SCOTLAND’S national music prize, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, today reveals the 20 outstanding Scottish albums on 2024’s Longlist. Featuring 11 debut albums, previous SAY Award winners, Mercury Prize nominees and an eclectic range of genres, The SAY Award Longlist in alphabetical order is:
Afterlands ‘We Are the Animals in the Night’
Amy Laurenson ‘Strands’
Arab Strap ‘I’m totally fine with it 👍don’t give a fuck anymore 👍’
Barry Can’t Swim ‘When Will We Land?’
Becky Sikasa ‘The Writings and the Pictures and the Song’
Bee Asha ‘Goodbye, Gracious’
Blue Rose Code ‘Bright Circumstance’
Broken Chanter ‘Chorus Of Doubt’
corto.alto ‘Bad With Names’
Dead Pony ‘IGNORE THIS’
Empire State Bastard ‘Rivers of Heresy’
Fergus McCreadie ‘Stream’
Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand ‘Willson Williams’
Lucia & The Best Boys ‘Burning Castles’
Malin Lewis ‘Halocline’
Mama Terra ‘The Summoned’
Rachel Sermanni ‘Dreamer Awake’
rEDOLENT ‘dinny greet’
The Snuts ‘Millennials’
Theo Bleak ‘Pain’
All 20 albums are now in the running for the £20,000 prize and coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year, with the winner set to be unveiled at this year’s Ceremony, taking place on Thursday 24th October at Stirling’s Albert Halls. Buy tickets for The SAY Award Ceremony now via www.sayaward.com.
The SAY Award Longlist is a result of an extraordinary nationwide consultation amongst Scotland’s music and arts communities. 100 impartial ‘Nominators’, chosen from sectors including journalism, music retail and music venues across Scotland, nominate and rank their five favourite eligible albums in order of preference. The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) – who produce the award – assigns a score to each title in a Nominator’s Top 5, with the 20 highest scoring albums forming The SAY Award Longlist.
Whittled down from 370 eligible album submissions, this year’s Longlist showcases talent from across Scotland, from the Central Belt to the Scottish Highlands with artists hailing from Skye, Shetland, Glasgow, Edinburgh and more. The Longlist includes 11 debut albums, two 2024 Mercury Prize nominees, one former SAY Award winner and genres from jazz, traditional, metal and folk.
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said, “Each year, The SAY Award provides a bold and unifying platform where Scotland’s most outstanding albums – across all genres – can be celebrated, discovered and championed. On behalf of the SMIA, I’d like to say a massive congratulations to each of this year’s nominees.
“It’s been a really difficult few weeks for Scotland’s cultural sector, coming after a tough few years. The SAY Award Longlist highlights the strength and diversity of Scottish creative talent, and the essential role that our cultural output plays in helping us reflect on who we are as a nation – what we stand for, how we view our place in the world and how we connect with our past, present and future.
“Scottish music not only enriches our identity, but also delivers tangible returns for our economy. In 2018, Scotland’s music industry generated £195 million, and music tourism alone contributed £406 million, funding vital public services across the country. This highlights the significance of music in driving growth and creating jobs, in addition to its invaluable social and cultural contributions.
“The challenges our sector has faced in recent weeks demonstrates the urgent need for sustained and increased investment. Without this, the future of many artists and cultural organisations remains uncertain, and it’s therefore essential that we continue to advocate for the long-term commitment that Scottish culture both needs and deserves.
“Scottish music is the soundtrack and stories of our lives. The SMIA remains firmly committed to the continued value of music and the arts, and I’d like to extend my thanks to our SAY Award partners, whose continued support makes Scotland’s national music prize possible. We look forward to returning to Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 24 October for The SAY Award Ceremony, and I hope that many of you can join us.”
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said, “Yet again The SAY Award Longlist is full of surprises, discoveries and albums that became instant favourites. It’s a brilliant snapshot of the ambition and creativity that exists in every music genre in Scotland and a testament to the talent and commitment of the country’s musicians. Creative Scotland, through Scottish Government regular funding to the Scottish Music Industry Association, is proud to support an event that so passionately champions the albums that form the soundtrack to our daily lives.”
The Longlist will now be whittled down to a Shortlist of 10 albums, one of which will be chosen by music fans via a 72-hour online public vote. The remaining nine albums will be chosen by The SAY Award judging panel, with the Shortlist announced on Thursday 3 October. Along with The SAY Award Shortlist Announcement, the five finalists for 2024’s Sound of Young Scotland Award will be exclusively revealed; all in the running to win a funding package worth up to £10,000 to support the creation of a debut album.
