The Purpose

While independent recording artists are earning greater recognition in major label-dominated spaces, the A2IM Certification serves to provide a special standard of achievement for independent artists and their teams whose work has widely remained marginalized and undervalued.

The Facts

  • Indie Artist Share Has Increased Across the Market

    Independent artists represented 62.1% of all artists who accumulated between 1M and 10M streams of audio on demand in the U.S. during the first half of 2024. (Luminate Midyear Music Report)

    See full report 

  • Growing Recognition in Traditionally Major Label Spaces

    Over 50% of nominees for the 2024 GRAMMY Awards went to independent artists and labels, making major labels a minority in nominations – a rare but not new instance in the GRAMMY's 66-year run.

    See article 

  • Looking Ahead: 2024 Trends and Beyond

    In Q1 2024, the independent sector's market share was 36.09%, a figure easily surpassing UMG's share of 29.35%, underscoring a robust and accelerating trend toward independence. (Ranked Music)

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A2IM Certifications