The 2026 AIR Awards was the twentieth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards ceremony (generally known as the AIR Awards). On 1 February 2026, the date and location was announced alongside the opening of the nomination period (for released between 1 January and 31 December 2025) and closed on 13 March 2026.
In 2026, the dance/electronic award has been expanded. The previous "Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP" is now titled "Best Independent Electronic Album or EP" and two new awards added, "Best Independent Dance/Club Single" and "Best Independent Electronic Single".
The nominations were revealed on 13 May 2026.
Nominees and winners Winners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.
Independent Album of the Year Independent Song of the YearNinajirachi - I Love My Computer Folk Bitch Trio - Now Would Be a Good Time The 046 - Legacy in Motion The Belair Lip Bombs - Again Way Dynamic - Massive ShoeNinajirachi - "iPod Touch" Jem Cassar-Daley - "Kiss Me Like You're Leaving" Keli Holiday - "Dancing2" Playlunch - "Keith" Way Dynamic - "Miffed It" Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EPFolk Bitch Trio Georgia Knight Rageflower Rona. Yes BooneFolk Bitch Trio - Now Would Be a Good Time John Butler - Prism Liz Stringer - The Second High Melbourne Ska Orchestra - The Ballad of Monte Loco Sons of the East - Sons Best Independent Children's Album or EP Best Independent Classical Album or EPTeeny Tiny Stevies - Brain Fart Diver City - Weekend Baby Emma Memma - Dance Island Party Justine Clarke - Mimi's Symphony The Wiggles and The Tree of Wisdom - The Tree of WisdomWilliam Barton and Omega Ensemble - Gift — Our Breath of Life Andrea Lam - Piano Diary Australian String Quartet - Vanessa Perica, String Quartet No. 1 No Feeling is Final Joseph Tawadros - The Forgotten Path to Humanity Rose Riebl - Dust Best Independent Country Album or EP Best Independent Dance / Club SingleRuby Gill - Some Kind of Control Emily Lubitz - Two Black Horses Hayley Jensen - Country Soul Imogen Clark - Choking on Fuel Wade Forster - Gooseneck PartyVV Pete (featuring Utility, Formation Boyz) - "Wassa" Confidence Man and Jade - "Gossip" DJ PGZ and Yikes - "Ouss Ouss" Fisher - "Stay" Shouse - "Sunrise" Best Independent Electronic Single Best Independent Electronic Album or EPNinajirachi - "iPod Touch" Cosmo's Midnight - "45" Keanu Nelson - Place Where I Go/Kapi Ngalyananni Robert Baxter and Sweatbaby - "Icy (Take it Off)" The Superjesus and The Journey - "Something Good"Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer Essendon Airport - MOR Mel Blue - No More Jackets Please Rona. - It's All Here (EP) Shouse - Collective Ecstasy Best Independent Heavy Album or EP Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP Thornhill - Bodies Battlesnake - Dawn of the Exultants and the Hunt for the Shepherd Hands Like Houses - Atmospherics Npcede - Npcede The Maggie Pills - Hearts Enduring Lingering LossDevaura - Vol. 1 Learning in Public Bliss n Eso - The Moon (The Light Side) Elsy Wameyo - Wameyo Jamaica Moana - Bud & Deni Teether & Kuya Neil - Yearn IV Best Independent Jazz Album or EP Best Independent Pop Album or EP Temporary Blessings - Sumbisori Natalie Gauci - Pictures of Mars Phia - When I'm Holding You, I'm Holding Me The Cat Empire - Bird in Paradise Touch Sensitive - In ParadiseWay Dynamic - Massive Shoe Georgia Knight - Beanpole Montaigne - It's Hard to Be a Fish Stella Donnelly - Love and Fortune The Tullamarines - Safety Blanket Best Independent Punk Album or EP Best Independent Rock Album or EP These New South Whales - Godspeed Press Club - To All the Ones That I Love Private Function - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Radio Free Alice - Empty Words (EP) Wet Kiss - Thus Spoke the Broken ChanteusePlaylunch - Sex Ed Spacey Jane - If That Makes Sense Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers - Glory The Belair Lip Bombs - Again The Southern River Band - Easier Said Than Done Best Independent Soul/R&B Album or EP Best Independent LabelWilsn - Bloom Bumpy - Kanana Cookin' on 3 Burners - Cookin' the Books Don West - Give Me All Your Love Felivand - My Body's My True NorthNLV Records ABC Music Astral People Recordings College of Knowledge Mushroom Music Independent Marketing Team of the Year Independent Publicity Team of the YearNLV Records, The Orchard for Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer Mushroom Music for Bliss n Eso - The Moon (The Light Side) Playlunch, ABC Music for Playlunch - "Keith" Secretly Group for Folk Bitch Trio - Now Would Be a Good Time The Annex for Ocean Alley - Love BalloonTwnty Three for Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer Cult Logic for Ocean Alley - Love Balloon Mushroom Music for Bliss n Eso - The Moon (The Light Side) Mushroom Music for Wilsn - Bloom Twnty Three for Folk Bitch Trio - Now Would Be a Good Time Independent Producer of the Year Independent Mix, Studio or Mastering Engineer of the YearNina Wilson for Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer Angus Stone for Dope Lemon - Golden Wolf Benjamin Stewart for Slowly Slowly - Forgiving Spree Dylan Young for Way Dynamic - Massive Shoe Nick DiDia for Ocean Alley - Love BalloonThomas Purcell (p.k.a. Wave Racer) for Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer Becki Whitton, Timothy Harvey, Hannah Cameron for Ruby Gill - Some Kind of Control Leon Zervos for Ocean Alley - Love Balloon Michael Carpenter for Imogen Clark - Choking on Fuel Stephen Mowat for Wilsn - Bloom Independent Music Video of the Year Outstanding Achievement AwardBridgette Winton, Folk Bitch Trio for Folk Bitch Trio - "Cathode Ray" Ball Bass John for Ninajirachi - "Fuck My Computer" Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore for Miss Kaninna - "Backstreets" Tas Wilson, James Adams for Jem Cassar-Daley - "Kiss Me Like You're Leaving" Jasper Van Daatsellar for Way Dynamic - "People Settle Down"Sebastian Chase
See also Music of Australia
References