SAY Award 2024: Shortlist Revealed

The shortlist for this year’s SAY Award has been confirmed.

The Scottish Album of the Year Award was set up over a decade ago, celebrating the best in Scottish music. Past winners include Young Fathers, Auntie Flo, Kathryn Joseph and beyond, with the award growing to celebrate the huge diversity in Scottish music.

This year’s SAY Award will be unveiled at a special ceremony in Stirling’s Albert Halls on October 24th, and the shortlist has now been confirmed.

In all, 10 albums have been nominated – ranging from dulcet folk to left-field jazz via dancefloor moves and… what Arab Strap define themselves as.

The full list can be found below.

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

corto.alto Bad With Names

Dead Pony IGNORE THIS

Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand Willson Williams

Lucia & The Best Boys Burning Castles

Rachel Sermanni Dreamer Awake

rEDOLENT dinny greet

Theo Bleak Pain

Alongside this, SAY Award organisers have confirmed that Martyn Bennett’s last album ‘Grit’ will be named as 2024’s Modern Scottish Classic Award winner. A hugely influential work completed as the composer fought cancer, it blends computer programming with a profound awareness of Scottish traditions.

Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), says… 

Congratulations to the 10 incredible albums that have made The SAY Award Shortlist, as well as to our Sound of Young Scotland Award finalists and this year’s Modern Scottish Classic Award winner; Martyn Bennett’s outstanding, innovative and much-loved record ‘Grit’. This is a fantastic representation of the strength and diversity of Scottish music – past, present and future.

In what has been – and continues to be – an incredibly challenging time for Scotland’s cultural sector, The SAY Award’s role in celebrating, promoting and rewarding artistic endeavour is more important than ever. Culture is our identity; it’s how we understand ourselves, our place in the world and how we connect with each other. It tells the stories of life in Scotland and is essential to our collective and individual well-being. By championing the incredible musical output of our nation, we share our stories with the rest of the world and find new ways to connect.

Scottish music not only enriches who we are but also contributes significantly to our economy, generating £195 million in 2018 alone, with music tourism adding £406 million. These figures show the profound impact of music, not just culturally, but in creating jobs, driving growth and funding vital public services. Without sustained and increased investment, however, the future for many of our artists and cultural organisations remains uncertain. It’s therefore essential that we continue to advocate for the long-term commitment that Scottish culture both needs and deserves.

The SMIA is proud of its ongoing commitment to the continued value of music and the arts in Scotland, and The SAY Award is a vital part of this work. A huge thank you to our partners for their invaluable support, and we look forward to an unforgettable celebration at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 24 October.

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