Qobuz wins 2026 AIM Independent Music Champion Award

Award from the Association of Independent Music (AIM) recognises Qobuz’s commitment to independent music

Paris, 24 September 2026 — Qobuz, the independently owned, artist-first music streaming and download platform, has won the Independent Music Champion Award at the 2026 AIM Independent Music Awards, recognising its ongoing commitment to supporting independent artists, labels and the wider independent music ecosystem.

Presented by the Association of Independent Music, the Independent Music Champion Award recognises an individual or organisation that has demonstrated unwavering and exceptional support for the independent community over the past year.

The 16th Independent Music Awards took place at London’s Roundhouse on 22 September, bringing together artists, labels, entrepreneurs and teams from across the sector. The 2026 ceremony was held under AIM’s theme of ‘Collective Strength’, celebrating the networks, partnerships and communities behind the sector’s creative and commercial success. The evening featured live performances from The Selecter, Jalen Ngonda and Naima Bock, with The Selecter’s Pauline Black also receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.

Qobuz was recognised for its distinctive approach to music discovery and its sustained support of independent music. The platform combines high-resolution audio with human-curated playlists, expert editorial, detailed album information and artist credits, working closely with labels and distributors to ensure diverse releases receive important visibility.

Above: Rachel Silton, Dan Mackta and Euan Dacourt of Qobuz. Photograph: Diya K

In 2025, more than 41% of all streams on Qobuz in the UK came from independent labels, reflecting the platform’s focus on bringing independent music to audiences alongside a broad range of releases. Qobuz also introduced Label Pages, giving labels a dedicated space within the platform to showcase their catalogues and making it easier for Qobuz users to discover music from their favourite independent labels. The platform’s lossless and high-resolution download store provides an additional source of revenue for artists and labels.

Qobuz’s commitment to the independent community also extends beyond its platform. In the UK, the company has supported events and organisations including the Brick Lane Jazz Festival and Conference, Independent Label Market, The Great Escape, We Out Here, and Soho Radio. Qobuz also sponsored the Best Boutique Label Awards at the 2026 AIM Independent Music Awards, won by untitled (recs).

The recognition follows Qobuz being named Independent Champion at the 2026 Libera Awards, presented by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), in June. Together, the two awards reflect Qobuz’s support for the independent music community across its international markets.

‘We’re incredibly proud to receive the Independent Music Champion Award from AIM,’ said Dan Mackta, Managing Director, North America, UK & Ireland, Australia & New Zealand and the Nordics at Qobuz.

‘Supporting independent music has been at the heart of Qobuz from the beginning, and it remains central to what we do. From our human-led curation and editorial to the partnerships and initiatives we back, we’re committed to helping great music reach the audiences it deserves. It’s particularly meaningful to have that commitment recognised by AIM and the independent music community.’