The Snuts and Paolo Nutini on longlist for Scottish Album Of The Year Award

14 September 2023, 17:46 | Updated: 14 September 2023, 17:47

Jack Cochrane of The Snuts at O2 Academy Birmingham
Jack Cochrane of The Snuts at O2 Academy Birmingham. Picture: Katja Ogrin/Redferns/Getty

The annual prize for the best Scottish recording of the past twelve months is to be announced in October.

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Radio X

By Radio X

The "longlist" for the Scottish Album of the Year Award has been announced - and records by The Snuts, Paolo Nutini and Young Fathers have all been chosen.

The country's national music prize has officially announced the twenty outstanding albums of the past twelve months and they are all in the running to win the coveted title and £20,000 cash prize.

West Lothian's Snuts have made the longlist for their second outing Burn The Empire and say of the nomination: “It's always great to be acknowledged alongside such great Scottish artists and albums.”

Paolo Nutini performing at Mad Cool Festival in Spain in July 2023
Paolo Nutini performing at Mad Cool Festival in Spain in July 2023. Picture: Ricardo Rubio/Europa Press via Getty Images

The fourth album from Paisley singer Paolo Nutini, Last Night In The Bittwersweet also made the list. Nutini said: "It feels nice to know the record is resonating out there and to be in the company of some of my favourite records to come out this year."

And Young Fathers, whose 2023 album Heavy Heavy missed out on the Mercury Prize earlier this month said of the SAY nod: “The three of us are extremely humbled by this nomination. It's no secret we're proud Scots & even prouder representing Scotland, so to be recognised with this nomination is a true honour."

The Scottish Album Of The Year 2023 longlist
The Scottish Album Of The Year 2023 longlist. Picture: SAY

The Scottish Album Of The Year Award longlist:

  • Andrew Wasylyk - Hearing The Water Before Seeing The Falls
  • Becky Sikasa - Twelve Wooden Boxes
  • Bemz - Nova's Dad
  • Brìghde Chaimbeul - Carry Them With Us
  • Brooke Combe - Black Is the New Gold
  • Brownbear - Demons
  • Cloth - Secret Measure
  • Comfort - What's Bad Enough?
  • Eyes Of Others - Eyes Of Others
  • Free Love - Inside
  • Hamish Hawk - Angel Numbers
  • Joesef - Permanent Damage
  • Juliette Lemoine - Soaring
  • Kapil Seshasayee - Laal
  • LVRA - Soft Like Steel
  • Paolo Nutini - Last Night in the Bittersweet
  • Scott William Urquhart & Constant Follower - Even Days Dissolve
  • The Snuts - Burn The Empire
  • Su-a Lee - Dialogues
  • Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy

The SAY Award Longlist is chosen by members of Scotland’s music and arts communities, with 100 impartial "nominators" including journalists, music retailers and music venues. Each nominator lists their five favourite albums in order of preference and a list of 437 eligible title is whittled down to 20.

The Longlist will now be slimmed down to a Shortlist of 10 albums, one of which will be chosen by music fans via a 72-hour online public vote from 2nd to 4th October. The remaining nine albums will be chosen by The SAY Award judging panel, who will then later reconvene to determine 2023’s winner; exclusively announced at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 26th October.

The SAY Award winner will receive a £20,000 prize and walk away with the coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year, whilst nine runners up on the Shortlist will each receive £1,000.

Now in its twelfth year, previous winners of The SAY Award include; Fergus McCreadie - Forest Floor (2022), Mogwai - As The Love Continues (2021), Kathryn Joseph - Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled (2015), Young Fathers - Tape Two (2014) and the inaugural winner Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat - Everything’s Getting Older (2012).

Tickets for 2023’s ceremony at the Albert Halls, Stirling are on sale now via www.sayaward.com with 2022’s winner Fergus McCreadie set to perform.

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