The Scottish Music Awards (Scottish Gaelic: Duaisean Ciùil na h-Alba) are an annual award ceremony held in Scotland to commemorate outstanding musical contribution by musicians over the past year to Scottish music and success on the Scottish Singles and Albums Charts. As of 2020, the awards have been held annually for 22 years.[1]
The 2020 ceremony was held on 28 November, dubbed as a "St. Andrew's Day celebration". Performances included Lewis Capaldi, Biffy Clyro, Texas, Amy Macdonald, Wet Wet Wet, Dougie MacLean, GUN, Stephanie Cheape, HYYTS, kitti, Luke La Volpe, George Bowie and Graeme Park.[2]
The Scottish Music Awards will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023. [3]
History
Over the course of the awards tenure, the awards have honoured some of the Scotland's biggest international musicians, including Annie Lennox and Susan Boyle, whilst celebrating Scotland’s best up and coming musical artists, through breakthrough awards awarded to musicians Be Charlotte, Tom Walker and Lewis Capaldi.
The award ceremonies aim to raise funds for the UK’s largest independent music therapy charity, Nordoff Robbins.[4]
The Scottish Music Awards celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. [5]
Ceremonies
2023
The 2023 ceremony was hosted on November 4, 2023, once again by Edith Bowman. The event will again return to the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow for the third consecutive time since 2021.[6]
Winners
2022
The 2022 Awards were held at Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow on 5 November 2022. The ceremony was once again hosted by Edith Bowman.[8]
Performances
Performances included The View, Tamzene, Rianne Downey, Dylan John Thomas, Altered Images and Rod Stewart.[9]
Winners
2022 Winners include:[10]
- Clare Grogan (Altered Images) – Winner of the Sir Reo Stakis Foundation Living Legend Award
- Craig Logan – Winner of the Go Radio Music Industry Award
- Dylan John Thomas – Winner of the Dean Banks & Mond Vodka Breakthrough Artist Award
- Ewan McVicar – Winner of the Ballantine’s / Sub Club Electronic Music Award
- Gerry Cinnamon – Winner of the King Tut’s Songwriting Award
- Gun – Winner of the Hard Rock Cafe Rock Legend Award
- Lewis Capaldi – Winner of the Raymond Weil Global Artist of the Year Award
- Paolo Nutini – Winner of the Guitar Guitar’s Best Album Award AND Ticketmaster’s Best Live Act Award
- Peat & Diesel – Winner of the Royal Highland Centre Sound of Scotland Award
- Rianne Downey – Winner of the Tennent’s Light Breakthrough Award
- Rod Stewart – Winner of the Specsavers Outstanding Achievement in Music Award
- Tamzene – Winner of the VEGA Rising Star Award
- The View – Winner of the Rox ‘Diamonds & Thrills’ Special Recognition Award
- Wet Leg – Winner of the SWG3’s Best UK Artist Award
2021
The event was held on Saturday 13 November 2021 in Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, marking the first time in the events history that it has been held at the venue. The event was once again hosted by Edith Bowman, and marked the live return for the event following the virtual ceremony that took place in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland.[11]
Winners
The winners in the following categories are listed below:[12]
- Specsavers Outstanding Achievement Award - Amy Macdonald
- Sir Reo Stakis Legends Award - The Bluebells
- Pizza Express Best Pop Act - Bow Anderson
- Best Female Breakthrough (sponsored by Tennent’s Light) - Brooke Combe
- King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Songwriting Award - The Fratellis
- Best Male Breakthrough (sponsored by Dirt Comms and KHOLE) - Nathan Evans
- Women in Music Award (sponsored by ROX – Diamonds & Thrills) - Nina Nesbitt
- Best UK Award (sponsored by SWG3) - Sam Fender
- guitarguitar Best Album - The Snuts
- OVO Energy Eco Award - KT Tunstall
- Raymond Weil Icon Award - Wet Wet Wet
- Ticketmaster Best Live Award - Biffy Clyro
Performances
Performances were part of the event and featured performances from artists including:
- The Bluebells
- Brooke Combe
- The Fratellis
- Nathan Evans
- Nina Nesbitt
2020
The 2020 ceremony was hosted by Edith Bowman in the west end of Glasgow. The event was held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions.[1][13]
Nominations
- Ambassadors of Rock Award sponsored by Hard Rock Cafe – Gun
- Best Album Award sponsored by Guitar Guitar - Biffy Clyro
- Best Breakthrough Award sponsored by Notion Magazine - Luke La Volpe (Male) and kitti (Female)
- Best Pop Act Award sponsored by Bose – HYYTS
- Best UK Award sponsored by SSE – Lewis Capaldi
- Icons Award sponsored by Raymond Weil – Texas
- Innovation Award sponsored by SSE - Graeme Park - Hacienda Classics
- Nordoff Robbins Legend Award - George Bowie
- Outstanding Contribution Award sponsored by Specsavers - Wet Wet Wet
- Special Recognition Award sponsored by Sir Reo Stakis
- Foundation – Dougie MacLean
- Women in Music Award sponsored by Rox - Amy Macdonald
2019
Nominations
The 2019 nominations for the award ceremony were:[14]
2018
Nominations
The nominations for the 2018 ceremony were:[15]
- Susan Boyle: Scottish Music Hall of Fame Award sponsored by The Royal Highland Centre
- Éclair Fifi: Electronic Music Award sponsored by Sub Club
- Kyle Falconer: Best Album Award sponsored by Hard Rock Cafe
- SWG3: Evolution Award sponsored by The Sunday Mail
- The Snuts: Breakthrough Artist Award sponsored by Rekorderlig
- Annie Lennox: Scottish Music Hall of Fame Award sponsored by The Royal Highland Centre
- Snow Patrol: Artist of the Year Award sponsored by SSE
- Mark Knopfler: Living Legend Award sponsored by Raymond Weil
- World Pipe Band Championships: Glasgow UNESCO City of Music, Best Live Event Award
- Kevin Bridges: Ticketmaster Tourmaster Award
- Gary Clark: Music Business Award sponsored by The Sir Reo Stakis Foundation
- Frightened Rabbit: The King Tut's Wah Wah Hut Songwriting Award
- The Script: Best International Artist Award sponsored by Specsavers
- Tom Grennan: Best UK Artist Award sponsored by ROX – Diamonds and Thrills
2017
Nominations
The winners of the 2017 ceremony were:[16]
- ‘Song Writing Award’ Sponsored by King Tut's Wah Wah Hut – Emeli Sandé
- ‘Best Rock Band Award’ Sponsored by Hard Rock Heals - The Temperance Movement
- ‘Electronic Music Award’ Sponsored by Sub Club - Denis Sulta
- ‘Exceptional Contribution’ Sponsored by Sub Club – SLAM
- 'Best Breakthrough Artist Award’ Sponsored by Jack Daniel's - Lewis Capaldi
- Scottish Music Hall of Fame Award’ Sponsored by The Royal Highland Centre - Ian Stewart
- ‘Music Ambassador Award’ Sponsored by Sir Reo Stakis Foundation - Horse McDonald
- Unesco City of Music Best Live Event Award – Regular Summer of Nights
- Ticketmaster Tourmaster Award - Texas
- ‘Evolution Award’ Sponsored by Coors Light - Nina Nesbitt
- ‘Music Business Award’ Sponsored by Sunday Mail - Glasgow Jazz Festival
- ‘Best UK Newcomer’ Sponsored by Hampden Cars - Tom Walker
- ‘Best International Artist Award’ Sponsored by Chisholm Hunter - Alice Cooper
- ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ Sponsored by SSE - The Waterboys
