trophies will be handed out Wednesday May 4th at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. Hosted by Indie88's Raina Douris, the show will feature special performances from nominated artists, including Wintersleep (nominated for Single of the Year), The Strumbellas (nominated for Single of the Year and Group of the Year), Alberta Cross, and The Zolas (nominated for Alternative Group of the Year).

The Indies are supported by the Ontario Media Development Corporation through the Ontario Music Fund. Public and industry votes decide the winners of the 2016 Indies, and fans can now vote online at indies.ca.

2016 INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES

ALBUM OF THE YEAR            
Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion (604 Records)
Grimes - Art Angels (4AD / Crystal Math)
Majical Cloudz - Are You Alone? (Arts and Crafts)
Tobias Jesso Jr. - Goon  (Arts and Crafts)
Viet Cong - Viet Cong (Flemish Eye)
                       
SINGLE OF THE YEAR                       
Arkells - Leather Jacket (Arkells Music Inc. / Universal Music Canada)
Coleman Hell - 2 Heads (604 Records)
Jocelyn Alice – Jackpot (Disruptor Records / Sony Music Canada)
The Strumbellas – Spirits (Six Shooter Records)
Wintersleep – Amerika (Dine Alone Records)
                       
GROUP OF THE YEAR                       
BADBADNOTGOOD (Innovative Leisure)
Metric (Metric Music International Inc. / Universal Music Canada)
The Strumbellas (Six Shooter Records)
Whitehorse (Six Shooter Records)
Young Empires (Pirates Blend Records / Sony Music Canada)
                       
ARTIST OF THE YEAR           
Carly Rae Jepsen (604 Records)
City and Colour (Dine Alone Records)
Grimes (4AD / Crystal Math)
Lights (LIGHTS Music Inc. / Universal Music Canada)
YOAN (Productions J)
                       
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR            
City and Colour (Dine Alone Records)
Hayden (Arts and Crafts)
Tobias Jesso Jr. (Arts and Crafts)
Whitehorse (Six Shooter Records)
Young Empires (Pirates Blend Records / Sony Music Canada)
                       
ABORIGINAL ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR            
A Tribe Called Red (Pirates Blend Records / Sony Music Canada)
Buffy Sainte-Marie (True North Records)
City Natives (Unsigned)
Drezus (Drezus Music)
Tanya Tagaq (Six Shooter Records)
                       
ALTERNATIVE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR                      
Destroyer (Merge)
Half Moon Run (Indica Records / Glassnote Music)
Mac DeMarco (Captured Tracks)
The Zolas (Light Organ Records)
Yukon Blonde (Dine Alone Records)
                       
ELECTRONIC/DANCE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR                       
A-Trak (Last Gang Records)
Braids (Flemish Eye)
Keys N Krates (Dim Mak)
Pomo (HW&W / Ultra Music Canada)
Purity Ring (Last Gang Records)
                       
FRANCOPHONE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR                   
Chocolat (Grosse Boite)
Galaxie (La Meute)
La Bronze (Kartel Musik)
Louis-Jean Cormier (Simone Records)
Marie-Pierre Arthur (Simone Records)
                       
POP ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR              
Coleman Hell (604 Records)
Dan Talevski (eOne Music Canada)
Jocelyn Alice (Disruptor Records / Sony Music Canada)
Ria Mae (Ria Mae Media / Sony Music Canada)
Tyler Shaw (Tyler Ip / Sony Music Canada)
                       
RAP/R&B ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR                  
Daniel Caesar (Independent)
Jazz Cartier (Safe & Sound)
John River (Independent)
SonReal (Black Box)
Spek Won (Independent)
                       
ROCK ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR           
Dilly Dally (Buzz Records)
Hey Rosetta! (HR Music Inc. / Sonic Records)
Monster Truck (Dine Alone Records)
The Elwins (Hidden Pony Records)
The Glorious Sons (Black Box)
                       
SINGER-SONGWRITER ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR                    
Basia Bulat (Secret City Records)
Dan Mangan (Arts and Crafts)
Lindi Ortega (Grand Tour Records / Last Gang)
Patrick Watson (Secret City Records)
The Weather Station (Outside Music)
                       
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR                  
Alabama Shakes (Cadence Music / ATO Records)
Courtney Barnett (Mom + Pop)
Major Lazer (Mad Decent)
Mumford & Sons (Glassnote Music)
Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats (Bottleneck Music / Concord Music Group)