The Scottish Album of the Year Award  2020 is calling on music fans, artists and labels to submit albums to be in the running for Scotland’s distinguished music prize.

Returning for its ninth year, The SAY Award’s returns to celebrate the passion, value and diversity of Scottish music in 2020.

Artists, labels and music fans can now submit eligible Scottish albums released between 1 April 2019 and 31 May 2020 to The SAY Award Website.  All submissions must be made before midnight on Friday 31st July 2020.

Submit eligible albums of all all genres and sounds now at www.sayaward.com

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, The SAY Award campaign will go digital this year for the first time ever. In line with Government guidelines and with audience and artists’ safety at the forefront, The SAY Award’s live events will move online this year, meaning music fans across the country will  have the chance to be part of the traditionally exclusive final award ceremony. All over the world, the music industry is striving to ascertain how to operate in this new normal, as the ramifications of the massive economic and  cultural impacts continue to be felt.

With international opportunities and visibility for Scottish music significantly limited at present, this year The SAY Award will feature judges from four selected international territories for the first time in the award’s history; building upon and maintaining vital and valued international links for Scottish music.

Robert Kilpatrick, General Manager of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) says: “Scotland’s music industry is in crisis. For many of my industry colleagues, celebrating our music scene may be the last thing they’ll feel like doing. How can we celebrate when venues have closed, are closing and will continue to close unless something more is done? When our young people are losing access to music? How do our young people become future talent, active fans and economic supporters of our industry?
 
How do we celebrate when artists have lost all their live income? When our international opportunities and connections are under threat? When promoters, studios, producers, engineers, crew, music retail and multiple other sub-sectors of the industry are continually and sorely feeling the impact. There are no easy answers, and as the situation continues, Scotland’s music industry remains at significant risk, with a strong reliance on people coming together to create or experience music, as well as a high level of self-employment.
 
Never more than now is it important we celebrate Scottish music. By celebrating, we promote its visibility, highlight its value, develop audiences and stimulate opportunity at a time it’s never been needed more.”

The SAY Award winner will collect a £20,000 cash prize, whilst nine runners up are each awarded £1,000.

Previous winners of The SAY Award include 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).