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Nettwerk Founders Terry McBride and Mark Jowett to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2026 Libera Awards
Nettwerk co-founders Terry McBride and Mark Jowett will be honored at the 2026 Libera Awards on June 8 in New York.
Nettwerk Music Group co-founders Terry McBride and Mark Jowett will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Libera Awards on Monday, June 8, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
The award recognizes their four decades of work in artist development, innovation and leadership across the independent music business. The 15th annual Libera Awards, officially titled The Libera Awards Presented By Merlin, are presented by the Foundation for Independent Music with support from the American Association of Independent Music, or A2IM.
“Terry and Mark have been true mavericks and innovators in the independent music sector the past 40 years,” A2IM CEO Ian Harrison said in a statement. “Their tireless work supporting a diverse array of artists through their label, management, publishing and various non-profits has been an inspiration to generations of independent musicians and industry members. We are honored to recognize their extraordinary work with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Now in its 40th year, Nettwerk has grown into one of the most influential independent music companies in the world. McBride, who serves as CEO, has been a longtime advocate for artist empowerment and digital innovation. Outside Nettwerk, he co-founded Lilith Fair, which raised more than $10 million for women’s charities, and has since expanded into wellness and industry advocacy.
Jowett, a founding partner at Nettwerk, helped guide the company’s shift into a global operation spanning recorded music, artist management and publishing. His work has supported artists including Sarah McLachlan, Coldplay, Avril Lavigne, Dido and Sum 41. He has also held leadership roles with FACTOR, SOCAN and the Canadian Music Publishers Association.
The organizers also announced four performers for the ceremony, including three 2026 Libera Awards nominees. The lineup includes Nigerian Tuareg guitar innovator Mdou Moctar, nominated for best global record for Tears of Injustice on Matador Records; singer-songwriter Valerie June, up for best American roots record for Owls, Omens, and Oracles on Concord Records; Dawn Richard, a previous Libera Award winner and nominee for best R&B record for “A Flex” on Merge Records; and synth-pop artist PORCHES.
This year’s ceremony will include 38 categories, among them best independent record store, a category being recognized for the first time. The top artist nominees are Oklou, Geese, Clipse, Hayley Williams and Wednesday.
Delisa Shannon, Billboard’s short form content director, will host the event again. Tickets start at $369.70 and are available on the A2IM site.
The Libera Awards will once again open Indie Week, which begins Tuesday, June 9, and runs through Thursday, June 11, at the InterContinental New York Times Square.
