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A2IM Celebrates the Continued Success of Independent Music at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards

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New York, NY (February 2, 2026) – A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.) congratulates the independent labels who celebrated  GRAMMY-winning releases at the 68th GRAMMY Awards® this past weekend. The awards continues to underscore a sustained shift in the music industry, as independent companies continue to drive artistic innovation, commercial success, and cultural impact across genres.

This year’s GRAMMY-winning releases span a wide range of categories and include projects from A2IM member labels American Dogwood, ANTI-, Candid Records, Concord, Craft Recordings, EMPIRE, Leo33, Mack Avenue Records, Partisan Records, Pentatone, Rounder Records and Young. Together, these wins reflect the breadth, diversity, and creative ambition that define today’s independent music community.
 
“The continued success of independent labels at the GRAMMY Awards is not a trend, it’s a reflection of how today’s music ecosystem truly works,” said A2IM CEO, Ian Harrison. “Independent companies are building successful careers globally while preserving creative freedom and long-term artist development. We are proud to celebrate the independent community whose work is shaping the future of recorded music.”

Additionally this year, as part of GRAMMY Week, A2IM hosted its first A2IM Independent Breakfast at the GRAMMY House, this past Saturday. A2IM members from across the globe were able to gather together to enjoy the past year’s accomplishments as well as discuss what lies ahead in 2026.

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About A2IM

A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of over 600 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical and cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest recorded music industry sector.