The organisers of the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) award say they received a “record-breaking” number of submissions from artists this year.
The long-list of 20 albums has been whittled down from 369 submissions by 100 impartial music industry nominators.
The winner will receive a £20,000 prize at the ceremony at Stirling’s Albert Halls on 20 October.
Among those on the long-list are Declan Welsh and the Decadent West with the album It’s Been A Year, and Kathryn Joseph with For You Who Are The Wronged.
A special exhibition showcasing the 20 finalists will be held at the city’s Tollbooth.
The long-list will be reduced to 10 and music fans will then be able to choose the eventual winner in an online poll between 3 and 5 October.
Robert Kilpatrick, creative director of the Scottish Music Industry Association, said: “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 long-list 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.”
Gerry McGarvey, convener of Stirling Council’s community planning and regeneration committee, said: “To reach this stage in the competition is an achievement in itself and it’s fantastic to have so many Stirling-based artists, and artists that have their roots in the Tolbooth’s Music Development workshops, in the final 20, demonstrating the area’s dynamic and diverse music scene.
“In just over a month one of these incredible records will be recognised as Scottish Album of the Year in the Albert Halls Stirling, and today’s milestone signals the countdown is on to an exciting and inspiring night.”
The SAY Award long-list for 2022:
- 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
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