Scottish Album of the Year: Four Glasgow artists shortlisted for award

The shortlist for the Scottish Album of the Year award has been released.

Who has been shortlisted?

Glasgow artists Joesef (Does It Make You Feel Good?), Lizzie Reid (Cubicle), Mogwai (As The Love Continues) and The Ninth Wave (Happy Days!) are all in the running to win the award.

The other nominees are AiiTee (Love Don’t Fall), Arab Strap (As Days Get Dark), Biffy Clyro (A Celebration of Endings), Rachel Newton (To The Awe), Stanley Odd (STAY ODD) and The Snuts (W.L.).

What is the award?

The highly-anticipated shortlist celebrates the country’s most outstanding albums and the incredible network of people who created them.

From 327 eligible album submissions, to a longlist of 20 records, these final ten albums remain in the running to win £20,000, one of the most lucrative prize funds in the UK, at this month’s ceremony in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall as Scotland’s national music prize celebrates its 10th year.

How was the shortlist chosen?

The winner of this year’s public vote was Stanley Odd (STAY ODD), with the remaining nine albums chosen by the esteemed judging panel.

2021’s panel includes the likes of Ian Rankin (author), Jackie Kay (poet), Daniel Portman (actor) and Ashley Storrie (comedian), as well as Tim Burgess (musician, The Charlatans), whose “Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties” sound tracked the UK’s lockdown for many by bringing artists and audiences together to listen, discuss and celebrate albums both past and present.

What did the organisers say?

Robert Kilpatrick, creative projects and communications director at the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said: “The SAY Award shortlist comprises 10 of the best Scottish records of the last year; all released throughout the pandemic. With some of the biggest names in Scottish music featured alongside some of our nation’s most exciting rising talents, 2021’s shortlist showcases the exciting, diverse and resilient nature of our music community despite 18 months of significant challenges. It firmly recognises music’s cultural impact and life-changing value, and brings to the forefront a recorded output that all of us in Scotland can – and should – feel proud of.

Joesef, from Glasgow, has been shortlisted for the award. Pic: Alexandra Waespi.

“Along with this year’s shortlist announcement, we’re delighted to reveal the winner of the inaugural Modern Scottish Classic Award, as chosen by the 20 artists that made up this year’s longlist.

“‘The Midnight Organ Fight’ by Frightened Rabbit is a record that many of us hold close to our hearts, and for it to claim the inaugural prize is a special moment for both The SAY Award and Scotland’s music community as a whole. It’s a record we’re proud to be honouring this year, and one we know will continue to be both celebrated and cherished for many years to come.

“As we quickly approach this year’s ceremony, we look forward to welcoming attendees from across the cultural landscape, as well as music fans for the first time as we get set to host our biggest event to date.

“On October 23 we’ll be recognising both this year’s nominees and 10 incredible years of The SAY Award, which since 2012 has played the important and privileged role of championing outstanding Scottish albums and rewarding artists for invaluable contributions to our cultural identity as a nation. We hope you can join us, and we’re looking forward to a much needed and well deserved night for our artists, industry and wider music community to come together after such a tough and turbulent time spent apart.”

If you would like to get a ticket to the awards, visit the Usher Hall website.