We take music seriously in Glasgow. It’s all around us, our chosen medium of expression.
Bands and musicians have established the soundtrack to life in the city, the Glasgow songbook that echoes around bars, stadiums, nightclubs, familiar streets and the nightbus home at the weekend.
Here’s our top 20 albums that deserve a place in any Glasgow record collection.
1. Hats - The Blue Nile
Hats was released in 1989 and was their second studio album. It contains the singles ‘The Downtown Lights’, ‘Headlights on the Parade’ and ‘Saturday Night’. Practically perfect. | The Blue Nile
2. Raintown - Deacon Blue
Featuring an image of the West End from Oscar Marzaroli as the album cover, Raintown is very much an album about Glasgow and arguably Deacon Blue’s finest piece of work. The title track was inspired by Ricky Ross’ walks to work at St Columba’s school in Maryhill. | Deacon Blue
3. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Having sold 3.6 million albums worldwide, the debut album from Franz Ferdinand was a huge hit as the band won the 2004 Mercury Music Prize. It includes big hit ‘Take Me Out’. | Franz Ferdinand
4. Screamadelica - Primal Scream
Screamadelica is one of the most recognisable Scottish albums of all time. It propelled the band onto the dancefloor with hits including ‘Movin’ on Up’ and ‘Loaded’. | Primal Scream