The AIR Awards Are Just Days Away; Here's Who Could Take Out The Major Awards

Last year, AB Original scooped the pool, taking home five AIR Independent Music Awards, so who will dominate at this year's 12th AIR Awards ceremony? We have a red-hot go at predicting who the big winners will be.

The two most nominated acts this year are The Jungle Giants and RVG, each up for four gongs. History shows that the Best Independent Artist trophy is picked up by a nominee who is shortlisted in multiple categories - eg. AB Original (2017), Courtney Barnett (2015) and Flume (2013) - so, given that RVG are not actually shortlisted in this category, our money's on The Jungle Giants.

These five songs are all absolute belters in their own way and make us swell with pride over the pukka, diverse, homegrown talent on display here. The Jungle Giants' Feel The Way I Do makes us pogo at the desk (luckily it's a stand-up one) and Methyl Ethel's Ubu always results in a, "Why'd you have to go and cut your hair?" singalong, but we're tipping Alex Lahey will take out this category (and not just 'cause she's managed by one of The Music's Directors - full disclosure). Every Day's The Weekend featured in the commercial for clothing label Esmara by Heidi Klum (Google it, it's ace), which is pretty bloody awesome. Plus, it's just so damn catchy!

Again, such a strong category. We cannot get enough of Jen Cloher's fabulous self-titled set, but have noticed it's not unusual for the act that takes out Best Independent Artist to also take out this category: Hilltop Hoods (2006), The Drones (2009), Flume (2013), Courtney Barnett (2015) and AB Original (2017). Also, Quiet Ferocity by The Jungle Giants took out the Queensland Music Award for Album Of The Year earlier this year. That said, The Jungle Giants will probably add this trophy to their collection.   

This is also a tough one, 'cause all of these artists have certainly broken through in major ways over the past year. Since she was named the Josh Pyke Partnership winner in 2017, Angie McMahon has supported a slew of artists such as Alanis Morissette, Father John Misty, Angus & Julia Stone and The Shins, and is now playing her own headline shows with a full band. If there was record for the most festival bookings is a single year, then Baker Boy - whose Cloud 9 and Marryuna singles both landed in the triple j Hottest 100 countdown - would definitely take it out. Since the release of their debut album A Quality Of Mercy, RVG have been on one helluva ride. Romy Vager's band have already graced the Meredith Music Festival stage and just returned from their first international tour, which took in The Great Escape festival in Brighton. 

They've toured relentlessly this year, including an appearance at the Commonwealth Games, Sam Hales is currently overseas writing their next record and The Jungle Giants are so bloody busy that we unfortunately couldn't get a hold of one of them to put their two bob's worth in via a quote before going to print. Stella Donnelly was the name on everyone's lips after BIGSOUND last year and she's just returned from an international tour, taking in The Great Escape, as well. She'll perform at Splendour In The Grass and then return to the UK for more dates - phew! As such, we reckon Donnelly will collect this gong.