De La Soul, Sufjan Stevens, Margo Price, Caroline Polachek, and More Among 2024 Libera Award Winners

Margo Price, Killer Mike, Caroline Polachek, Blind Boys of Alabama, Sufjan Stevens, and IDLES, were among the winners of the 2024 Libera Awards. Hosted by comedian and musician Marcia Belsky, the 13th annual awards ceremony, presented by A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.), was held on Monday, June 10 at Gotham Hall in New York City.

Singer/songwriter Mitski took home the Record of the Year for The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (Dead Oceans). Previous Record of the Year winners include 2023 winner Wet Leg, and past honorees Big Thief, Phoebe Bridgers, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Japanese Breakfast, Alabama Shakes, and the War on Drugs.

De La Soul also picked up the most awards of the evening for Best Reissue for 3 Feet High & Rising, which also won for Creative Packaging. Named after Johnny Cash‘s 1959 song “Five Feet High and Rising,” 3 Feet High and Rising was De La Soul’s breakthrough 1989 debut, featuring the No. 1 hit “Me Myself and I,” along with singles “Buddy,” “Eye Know,” and “The Magic Number.”

The hip-hop trio, whose founding member Trugoy the Dove died in 2023, also picked up the Marketing Genius for the De La Soul Catalog Release.

Throughout the ceremony, Angel Olsen also picked up the award for Best Singer-Songwriter Record for her 2023 EP Forever Means; IDLES won Music Video of the Year for “Dancer”; Polachek picked up the Self-Released Record of the Year award for Desire, I Want To Turn Into You; Best Country Album went to Margo Price for Strays; and Stevens won Best Folk Album for Javelin, among other awardees.

The late Betty Davis, who died in 2020 at age 77, also won a posthumous award for Best Soul/Funk Record for the reissue of her 1995 release Crashin’ from Passion.

“Following an unforgettable evening at the 2024 Libera Awards, we are proud to honor the exceptional talents and achievements within the independent music community,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, president and CEO of A2IM, in a statement. “Each winner showcases the innovation, creativity, and resilience that drive our industry forward. Congratulations to all the artists, labels, and contributors whose passion and dedication continue to inspire us. Your work enriches the cultural landscape and sets new standards for excellence in music.”

Check out the full list of 2024 Libera Award winners below.

Record of the Year
Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (Dead Oceans)

Breakthrough Artist presented by Virgin Music Group
Blondshell (Partisan Records)

Music Video of the Year
IDLES – “Dancer” (Partisan Records)

Self-Released Record of the Year
Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Perpetual Novice)

Label of the Year (5 or fewer employees)
True Panther

Label of the Year (6-14 employees)
Light in the Attic

Label of the Year (15 or more employees)
Partisan Records

Independent Champion presented by Merlin
Bandcamp

Distributor of the Year
Redeye Worldwide

Publisher of the Year
Secretly Publishing

Best Alternative Rock Record
Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Perpetual Novice)

Best American Roots Record
MJ Lenderman – “Rudolph” (ANTI)

Best Blues Record
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Live In London (Alligator Records)

Best Classical Record
Hauschka – Philanthropy (City Slang)

Best Country Record
Margo Price – Strays (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Dance Record
Romy – Mid Air (Young)

Best Electronic Record
Yaeji – With A Hammer (XL Recordings)

Best Folk Record
Sufjan Stevens – Javelin (Asthmatic Kitty Records)

Best Global Record presented by Redeye Worldwide
WITCH – Zango (Desert Daze Sound)

Best Heavy Record
Model/Actriz – Dogsbody (True Panther)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record
Killer Mike – MICHAEL (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Jazz Record
John Carroll Kirby – Blowout (Stones Throw Records)

Best Latin Record
Helado Negro – “LFO (Lupe Finds Oliveros)” (4AD)

Best Outlier Record
L’Rain – I Killed Your Dog (Mexican Summer)

Best Pop Record
Samia – Honey (Grand Jury Music)

Best Punk Record
Mannequin Pussy – “I Got Heaven” (Epitaph)

Best R&B Record
Sampha – Lahai (Young)

Best Record From Games and Interactive Media
HEALTH – “HATEFUL” (Loma Vista Recordings)

Best Reissue
De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising (AOI Records/Chrysalis Records)

Best Remix
Sudan Archives, ODESZA – “Selfish Soul (ODESZA Remix)” (Stones Throw under exclusive license to Foreign Family Collective/Ninja Tune)

Best Rock Record
Blondshell – Blondshell (Partisan Records)

Best Short-Form Video
IDLES – “Grace” Teaser (Partisan Records)

Best Singer-Songwriter Record
Angel Olsen – Forever Means (Jagjaguwar)

Best Soul/Funk Record
Betty Davis – Crashin’ From Passion (Light in the Attic)

Best Spiritual Record
Blind Boys of Alabama – Echoes of the South (Single Lock Records)

Best Sync Usage
Refused – “New Noise” in The Bear (Season 2) (Epitaph)

Creative Packaging
De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising (AOI Records/Chrysalis Records)

Marketing Genius
De La Soul – De La Soul Catalog Release (AOI Records/Chrysalis Records)

Photo: Mitski by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images