Longlist is announced for album of the year honour
The Scottish Album of the Year longlist has been revealed before the prestigious prizegiving returns to Paisley.
The star-studded event is back in town for the second year, and 300 entrants have been whittled down to just 20 contenders.
Music industry experts will crown the overall winner at a glittering bash in Paisley Town Hall.
Jean Cameron, City of Culture 2021 bid director, says hosting the ceremony proves that big acts are drawn to the area.
She said: “The SAY Awards is a fantastic celebration of Scottish talent and we are pleased to host again.
“Paisley is a town already synonymous with talent, so to have the winner announced in our magnificent town hall is a significant boost in the running for UK City of Culture 2021. “My congratulations go to all the acts. “We can’t wait to see who will make it to the shortlist.”
The ceremony returns to Paisley for the second year, bolstering the town’s cultural credentials ahead of the final of its own competition.
Established acts will jostle with upand- comers for the Album of the Year title, including alternative rock legends The Jesus and Mary Chain, who released their first record in two decades in March.
The winner will receive a £20,000 prize, with nine runners-up bagging £1,000 each.
The longlist was unveiled at Glasgow’s O2 ABC and saw performances from previous nominees, including Steve Mason, Admiral Fallow and Mungo’s Hi Fi.
It will be culled to a 10-strong shortlist, with one competitor chosen by the public in a 72-hour online vote between June 12 and 14.
Alan Morrison, head of music at Creative Scotland, has hailed the diverse entrants, which include rock, electronica, dance and folk.
He said: “This year’s SAY Award nominees range from acts who burst onto the scene in the 1980s, such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, to TeenCanteen, who performed as part of Creative Scotland’s showcase at The Great Escape festival in Brighton only last week.
“And that’s one of the wonderful things about this prize.
“Emerging artists such as Vukovi, Sacred Paws and Fatherson find themselves standing shoulder to shoulder with Scottish icons, such as King Creosote, Mogwai and Teenage Fanclub.
“It proves that there’s legacy in the music we make here, as these albums reach out to different generations of fans but pull everyone together for one big celebration of Scottish talent.”
Now in its sixth year, The SAY Award is Scotland’s most prestigious music prize.
The shortlist will be announced on June 15 during a special broadcast of BBC Radio Scotland’s Quay Sessions before the final on June 28.
Previous winners include Anna Meredith, Kathryn Joseph, Young Fathers, RM Hubbert and Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat.
The finalists are: Adam Holmes and The Embers; C Duncan; Ela Orleans; Fatherson; Frightened Rabbit; Honeyblood; The Jesus and Mary Chain; King Creosote; Konx-omPax; Mersault; Modern Studies; Mogwai; Pictish Trail; Rachel Newton; RM Hubbert; Sacred Paws; Starless; Teenage Fanclub; TeenCanteen and Vukovi.
Find out more and listen to selections from two albums each day by visiting www. sayaward.com