Fan-powered. YouTube-driven. The only chart built exclusively for independent artists — no labels, no gatekeepers.
18.2K
Votes this week
247
Artists in 2026
$5K
Grand prize
Dec 12
Vegas show
IndieCharts Top 10 — Week 16 Countdown
New episode every Monday · 18 min · Fan-voted rankings, artist spotlights & the big #1 reveal
🗳️ Week 16 voting is open · Vote for your favorite song and video — polls close Sunday at midnight
Both Charts
Top 10 Songs
Top 10 Videos
Watch on YouTube
Top 10 Songs
Spotify · Apple Music · SoundCloud · Bandcamp
Top 10 Videos
YouTube music videos only
Top 10 Songs — Week 16
All streaming platforms · No video required
Top 10 Videos — Week 16
YouTube only
Year-End Event
IndieCharts Awards — Las Vegas
December 12, 2026 · Top 10 finalists perform live · Fan + judge votes for Artist of the Year Song of the Year · Video of the Year · Breakout Artist · Best Live Performance
$5,000
Grand Prize
Updated every 15 minutes · AI-powered
Indie Music News
YouTube trending · Spotify rising · TikTok viral · Industry news · All independent
Latest countdown episode
IndieCharts Top 10
Week 16 · 18 min
Maya Renee holds #1 for the 3rd week. Vox Machina debuts at #5. Two new entries shake up the bottom half.
YouTube trending — indie
Spotify rising
Hot topics
Road to Vegas
2026 yearly leaderboard · Top 10 at year-end earn a performance slot at the IndieCharts Awards Show
Week 16 of 5236 weeks remaining
What Is the Road to Vegas?
The Road to Vegas is the IndieCharts year-long points leaderboard. Every week an artist charts in the Top 10, they earn points. Points accumulate all 52 weeks. The top 10 artists on the leaderboard at year-end earn a live performance slot at the IndieCharts Awards Show in Las Vegas on December 12, 2026.
It's simple: the more you chart, the higher your position, and the better your shot at Vegas.
How Points Are Earned
#1
Chart position
10 pts / week
#2
Chart position
9 pts / week
#3
Chart position
8 pts / week
#4 through #10
7 pts down to 1 pt
★ Charting on both charts the same week earns points from both — up to 20 pts in a single week for a double #1.
The Las Vegas Finale
Top 10 Perform Live in Las Vegas
The top 10 artists on the leaderboard at the end of Week 52 earn a 5–7 minute live performance slot at the IndieCharts Awards Show on December 12, 2026. The show is free to stream on YouTube worldwide.
Grand Prize
$5,000
Artist of the Year
December 12, 2026 · Las Vegas
IndieCharts Awards 2026
The year-end celebration of independent music. Six awards. One night. Las Vegas.
$5,000 Grand Prize
Live + Livestream
Fan Vote Open
Top 10 Finalists Perform
How the Awards Show Works
The IndieCharts Awards Show is the culmination of a full year of fan voting and chart competition. The top 10 artists on the Road to Vegas leaderboard perform live. Six awards are presented — determined by a combination of fan votes, yearly chart points, and a judge panel. The entire show is free to watch on YouTube.
Show Night — December 12, 2026
7:00 PM
Doors Open
Las Vegas venue opens to ticket holders
8:00 PM
Show Begins
YouTube livestream goes live worldwide
8:30 PM
Performances
#10 through #1 each perform 5–7 minutes
10:30 PM
Award Presentations
Song, Video, Breakout Artist, Fan Favorite
11:30 PM
Best Live Performance
Decided by live audience QR code vote
Midnight
Artist of the Year
The final reveal + $5,000 grand prize
How Each Award Is Decided
★
Artist of the Year
Self-Released & Indie Label only · Eligible for $5,000 prize
Fan votes 50%
Judge panel 50%
♪
Song of the Year
All badge tiers eligible
Yearly chart points
Fan votes 30%
Judge 20%
▶
Video of the Year
All badge tiers eligible
Chart points
YouTube views
Fan votes 30%
◈
Breakout Artist
First-year artists only · Self-Released & Indie Label
Chart pts 40%
Fan votes 40%
Judge 20%
♡
Fan Favorite
All badge tiers eligible
100% fan votes — all year
◉
Best Live Performance
Decided the night of the show · All badge tiers eligible
100% live audience QR code vote
Fan voting for all awards (except Best Live) opens December 1, 2026 and closes December 10, 2026
← All Awards
★
Artist of the Year
The highest honor on IndieCharts. Awarded to the independent artist who dominated both charts, earned the most points over 52 weeks, and won the hearts of fans and judges alike.
Fan votes 50% + Judge panel 50% = Final score
★
$5,000
Cash prize · Artist of the Year
Plus: IndieCharts Artist of the Year title · Featured in 2027 launch campaign · Guaranteed submission slot all 52 weeks of next year
Eligibility: Self-Released and Indie Label artists only. Indie Distributed artists are not eligible for this award or the $5,000 prize. Combined song + video chart points determine the top 5 nominees.
2026 nominees — vote now
Judge panel scores (50% of final score)
Cast your fan vote — Artist of the Year
1 vote per day · Fan votes count 50% of final score · Voting closes December 10, 2026
Select a nominee above to vote
Voting closes December 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET · Winner announced live December 12 in Las Vegas · Free YouTube livestream
← All Awards
♪
Song of the Year
The song that earned the most cumulative points on the IndieCharts Top 10 Songs chart over the full year. No video required — pure audio achievement.
Yearly chart points + Fan votes 30% + Judge 20%
Eligibility: All badge tiers eligible — Self-Released, Indie Label, and Indie Distributed. Determined by total points accumulated on the Top 10 Songs chart across all 52 weeks.
Top 5 songs by yearly chart points
Important dates
Dec 1, 2026
Fan voting opens — vote for your favorite song of the year
Dec 10, 2026
Voting closes — tallies combined with chart points and judge scores
Dec 12, 2026
Winner announced live in Las Vegas during the awards show
Vote — Song of the Year
Your vote counts 30% of the final score alongside yearly chart points
Select a song above to vote
Voting closes December 10, 2026 · Winner announced live in Las Vegas, December 12
← All Awards
▶
Video of the Year
The music video that earned the most cumulative points on the IndieCharts Top 10 Videos chart. Celebrates independent artists who invested in their visual identity without a label budget.
Yearly chart points + YouTube views + Fan votes 30%
Eligibility: All badge tiers eligible. Must have charted on the Top 10 Videos chart at least once during 2026. Determined by cumulative video chart points combined with total YouTube view count.
Top 5 videos of 2026
Vote — Video of the Year
Fan votes count 30% alongside chart points and YouTube view counts
Select a video above to vote
Voting closes December 10, 2026 · Winner announced live in Las Vegas, December 12
← All Awards
◈
Breakout Artist
The independent artist who made the biggest impact in their first year on IndieCharts. No prior chart history required — just raw talent and a fanbase built from nothing.
First-year pts 40% + Fan votes 40% + Judge 20%
Eligibility: Self-Released and Indie Label only. Must be submitting to IndieCharts for the first time in 2026 — no prior chart appearances in any previous year.
First-year artists — 2026 nominees
Vote — Breakout Artist
Fan votes are especially powerful here — 40% of the final score
Select a nominee above to vote
Voting closes December 10, 2026 · Winner announced live in Las Vegas, December 12
← All Awards
♡
Fan Favorite
The artist who received the most combined fan votes across both charts all year. This award belongs entirely to the fans — no judge panel, no points formula. Pure democracy.
100% fan votes · Combined song + video chart votes all year
Eligibility: All badge tiers eligible. Winner is determined purely by total fan votes received across both charts over all 52 weeks of 2026. No judge involvement whatsoever.
How votes accumulate
Every week, when fans vote for a song or video on the chart, those votes are added to the artist's yearly Fan Favorite total. An artist charting on both the Songs and Videos charts doubles their potential weekly vote count. Voting closes at the end of Week 52.
2026 fan vote leaders — year-to-date
This award is decided by weekly chart votes
Fan Favorite is not a separate poll — it's the running total of every vote cast on the weekly chart all year. Vote for your favorite artist on the chart every day to support them.
Total yearly votes counted through Week 52 · Winner announced live in Las Vegas, December 12, 2026
← All Awards
◉
Best Live Performance
The only award decided at the event itself. All 10 Vegas finalists perform live. The audience votes in real time by QR code after each set. No judges, no pre-vote — just raw energy on stage.
100% live audience vote · Decided the night of December 12, 2026
December 12, 2026 — Las Vegas All 10 Vegas finalists perform a 5–7 minute set. Audience votes via QR code after each performance. Results announced at 11:30 PM. Free YouTube livestream for global fans.
Eligibility: The top 10 artists on the 2026 Road to Vegas leaderboard at year-end. All badge tiers eligible.
Current Road to Vegas top 10 — your finalists
Show night schedule — December 12, 2026
7:00 PM
Doors open — Las Vegas venue
8:00 PM
Show begins — Host opens, year-in-review recap
8:30 PM
Performances begin — #10 through #1, each 5–7 minute set
10:30 PM
Award presentations — Song, Video, Breakout, Fan Favorite
11:30 PM
Best Live Performance announced — audience votes tallied
Midnight
Artist of the Year revealed — the final moment of the night
Voting opens the night of the show
QR code voting displayed after each performance. In-person ticket holders and YouTube livestream viewers vote simultaneously.
In-person + online voting · Results at 11:30 PM · Winner announced live
Submit Your Music
Song, video, or both. No video required. All independent artists welcome. Questions? producer@theindiecharts.com
🎵
Ready to Submit?
Fill out the submission form below. We review every submission within 48 hours. Once approved, your song enters the weekly voting pool and you'll be featured in the countdown video.
Opens in a new tab · Powered by Google Forms · Free to submit
What are you submitting?
Song only
Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or direct upload. No video needed.
Video only
YouTube music video. Enters both the video chart and song chart automatically.
Best for exposure
Song + Video (both charts)
Submit audio and video links. Charts on both Top 10 Songs and Videos. Earns points from both charts toward the Road to Vegas leaderboard.
Select a submission type above to continue
Song details
Streaming platform
Spotify
Apple Music
SoundCloud
Bandcamp
Direct upload
Video details
Media for the weekly YouTube countdown
Press photo * (for countdown video)
Upload photo
JPG or PNG · min 1000px
Audio file * (MP3 for countdown)
Upload audio
MP3 or WAV · full song
Artist details
Independence verification *
Self-Released Self-Released
DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, or direct. No label.
I own my own label Indie Label
I founded it, I control it 100%.
Signed to a small indie label Indie Label
Genuinely independent — no major ownership.
Indie label with major distribution Indie Dist.
Uses AWAL, The Orchard, Virgin Music Group, etc. Chart-eligible only — not Vegas prize eligible.
Media & independence consent
✓ Required consents
Charts
Dashboard
Song chart
Video chart
Submissions
Pending review
Approved
Rejected
Verification
Badge queue
Flagged (2)
Awards
Artist of the Year
Song of the Year
Video of the Year
Breakout Artist
Events
Vegas leaderboard
Show management
Dashboard
3
Pending review
18.2K
Votes this week
247
Total artists
2
Flagged badges
Pending submissions
Set this week's ranking
Drag to reorder · sorted by votes
Est. 2026 · Independent Music Only
What Is IndieCharts?
The first music chart built entirely by fans, for independent artists — no major labels, no industry gatekeepers, no pay-to-play. Just real music, real votes, and a real shot at recognition.
Our Mission
Give independent artists the spotlight they deserve
Billboard, Spotify charts, and Apple Music rankings are dominated by major label budgets, playlist payola, and industry connections. If you don't have a label behind you, the system isn't built for you. IndieCharts is different. Every position on our chart is earned by fan votes — not bought by a marketing budget.
How It Works
🎵
Artists Submit
Independent artists submit their song or video for free. No fees, no label required. Self-released, indie label, or indie distributed — all welcome.
🗳️
Fans Vote
Every week, fans vote for their favorite songs and videos. One vote per fan per day. The votes — not the money — determine the Top 10.
🏆
Charts Are Born
Every Monday the new Top 10 is revealed in our YouTube countdown episode. Chart points accumulate all year toward the Road to Vegas leaderboard.
Two Charts. One Mission.
♪ Top 10 Songs
For artists releasing on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or any platform. No video required. Pure audio, pure talent.
▶ Top 10 Videos
For artists with YouTube music videos. Charting on both the Songs and Videos charts earns double points toward the year-end leaderboard.
Year-End · Las Vegas · December 12, 2026
IndieCharts Awards Show
The top 10 artists on the yearly Road to Vegas leaderboard earn a live performance slot at the IndieCharts Awards Show in Las Vegas. Six awards. One night. One grand prize.
$5,000
Cash prize · Artist of the Year
Who Is Eligible?
Self-Released
Full eligibility
DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, or direct. All charts + awards eligible including the $5,000 prize.
Indie Label
Full eligibility
Artist-owned or independent label with no major ownership. All charts + awards eligible including the $5,000 prize.
Indie Distributed
Chart eligible only
Indie label using AWAL, The Orchard, Virgin Music Group, etc. Chart eligible but not Vegas prize eligible.
Ready to be part of it?
Artists — submit your music. Fans — vote every week. Together we build the chart the music industry should have always had.
Free to submit · No label required
Built For Independent Artists
You make the music. You own your masters. You built your fanbase from nothing. IndieCharts is the chart that was built for you — not for the labels.
Why Submit to IndieCharts?
📺
Weekly YouTube Countdown
Every charting artist is featured in our weekly Top 10 YouTube countdown episode. Your press photo, your audio, your moment. Real exposure to a growing audience.
🗳️
Fan-Powered Rankings
Your position is determined by real fan votes — not a label's marketing spend. If your fans show up, you rise. Period.
🏆
Road to Vegas
Every week you chart, you earn points toward the year-end leaderboard. The top 10 artists at year-end perform live in Las Vegas at the IndieCharts Awards Show.
💰
$5,000 Grand Prize
The Artist of the Year award carries a $5,000 cash prize, determined by fan votes and a judge panel. Self-released and indie label artists are eligible.
🎯
Double Your Chances
Submit both your song and a YouTube video to chart on both the Top 10 Songs and Top 10 Videos simultaneously — earning double points toward the Road to Vegas leaderboard.
🔓
Free. Always.
Submitting to IndieCharts costs nothing. There are no placement fees, no pay-to-play tiers, no premium submission options. If fans vote for you, you chart.
How To Submit
1
Click "Submit Your Music"
Choose whether you're submitting a song, a video, or both. Submitting both charts you on both Top 10 lists and earns double Road to Vegas points.
2
Fill out the submission form
Paste your streaming link or YouTube URL. Upload a press photo (min 1000px) and an MP3/WAV audio file — these are used in the weekly YouTube countdown episode.
3
Get reviewed within 48 hours
We review every submission to verify independence status. Once approved, your song enters the weekly voting pool and you receive your verification badge.
4
Tell your fans to vote
Share the voting link with your fans every week. Voting is open all week and closes Sunday at midnight. The more your fans vote, the higher you chart.
5
Watch the Monday reveal
Every Monday the new Top 10 is revealed on our YouTube channel. Charting artists are featured with their photo and a 30-second audio sample in the countdown episode.
Artist FAQ
Is there a cost to submit?
No. Submitting to IndieCharts is completely free. There are no hidden fees, no premium tiers, and no pay-to-chart options.
Can I submit if I'm on a small indie label?
Yes. Artists on genuinely independent labels with no major label ownership are fully eligible for all charts and awards including the $5,000 prize.
What if I use AWAL, The Orchard, or Virgin Music Group?
You are eligible to chart on the Top 10 Songs and Videos charts. However, because these distributors are majority-owned by major labels, you would not be eligible for the Las Vegas awards or the $5,000 prize.
Do I need a music video to submit?
No. The Top 10 Songs chart accepts any streaming link — Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or a direct MP3 upload. A video is only required if you want to also chart on the Top 10 Videos chart.
How do I get into the YouTube countdown episode?
When you submit, upload a press photo (JPG/PNG, minimum 1000px) and an audio file (MP3 or WAV). If your song charts in the Top 10, your photo and a 30-second clip of your song will be featured in that week's episode.
How do I maximize my Road to Vegas points?
Submit both a song and a YouTube video to chart on both lists simultaneously. The #1 spot earns 10 points per chart per week — so a double #1 earns 20 points. Consistently chart high and mobilize your fanbase to vote every week.
Your music deserves to be heard
Stop waiting for a label to notice you. Build your fanbase, earn your chart position, and perform on the IndieCharts stage in Las Vegas. Submission is free and takes 5 minutes.
Reviewed within 48 hours · No label required · Free forever
IndieCharts is built on transparency. These rules define who can participate, how the charts work, how points are calculated, and how awards are determined. Everyone plays by the same rules.
1
Artist Eligibility
1.1 — No major label artists
Artists signed to or distributed by a major label (Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music Group) or any entity majority-owned by a major label are not eligible to submit or chart on IndieCharts.
1.2 — Self-Released artists
Artists releasing music independently through DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, Bandcamp, or directly to streaming platforms are fully eligible for all charts, all awards, and the $5,000 grand prize.
1.3 — Indie Label artists
Artists signed to an independently owned record label (with no major label ownership or investment) are fully eligible for all charts, all awards, and the $5,000 grand prize.
Artists on an independent label that uses a major-affiliated distributor (AWAL, The Orchard, Virgin Music Group, etc.) may chart on the Top 10 Songs and Videos charts. They are not eligible for the Las Vegas Awards Show, the $5,000 prize, or the Artist of the Year or Breakout Artist awards.
1.5 — False certification
Artists who falsely certify their independence status will be permanently removed from IndieCharts and forfeit any points, chart positions, or awards. IndieCharts reserves the right to verify independence status at any time.
2
Submission Rules
2.1 — One active submission per artist
Each artist may have one active song submission and one active video submission at any time. Artists may submit new songs after a previous submission cycle ends.
2.2 — Original music only
Submissions must be original recordings. Cover songs, remixes of others' work, or recordings where you do not own or control the copyright are not eligible.
2.3 — Review period
All submissions are reviewed by the IndieCharts team within 48 hours. Approved submissions enter the next available voting cycle. IndieCharts reserves the right to reject any submission without explanation.
2.4 — Media requirements for countdown
To be featured in the weekly YouTube countdown episode, artists must submit a press photo (JPG or PNG, minimum 1000px on shortest side) and an audio file (MP3 or WAV). Artists without these files will chart but will not appear in the video episode.
2.5 — Submission is free
There is no cost to submit to IndieCharts. There are no premium submission tiers, no placement fees, and no pay-to-chart options. This will never change.
3
Voting Rules
3.1 — One vote per fan per day
Each fan may cast one vote per chart (Songs and Videos) per day. Votes reset at midnight ET. Fans may vote every day the weekly poll is open.
3.2 — Weekly voting window
Weekly voting opens Monday at 12:01 AM ET and closes Sunday at 11:59 PM ET. No votes are accepted after the close of each weekly poll.
3.3 — No vote manipulation
Automated voting, bot traffic, VPN abuse, paid vote farms, or any other form of artificial vote manipulation is strictly prohibited. Any artist found to be manipulating votes will be permanently banned and will forfeit all points and positions.
3.4 — Artist self-voting
Artists are permitted to vote for themselves — one vote per day like any other fan. There is no restriction on artists promoting their own voting link to their fanbase. That is the entire point.
3.5 — Vote auditing
IndieCharts reserves the right to audit all votes at any time. Suspicious voting patterns may result in vote removal, temporary suspension, or permanent ban at IndieCharts' discretion.
An artist charting on both the Top 10 Songs and Top 10 Videos charts in the same week earns points from both charts. A double #1 earns 20 points in a single week.
4.3 — Leaderboard updates
The Road to Vegas leaderboard is updated every Monday after the new chart is published. Points are cumulative across all 52 weeks of the year.
4.4 — Vegas qualification
The top 10 artists on the Road to Vegas leaderboard at the end of Week 52 qualify for a live performance slot at the IndieCharts Awards Show. The leaderboard is final as of 11:59 PM ET on the last Sunday of Week 52.
5
Awards & Prizes
5.1 — Award voting period
Fan voting for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, and Breakout Artist opens December 1, 2026 and closes December 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
5.2 — $5,000 prize eligibility
The $5,000 cash prize is awarded to the Artist of the Year winner. Only Self-Released and Indie Label artists are eligible to receive the prize. The prize will be issued within 30 days of the awards show via bank transfer or check.
5.3 — Fan Favorite determination
The Fan Favorite award is determined by the total cumulative fan votes received across both the Songs and Videos charts over all 52 weeks of the year. No separate poll is conducted. All badge tiers are eligible.
5.4 — Best Live Performance voting
Best Live Performance is voted on exclusively by the live and livestream audience on the night of December 12, 2026. QR code voting opens after each performance and closes 10 minutes after the final performance ends. No pre-voting is accepted.
5.5 — Judge panel
The IndieCharts judge panel consists of four music industry professionals announced prior to the awards voting period. Judges score nominees independently on a 100-point scale. Judge scores are averaged and combined with fan vote percentages according to each award's formula.
5.6 — Decisions are final
All chart positions, award decisions, and eligibility determinations made by IndieCharts are final. IndieCharts reserves the right to modify these rules at any time with reasonable notice to participants.
6
Media & Content Rights
6.1 — Press photo license
By submitting a press photo, artists grant IndieCharts a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the image in the weekly countdown video, on the IndieCharts website, and in promotional materials related to IndieCharts. Artists retain full ownership of their photos.
6.2 — Audio sample license
By submitting an audio file, artists grant IndieCharts permission to use up to 30 seconds of the recording in the weekly Top 10 YouTube countdown video. Artists must own or control the copyright to the recording they submit.
6.3 — YouTube Content ID
Artists with music registered in YouTube Content ID should whitelist the IndieCharts YouTube channel through their distributor prior to submission. IndieCharts is not responsible for Content ID claims on the countdown video resulting from an artist's failure to whitelist.
Questions About the Rules?
If you have a question about eligibility, a specific situation not covered here, or a concern about rule violations, contact us directly.