SAY Award opens public vote

The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, today invites music fans to ‘Have their SAY’ and vote for their favourite Scottish album, plus announces Karen Dunbar and more as judges.

Article Source: The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award
Last Updated: 30 September 2024 9:29

VOTE FROM 00.01AM MONDAY 30 SEPTEMBER - WEDNESDAY 11.59PM 2 OCTOBER
#SAYaward

30th September - Scotland’s national music prize, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, today invites music fans to ‘Have their SAY’ and vote for their favourite Scottish album. The SAY Award’s 72 hour public vote is open now, meaning the public can back their favourite Longlisted album to secure its place on 2024’s Shortlist: remaining in the running to win the coveted title and £20,000 first place prize.

The free vote is now open via www.sayaward.com - fans have 72 hours to back their favourite record, with a diverse range of albums in the running from the likes of Arab Strap, Barry Can’t Swim, Becky Sikasa, Theo Bleak, The Snuts and more. Voting closes 11.59pm Wednesday 2nd October.

Plus, The SAY Award has revealed 2024’s judging panel includes Scottish actor and comedian Karen Dunbar, author Doug Johnstone, BBC Radio Scotland presenter Stephanie Cheape, V&A Dundee Director Leonie Bell, Amazon Music’s Hazel Berry and more.

Music fans can vote once per person, choosing between 20 albums on The SAY Award Longlist, from trad to jazz, metal to indie 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 remaining in the running to win the title of Scottish Album of the Year and a £20,000 prize.

The SAY Award Longlist:

Afterlands We Are the Animals in the Night
Amy Laurenson Strands
Arab Strap I'm totally fine with it 'don't give a fuck anymore'
Barry Can't Swim When Will We Land?
Becky Sikasa The Writings and the Pictures and the Song
Bee Asha Goodbye, Gracious
Blue Rose Code Bright Circumstance
Broken Chanter Chorus Of Doubt
corto.alto Bad With Names
Dead Pony IGNORE THIS
Empire State Bastard Rivers of Heresy
Fergus McCreadie Stream
Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand Willson Williams
Lucia & The Best Boys Burning Castles
Malin Lewis Halocline
Mama Terra The Summoned
Rachel Sermanni Dreamer Awake
rEDOLENT dinny greet
The Snuts Millennials
Theo Bleak Pain

The nine other albums on the Shortlist will be chosen by an esteemed judging panel, chaired by culture journalist and music professional Arusa Qureshi. The Shortlist will be announced Thursday 3rd October, with The SAY Award winner unveiled at this year’s Ceremony, taking place on Thursday 24th October at Stirling’s Albert Halls. Buy tickets for The SAY Award Ceremony now via www.sayaward.com.

Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said, “Each year, The SAY Award public vote is a chance for music fans to have their SAY and help determine the Scottish Album of the Year. The public’s choice will be guaranteed a place in this year’s Shortlist, securing them a minimum prize of £1,000 and keeping them in the running to win the overall prize of £20,000.

“We encourage music fans across Scotland to get involved, back their favourite record and have their SAY by taking part in the public vote. Best of luck to this year’s Longlist - it’s a truly fantastic snapshot of Scottish music from the past year, and we’re looking forward to celebrating these records and more, at The SAY Award Ceremony next month.”

2024’s judging panel will reconvene at The SAY Award Ceremony to choose the ultimate winner. This year’s judging panel is: Alistair Braidwood (Owner/Host, Scots Whay Hae!), Briana Pegado (Author & Founder, Good Trouble Co.), David Pollock (Journalist), Doug Johnstone (Author), Hazel Berry (Artist Relations & Amazon Originals Lead, Amazon Music), Karen Dunbar (Comedian/Actress/Entertainer), KevTame (Music Industry Professional, Welsh Music Prize Organiser), Leonie Bell (Director, V&A Dundee), Paul Bonham (Professional Development Director, Music Manager’s Forum), Sabrina Henry (Head of Programme, CCA), Stephanie Cheape (Singer/songwriter and BBC Introducing Presenter, BBC Radio Scotland).

All Shortlisted artists receive a trophy designed by Dunblane glass maker Elin Isaksson via The SAY Award Design Commission, as well as a prize of £1,000. The SAY Award winner takes home the ultimate prize of £20,000 plus a bespoke trophy, which will be made from recycled and molten glass.

One of the most highly anticipated nights in Scotland’s musical calendar, music fans can buy tickets to attend The SAY Award Ceremony, joining an audience of artists, industry professionals, press and cultural tastemakers to celebrate outstanding Scottish music, with a series of special live performances on the night. The SAY Award judging panel will reconvene to select 2024’s Scottish Album of the Year Award winner, exclusively announced at 2024’s ceremony, alongside this year’s Modern Scottish Classic and Sound of Young Scotland winners.

The SAY Award is a Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) production. The SAY Award 2024 is delivered in partnership with Creative Scotland, Stirling Council, Stirling Alive with Culture, Seabass Vinyl, Ticketmaster, Help Musicians, HMV, FOPP, PPL, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative, Youth Music, Music Declares Emergency and Hotel Colessio (hotel partner for The SAY Award Ceremony).

The SAY Award’s charity partner is Scotland’s national children’s and young people’s mental health charity, Tiny Changes, set up in memory of Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison to help young minds feel better.

Now in its thirteenth year, previous winners of The SAY Award include; Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’ (2023), Fergus McCreadie ‘Forest Floor’ (2022), Mogwai ‘As The Love Continues' (2021), Nova ‘Re-Up’ (2020), Auntie Flo ‘Radio Highlife’ (2019), Young Fathers ‘Cocoa Sugar’ (2018), Sacred Paws ‘Strike A Match’ (2017), Anna Meredith ‘Varmints’ (2016), Kathryn Joseph ‘Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled’ (2015), Young Fathers ‘Tape Two’ (2014), RM Hubbert ‘Thirteen Lost & Found’ (2013) and the inaugural winner Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat ‘Everything’s Getting Older’ (2012).

SAY Award Ceremony tickets are on sale now via www.sayaward.com
£18 + booking fee

Don’t miss The SAY Award 2024 news - follow the award on social media across Tw @itterSAYaward, Instagram @sayaward, Facebook @SAYaward and TikTok @thesayaward

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