Geese, Oklou Win Big at Libera Indie Awards

The 2026 Libera Awards ceremony was held on Monday at Gotham Hall in New York City, a venue steeped in history. Originally constructed as a bank in the early 20th century, the building is known for its grand Beaux-Arts architecture and sits just a short walk from Madison Square Garden. The event, organized by Merlin and the Foundation for Independent Music with support from the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), celebrated the independent music sector by handing out roughly 38 awards. Among the standout winners were the band Geese and French electronic artist Oklou, alongside Partisan Records, which earned the label-of-the-year honor. The evening also featured live sets from artists like Mdou Moctar, Valerie June, Dawn Richard, and Aaron Maine of Porches. Notably, the same night saw the New York Knicks lose Game Three of the NBA Championship at the Garden, while President Trump faced loud boos from the hometown crowd there—a reminder of the city's vibrant and often unpredictable cultural landscape.

Terry McBride and Mark Jowett, co-founders of Canada’s Nettwerk Music Group, were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2026. Nettwerk, a pioneering independent label that launched the career of Sarah McLachlan, has been a cornerstone of the indie music scene since its founding in 1984. Rough Trade NYC received the inaugural Libera Award for Best Independent Record Store, underscoring the continued relevance of physical retail spaces in an era dominated by digital streaming. Geese also won breakthrough artist of the year, sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka. A2IM CEO Ian Harrison praised the event, stating, “The 2026 Libera Awards was an extraordinary night and a powerful reminder of what makes the independent music community so special. The Liberas are unique in celebrating not just the best in music across multiple genres, but also the people and companies who put their passion and creativity in supporting these tremendous artists. These nominees and winners embody the innovation, creativity, and authenticity that are the lifeblood of our industry. Congratulations to all who continue to shape the future of music on their own terms.” Industry analysts note that independent labels now account for nearly 40% of the global music market, a trend driven by streaming platforms that level the playing field for emerging artists—a shift that makes events like the Libera Awards increasingly vital for showcasing diverse talent.

A comprehensive list of winners illustrated the wide range of independent music recognized at the event. Record of the Year, presented by Merlin, was awarded to Geese for “Getting Killed” (Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam). Label of the Year categories saw Partisan Records win for labels with 15 or more employees, Mexican Summer for 6-14, and True Panther Records for five or fewer. Rough Trade NYC was named Best Independent Record Store. Breakthrough Artist, sponsored by Sounds Better With Tito’s, went to Geese (Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam). Other notable wins included Best Alternative Rock Record for Geese’s “Getting Killed,” Best American Roots Record for Hayden Pedigo’s “I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away” (Mexican Summer), and Best Blues Record for Antone’s 50th Allstars’ “The Last Real Texas Blues Album” (New West Records). Best Classical Record was awarded to Tiffany Poon’s “Nature” (Pentatone), Best Country Record to Margo Price’s “Hard Headed Woman” (Loma Vista Recordings), and Best Dance Record to Fcukers’ “I Like It Like That” (Ninja Tune).

In the electronic category, presented by Redeye Worldwide, Oklou triumphed with “choke enough” (True Panther Records). Best Folk Record went to Folk Bitch Trio’s “Now Would Be A Good Time” (Jagjaguwar), Best Global Record to Mdou Moctar’s “Tears of Injustice” (Matador Records), and Best Heavy Record to Model/Actriz’s “Pirouette” (True Panther Records). Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record, presented by AudioSalad, was awarded to Clipse’s “Let God Sort Em Out” (Clipse, under exclusive license to Roc Nation Distribution). Best Jazz Record was Mei Semones’ “Animaru” (Bayonet Records), Best Latin Record went to Lido Pimienta’s “La Belleza” (ANTI-), and Best Outlier Record to Panda Bear’s “Sinister Grift” (Domino). Best Pop Record saw Oklou win again with “choke enough,” while Best Punk Record was Lambrini Girls’ “Who Let The Dogs Out” (City Slang). Best R&B Record went to Thundercat’s “Children of the Baked Potato (feat. Remi Wolf)” (Brainfeeder). Record from Games and Interactive Media was C418’s “Minecraft: Alpha + Beta (Box Set)” (Ghostly International). Best Reissue honored MF DOOM’s “Special Herbs” (Rhymesayers Entertainment/Metalface Records), and Best Remix went to Oklou’s “blade bird (Nick León Broward Mix)” (True Panther Records). Best Rock Record was Wednesday’s “Bleeds” (Dead Oceans), Self-Released Record of the Year went to Hayley Williams’ “Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party” (Post Atlantic), and Best Singer Songwriter Record was Ichiko Aoba’s “Luminescent Creatures” (Psychic Hotline). Best Soul/Funk Record went to Mavis Staples’ “Sad And Beautiful World” (ANTI-), Best Spiritual Record to Lecrae’s “Reconstruction” (Reach Records), and Best Sync Usage to Wet Leg’s “mangetout” (Heated Rivalry) (Domino). Best Creative Packaging was MF DOOM’s “Special Herbs,” Distributor of the Year was Secretly Distribution, and Independent Champion (presented by Bandcamp) went to Qobuz. Marketing Genius was awarded to Geese’s “Getting Killed” campaign, Music Video of the Year (presented by YouTube) to Oklou’s “viscus” (True Panther Records), and Publisher of the Year to Secretly Publishing.