SAY Award invites entries

The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award invites album submissions now.

There will be a glittering ceremony in Stirling’s Albert Halls in October when the winner will collect a prize of £20,000 and the title. Others on the shortlist win £1,000.

Eligible albums will be those released between 1 June 2022 and 31 May 2023. To submit albums for FREE, plus view eligibility criteria and guidelines for 2023’s award, visit www.sayaward.com. 

Previous winners include Fergus McCreadie who won in 2022. He said: “I’m very excited to see The SAY Award make its return this year. Last year I was so honoured to win it with ‘Forest Floor’, and to represent the incredible jazz scene in Scotland in this way, in a mainstream industry prize. Many cross-genre awards don’t pay much attention to smaller scenes and so I believe The SAY Award is really important for highlighting all types of music across the board. I look forward to seeing who takes the prize this year and performing at the ceremony itself!”

Robert Kilpatrick, Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association said, “As we embark on our twelfth annual edition of Scotland’s national music prize, The SAY Award will once again work to celebrate and champion the strength, diversity and cultural impact of Scotland’s recorded output. Its role in instilling civic pride and driving audience development continues to play a vital part in how we understand our collective cultural identity as a nation, and it both encapsulates and articulates an ever-evolving idea of what Scottish music and culture is to those around the world.

“Just as crucially, The SAY Award prize fund continues to provide key financial support to Scottish artists. With multiple challenges caused by the cost of living crisis, this support is perhaps more vital than ever, and the SMIA is committed to seeing the continued value of music in Scotland with a firm focus on its life-affirming impact.

“Following an incredible Ceremony at Stirling’s Albert Halls last year, we’re delighted to return for a second year on Thursday 26 October. As of today, eligible album submissions are open, and tickets are on sale to attend 2023’s event. We’re over the moon to have last year’s winner Fergus McCreadie performing on the night, and we look forward to championing Scottish music’s rich past, invaluable present and vibrant future in the lead up to the event.”

The last twelve months has been another bumper year for Scottish albums, with artists including Lewis Capaldi, Joesef, Bemz, Nina Nesbitt, The Snuts, Paolo Nutini and more all releasing albums which could be submitted for consideration. Produced by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), The SAY Award has distributed over £330,000 in prize money to Scottish artists since its inception in 2012, with a record number of eligible albums submitted in 2022. 

Now in its twelfth year, previous winners of The SAY Award include; 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).

Early-bird tickets for 2023’s ceremony at the Albert Halls, Stirling are on sale now via www.sayaward.com 

General – £18 + booking fee

Student – £15 + booking fee (must show valid student ID on entry)