Fcukers lead all nominees with three nods in the shortlist for the Association of Independent Music’s 2026 Independent Music Awards.

The New York-based electronic duo is nominated in the best independent album (Ö, Ninja Tune), best independent track (“L.U.C.K.Y.”) and independent breakthrough categories.

The 2026 ceremony will take place at London’s Roundhouse on Sept. 22, and will honor an array of indie musicians, labels, companies and creators across a wide variety of categories.

Six acts follow with two nominations each: Jalen Ngonda (Daptone Records), Jim Legxacy (XL Recordings), Jorja Smith (FAMM), Nova Twins (Marshall Records), Romy (XL Recordings) and Tiana Major9 (+1 Records).

Young leads all labels with five nominations across all categories, followed by XL Recordings and Ninja Tune with four apiece, and FAMM and Marshall Records each earning three nominations.

Competing for best independent album are BICEP, Blawan, Fcukers, Geese, Mitski, Nova Twins, Prostitute, Robyn Scaler and Thundercat.

More categories and nominations will be announced in the coming months, with submissions open for the publicly voted best live performer and best independent record store categories. Submissions can be entered at the Independent Music Awards website.

Gee Davy, CEO of AIM said in a statement, “We’re thrilled to share the first nominees list for the 2026 Independent Music Awards, showcasing just some of the broad spectrum of success and authenticity flowing from the U.K.’s independent music community. The array of artists and genres on display here demonstrates once again that the independent music sector is the most exciting, authentic and groundbreaking place in the industry.

“Following our 15th anniversary edition of the awards last year, we have a fresh new look and feel, reflecting the consistent evolution of the independent music sector,” Davy continued. “We look forward to sharing more new features at the ceremony at London’s Roundhouse as we celebrate the success that comes from the collective strength of our mighty community.”

At the 2025 ceremony, Fontaines D.C. won best independent album for Romance, Ezra Collective claimed best independent track for “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing” and XL Recordings took home best independent label. DJ and curator Giles Peterson was recognized with the outstanding contribution to music and Throbbing Gristle member Cosey Fanni Tutti with the innovator prize.

See the full list of nominees so far below.

Best independent track

DEBBY FRIDAY, “Bet On Me” (Sub Pop Records)
Fcukers, “L.U.C.K.Y” (Ninja Tune)
Genesis Owusu, “Stampede” (Ourness)
Jalen Ngonda, “Doctrine of Love” (Daptone Records)
Jim Legxacy, “3x” (XL Recordings)
Jorja Smith, “The Way I Love You” (FAMM)
Nova Twins, “Piranha” (Marshall Records)
Robyn, “Dopamine” (Young / Konichiwa)
Romy, “Love Who You Love” (Young)
Tiana Major9, “Desire” (+1 Records)

Best independent album

BICEP, TAKKUUK (Original Soundtrack) (Ninja Tune, EarthSonic)
Blawan, SickElixir (XL Recordings)
Fcukers, Ö (Ninja Tune)
Geese, Getting Killed (Partisan Records)
Mitski, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me (Dead Oceans)
Nova Twins, Parasites & Butterflies (Marshall Records)
Prostitute, Attempted Martyr (Mute)
Robyn, Sexistential (Young / Konichiwa)
SCALER, Endlessly (Black Acre)
Thundercat, Distracted (Brainfeeder)

Independent breakthrough

Fat Dog (Domino Recording Co.)
Fcukers (Ninja Tune)
Jalen Ngonda (Daptone Records)
Tiana Major9 (+1 Records)
Ego Ella May (Believe UK)

Best independent mixtape/EP

Bricknasty, Blacks Law (FAMM)
Jim Legxacy, black british music (2025) (XL Recordings)
Naima Bock, Live in Toulon (Sub Pop Records)
Strandz, Diaspora Dance Music (Strandz Music)
TTSSFU, Blown (Partisan Records)

Best independent remix

Overmono, “If We Ever” (High Contrast Remix) (XL Recordings)
Sherelle, Romy, “Love Who You Love”(SHERELLE’s Intelligent Dyke Music Remix) (Young)
Robyn, “Sexistential” (Arca’s Take) (Young / Konichiwa)
Jorja Smith, TS7, “The Way I Love You” (TS7 Remix) (FAMM)
House Gospel Choir and Donae’O, “You” (Donae’O Remix) (Swear Down Music)

One to Watch

Ashaine White (Marshall Records)
Alewya (LDN Records)
Lauren Auder (untitled (recs))
Mandy, Indiana (Sacred Bones Records)
Native James (Saviour Music)

SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian prime minister’s assurances that tech and AI companies can’t use copyright-protected works including consent, credit and compensation has been warmly welcomed by the international music publishers community.

Earlier, on Wednesday, prime minister Anthony Albanese addressed AI in a presentation at the University of Sydney, with a speech that left no doubt about the government’s position.

“No company should use Australian books, music, art or news to build or train AI without the artist’s control. That includes the artist’s control of the price and value of their work,” he remarked. “Anything less, is theft.”

Those comments put at ease an industry nervous that copyright projections could be carved out by a tech sector hungry to use music and creative works for AI purposes without licenses.

That won’t happen, Albanese insists. And the “implications are global,” notes John Phelan, director general of the Brussels-based International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP), which represents 90% of the world’s commercially released music and whose members include Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, BMG, Kobalt, Reservoir and Concord Music Publishing, alongside thousands of other indie publishers.

“Our international industry fully agrees” with Albanese’s stance, Phelan adds, “and looks forward to continuing to build only those AI and music markets which are built wholly on consent, credit and compensation.”

ICMP’s Australasian affiliate AMPAL had lobbied against text and data mining exceptions, and signed the creative industries’ Open Letter to Government, along with ARIA, AIR, APRA AMCOS and other trade bodies and artists, calling on the federal government to reject any weakening of copyright protections.

“Australia holds something no other country possesses: more than sixty thousand years of First Nations culture,” reads the AI Open Letter. “Those songs, stories, images and languages are living cultural heritage. Any framework that weakens the protection of creative work puts that heritage at risk of being absorbed into AI systems in ways that are extractive, disrespectful and irreversible.”

Members from the association and other industry bodies visited Parliament House in Canberra earlier this month, in a united effort to get the message through. “If AI companies want to use music, they need permission, they need a license and they need to pay fairly,” AMPAL CEO Damian Rinaldi said at the time. “Licensing is already working. Australia should not weaken copyright to solve a problem the market is already solving.” 

Albanese agreed. And despite lobbying from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Google and others, the government rejected the tech sector requests that music be used without permission, and pushed back on proposals for a fund for the use of creative industries’ work. 

In his speech this week, Albanese remarked that Australian writers, musicians, artists and journalists “must retain ownership and control of their work,” and that “our laws will spell that out, plain as day.” At the same time, Albanese announced the create of an “Office of AI,” operating within the department of prime minister and cabinet and facilitate the design of “Australian standards” for the technology.

Australia’s industry leaders have welcomed Albanese’s comments, while the ICMP’s Phelan thanked the the PM for delivering a “landmark and highly positive statement” on the issue.

The prime minister’s speech “AI in Australia’s interests” can be read here.

Versatile. Joyful. Family. Sam Neill was all of those things and more to Jimmy Barnes, the great Australian rocker.

Neill, the Northern Ireland-born, New Zealand-raised actor who memorably led the way in scores of films, from ‘90s blockbuster Jurassic Park to Jane Campion’s Academy Award-winner The Piano, Event Horizon, Dead Calm, My Brilliant Career, the Peaker Blinders series, and many others, died Monday, March 13. He was 78.

“What a day it’s been. My dear friend Sam left us today,” writes Barnes, who boasts an unmatched 22 No. 1 albums in Australia, including 16 solo leaders and six with Cold Chisel. “I can’t believe we will no longer be eating great food together and sharing the odd glass of wine down at his winery, while laughing, singing and solving the problems of the world together.”

Neill, he continues, “was a big part of our lives. He was family. He lifted our spirits when he walked in the room. Sam was everything he appeared to be on the screen. Caring, funny, intelligent, charming, honest, talented, the list could go on. He sat with me while I recovered in hospital and I sat with him when he needed me. We shared a lot in this life and for that, I will be always thankful. Rest easy, dear Sam. You are always in our hearts.”

Fellow Australian rockers The Cruel Sea remembered Neill for his “superb acting and his wonderful presence off screen,” and for those quirky videos that kept the flame burning for so many of us during the pandemic — including a Radiohead cover, performed on ukulele. “One of my great small joys through Covid and recent years was to follow him on Instagram. Such a funny and charming man full of humble Kiwi stoicism and humanity,” writes The Cruel Sea’s bass player Kenny Gormly.

Neill had friends everywhere, across the creative industries and into the halls of power. He attended the ARIA Hall of Fame ceremony in Sydney on June 11, a special guest of inductee and fellow Kiwi Jenny Morris.

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern inducted Morris on the night, and “had the profound joy of sitting with Sam Neill, talking about life, politics, and home,” she recounts in a social post. “He was such a thoughtful, curious, and decent person. Someone who was principled, unafraid of speaking his mind, and willing to take up a fight when he saw injustice. He was also an artist, and anyone who watched him perform knew he was someone special. We’ve lost another incredible kiwi, and I feel profoundly sad.”

Prior to his passing, Neill fought and beat an advanced blood cancer, Stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, thanks to an innovative CAR T-cell therapy. He was cancer-free at the time of his death. However, his immune system was compromised by the treatment and the beloved actor succumbed to pneumonia, his agent has confirmed.

His death was confirmed in a post on his official Instagram account.

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” the post reads. “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”

Neill’s survivors include his children, Andrew, Tim and Elena, and six grandchildren.

Read more on his life and career at The Hollywood Reporter.

Karol G’s got a few pranks up her sleeve — and sometimes her friends are the target.

The Grammy winner was part of Elle’s “Phoning It In” series, in which guest celebrities prank-call friends and family while listening to their reactions on speaker.

“I’m a huge pranker. I’m always pranking my team. They suffer a lot,” she admitted at the beginning of the episode, during which she called three people: her manager, Raymond Acosta; her friend and guest on the upcoming Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour, Becky G; and her best friend, Daiky Gamboa, to whom she said she was postponing the tour to go “find love” on a TV show.

“I had the most random thing happen to me. Apparently, the team here is moving the whole tour around because something came up that’s supposedly 10 times better — me going on Love Island,” she said to Gamboa, who replied, “What are you talking about?”

Karol went on to explain that “There’s a show called Love Island,” and “it’s supposedly a show to find love.”

Gamboa interrupted by asking, “Wait, are you serious, or are you joking?” 

The Colombian artist confirmed, “I’m serious. Noah called me to tell me this was literally the coolest thing ever and that it would take my career to the next level.”

Gamboa then tells her she is too famous for the hit reality show. “No celebrity I know — at your level, anyway — has ever done anything like that. Ever,” he said.

“I’m calling you because you’re the one who always knows that whole celebrity world and everything, and I wanted you to tell me, because I’m really nervous and stressed,” Karol replied. 

“That’s a reality show like La Casa de los Famosos,” he replied, at which point Karol can be seen holding back a laugh. “No, no, no, no. I can’t even…I’m honestly in shock that they’re proposing that to you. I swear, I’m in shock.”

“No, but I said yes,” Karol replied in an anguished tone.

“Are you kidding me or what?” Gamboa inquired, making Karol break character and burst out laughing as she admitted it was a joke. 

“You got me, stupid,” he said. 

Karol is gearing up for the world tour, which is set to kick off July 24 in Chicago. On Tuesday (July 13), Venezuelan singer Elena Rose, Colombian singer Greeicy and Becky G announced that they will be opening guests for the artist on select dates of the U.S. leg of the 63-stadium run.

Tropicoqueta, Karol G’s fifth studio album, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart and No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200 following its release.

Upon the album’s debut, La Bichota shattered the record for a female artist by landing 20 simultaneous songs on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart. Of those 20 concurrent hits, 18 were brand-new debuts from the album.