WINNERS OF THE 2008 PLUG INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS UNVEILED AT AWARDS CEREMONY & CONCERT IN NEW YORK CITY

Press Release Content:
MARCH 7, 2008

FR: ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/SHAZILA MOHAMMED
      MSO

The winners of the 2008 PLUG INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS were unveiled last night (Thursday, March 6) during the sold-out awards ceremony and concert held at Terminal 5 in New York City. Sponsored by DELL, Ourstage.com, SESAC, Metromix, Lionsgate, iStockphoto, Fairtilizer, Royalty Share, The Bowery Presents and SuperAlright, the Patton Oswalt-hosted event included performances by PLUG Award winners Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (PLUG Impact Award) and St. Vincent (Best Female Artist), along with sets by nominees Dizzee Rascal, Jose Gonzalez, The Forms, White Denim and DiVinci.

Determined by fans via an online voting process through www.plugawards.com, PLUG Award recipients of 29 categories were announced with several actual award presentations made:

Female Artist Of The Year: Annie Clark of St. Vincent, presented by SNL’s Fred Armisen
      
Song Of The Year: The National for “Fake Empire,” presented by Tiny Masters Of Today, the 11- and 13-year-old Brooklyn-based duo who released their debut album last year

New Artist Of The Year: Justice (also winner of Electronic Album of the Year), presented by El-P –producer, multi-nominated artist multiple years for PLUG and co-owner of Def Jux nominated for Hip-Hop album of the year

Indie Rock Album Of The Year: Animal Collective, presented by Tyondai Braxton of BATTLES who were nominated for 7 PLUG Awards this year and the winner of the 2008 PLUG Music Video of the Year

PLUG Impact Award: Nick Cave

Another highlight of the event was the debut of the physical PLUG Award. Crafted by Oklahoma City-based artist Larry Dean Pickering, the intent of the piece is multi-layered. Its base represents strength and stability while the spire represents hope. The contrast between the two signifies the “leap of faith” taken in the pursuit of what is loved. The mirror serves the dual purpose of reflecting an image of the viewer and what’s behind…the road traveled. The PLUG Award is given for what was accomplished and aims to inspire its recipient to keep pushing forward.  Larry’s work includes design, sculpture and metal work for clients such as The Flaming Lips and Wayne Coyne. A photo is attached.

The complete list of winners of the PLUG 2008 Independent Music Awards are:

Album Of The Year
Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (Merge)

New Artist Of The Year
Justice

Female Artist Of The Year
Annie Clark (St. Vincent)

Male Artist Of The Year
Andrew Bird

Indie Rock Album Of The Year
Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (Domino)

Americana Album Of The Year
Iron & Wine – The Shepherd's Dog (Sub Pop)

Metal Album Of The Year
The Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works (Relapse)

Hip-Hop Album Of The Year
Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass (Definitive Jux)

Punk Album Of The Year
Gogol Bordello – Super Taranta! (Side One Dummy)

Electronic/Dance Album Of The Year
Justice – † (Ed Banger/Vice)

DJ Album Of The Year
Hot Chip – DJ-Kicks (!K7)

Avant Album Of The Year
Liars – Liars (Mute)

Artist Of The Year
Radiohead

Song Of The Year
The National – "Fake Empire" – Boxer (Beggars Banquet)

Live Act Of The Year
Arcade Fire

Music Video Of The Year
Battles – "Atlas" (Warp)

Album Art/Packaging Of The Year
Menomena – Friend And Foe (Barsuk)

Label Of The Year
Merge

Live Music Venue Of The Year
Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY)

Music Festival Of The Year
Coachella Valley Music Festival

Music Website Of The Year
Pitchfork Media

Music Blog Of The Year
Stereogum

Magazine Of The Year
Paste

Online Radio Station Of The Year
KCRW

Record Store Of The Year
Other Music (New York, NY)

Zine Of The Year
Wax Poetics

Online Record Store Of The Year
iTunes

College/Non-Comm Radio Station Of The Year
KEXP (Seattle, WA)

Specialty Show Of The Year (Commercial Radio)
Sirius: Left Of Center – Blog Radio (New York, NY)

About PLUG Independent Music Awards:
Founded in 2001, with its first annual awards ceremony in 2004, the PLUG Independent Music Awards embrace and honor the independent music community and its fans who now represent a $3 billion industry with over 30% of the U.S. music market, and growing. It has become a symbol of a vast community coming together to recognize their own including a broad spectrum of musicians, record labels, writers, DJs, websites, bloggers, artists, filmmakers, managers, indie retailers and most importantly fans who gather together each year to celebrate the artists who live and flourish outside the mainstream. Past PLUG Awards recipients and participants include The Flaming Lips, Stephen Malkmus, TV On The Radio, Matisyahu, The National, Aesop Rock, Silversun Pickups and many more, plus 2007 PLUG Awards ceremony host David Cross.

For more information on the PLUG Independent Music Awards, contact:
MSO 818 380 0400
Alexandra Greenberg x223, agreenberg@msopr.com
Shazila Mohammed x238, shazila@msopr.com

Press Release Teaser:
WINNERS OF THE 2008 PLUG INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS UNVEILED AT AWARDS CEREMONY & CONCERT IN NEW YORK CITY; THE PLUG AWARD STATUE, DESIGNED BY LARRY DEAN PICKERING MAKES DEBUT