Music fans are once again invited to ‘Have their SAY’ and influence Scotland’s national music prize, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, by backing their favourite Longlisted album to secure its place on 2023’s Shortlist; remaining in the running to win the coveted title and the £20,000 first prize.
With voting now open, music fans have 72 hours to back their favourite record – choosing between albums from some of Scotland’s biggest stars and most exciting artists including Paolo Nutini, The Snuts, Joesef, Young Fathers, Brooke Combe, Bemz and more.
Plus, The SAY Award announces this year’s judging panel and reveals additional details on next month’s Ceremony, co-hosted by Nicola Meighan and Vic Galloway and taking place on Thursday 26 October at Stirling’s Albert Halls.
Fans can vote for free, once per person, at www.sayaward.com from 00.00am Monday 2 October until midnight Wednesday 4 October.
Music fans can choose between 20 albums on The SAY Award Longlist, from trad to jazz, punk to indie, rap to electronic and more. The album with the most public votes will be guaranteed a place on the 10-strong Shortlist, taking home a minimum prize of £1,000 and be in the running to win Scotland’s Album of the Year title and £20,000 prize.
- 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 nine other albums on the Shortlist will be chosen by this year’s judging panel, chaired by esteemed culture journalist Arusa Qureshi, also recently announced as Summerhall’s new Music Programme Manager.
Robert Kilpatrick, Interim CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said, “The SAY Award public vote is the chance for music fans to have their SAY in the determination of the Shortlist. From the 20 outstanding Scottish albums that made this year’s Longlist, the public’s choice will automatically be guaranteed a place in the 10-strong Shortlist along with a minimum prize of £1,000.
“In any year prize money is important for artists, but as Scotland’s music industry faces yet another devastating blow with the recently announced Government cuts to culture funding, The SAY Award prize fund remains vitally important as wider support erodes at an alarming rate. The myriad of financial challenges currently facing the sector is impacting artists at all levels, so now’s the time to get behind your favourite Longlisted record and secure its place in the Shortlist.
“The SAY Award winner will receive a £20,000 prize, and the SMIA is proud of its ongoing key commitment to the value of music in Scotland; made possible through the support of our long-term partners Creative Scotland. Best of luck to each of this year’s nominees – we eagerly anticipate which records will make the Shortlist, and we look forward to the exclusive announcement of this year’s winner as we celebrate the cultural impact and contribution of incredible Scottish music at The SAY Award Ceremony later this month.”
2023’s judging panel will choose 9 out of 10 albums on this year’s Shortlist, before reconvening to determine 2023’s winner.
As one of the most highly anticipated nights in Scotland’s musical calendar, The SAY Award Ceremony takes place on Thursday 26 October at Stirling’s Albert Halls. Music fans can buy tickets to attend now at sayaward.com.
The SAY Award Longlist recognises 20 outstanding Scottish albums, whittled down from a record-breaking 437 eligible album submissions this year by 100 impartial industry Nominators.
The 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. All artists will also receive bespoke prizes created by a Stirling-based artist through The SAY Award Design Commission; highlighting the enduring links between music, art and design in Scotland.
The SAY Award winner will be revealed alongside the winner of The Sound of Young Scotland Award and the Modern Scottish Classic Award.
The SAY Award 2023 is delivered in partnership with Creative Scotland, Stirling Council, Stirling Alive with Culture, YouTube Music, Seabass Vinyl, Ticketmaster, Help Musicians, HMV, FOPP, PPL, Spotify, Go Forth Stirling, Youth Music Initiative, Youth Music, Music Declares Emergency and The Golden Lion Hotel.
The SAY Award’s Charity Partner for 2023 is Tiny Changes; Scotland’s very first national children and young people’s mental health charity funding projects and ideas that help young minds feel better.
Tickets for 2023’s ceremony at the Albert Halls, Stirling are on sale now via www.sayaward.com.
Don’t miss The SAY Award 2023 news – follow the award on social media across Twitter @SAYaward, Instagram @sayaward, Facebook @SAYaward and TikTok @thesayaward
