Record-breaking eight debut albums feature on Scottish Album of the Year Award’s 2020 shortlist

The shortlist for the 2020 Scottish Album of the Year Award has been unveiled, with a record breaking eight debut releases.

The highly-anticipated list of Scotland’s ten most outstanding albums of the last year was first revealed on the big screen at Glasgow Science Centre.

Nine of the albums were picked by this year’s judging panel, featuring the likes of Edith Bowman, Jack Saunders and Jess Brough.

The tenth spot was reserved for the winner of the public vote, which was Callum Easter’s Here or Nowhere.

The SAY Award Shortlist

• Blanck Mass – Animated Violence Mild
• Bossy Love – Me + U
• Callum Easter – Here Or Nowhere
• Cloth – Cloth
• Comfort – Not Passing
• Declan Welsh & The Decadent West – Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold
• Erland Cooper – Sule Skerry
• The Ninth Wave – Infancy
• NOVA – RE-UP
• SHHE – SHHE

Each shortlisted artist will receive a minimum of £1,000 prize money, with the top prize of £20,000 and coveted title of Album of the Year being awarded in a virtual ceremony on October 29.

The award, organised by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), takes on extra significance at a difficult time for the music world.

SMIA General Manager Robert Kilpatrick said: “This year’s Shortlist is an emotive list of records which shows strength, ambition and confidence in the last year of Scotland’s recorded output.

“It presents a strong sense of Scotland’s diverse cultural identity, particularly from a wave of new artists, with an incredible eight debut albums making up the Shortlist of ten; a first in the history of the award.

“This year’s Shortlist poignantly showcases a future vision of Scottish music – of Scotland’s music industry – one which urgently needs targeted, sector-specific Government support to wave the continued storms of the COVID-19 crisis and to allow a vital industry on its knees to survive.”

© Alex Kozobolis

Kilpatrick said that music adds “key economic, social and cultural benefits to our society and to each of our lives.”

He added: “It plays a fundamental role in driving tourism through our events and festivals, having generated £494 million for Scotland’s economy in 2018.

“But most importantly, our musical output helps us connect with both ourselves and each other. It provides us with emotional and mental well-being, and it often reflects the stories of our lives and the stories of our communities.

“All of this is currently at risk, and while the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland have provided some emergency funding for venues and hardship funding for artists, without further targeted support, our sector faces a severe and catastrophic loss of jobs and skills which would do long-term damage to music and culture for decades to come.”

Kilpatrick said that championing music and culture is more important now than ever, concluding: “The strength of the albums on this year’s Shortlist gives a compelling reason for all of us to do so, not least due to the fact that it highlights the quality and strength of new Scottish talent, and how much that needs to be supported at this fundamental time.

“The SAY Award will now work to connect these albums with more people both within and outwith Scotland over the coming weeks, before announcing this year’s winner on Thursday 29th October.

“A huge congratulations to each of this year’s Shortlisted albums. These are 10 genuinely outstanding Scottish records, and we implore you to listen to them.”

Visit www.sayaward.com