Merlin Members Win Big at the 2023 Libera Awards, Representing 92% of Winners

Congratulations to all of the Merlin members taking home Libera Awards this year. In a record year, Merlin members represented 92% of award winners and 76% of total nominations, which is a testament to their talent, artistry, dedication, and leadership within the independent music community. The following is a list of Merlin member winners.

Record of the Year

Wet Leg – Wet Leg – Domino Recording Co.

Label of the Year (1-5 Employees)

Innovative Leisure (Redeye Worldwide)

Label of the Year (6-14 Employees)

Captured Tracks (Secretly Distribution)

Label of the Year (15 or more Employees)

Partisan Records ([PIAS])

A2IM Humanitarian Award

Killer Mike – Background Music 2.0 (EMPIRE Distribution)

Video of the Year

Wet Leg – Wet Leg – Domino Recording Co.

Breakthrough Artist/Release

Sudan Archives – Stones Throw Records

Best Alternative Rock Record

Wet Leg – Wet Leg – Domino Recording Co. 

Best American Roots Record

Angel Olsen – Big Time – Jagjaguwar (Secretly)

Best Blues Record

Shemekia Copeland – Done Come Too Far – Alligator Records (Exceleration Music)

Best Classical Record

Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Pigments – Merge Records

Best Country Record

Plains – I Walked With You A Ways – ANTI- (Epitaph)

Best Dance Record

Bicep – Water – Ninja Tune

Best Electronic Record

ODESZA – The Last Goodbye – Foreign Family Collective (Ninja Tune)

Best Folk Record

Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You – 4AD (Beggars)

Best Global Record

Rodrigo y Gabriela – Weird Fishes/Arpeggi – ATO Records

Best Heavy Record

black midi – Hellfire – Rough Trade Records (Beggars)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record

Kenny Beats – LOUIE – XL Recordings (Beggars)

Best Jazz Record

Kamasi Washington – The Garden Path – YOUNG (Beggars)

Best Latin Record

Helado Negro – Ya No Astoy Aquí – 4AD (Beggars)

Best Live/Livestream Act

Low – Live – Sub Pop Records

Best Outlier Record

NNAMDï – Please Have A Seat – Secretly Canadian

Best Pop Record

MUNA – MUNA – Saddest Factory Records (Secretly)

Best Punk Record

The Linda Lindas – Growing Up – Epitaph

Best R&B Record

Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen – Stones Throw Records

Best Re-Issue

Fela Kuti – Fela with Ginger Baker Live! – Partisan Records ([PIAS])

Best Remix

Wet Leg – Too Late Now (Soulwax Remix) – Domino Recording Co. 

Best Rock Record

Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia – Partisan Records ([PIAS])

Best Short-Form Video

Toro y Moi – MAHAL TikTok Series – Dead Oceans (Secretly)

Best Singer Songwriter Record

Weyes Blood – And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow – Sub Pop Records

Best Soul/Funk Record

Lee Fields – Sentimental Fool – Daptone Records (Redeye Worldwide)

Best Sync Usage

Stereolab – A Flower Called Nowhere, Atlanta – Warp Records

Creative Packaging

Black Country, New Road – And From Up There, Deluxe – Ninja Tune

Marketing Genius

Wet Leg – Wet Leg – Domino Recording Co.