The longlist of 20 albums has been announced for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY). These include albums by two previous SAY award winners, a Mercury Prize nominee and 10 debut albums.
The list is chosen by nominators who are journalists or people involved in music retail or music venues. There were 401 submissions and the list now includes artists from all over Scotland.
Winners will be announced on 6 November at a ceremony in the Caird Hall, Dundee, and tickets are now on sale. On the night the line up of performers will include Brooke Combe, corto.alto, Dillon Barrie, and rEDOLENT.
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said, “What does it mean to be alive in Scotland right now? To get a sense of that, in all its idiosyncratic glory, take a deep dive into this year’s 20-strong SAY Award Longlist.
“In an industry increasingly driven by algorithms and metrics, each year the announcement of the Longlist reaffirms the intrinsic value of the album – artistic works that soundtrack our lives, tell our stories and shape both who we are and who we can become. Records let us enter an artist’s inner world, and through doing so, often reflect something back within ourselves – sometimes even things we never knew were there. To me, it’s that intimate dance and unique connection that gives them their magic.
“With 401 eligible submissions this year, today’s announcement is about celebrating the 20 outstanding Scottish albums that are now in the running for the coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year, as well as the £20,000 first prize. We implore you to listen to them, and through doing so, maybe you’ll find something more than a few new favourites.
“On behalf of the SMIA, I’d like to say a massive congratulations to each of this year’s nominees. We look forward to celebrating them – and the strength and diversity of Scottish music – at The SAY Award Ceremony on Thursday 6 November at Dundee’s Caird Hall. I hope you can join us.”
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said, “This year’s SAY Award Longlist proves that the album will always triumph over an industry driven by AI and algorithms. These 20 works of art are where true musical creativity is to be found – beyond easy categories, across genres and genders. It is encouraging to see so many debut releases included here and to know that the album remains such a valid format for anyone making their first artistic statement in an ever-changing world. It’s also why The SAY Award, supported by the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland funding of the SMIA, continues to grab the attention of music-loving audiences and industry alike.”
Andrew Wasylyk and Tommy Perman: “From what I recall, we’d been trying to find an excuse to make a record together for years, but various other projects we were collaborating on often derailed our search. When we finally arrived at the idea, much of it grew from playful experiments in the studio, and low expectations! We never imagined the odd music we made to be released, let alone nominated. We’re humbled and honoured to be considered alongside such wonderful Scottish artists.” – Andrew Wasylyk
Be Charlotte: “It’s beyond an honour for my debut album to be included in the Longlist! I’m very grateful for the opportunity especially when there are so many incredible eligible albums. The creative process was joyful, cathartic and at times challenging. As in the album title there were many moments of self doubt but releasing the album felt so empowering and for it to now be recognised in this way is a real dream. Performing at The SAY Award back in 2017 was one of my favourite shows and it feels very full circle to be nominated this year.”
Brooke Combe: “I’m honoured that my debut album has been nominated for this year’s SAY Award, where I’ll also be performing at Dundee’s Caird Hall on November 6th. Scotland has always shown me incredible support, and headlining the legendary Barrowlands this spring was a milestone moment in my journey.”
Cloth: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been Longlisted for the 2025 SAY Award. Every year, the award shines a light on Scotland’s incredible musical output, further cementing its long-held reputation as a country which punches well above its weight when it comes to the arts. To be included on a list of the year’s best albums alongside your peers is a really special feeling.”
Constant Follower: “I never expected to be here. After spending twenty years finding my way back to music, to have The Smile You Send Out Returns To You Longlisted for The SAY Award feels overwhelming. These songs came from a place of loss, but they’re really about tenderness, memory, and the small acts of kindness that keep us going. To see them connect with so many people, and even carry into the UK Top 20, gives me hope. It reminds me that what we send out into the world has a way of coming back.”
corto.alto: “Like many Scottish artists and producers, being part of The SAY Award Longlist has always been a dream of mine. With so much incredible music coming out of Scotland every year, I was truly honoured to see my debut album ‘Bad With Names’ make last year’s list. To then have my second album 30/108 included this year, alongside so many inspiring artists whose work I admire, feels even more exciting.”
Faith Eliott: “I’m honored that ‘dryas’ has been Longlisted for The SAY Award 2025. One of my main goals for this album was to centre women, queer, and non-binary collaborators in production and performance, and to facilitate learning and mentorship through the creative process.
I would love for this project to contribute visibility for women and queer artists, and to inspire others to lead projects and embrace technical roles themselves. “Working with my primary collaborator Robyn Dawson and all the other incredible musicians and practitioners was a total joy, and having that work recognised by Scotland’s wider music community is really meaningful.”
Hamish Hawk: “It’s never anything short of a privilege to be Longlisted for The SAY Award. It’s so inspiring too, to see the incredible artists that Scotland continues to produce. It’s a rare thing to be part of that kind of story; it makes me extremely proud.”
Jacob Alon: “My loves, it means so much to me to be Longlisted for The SAY Award – more than I can SAY… ha. I feel so lucky to stand alongside so many incredible artists and icons and pals making some of the most exciting art to come out of the country at the moment. As someone who, for so long, hasn’t felt like there was a place for them to belong, I feel so lucky to have found a place here with yous. This is fae Fife, the queers, and the ones that dare to follow their dreams.
Thig crìoch air an t-saoghal, ach mairidh gaol is ceòl.
(“The world may come to an end, but love and music will endure”).”
Kai Reesu: “What an honour it is to be considered for this prestigious award! We’ve come a long way on the hustle of making music , and this project was truly a labour of love and heart ; ironic that when we stopped caring so much about what SHOULD be done, the work has started to become appreciated . Onwards and upwards, KAI REESU SAVES THE WORLD!”
Kathryn Joseph: “I’m very proud that ‘we were made prey’ is on the SAY Longlist. Thank you so much for having us. I was very lucky to get to work with Lomond Cambell again and also to get to go to Black Bay studio. Thank you for being so kind to our record. I love you the say award.”
kitti: “I’m truly delighted with the news that my debut album has made this year’s SAY Award Longlist!”
Maranta: “Day Long Dream is the culmination of 7 years of working together; both creating and performing in our musical world. We’re incredibly honoured to be nominated for this award and we want to share our gratitude to all our collaborators and their collective spirit. We have been supported by countless artists along our journey and this album is a reflection of the world we hoped to create through our performances, curations and collaborations. This album was made in the spirit of that connection, and we hope it brings you as much joy to hear as it brought us to make.”
Matt Carmichael: “It really means a lot to be included in the Longlist this year. I always enjoy discovering new music through The SAY Award and it’s a nice boost for ‘Dancing with Embers’ to recognised in this way.”
Mogwai: “I am truly grateful that our album has been Longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award. It’s an incredible honour to be recognised among so many talented artists who continue to make Scotland’s music scene so inspiring and vibrant. This acknowledgment means so much to us as a band, and it’s a testament to the hard work, creativity, and support that surrounds our music. We want to thank everyone who has listened, shared, and connected with this record, as well as the SAY Award team for considering us. We are deeply appreciative. “ – Stuart Braithwaite
Rebecca Vasmant: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to be a part of the SAY Longlist. I hope that my music can shine a light on some of the amazing players that are on the record, as my main passion and desire is to help the Scottish music scene as a whole, and help get our music heard wide and far. I’m very grateful to have worked with such talented musicians and without them, the music would not exist.“
TAAHLIAH: “It means so much to have my debut album recognised and appreciated by an institution I spent a lot of my younger years admiring from afar.”
The Joy Hotel: “For us to be in a position to make any kind of art while the world endures so much vile injustice and painful change feels like an absurd privilege, and with ‘Ceremony’ we gave everything we had to create something beautiful and hopefully enduring. The SAY Award is a lovely moment to reflect on how lucky we all are to do what we do. Scottish music is in a great place right now and to be Longlisted in itself is an honour.”
Walt Disco: “We’re extremely grateful that our album ‘The Warping’ has been included in the Longlist for this year’s SAY Award, amongst works by many other great Scottish artists. We’re proud to see Scottish artists pushing the envelope year after year, as we always have.”
Zoe Graham: “I am truly delighted that my album has been included in the Longlist for the 2025 Scottish Album of the Year. A huge amount of time, care, work and thought went into every nook and corner of this record. ‘TENT’ was my obsession and labour of love for a long time and I’m so incredibly happy that it’s been recognised.”
