The 20 acts in the running for Scotland’s national music prize, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, have been revealed.

On the list are a former SAY winner in Fergus McCreadie (two if you count Aidan Moffat out of Arab Strap), two current Mercury Prize nominees (Barry Can’t Swim and corto.alto), and 11 debut albums.

Genres represented include jazz, traditional, metal and folk, ranging from innovative bagpiper Malin Lewis to the side project of Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil, Empire State Bastard.

The Longlist in full, alphabetical order, reads thus:

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 with the winner set to be unveiled at this year’s ceremony, taking place on Thursday 24th October at Stirling’s Albert Halls. Tickets are available at www.sayaward.com.

The Longlist is selected by 100 impartial ‘Nominators’, chosen from sectors including journalism, music retail and music venues across Scotland, who nominate and rank their five favourite eligible albums in order of preference. The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) – who produce the award – then assigns a score to each title in each Nominator’s Top 5, with the 20 highest scoring albums forming The SAY Award Longlist.

Arab Strap – whose Aidan Moffat was the inaugural winner alongside Bill Wells in 2012 – said: “We’ve always seen The SAY Award as more of a celebration than a competition, and we’re chuffed we’ll be part of the party this year. Making an album isn’t easy, and releasing a record is an achievement in itself – so well done to everyone who was eligible. Scotland’s always been packed full of music, and it’s great that we have our own wee night to show off.”

Barry Can’t Swim said: “I’m really proud to have my debut ‘When Will We Land?’ nominated as one of the Scottish Albums of the Year. There’s so many incredible artists and especially electronic acts that have broken out of Scotland these past few years. It’s a great time for the scene at home, and I’m proud to have two friends from my time at Uni (Edinburgh Napier) on the album – shoutout somedeadbeat and Blackboxx.”

Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said: “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.”

Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland, added: “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.

Now in its thirteenth year, previous winners of The SAY Award include; Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’ (2023), Fergus McCreadie ‘Forest Floor’ (2022), Mogwai ‘As The Love Continues’ (2021), Nova ‘Re-Up’ (2020), Auntie Flo ‘Radio Highlife’ (2019), Young Fathers ‘Cocoa Sugar’ (2018), Sacred Paws ‘Strike A Match’ (2017), Anna Meredith ‘Varmints’ (2016), Kathryn Joseph ‘Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled’ (2015), Young Fathers ‘Tape Two’ (2014), RM Hubbert ‘Thirteen Lost & Found’ (2013) and the inaugural winner Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat ‘Everything’s Getting Older’ (2012).

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