This year's IMA winners range from artists with established credits including Darrell Scott and Chris Whitley to bands with growing fan bases like 2004 OzzFest opener Lacuna Coil and Grammy® nominated Angel Melendez & the 911 Mambo.

The IMA Winners Jukebox includes the complete list of winners in all music categories. A separate IMA Finalists Jukebox features music from the complete list of nominees.

Visitors to both online jukeboxes now have the ability to stream single tracks of all winners and finalists. Their CDs will soon be available for purchase, and the IMAs will also make them available as digital downloads.

In addition to music honors, the Independent Music Awards also recognized achievements in several design categories including Michael Wrycraft’s Album Art package for John Cage & Lejaren Hiller’s "HPSCHD"; Chris Gorman’s Album Photography for The Cringe record "Scratch The Surface"; and Dave Gink’s Merchandising win for the Yonder Mountain String Band Tour Poster.

"This year’s IMA winners and finalists are on the forefront of an industry that is verging on a true democracy," IMA Program Director Martin Folkman said. "Since many of the winning artists used home-based technologies to produce, record, promote and distribute their work, these talented artists are leaders of a new music revolution."

The Independent Music Awards were established to develop new markets for Indie artists, labels and releases.

This year’s celebrity judging panel included Delbert McClinton, Erykah Badu, Loudon Wainwright III, William Ackerman, Victor L. Wooton and Alan Light. The Design categories panel included Jeri Heiden, Merri Cyr, Spencer Drate & Judith Salavetz.

Borders Books & Music Promotes Winners
The Independent Music Awards has implemented a variety of programs and events to market and promote IMA winners and their music throughout the year. In addition to establishing the two online jukeboxes, MRG will produce an "IMA WINNERS CD" which will be distributed to music journalists, commercial & public radio stations, industry insiders and music fans. Boston-based radio promotions company The Planetary Group will service the IMA Winners CD to college and select public radio stations throughout North America.

The IMA Winners CD will also receive increased distribution from IMA co-sponsor Borders Books & Music. This spring, the retailer will enhance its previous IMA support by promoting the IMA winners and increasing IMA in-store events and activities.

As in the past, Borders will also promote IMA winners to its 5 million customer database via the chain’s monthly newsletter and make the winners’ full-length CDs available for sale on the BordersStores.com website.