2022 Libera Awards information
FAQ
The Libera Awards features two separate events: an in-person ticketed gala of the industry and advocacy award, and a separate free stream featuring consumer-facing awards and performances from top independent artists.
- The in-person ticketed gala takes place on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at Webster Hall in New York City from 6:00-11:00 p.m. ET.
- You can stream the Libera Awards on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. ET exclusively on YouTube.
Ticket and event questions:
The A2IM Libera Awards event will feature:
- A full sit-down, multicourse dinner.
- An all-you can drink open bar.
- A red carpet entry.
- Access to the Libera Awards Viewing Party at the Ritz at Webster Hall (see below for details).
- Access to the post-dinner celebratory after party at the Ritz at Webster Hall.
- Special guest appearances.
- The best networking in the independent music community.
- Our sincere thanks for your support of our work on the protection of music copyrights on a policy level. We couldn’t do it without you.
During the covid-19 pandemic, the Libera Awards reached a global audience of over 46,000 viewers streaming on YouTube. To ensure that fans at home can participate and support their favorite independent artists, many Libera Awards will be given in a ceremony streamed on YouTube. We will continue this new tradition in 2022: The Libera Awards Viewing Party will show this stream live at the Ritz in Webster Hall over cocktails, prior to the dinner ceremony. We’ll toast all the winners and nominees together!
The following Libera Awards will be presented live in New York City:
- A2IM Humanitarian Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Best Sync Usage
- Creative Packaging
- Independent Champion
- Label of the Year (Big)
- Label of the Year (Medium)
- Label of the Year (Small)
- Marketing Genius
- Excellence in Sustainability
- Excellence in Advocacy
- Congressional Independent Music Guardian
The following Libera Awards will be presented during the streaming ceremony:
- Record of the Year
- Video of the Year
- Best Live/Livestream Act
- Best Outlier Record
- Best Reissue
- Breakthrough Artist/Release
- Independent Icon Award
- Self-Released Record of the Year
- Best Alternative Rock Record
- Best Americana Record
- Best Blues Record
- Best Classical Record
- Best Country Record
- Best Dance Record
- Best Electronic Record
- Best Folk/Bluegrass Record
- Best Heavy Record
- Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record
- Best Jazz Record
- Best Latin Record
- Best Pop Record
- Best Punk Record
- Best R&B Record
- Best Rock Record
- Best Spiritual Record
- Best World Record
All ticket holders will receive a full multicourse dinner and dessert, as well as an open bar. Plant-based meal options are available.
See the full seating chart here.
Hero, Patron, and Benefactor tickets must be purchased as tables (10 seats). There are limited half-tables (5 seats) available in the Benefactor section. Please request your top three corresponding table choices per the seating chart at registration.
Supporter tickets in the balcony can be purchased as single tickets. Some Supporter tickets have an obstructed view, as noted. Screens will be viewable in the balcony.
We will work to our best ability to accommodate any seating requests between groups, however, Supporter seating requests are not guaranteed. If you wish to guarantee seating with your group, we suggest purchasing a full table or half-table.
Yes! During registration, please leave the unknown attendee information blank. These fields will automatically populate as “Reserved Attendee.” Our ticketing team will contact you at a later date to secure names of all attendees. All attendee names must be complete by Friday, June 10, 2022.
Covid-19 vaccination is required and will be checked at the door. Masks and face coverings are optional.
Yes, the venue is ADA accessible.
Contact us at [email protected].
Contact us at [email protected].
Contact [email protected] to join now.
Submissions for the 2022 Libera Awards are now closed. Submissions for 2023 will open in the autumn.
Contact [email protected]. Please note that we receive a high volume of performance requests and will respond accordingly.
award Category descriptions
To qualify, artists/submissions must be independently owned/controlled, and released in the United States and its Territories between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021.
Best record
Most impactful or visually compelling short-form music video.
Best independent label with 15 or more worldwide full-time employees. The total number of employees is based on the number of worldwide employees of the parent label.
Best independent label with 6-14 worldwide full-time employees. The total number of employees is based on the number of worldwide employees of the parent label.
Best independent label with 5 or fewer worldwide full-time employees. The total number of employees is based on the number of worldwide employees of the parent label.
Program or work that a person, artist or company has done to better the world at large through or with the independent music community.
Best live/livestream individual performance that took place in the calendar year.
If the individual performance took place after the submission process is closed, but within the eligibility period, you must send a link to the performance by December 31, 2021. If you are submitting for an entire series you must choose one individual performance to represent the series.
Best record that does not fit other, traditional Libera Awards categories. Recordings nominated for this category cannot be nominated for other categories.
Best re-issue record with at least fifty percent (50%) of the recordings first commercially available prior to January 1, 2016. This includes compilations
Open to any synchronization that has appeared, for the first time, within the US during the eligibility period. The release date of the synced composition does not need to be within the eligibility period.
Artist or group that have significantly raised their profile and has achieved breakthrough commercial success, in the United States, for the first time, during the eligibility period. “Supergroups” are not eligible for this category.
Best or most creative packaging, physical or digital including bundled packages, premium offerings or artwork/design packaging.
The non-label entity or individual that best supported and championed Independent labels and artists this year.
The most innovative/creative marketing campaign for a record released during the eligibility period.
This category celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of independent self-releasing artists. The submission must be fully self-released by an individual artist or group. Records co-released with record labels or as a subsidiary of a parent company are not eligible.
Best alternative rock record 🤘
Best Americana record ♨️
Best Blues record 🌀
Best classical record; this category includes all periods and all sizes of ensemble or solo.
Best country record ⛰
Best dance record
Best electronic record 🚦
Best folk/bluegrass record 🌾
Best heavy record e.g. metal, hardcore, and all other sounds you would consider as such.
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record
Best Jazz Record 🥃
Best Latin Record 💥
Best Pop Record 🔮
Best punk record; this includes all iterations and sub-genres of punk music e.g. post-punk, punk rock
Best R&B Record
Best Rock Record
Best Spiritual Record
Best World Record
