As the 2024 festival season closes, the 2025 season is already showing signs of life, with Ultra Music Festival announcing the phase one lineup for its March event in Miami.

The bill includes a flurry of Ultra regulars including Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, Afrojck, Tiësto, Martin Garrix and Hardwell, along with pairings like the previously announced Anyma b2b Solomun set and Pendulum playing both solo and back to back with Deadmau5, with the latter artist also performing his first ever career-spanning “retro5pective” set. This performance will see the producer playing only his classic hits.

Meanwhile, Swedish House Mafia third Axwell will perform his first ever solo headlining set on the mainstage, Dom Dolla and John Summit will play for the first time in Miami with a mainstage set under their Everything Always name and Above & Beyond will play the fest for the first time in six years. Richie Hawtin will also debut his DEX EFX X0X show at the event. Gessefelstein will play Ultra for the first time in a decade.

Additionally, the festival will debut its first ever psytrance stage curated by Alteza Records, the label from genre duo Vini Vici.

Ultra 2025 will also feature Zedd, Nero, Charlotte de Witte, Four Tet, Lsdream, Miss Monique, Subtronics, Mau P, Eli Brown, Artbat and many more. See the complete phase on lineup below.

2025 will mark the 25th edition of the festival, which returns to downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park on March 28-30. 2025. Tickets are on sale now.

Final nominations have been announced for this year’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards. Electronic music producer Barry Can’t Swim (real name: Joshua Mainnie) leads the pack with three nominations, followed closely by Jorja Smith, Sampha, CASISDEAD and Kneecap, who are up for two awards each.

Singer-songwriter Sampha, who is in the running for best independent video and best independent track, will be among the live performers on the night, alongside Manchester rapper and fellow nominee OneDa.

The 14th edition of the annual awards show, which recognizes the achievements of the artists, labels, entrepreneurs and companies that make up the U.K.’s indie sector, is set for Oct. 17 at London’s Roundhouse venue.

Nominees also include D-Block Europe, Kim Gordon, Actress, rapper Skrapz, Mount Kimbie, Anohni and the Johnsons and jazz nine-piece Nubiyan Twist, who are all in the running for the best independent album prize alongside Smith and Barry Can’t Swim.

AIM announced the nominees in seven categories on Aug. 13, but have now announced the nominees in all 14 competitive categories, as well as the recipient of the diversity champion award. Afrobeats artist, producer and songwriter Silvastone, who has collaborated with the likes of Popcaan, Sneakbo, Bugzy Malone and Lady Leshurr, has been named AIM’s 2024 diversity champion in recognition of his commitment to his local community in Croydon and work as a youth ambassador.

R&B singer Jorja Smith, a 2019 Grammy nominee for best new artist, is also listed in the best independent track category for her hit “Little Things,” which reached No. 11 on the Official U.K. Singles chart.

2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective, Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, Hudson Mohawke and Nikki Nair, Sampha, NikNak, Matthew Halsall, Amy Gadiaga and CASISDEAD — who was crowned best hip-hop/grime/rap act at the BRIT Awards on March 2 – round out the best track shortlist.

Other categories announced on Tuesday (Oct. 1) by AIM, which represents more than 1,000 U.K. independent artists and music companies, include best independent label. Heavenly Recordings, Ninja Tune, Partisan Records, Seattle’s Sub Pop Records and British indie Transgressive Records are the nominees in that category.

New for 2024 is the award for the U.K.’s best independent record store. Drift in Totnes, Manchester-based Piccadilly Records, Rough Trade Bristol and London’s Honest Jon’s and Stranger Than Paradise Records are all in the running for the inaugural prize.

The top five list for the public-voted best live performer title numbers Belfast rap trio Kneecap, Laura Misch, Pendulum, Raye and Frank Turner. All other nominees and winners are decided by the AIM board and a panel of expert judges.

The five contenders for the independent breakthrough award number London rapper CASISDEAD, Barry Can’t Swim, Bar Italia, Saint Harison and Wunderhorse, who all receive free access to studio time at London’s Metropolis Studios as part of their nomination.

AIM’s One to Watch category, which has previously been collected by Nia Archives and Arlo Parks, shines a light on spoken word artist Antony Szmierek, drum and bass MC OneDa, DJ Kitty Amor and artist/producers Lynks and Miso Extra.

Sponsors and media partners for October’s awards ceremony, which will be hosted by BBC Radio 1 DJ Jack Saunders, include Spotify, Vevo, Meta, Notion, Amazon Music and the BBC.

Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2024 AIM Independent Music Awards:

Diversity Champion

Silvastone

Best Independent Label

Heavenly Recordings

Ninja Tune

Partisan Records

Sub Pop Records

Transgressive Records

Best Creative Campaign

Chrysalis Records (BODEGA, ‘Our Brand Could Be Yr Life’)

Dead Oceans (Slowdive, ‘everything is alive’)

Identity Music (Lofi Girl, ‘Snowman’)

Warp Records (Aphex Twin, ‘Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / In a Room7 F760’)

Young (Sampha, ‘LAHAI’)

Best Live Performer

Frank Turner (Xtra Mile Recordings)

KNEECAP (Heavenly Recordings)

Laura Misch (One Little Independent)

Pendulum (Mushroom Music)

RAYE (Human Re Sources)

Best Boutique Label

AD 93

Houndstooth

LAB Records

New Soil

Sonic Cathedral

PPL Award for Most Played Independent Artist

Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)

Coach Party (Chess Club Records)

Far From Saints (Ignition Records)

Popeth (Recordiau Côsh Records)

Tom A. Smith (TYM Records)

Best Independent Record Store

Drift

Honest Jon’s

Piccadilly

Rough Trade Bristol

Stranger Than Paradise Records

Music Entrepreneur of the Year

Andrew Batey (Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Beatdapp)

Atlanta Cobb (Founder & Director, Music Industry Mentor)

Colin Batsa (President and Chairman, EGA Distro)

Meg Carnie (Studio Manager / Co-Founder / Artist Manager – South Lanes Studios)

Tom Allen (President, Downtown Royalties and Financial Services, Downtown Music)

Best Independent Album

Actress – LXXXVIII (Ninja Tune)

ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross (Rough Trade Records)

Barry Can’t Swim – When Will We Land? (Ninja Tune)

D-Block Europe – Rolling Stone (EGA Distro)

Jorja Smith – falling or flying (FAMM)

Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)

Mount Kimbie – The Sunset Violent (Warp Records)

Nabihah Iqbal – Dreamer (Ninja Tune)

Nubiyan Twist – Find Your Flame (Strut Records)

Skrapz – Reflection (EGA Distro)

Best Independent Remix

“The Egyptian Lover Remix” – Sudan Archives – Freakalizer (Stones Throw Records)

“Joy Anonymous Remix” – Ezra Collective, Sampa the Great – JOY (Life Goes On) (Partisan Records)

“L BEATS Mashup” – Jorja Smith – Little Things x Gypsy Woman (FAMM)

“Olof Dreijer Remix” – Björk – Oral (feat. Rosalia) (One Little Independent)

“P-rallel Remix” – Aluna, Jayda G – Mine O’ Mine (Mad Decent Under Exclusive Licence to Because Music)

One To Watch

Antony Szmierek (LAB Records)

Kitty Amor (Defected Records)

Lynks (Heavenly Recordings)

Miso Extra (Transgressive Records)

OneDa (Heavenly Recordings)

Best Independent Track

Amy Gadiaga – “All Black Everything” (Jazz re:freshed)

CASISDEAD – “Venom” (XL Recordings)

Ezra Collective – “Ajala” (Partisan Records)

Fontaines DC – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)

Hudson Mohawke & Nikki Nair – “Set the Roof” (Warp Records)

Jorja Smith – “Little Things” (FAMM)

KNEECAP, Grian Chatten – “Better Way To Live” (Heavenly Recordings)

Matthew Halsall – “An Ever Changing View” (Gondwana Records)

NikNak – “1200RPM” (Accidental Records)

Sampha – “Spirit 2.0” (Young)

Best Independent EP/Mixtape

George Riley – Un/limited Love (Ninja Tune)

Headie One & K-Trap – Strength to Strength (One Records and Thousand8)

HONESTY – BOX (Partisan Records)

JGrrey – If Not Now? (PACE, a subsidiary of Marathon Music Group)

Potter Payper – Thanks for Hating (EGA Distro)

UK Independent Breakthrough

Bar Italia (Matador Records)

Barry Can’t Swim (Ninja Tune)

CASISDEAD (XL Recordings)

Saint Harison (Tell Your Friends)

Wunderhorse (Communion Records)

Best Independent Video

Gia Ford – “Poolside” (Chrysalis Records)

Khruangbin – “A Love International” (Dead Oceans)

Master Peace – “I Might Be Fake” feat. Georgia (PMR Records)

Mitski – “My Love Mine All Mine” (Dead Oceans)

Sampha – “Only” (Young)

At the end of 2022, pop singer-songwriter Mark Ambor felt lost in his music career. Despite recently signing a record deal and releasing his debut EP, Hello World, something didn’t feel right.

“I fell into this routine of teasing a song, [and] if it did well, putting it out, but I was feeling like I wasn’t saying anything I really mean,” he remembers. “I wasn’t digging deep or singing about things important to me.”

To clear his mind, Ambor, 26, embarked on a months-long international backpacking trip with his then-girlfriend — and returned feeling grounded with a whole new wave of inspiration for songs. He quickly wrote the whimsical, acoustic “Good to Be” and now refers to it as the first time he was musically “genuine and fully expressing myself.”

Just a few months later, he struck gold: While playing guitar in his bedroom, he wrote the lyrics, “You and me belong together/Like cold iced tea and warmer weather,” which would become the instantly catchy hook to the cozy, uplifting “Belong Together,” his ultimate breakthrough and first Billboard Hot 100 hit.

Ambor grew up with a musical background in Pleasantville, N.Y., playing the piano from a young age at his parents’ request. Though the skill took a backseat in high school, he rekindled his love for the instrument as he approached graduation, trading the classical pieces he previously learned for modern-day pop songs. He proceeded to pen his first song that summer, as he grappled with the emotions of having to leave his small hometown to attend Fairfield University in Connecticut. “I didn’t want to leave home,” he says, “and I tried to write a song to get those feelings out.”

He then returned to work that night as a barback and casually sent the song to his parents in a group chat. “My mom was like, ‘Dad and I love this song. Who’s the artist?’ ” he recalls with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Mom, what do you mean?’ It’s me!”

Ambor self-released a few songs while obtaining a marketing degree in college, and upon his graduation in 2020, decided to take six months to completely immerse himself in chasing his dreams as a musician before considering a different job. “COVID happened after I said that,” he recalls. “I got to spend time working on music at home.”

Thanks to a suggestion from a friend, he joined TikTok later that year. He steadily began to grow a following with his cool guy next door vibe: People gravitated not only toward his big smile and curly brown hair, but to his voice and disarming demeanor as well. He soon began posting covers — including breathtaking renditions of Coldplay’s “Yellow” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” — as well as a few originals, and ultimately caught the attention of then-independent manager Kyle Thomson, who admits he’s a “sucker” for a great voice over a piano melody and asked Ambor to send a few demos.

“It was so early on in both of our careers,” says Thomson. “I was excited to dive into something that I felt was going to be a fun project to build.” By the end of 2020, Ambor had signed a management deal with Thomson.

Like Ambor, Thomson knew that some of his artist’s early work wasn’t playing to the singer-songwriter’s strengths. “At the beginning, he told me he wanted to make early 2000s festival, opera-rock music, like Passion Pit or Grouplove,” he says. “I was like, ‘That doesn’t make sense for what I think your qualities are. Why would you take your natural, raspy voice and distort it with synths?’ What he meant [initially] was that he wanted to make music that made him feel the same way that those bands made people feel.”

But after hearing “Belong Together” for the first time, Thomson knew that Ambor had succeeded in his mission. On the heels of his release of “Good to Be” in October 2023 — and its growing popularity on a global scale — Ambor began to tease the forthcoming new track in late December. And following a few months of building hype on TikTok, “Belong Together” arrived on streaming services on Feb. 16.

Ambor continued to stoke the fire well after its release, posting many videos on the platform of him walking the streets of major European cities while on tour and singing its dialed-up final chorus, several of which have compiled more than 10 million views each. Per Thomson, user-generated content and influencer marketing was crucial in making “Belong Together” “as big as humanly possible.”

By May 11, the single debuted at No. 87 on the Hot 100. It later reached a No. 74 high — and has spent 21 weeks and counting on the ranking. It has also reached Nos. 24 and 20 peaks on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and Pop Airplay charts, respectively. “Belong Together” has earned 141.6 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 610.2 million official on-demand global streams through Sept. 26, according to Luminate.

“It has been really surreal to write something that is so heartfelt and authentic to myself and then feel it resonate around the world the way it has,” Ambor reflects. “The way a song can mean something to a fan that’s different than my own experience, but it’s their own story that they’ve attached to a song of mine … that part blows my mind.”

In August, Ambor’s debut album, Rockwood, arrived through Hundred Days/Virgin Music Group, despite some hesitation from the rest of his team to put out a full project too quickly. (Ambor notes the success of “Belong Together” helped in convincing them otherwise.) He split with the label soon after its release, and while he doesn’t divulge much on specifics, he emphasizes trusting his gut while continuing to grow his career.

“I think people sometimes get too caught in the industry of it all,” he says. “Maybe I’ll sign to a major; maybe I’ll stay independent forever. What really matters is putting out good music and meeting and talking to the fans.”

“He has the best work ethic of anyone I’ve ever met,” adds Thomson. “Mark thinks that he can be Taylor Swift, and I’m not going to stop him.”

A version of this story appears in the Oct. 5, 2024, issue of Billboard.

The NBA hosted its annual Media Day around the league on Monday (Sept. 30) to set the 2024-2025 season in motion. Players are peppered with a range of questions including one being about their summer workout playlists. New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, an avid rap fan, was asked about his playlist, which boasts a wide range of artists from Nas to Larry June and hometown hero Curren$y.

“[The] Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die, that’s always in the mix,” he said. “Nas, Illmatic. Gotta throw Larry June up there. A lot of Curren$y. When I started training, I feel like Curren$y was heavy in the mix.”

One reporter took exception to Zion’s playlist and wondered why he didn’t have any of Kendrick Lamar’s Drake disses in rotation this summer. “I just feel like you have two good songs you could’ve been playing in the gym,” he said before the 24-year-old hooper asked which he was referring to. The reporter continued, “‘Euphoria’ and ‘Not Like Us.’ Where was the greatness of the summer in your tracklist?”

Williamson was taken aback by the reporter’s persistence, but explained that while he doesn’t have anything against Kendrick Lamar, Zion also doesn’t feel the need to amplify his greatness with a legacy secured as one of the genre’s titans.

“I hear you. But you know, you’re entitled to your opinion. I’m entitled to mine, but saying that c’mon, it’s Kendrick Lamar,” the former Duke Blue Devil fired back. “Like, I really gotta sit up here and talk about how good of an artist he is?”

Zion didn’t want to engage in any further banter and eventually just left the podium altogether to bring his presser to an early close.

Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has remained in the Billboard Hot 100‘s top 10 since its release where it sits at No. 10 on the latest chart. As for “Euphoria,” the Drake diss peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100.

Watch the exchange between Zion and the reporter below.

The Offspring is gearing up to release their 11th studio album, Supercharged, and to celebrate, frontman Dexter Holland discussed the making of the project with Billboard’s Rania Aniftos.

“We’ve done ten albums or something, so it’s like, what can you offer? You want to do something that you haven’t done before, but you don’t want to go so far out there that it feels strange to people who like the band,” Holland shared of the album’s inspiration. “It just felt like going kind of a little bit more direct was the right way to approach this record. I just wanted something that was energetic and really upbeat and just slamming in your face.”

He continued, “I think the idea is that you should always think for yourself, don’t take anything at face value, don’t do something just because someone says you should do it and go out and find your own path.”

The band is also celebrating 30 years since their seminal 1994 album, Smash, which featured enduring hits like “Come Out and Play,” “Gotta Get Away” and more. “We’re really proud of it. We feel very lucky. I mean, geez, lightning struck and somehow we were there,” Holland recalls. “The album was made very cheaply, we didn’t have the money. You’ve heard the term DIY, right? We did this ourselves, but it wasn’t a choice. We had to make our own t-shirts, we were gluing our own album covers. No label was going to do it. No one was going to sign us. No one was going to book our tours. We grew up that way and it was fun. It was all a big adventure. So when Smash came along and we did it ourselves, and it took off, it was just like, wow, what’s happening?”

Watch Billboard’s full interview with The Offspring’s Dexter Holland above.