
Scots reveal their 'favourite Scottish albums' of all time by iconic bands
People in Scotland have shared their "favourite Scottish albums" of all time. Different Scots chose albums across a wide range of genres as the best the country has to offer.
Scotland's music may not be as instantly recognisable around the world as its whisky or cuisine, but many legendary musicians have hailed from the country. Countless iconic singers and bands have called Scotland home over the years.
On Saturday, July 12, a Reddit user asked the people of Scotland to share their top albums by Scottish acts. Writing on the forum's Scotland community, the user stated: "Post your favourite Scottish album."
Despite being posted just two days ago, the question has since received more than 170 responses. Music lovers quickly shared their favourite Scottish albums, both old and new.
The Scottish album the original poster picked as their favourite is Tiny Changes: A Celebration Of The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit. The album was released in 2019 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Midnight Organ Fight by Selkirk indie rock band Frightened Rabbit.
Tiny Changes: A Celebration Of The Midnight Organ Fight includes cover versions of songs on the original album by various musicians and bands. It features a number of Scottish acts such as Biffy Clyro, The Twilight Sad, and Lauren Mayberry of synth-pop group CHVRCHES.
The top comment on the post lists Music Has the Right to Children by Boards of Canada as the best Scottish album. Despite their name, Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo originating from Edinburgh.
Music Has the Right to Children was released in 1998, and earned widespread acclaim. While the album saw limited chart success, it is often considered to be a landmark of electronic music.
Meanwhile, another Reddit user chose Heaven or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins as their pick for the best Scottish album. Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock and dream pop band that formed in Grangemouth in 1979, known for lead singer Elizabeth Fraser's unique vocals.
Heaven or Las Vegas came out in 1990, and reached number seven on the UK Albums chart. The album also received very positive reviews, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time.
A different user chose another Cocteau Twins album as their choice for the best Scottish album. They selected Blue Bell Knoll, which released in 1988 before Heaven or Las Vegas.
Blue Bell Knoll is not as well remembered amongst most music fans as the band's following release. However, the album still received positive reviews on its release and reached number 15 on the UK Albums chart.
Another album chosen by one Scot as their favourite is Franz Ferdinand's self-titled debut album. Franz Ferdinand are a band that formed in Glasgow in 2002, with their first album featuring their signature hit 'Take Me Out'.
Franz Ferdinand peaked at number three on the UK Albums chart and number two on the Scottish Albums chart upon its release in 2004. 'Take Me Out' has since garnered more than one billion streams on Spotify.
Other albums named by Scots as their favourite include The Bones of What You Believe by CHVRCHES, Screamadelica by alternative rock band Primal Scream, and If You're Feeling Sinister by Glasgow indie pop band Belle and Sebastian—with all three groups originating from Glasgow.
Elsewhere, other Reddit users chose This Is the Story by Edinburgh duo The Proclaimers and Psychocandy by East Kilbride alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scotsman
31 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Harry Potter TV Series Cast Latest 2025: Here are all 22 actors confirmed for the reboot - as production gets underway
1 . Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin has been cast as Harry Potter in the new television series. While McLaughlin has had little screentime so far, he's already been cast in two television series set to be released over the course of the next year. He'll be appearing in Sky comedy Grow alongside new Hagrid Nick Frost and Golda Rosheuvel. The series is about a man who returns to his childhood neighborhood after his father's death only to be sucked into the murky world of drug dealing. He's also been cast in BBC action adventure series Gifted. Set in Edinburgh (and filmed in both Edinburgh and Glasgow), Gifted follows a group of Scottish teenagers who discover they have superpowers. | Aidan Monaghan/HBO


Daily Record
34 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Jazz legend sets the tone to mark launch of Stirling's newest live music venue
Dom Pipkin, described by Blues in Britain as "one of the world's greatest exponents of New Orleans piano", entertained guests at the Golden Lion Hotel's Cronies bar. Stirling's flourishing cultural and musical landscape continues to expand with the unveiling of a new piano lounge within the historic Golden Lion Hotel. Patrons and special invitees were treated to a performance by one of the world's most celebrated jazz and blues artists, Dom Pipkin, on Wednesday evening (July 9) at the hotel's Cronies bar. The renowned pianist and composer drew a diverse crowd, including local musicians and creative talents from the area. Pipkin, hailed by Blues in Britain as "one of the world's greatest exponents of New Orleans piano", has established himself as a fixture in the US city's music scene, gracing stages at events including the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival and the prestigious 'Piano Night'. Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Gerry McGarvey, said: "I lived in New Orleans for a time and I'm a huge fan of Dom and his music. It was incredible to see him play in Stirling and it's yet another milestone in the city's growing reputation for arts, music and culture. "The evening at the Golden Lion set the bar for our fantastic hospitality industry and will hopefully spark more innovation and attractions across the sector to boost our appeal to both residents and visitors. "We've got so much going on in Stirling and we're committed to working with our communities, local organisations and businesses to unleash the area's full cultural potential and maximise the benefits of a vibrant night-time economy." Hotel owners, Gary and Ros Atkinson, first encountered Dom's musical talent years ago at Ronnie Scott's in London. Ros recalled: "The moment he started to play it took our breath away and we immediately booked him for our Scottish hotel. "Since then, we have been lucky to become good friends and watch him perform may times, including in Europe with his band Morcheeba. "We have created our Cronies Piano Lounge as a stylish and relaxed venue for cool music and classic cocktails and were thrilled when he immediately agreed to play and launch our series of lounge music piano nights. It was great to see the audience appreciate the art of a true British jazz legend." The hotel is recruiting a line-up of top pianists to perform Friday nights, Saturday afternoons and evenings, and Sunday Jazz Lunch. A full schedule will be released shortly. The Golden Lion, a 66-bedroom establishment and the oldest building on King Street, boasts notable ties to Rabbie Burns. As part of the Bloody Scotland crime-writing festival in September, it will host The Whisky Night – an evening of spirited conversation and music. The event will feature appearances from Rebus creator Sir Ian Rankin, singer-songwriter James Yorkston, Colin MacIntyre of Mull Historical Society, and author Natalie Jayne Clark. Mr Atkinson, a business ambassador for the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and a member of their Scottish Business Advisory Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the city's potential. He said: "This is a great city with a great hospitality offering and we are working closely with local tourism, businesses and the council to promote Stirling. There are exciting times ahead and it's great to have so much local support." Councillor McGarvey further emphasised the importance of collaboration, saying: "Having dynamic partnerships with creative entrepreneurs like Gary and the local hospitality and tourism trade is at the heart of our strategy to build our offering to local residents and UK and international visitors." Ewan Duncan, the owner of Europa Music in Stirling's Friars Street, Scotland's largest vinyl record shop, shared his delight at the return of live music events. He said: "It was great to see live music with a world-class jazz pianist in a hotel back on the up and up and to have such an appreciative audience there to enjoy it." Dom said: "I'm just lucky they want to listen to me as an artist doing what I do. I was delighted to support the new venture by Gary and Ros and spread my alternative blues gospel. I will be back later in the year and wish them and every artist performing here every success."


Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Free music festival in the heart of Edinburgh returns
The Brand New Heavies, Bemz, Tamzene, and Cortney Dixon lead the line-up for St James Quarter Sessions Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... St James Quarter Sessions is back for its third year (15th to 24th August '25) with a packed line up of heavy hitters and up and coming talent taking over the East End of the city. Happening during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the city's leading retail and lifestyle destination, St James Quarter, this year's festival programme sees over 60 acts performing across the impressive, canopied development, including the Level 6 rooftop, with panoramic views of Scotland's capital and castle – providing one of the most unique festival stages in the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hot on the heels of the band's well-received 30th anniversary tour, 90s icons The Brand New Heavies, will be bringing iconic acid-jazz hits such as 'You Are The Universe' and 'Midnight At The Oasis' to Edinburgh. Fans can expect a stacked set of classic tunes, heavy bass lines and hypnotic rhythms from one of the band's that helped to establish acid-jazz in popular culture in the 90s. The Brand New Heavies, Bemz, Tamzene, and Cortney Dixon lead the line-up for St James Quarter Sessions. Coming off the back of rave reviews from this year's UK festival scene, Winner of the Scottish Music Awards' 'Sound of Scotland' award and previously BBC Introducing's 'Scottish Act of the Year', Glasgow rapper Bemz will be kicking off this year's main event with a banging Friday night performance on the Level 6 Castle View stage. Having toured with the likes of The Snuts, Bemz has been building a reputation as a leading light in Scotland's hip-hop scene. Fresh from making her Glastonbury debut this year, Cortney Dixon is poised to set the rooftop on fire with a riotous set of indie-pop anthems. Expect fuzz laden guitars and a raucous performance from the North East's latest hot property on the music scene. Grassroots music champions Wide Days will be taking over the Castle View stage with their 'New From Scotland' series, showcasing Scotland's hottest new talent. Festival-goers can enjoy the industry's top picks of future Scottish stars on Friday 22nd before they reach the masses. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Slated for the Level 3 Yellow Stage and hailing from the small Scottish town of Cromarty, critically acclaimed Highlands singer songwriter, Tamzene will be bringing her unique sound to Sessions. Riding the waves of a career that's pacing towards stardom, Tamzene will deliver an intimate set of R&B‑tinged pop ballads set to mesmerise festival goers with candid lyricism and haunting melodies that draw on a nuanced mix of Irish, Jamaican and Highland roots. Running throughout August, musicians can apply for a paid performance slot with applications via Nigerian-born and Edinburgh-raised, James Emmanuel will also be bringing his soulful sounds to the Yellow Stage on Level 3 of the Galleria. Raised as the son of a preacher, he first found his voice in gospel choirs, a grounding that shaped his soulful sound from the beginning. Now backed by BBC Introducing, James draws inspiration from legends like Marvin Gaye and Bobby "Blue" Bland, James brings a timeless quality to stories that feel deeply personal and human. On the back of their very first headline tour after releasing their debut album in 2024, Scottish duo The Laurettes will be bringing their unique take on Celtic-folk to the Sessions stage, supported by their all-female band. Elsewhere on the bill will be Dara Dubh, Beth Miller, Ant Thomaz, Indoor Foxes, Dictator, Justine Beverley and more home‑grown talent taking over stages throughout St James Quarter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Festival-goers can sign up for free tickets, set times and stage information by downloading the St James Quarter App, which allows everyone to stay updated with events happening throughout the destination for Sessions and beyond. St James Quarter Sessions is back for its third year (15th to 24th August '25). Susan Hewlett, Festival Creator at St James Quarter, said: 'At a time when festival ticket prices have never been higher and independent venues are closing across the country, we're not only putting on this incredible line-up for free, but also giving existing and emerging artists the platform to continue being heard and discovered. We've even got clean toilets, no mud, and food and drink venues on tap – what more could you ask from a free music festival in one of the best cities in the UK.' The warm-up to this year's St James Quarter Sessions will champion Edinburgh's rich grassroots music scene by offering the next generation of Scottish stars a series of pop-up busking performances appearing throughout the destination. Running throughout August, musicians can apply for a paid performance slot with applications via