The PLUG Independent Music Awards, or just PLUG Awards, began in 2001 as a "cartel" of music lovers ranging from DJs and managers to indie retailers and fans.
Winners
Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | TV on the Radio, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes | |
| 2006 | Sufjan Stevens, Illinois | |
| 2007 | Band of Horses, Everything All the Time | |
| 2008 | Arcade Fire, Neon Bible |
Americana Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Iron & Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days | |
| 2006 | Calexico & Iron & Wine, In the Reins | |
| 2007 | Band of Horses, Everything All the Time | |
| 2008 | Iron & Wine, The Shepherd's Dog |
Avant Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Liars, They Were Wrong, So We Drowned | |
| 2006 | Animal Collective, Feels | |
| 2007 | Xiu Xiu, The Air Force | |
| 2008 | Liars, Liars |
DJ Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | RJD2, Since We Last Spoke | |
| 2006 | DJ Shadow, One Night in Bangkok | |
| 2007 | Girl Talk, Night Ripper | |
| 2008 | Hot Chip, DJ-Kicks: Hot Chip |
Electronic/Dance Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mouse on Mars, Radical Connector | |
| 2006 | M83, Before the Dawn Heals Us | |
| 2007 | Thom Yorke, The Eraser | |
| 2008 | Justice, Cross |
Hip-Hop Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Madvillain, Madvillainy | |
| 2006 | Danger Doom, The Mouse and the Mask | |
| 2007 | Spank Rock, YoYoYoYoYo | |
| 2008 | Aesop Rock, None Shall Pass |
Indie Rock Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Interpol, Antics | |
| 2006 | Bloc Party, Silent Alarm | |
| 2007 | Yo La Tengo, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass | |
| 2008 | Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam |
Metal Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Dillinger Escape Plan, Miss Machine | |
| 2006 | Fantômas, Suspended Animation | |
| 2007 | Melvins, (A) Senile Animal | |
| 2008 | The Dillinger Escape Plan, Ire Works |
Punk Album of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Bad Religion, The Empire Strikes First | |
| 2006 | Sleater-Kinney, The Woods | |
| 2007 | CSS, Cansei de Ser Sexy | |
| 2008 | Gogol Bordello, Super Taranta! |
Album Art/Packaging of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Arcade Fire, Funeral | |
| 2006 | Sufjan Stevens, Illinois | |
| 2007 | Hot Chip, The Warning | |
| 2008 | Menomena, Friend and Foe |
Music DVD of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Fat Wreck Chords, Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 | |
| 2006 | The Flaming Lips, The Fearless Freaks | |
| 2007 | Pixies, loudQUIETloud |
Music Video of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Decemberists, "Sixteen Military Wives" | |
| 2007 | Wolf Parade, "I'll Believe in Anything" |
|
| 2008 | Battles, "Atlas" |
Song of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Band of Horses, "The Funeral" |
|
| 2008 | The National, "Fake Empire" |
Artist of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Interpol | |
| 2006 | Bright Eyes | |
| 2007 | J Dilla | |
| 2008 | Radiohead |
New Artist of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Justice | |
| 2007 | Arctic Monkeys | |
| 2006 | Clap Your Hands Say Yeah | |
| 2005 | Arcade Fire |
Live Act of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Death Cab for Cutie | |
| 2006 | Arcade Fire | |
| 2007 | Broken Social Scene | |
| 2008 | Arcade Fire |
Female Artist of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Jean Grae | |
| 2006 | Neko Case | |
| 2007 | Neko Case | |
| 2008 | St. Vincent |
Male Artist of the Year
| Year | Recipient | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Tom Waits | |
| 2006 | Sufjan Stevens | |
| 2007 | Sufjan Stevens | |
| 2008 | Andrew Bird |
2005
- PLUG Artist Impact Award: The Flaming Lips
- Record Producer of the Year: Danger Mouse
- Record Label of the Year: Definitive Jux
- Music Website of the Year: Pitchfork
- Magazine of the Year: The Wire
- College/Non-Comm Radio Station of the Year: KEXP-FM, Seattle, Washington
- Record Store of the Year: Amoeba Music, Hollywood, California
- Specialty Show of the Year: KDLD, Los Angeles, California – Dead Air
- Internet Radio Station of the Year: WOXY.com
2006
- PLUG Artist Impact Award: The Flaming Lips
- Record Producer of the Year: Danger Mouse
- Record Label of the Year: Sub Pop
- Music Festival of the Year : Coachella
- Music Website of the Year: Myspace
- Magazine of the Year: Paste
- College/Non-Comm Radio Station of the Year: KEXP-FM, Seattle, Washington
- Record Store of the Year: Amoeba Music, Hollywood, California
- Zine of the Year: Wax Poetics
- Specialty Show of the Year: WXPN, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – World Café with David Dye
- Internet Radio Station of the Year: indie1031.fm
2007
- Record Producer of the Year: J Dilla
- Record Label of the Year: Sub Pop
- Live Music Venue of the Year: Bowery Ballroom, New York City
- Music Festival of the Year: South by Southwest
- Music Website of the Year: Pitchfork
- Music Blog of the Year: BrooklynVegan
- Magazine of the Year: Paste
- College/Non-Comm Radio Station of the Year: KEXP-FM, Seattle, Washington
- Record Store of the Year: Amoeba Music, Hollywood, California
- Zine of the Year: Wax Poetics
- Specialty Show of the Year: Sirius Left of Center – Blog Radio
- Podcast of the Year: WOXY.com – Lounge Acts
- Internet Radio Station of the Year: WOXY.com
- Online Radio Station of the Year (with Terrestrial Counterpart): KEXP-FM, Seattle
- Online Record Store of the Year: Amazon.com
2008
- Record Label of the Year: Merge Records
- Live Music Venue of the Year: Bowery Ballroom, New York City
- Music Festival of the Year: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
- Music Website of the Year: Pitchfork
- Music Blog of the Year: Stereogum
- Magazine of the Year: Paste
- College/Non-Comm Radio Station of the Year: KEXP-FM, Seattle, Washington
- Record Store of the Year: Other Music, New York City
- Zine of the Year: Wax Poetics
- Specialty Show of the Year: Sirius Left of Center – Blog Radio
- Online Radio Station of the Year: KCRW, Santa Monica, California
- Online Record Store of the Year: iTunes