Longlist announced for 2022 Scottish Album of the Year award

The longlist for the 2022 Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award has been announced, showcasing the country’s diverse musical landscape.

A record-breaking 369 eligible submissions were made, whittled down to just twenty ahead of the ceremony next month.

Each album is now in the running to scoop the top prize of the coveted SAY Award title and £20,000.

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This is The #SAYaward Longlist 2022 👇 pic.twitter.com/o6nrJj5F6f

— The SAY Award (@SAYaward) September 16, 2022

The ceremony takes place on October 20 at Stirling’s Albert Halls, an event celebrating the vast array of talent Scotland has produced across a range of genres, subcultures and artistic styles.

A free exhibition showcasing the albums is also currently running across the city at award-winning music venue The Tolbooth.

The longlist

AiiTee – ‘Better Days’
Andrew Wasylyk – ‘Balgay Hill: Morning In Magnolia’
Annie Booth – ‘Lazybody’
Bemz – ‘M4’
C Duncan – ‘Alluvium’
Callum Easter – ‘System’
Constant Follower – ‘Neither Is, Nor Ever Was’
Declan Welsh and the Decadent West – ‘It’s Been A Year’
Duncan Lyall – ‘Milestone’
Fergus McCreadie – ‘Forest Floor’
Hamish Hawk – ‘Heavy Elevator’
Hen Hoose – ‘Equaliser’
Kathryn Joseph – ‘For You Who Are The Wronged’
Kobi Onyame – ‘Don’t Drink The Poison’
The Ninth Wave – ‘Heavy Like a Headache’
Niteworks – ‘A’Ghrian’
Proc Fiskal – ‘Siren Spine Sysex’
Rebecca Vasmant – ‘With Love, From Glasgow’
Seonaid Aitken Ensemble – ‘Chasing Sakura’
Walt Disco – ‘Unlearning’

Robert Kilpatrick, Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) and The SAY Award, said: “Following a record-breaking 369 eligible album submissions, we’re delighted to announce the 20 outstanding records in the running for 2022’s Scottish Album of the Year Award.

“As Scotland’s national music prize, The SAY Award exists to celebrate the cultural impact and contribution of our nation’s recorded output. 2022’s Longlist presents a dynamic and diverse collection of albums which spans multiple genres and showcases both established and rising talent from across the country.

“Despite the turbulence of recent times, the enduring impact and resonance of the album format remains. As vehicles of both self-discovery and connection with others, their power to ground, inspire and unite us is perhaps more important than ever.

“As we now approach our 2022 Ceremony at Stirling’s Albert Halls next month, we look forward to championing Scotland’s ever evolving music scene and unique cultural identity; recognising the value and magic of music in our lives.”

The longlist was finalised by input from 100 impartial music industry nominators.

It will be halved to a shortlist of ten by the SAY Award judging panel, with one chosen by the public in an online public vote open for 72 hours between October 3 and 5.