Piping is well represented on this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards shortlist, and now it’s over to you.
Four pipe bands are going head to head for Scottish Pipe Band of the Year: Govan, Livingston Caledonia, Police Scotland Fife and Williamwood.
Piping Live! is up for Event of the Year, and the National Piping Centre’s Community Piping Clubs are nominated for Community Project of the Year.
Australian-born, Glasgow-based piper Bede Patterson is in the running for Up and Coming Artist of the Year with The Nexus Project, his bagpipe-led blend of jazz and traditional music.
The piping podcast The Big Rab Show is nominated in the Trad Music in the Media category.
The public decides the winners, so every vote from the piping community counts. Voting is open until Sunday, November 15, and the winners will be announced live on BBC ALBA from Paisley Arena on Saturday, December 5.
Voting is open until Sunday 15 November at www.scotstradmusicawards.com. Tickets are on sale now at https://renfrewshireboxoffice.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173677168.
The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards have unveiled the 2026 list of nominees, with trailblazing folk acts, much-loved festivals, rising stars and unsung heroes of the scene all up for recognition.
An impressive roll call of talent representing the best of the best in Scotland’s thriving traditional music scene sees 94 nominees in the running for sought-after awards across 21 categories.
The MG ALBA Scots Trad Awards, or Na Trads, reach their 24th edition and will this year be held at Paisley Arena on Saturday 5 December at a glittering ceremony broadcast live on BBC ALBA.
Dubbed the ‘folk Oscars’, the night recognises the extraordinary creativity, talent and passion powering Scotland’s traditional music community.
The public are invited to have their say on who comes out on top, with voting open now until Sunday 15 November at www.scotstradmusicawards.com.
The nominees are:
Album of the Year, sponsored by Birnam CD
- A’ Chailleach by Kim Carnie
- A Love for All Seasons by Chris Stout and Catriona McKay
- Buin by Pàdruig Moireasdan
- Doing This for Love by Kris Drever
- I am Disposed to Mirth by Patsy Reid
- Incendo by Blazin’ Fiddles
- Scarrow by Salt House
- The Scottish Four Seasons by Isla Ratcliff
- Underwater Cairngorms by Mhairi Hall and David de la Haye
- Useagan Bharraigh by Maggie MacInnes
Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year, sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland
- Allan Taylor
- Amy Lord
- Lainey Dempsey
- Paddy Buchanan
Club of the Year, sponsored by Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd.
- Biggar Box and Fiddle Club
- Dalry Folk Club
- Lossie Folk Club
- Resolis Hall
Community Project of the Year, sponsored by Isle of Barra Distillers
- Community Piping Clubs – National Piping Centre
- Glasgow Folk Music Workshop
- Fèis Phàislig
- Fèis Rois at 40
Composer of the Year, sponsored by PRS for Music
- Adam Sutherland
- Colin Steele
- Hamish Napier
- Megan Henderson
Event of the Year, sponsored by VisitScotland
- Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
- Edinburgh International Harp Festival
- North Atlantic Fiddle Convention
- Piping Live!
- Speyfest
- The Ceilidh King – Celebrating Fergie Macdonald MBE
Gaelic Singer of the Year, sponsored by Highland Society of London
- Claire Frances MacNeil
- Iain Cormack
- Norrie MacIver
- Mairi McGillivray
Industry Person of the Year, sponsored by An Aird Events
- Corrie Campbell
- Craig Corse
- Jen Anderson
- Lesley Shaw
Live Act of the Year, sponsored by SHURE
- DLÙ
- Mec Lìr
- The Jarad Rowan Band
- Valtos
Music Tutor of the Year, sponsored by Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative
- Ciorstaidh Beaton
- Claire Hastings
- Gordon Gunn
- Lauren MacColl
- Sileas Sinclair
Musician of the Year, sponsored by University of the Highlands and Islands
- Alec Dalglish
- Amy Laurenson
- Charlie Galloway
- Innes White
- Sam Mabbett
- Su-a Lee
Original Work of the Year, sponsored Musicians’ Union
- Bairns O’ Gaza by Shooglenifty
- Metagama: An Atlantic Odyssey
- Deiseil: Dancing in Time
- Run by Elephant Sessions with Beluga Lagoon
Scottish Dance Band of the Year, sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
- David Oswald Scottish Dance Band
- Fin Hope Band
- John Burns Scottish Dance Band
- The Haggis Chasers
Scottish Folk Band of the Year, sponsored by Threads of Sound
- Beinn Lee
- Dàna
- Hannah Rarity and Anna Massie
- RANT
- TRIP
Scottish Pipe Band of the Year, sponsored by National Piping Centre
- Govan Pipe Band
- Livingston Caledonia Pipe Band
- Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band
- Williamwood Pipe Band
Up and Coming Artist of the Year, sponsored by Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- Arthur Coates & Kerran Cotterell
- Bede Patterson – The Nexus Project
- Fell Line
- Heather Cartwright
- Rachel and Holli
Venue of the Year
- Aberdeen Music Hall
- Barrowland Ballroom
- Ceilidh Place
- Glenbuchat Hall
Beyond the public vote, a trio of awards are decided on in advance by an esteemed panel of judges. This year, the Services to Gaelic Award, sponsored by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, this year goes to An Comunn Gàidhealach Chair Maggie Cunningham, while The Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award is awarded to the late folklorist Ian Russell.
Renowned Scots singer and traditional music advocate Sheena Wellington has received The Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
A series of production awards also recognise those helping bring Scotland’s traditional music to the masses, all sponsored by Paul McGeechan Mixing and Mastering. The production award nominees are:
Trad Music in the Media
- Caithream Ciùil, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal – Celebrating 30 years of the RCS
- Big Rab Show (Podcast)
- Folk on Foot (Podcast)
- Trad Music Forum New Music Newsletter
Recording Studio of the Year
- Gran’s House
- Solas Sound
- Black Bay Studios
Record Producer of the Year
- Andy Bell (Hudson Records)
- John Lowrie
- Nick Turner
Sound Engineer of the Year
- Gary Boyle
- Keir Long
- Ross Saunders
Scots Trad Music Awards organiser Simon Thoumire said: “It’s been another outstanding year for Scottish traditional music as it continues to evolve, surprise and inspire, while staying true to the communities and traditions that make it so special. It’s always heartening to see the nominations flood in across so many areas of the scene and to see what people have been creating, sharing and doing for traditional arts in Scotland over the last 12 months.
“All of the nominees are worthy winners and reflect the best of the tradition, congratulations to each of them. Now it’s over to the public, they can have their say and decide who comes away with a trophy. Na Trads haven’t been held in Paisley since 2017 so we can’t wait to be back in such a culturally rich town to celebrate.”
Tony Kearney, MG ALBA Director of Content and Audiences: “As headline sponsor of the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, we are delighted that the awards will once again be shown live on BBC ALBA, bringing this celebration of Scotland’s traditional music to audiences across Scotland and beyond. The live broadcast is an opportunity to share the exceptional talent, creativity and ambition of this vibrant community. Through our longstanding partnership, MG ALBA is proud to help bring their music, voices and stories to a wider audience.”
Hosted by Mary Ann Kennedy and Alistair Heather, Na Trads also showcase a host of incredible live performances on the night, with the public able to buy tickets to attend and see their favourite stars up close. Performing in Paisley will be Live Act of the Year nominee Valtos, last year’s Album of the Year winner Sian, Orkney quarter Gnoss, folk fusion act Spodo Komodo, BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2026, Rachel Groves and performers from Renfrewshire’s Fèis Phàislig.
The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, organised by Hands Up For Trad and made possible with funding and support from Creative Scotland and MG ALBA, will take place at Paisley Arena on Saturday 5 December 2026 and broadcast on BBC ALBA.