The leading luminaries of the independent music world came together in New York City on Tuesday night at Billboard’s Indie Power Players event at Harbor NYC Rooftop to celebrate the most powerful executives and artists in the business, presented by Downtown, A2IM, Believe and Tunecore.
Featuring executives from companies like The Orchard, Virgin Music, BMG, EMPIRE, Beggars Group, Believe, Tunecore, A2IM, Peer Music, Mom+Pop Music, Hopeless Records, Fat Beats, Avant Garden, Pulse Music Group, Exceleration Music, Triple Tigers Records, Downtown Music, Better Noise Music, G59 Records, Double P Records, APG, Because Group and many more, the event was a major part of the Indie Week celebrations that have blanketed the city.
Welcome remarks by Billboard Editor In Chief Hannah Karp opened a series of honors, beginning with Russ, who received the 2025 Billboard Indie Trailblazer Award. Introduced by Believe’s global head of music/president of Europe Romain Vivien and Tunecore CEO Andreea Gleason, Russ spoke about his journey through the independent world with Tunecore, when he put out his first song in 2011 through the company after Googling how to get a song on iTunes. “As independents, we as artists no longer have to be chosen — we choose ourselves,” he said. Following Russ, G59 Records partner/$uicideBoy$ manager Dana Biondi accepted the award for Executive of the Year, for building his company’s business from the ground up almost entirely outside of the mainstream; and Peso Pluma appeared to honor his cousin and fellow Double P Records artist Tito Double P with the Billboard Indie Power Player of the Year Award, giving a speech in English and Spanish.
Finally, cover star “Weird Al” Yankovic was honored with the Billboard Indie Spirit Award, a nod to his 40-plus years as a trailblazing artist, satirist and all-around hilarious and positive person in the music world. Introduced by Billboard executive magazine editor Rebecca Milzoff, Al took the stage with a bit of trademark hilarity — “Ever since I was a small child, I always dreamed of one day winning the Billboard Indie Spirit Award; dreams really do come true” — he then delivered a heartfelt and, yes, very funny speech accepting the honor. “Apparently, when you start your recording career by playing your accordion next to a urinal in a public men’s room, you get an indie cred card for life,” he quipped.
Find the best photos of the night below.
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