Scottish Album of the Year 2025: The longlist for 2025 has been revealed

Andrew Batchelor
Sep 25
3 min read

The SAY Awards will be hosted in Dundee for the next three years. (Picture: Supplied)

The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award has unveiled its longlist for 2025, with 20 albums now in the running for Scotland’s most prestigious music prize – and all eyes will soon be on Dundee as Caird Hall gets ready to host this year’s ceremony.

Now in its 14th year, the SAY Award is seen as a celebration of Scotland’s thriving music scene, with genres ranging from indie and pop to folk, jazz, dance and R’n’B.

Whittled down from more than 400 submissions, the longlist offers a snapshot of just how diverse and creative the country’s artists are today. The winning album will take home £20,000, with nine other shortlisted acts each receiving £1,000.

Among those featured are familiar faces. Past SAY Award winners Kathryn Joseph and Mogwai have been longlisted once again, alongside previous nominees like Hamish Hawk, Cloth, Walt Disco, TAAHLIAH and Brooke Combe. Fresh off their success at the AIM Awards, Glasgow jazz group corto.alto also make the list with their release 30/108.

There are also plenty of newcomers making their mark. Dundee audiences can look forward to discovering first-time nominees such as Faith Eliott, Zoe Graham and Kai Reesu, while Jacob Alon, who is also shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize, has made the longlist with debut album In Limerence. Edinburgh duo Maranta are recognised for their first and final record Day Long Dream, adding to the mix of fresh talent.

For Dundee, the excitement is building ahead of 6 November, when the SAY Award ceremony takes place at Caird Hall. The city has hosted major events in recent years, but this marks a new cultural highlight, bringing together Scotland’s most acclaimed musicians under one roof in the heart of Dundee. The night will also feature live performances from Brooke Combe, corto.alto, Dillon Barrie and last year’s winners, rEDOLENT.

Music fans across Scotland will also have their say. Between 13 and 15 October, a public vote will determine one album that secures a spot on the final shortlist of ten, with the other nine chosen by an expert judging panel.

The shortlist will be announced on 16 October, alongside nominees for the Sound of Young Scotland Award, which supports emerging artists with up to £10,000 in funding to produce their debut album.

For local audiences, the SAY Award isn’t just a national event coming to Dundee – it’s a chance to showcase the city as a creative hub.

From past winners like Andrew Wasylyk, who returns to the longlist this year with Tommy Perman, to the ongoing rise of homegrown artists and venues, Dundee’s musical spirit will be firmly in the spotlight when the ceremony arrives.