It’s that time of the year again – the Australian Independent Records Labels Association (AIR) has announced the nominees for the 2007 Jagermeister AIR Awards.

The Awards, which debuted last year, recognise achievements made in Australian independent music. This year’s nominees range from established names such as Hilltop Hoods and The John Butler Trio to next-big-things like The Cops and Wolf & Cub. Every artist up for an honour both releases on a local independent record label and is distributed through an Australian owned distribution company, making this a unique and worthy awards bash.

The awards will be held on December 10 in Melbourne.

The nominees for the 2007 Jagermesiter AIR Awards are below. See the AIR WEBSITE for more details.

Best Performing Independent Album:
Sneaky Sound System – Sneaky Sound System (Whack Records/MGM)
Blue King Brown – Stand Up (Roots Level/MGM)
The John Butler Trio – Grand National (Jarrah Records/MGM)
Birds of Tokyo – Day One (Egg Records/MGM)
Hilltop Hoods – The Hard Road Restrung (Obese Records)
Wolf & Cub – Vessels (Dot Dash/Inertia Music)

Best Performing Independent Single/EP:
The John Butler Trio – Funky Tonight (Jarrah Records/MGM)
Sneaky Sound System – Pictures (Whack Records/MGM)
The Cops – 80 in the Shade (Inertia Music)
Sneaky Sound System – UFO (Whack Records/MGM)
Sneaky Sound System – I Love it (Whack Records/MGM)
Ricki-Lee – Can’t Touch it (Public Opinion/Shock)

Best Independent Artist:
Sneaky Sound System (Whack Records/MGM)
The John Butler Trio (Jarrah Records/MGM)
Hilltop Hoods (Obese Records)
Gotye (Samples ‘n’ Seconds/Creative Vibes)
Wolf & Cub (Dot Dash/Inertia Music)

Most Outstanding New Independent Artist:
Birds of Tokyo (Egg Records/MGM)
Muph & Plutonic (Obese Records)
Macromantics (Remote Control/Inertia Music)
British India (Flashpoint/Shock)
Toni Collette and the Finish (Hoola Hoop/MGM)
Urthboy (Elefant Traks / Inertia Music)

Best Independent Blues & Roots Release:
Ash Grunwald – Give Signs (Delta Grooves/Shock)
Blue King Brown – Stand Up (Roots Level/MGM)
CW Stoneking – King Hokumi! (Low Transit Industries/Inertia Music)
The John Butler Trio – Grand National (Jarrah Records/MGM)
The Beautiful Girls – Ziggurats (Die Boredom!/MGM)

Best Independent Dance/Electronic Release:
The Hard Road Restrung – Hilltop Hoods (Obese Records)
Urthboy – The Signal (Elefant Traks/Inertia Music)
Gotye – Mixed Blood (Samples ‘n’ Seconds/Creative Vibes)
Midnight Juggernauts – Dystopia (Siberia/Inertia Music)
Sneaky Sound System – Sneaky Sound System (Whack Records/MGM)

Best Country Release:
Gina Jeffreys – Walks of Life (Independent/MGM)
Tania Kernaghan – Higher Ground (Independent/Shock)
Paul Costa – Restoration (Independent/Shock )
Amber Lawrence – The Mile (Independent/MRA)

Best Jazz Release:
Fourplay – Now to the Future (Smart Pussy Records/MGM)
Triosk – The Headlight Serenade (Independent/Inertia Music)
Greg Meyer – Greg Meyer (Swingworks Music/MGM)
Ben Winkleman Trio – The Spanish Tinge (Jazzhead/MGM)