Music in Scotland

World class acts!

Glasvegas are one of the hottest bands from Scotland to emerge in recent years and have been tipped by Alan McGee, the Glaswegian record boss who famously discovered Oasis. Paolo Nutini, another big name, decided that, rather than follow his father into the fish and chip business, he’d follow his talent as a singer-songwriter. His first album went to number 1 in the UK charts and his music has been used on prime time American TV shows including Scrubs and CSI

Glasgow three piece, The Fratellis, with their records a permanent feature of daytime radio, platinum albums and a Brit award for Best Breakthrough Artist, seem unstoppable these days. As do Franz Ferdinand who, in the space of a few short years, have gone from a hotly-tipped new act to highly respected elder statesmen of rock

And the up and coming

And a new wave of Scottish bands are about to emerge: Frightened Rabbit, Sergeant, Sonny Marvello, Isosceles, The Ray Summers, Attic Lights, Codeine Breakfast Club, Cassidy and We Were Promised Jetpacks being just some of the names who are making the leap from the Internet into the mainstream

Live music in Scotland

Part of the reason there’s so many great bands emerging in Scotland has to do with the live scene. There’s a host of fantastic venues stretching the length of Scotland. From The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen, Fat Sams in Dundee and The Ironworks in Inverness, down to The Electric Circus and The Jam House in Edinburgh to The O2 Academy, the ABC, the Barrowlands and King Tuts in Glasgow. Plus more off-the-map spots like the BA Club in Fort William, and smaller pubs and clubs, wherever you are in Scotland you’re not far from some great live music.

Music festivals in Scotland

T in the Park, now in its fifteenth year, sells out early, no doubt due to the festival’s reputation for having one of the best atmospheres of any festival in the world. T in the Park attracts the cream of international talent, as well as promoting the best new Scottish music on its T-break stage. A more recent arrival on the scene is RockNess, which according to stars like Fatboy Slim, is undoubtedly the most scenic festival in the UK. (And the only one with its own monster!). At the smaller end of the scale, for those who prefer things more intimate, there’s The Wickerman Festival near Dumfries. Described as ‘Scotland’s Alternate Music Festival’ it was the winner of ‘Best Grass Roots Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards 2008.