Scots Trad Music Awards


The Scots Trad Music Awards or Na Trads were founded in 2003 by Simon Thoumire to celebrate Scotland's traditional music in all its forms and create a high profile opportunity to bring the music and music industry into the spotlight of media and public attention. Nominations are made by the public and in 2019 over 100,000 public votes were expected across 18 categories.
The awards are organised by Thoumire's organisation Hands Up for Trad. Since 2008 the awards have been sponsored by MG Alba, and the event is televised on BBC Alba.
Since 2019 the ceremony has included the awarding of The Belhaven Bursary for Innovation in Scottish Music, sponsored by Belhaven Brewery. The prize consists of £25,000, an ale brewed with the winner's name on it, an appearance at an event at Tartan Week in New York and the use of the winner's music in an advertising campaign. The cash prize is the largest music prize in Scotland, matched only by the Mercury Prize.

Award winners

2024

  • Album of the Year: The Waiting Room by Eamonn Nugent
  • Event of the Year: Skipinnish at Edinburgh Castle
  • Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year: Beth Malcolm
  • Club of the Year: Ardersier International Folk Club, Moray
  • Community Project of the Year: Fèis air an Oir
  • Composer of the Year: Alec Dalglish
  • Gaelic Singer of the Year: Emma 'Scalpay' MacLeod
  • Live Act of the Year: Niteworks
  • Music Tutor of the Year: Douglas Montgomery
  • Musician of the Year: Ciorstaidh Beaton
  • Original Work of the Year: Ar Cànan 's ar Ceòl by Trail West
  • Scottish Dance Band of the Year: Pure Scotch Ceilidh Band
  • Scottish Folk Band of the Year: The Paul McKenna Band
  • Scottish Pipe Band of the Year: Skye Youth Pipe Band
  • Trad Music in the Media: Crùnluath / Piping Sounds with Michael Steele & Ewen Henderson
  • Up and Coming Artist of the Year: Falasgair
  • Venue of the Year: Eden Court, Inverness

    2023

  • Album of the Year: Duncan Chisholm - Black Cuillin
  • Musician of the Year: Julie Fowlis
  • Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year: Iona Fyfe
  • Gaelic Singer of the Year: Eilidh Cormack
  • Live Act of the Year: Trail West
  • Scottish Dance Band: Iain MacPhail
  • Scottish Folk Band: Blazin’ Fiddles
  • Scottish Pipe Band: The Peoples Ford Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band.
  • Up and Coming Artist: The Shands
  • Original Work: The Clearances Again by Donald Francis MacNeil and Skipinnish
  • Club of the Year: The Gaitherin South Sessions in Glasgow
  • Venue of the Year: The Tolbooth, Stirling
  • Event of the Year: Orkney Folk Festival
  • Community Project of the Year: Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail
  • Trad Music in the Media BBC Radio Scotland’s Travelling Folk
  • Composer of the Year: Heidi Talbot
  • Music Tutor of the Year: Domhnall Bàn MacDonald.
  • Sue Wilson New Writer Award: Angus MacPhail of The Oban Times
  • Services to Gaelic Award: John Urquhart
  • The Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award: Donald Smith
  • Graphics Designer of the Year: Somhairle MacDonald
  • Traditional Music Enabler of the Year: Mhari McLeman of Shetland Folk Festival
  • Photographer of the Year: Euan Robertson Photography
  • Venue Technician of the Year: Gary Craig of The Ceilidh Place

    2022

The ceremony was held at the Caird Hall in Dundee.
The ceremony was held at the Engine Works in Glasgow.
  • Original Work of the Year: 7 Years Old by Calum MacPhail
  • Community Project of the Year: Riddell Fiddles’ Two Towns Housing Estate Youth Musical Outreach Programme
  • Event of the Year: Celtic Connections
  • Gaelic Singer of the Year: Kim Carnie
  • Musician of the Year: Iona Fyfe
  • Online Performance of 2021: Norrie "Tago" MacIver Live Streams
  • Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year: Ellie Beaton
  • Trad Video of the Year: Doddies Dream by Bruce MacGregor
  • Trad Music in the Media: Ceòl is Cràdh on BBC Alba.
  • Up and Coming Artist of the Year: The Canny Band
  • Music Tutor of the Year: Craig Muirhead, Director of Piping and Drumming at Strathallan School
  • Album of the Year: Where the World Is Thin by Kris Drever

    2020

The awards had been due to be staged in the Caird Hall Dundee, but were moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and presented by Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy. The categories were also adapted for the circumstances.
  • Album of The Year: The Woods by Hamish Napier
  • Original Work of the Year: Everyday Heroes by Skerryvore
  • Community Music Project of the Year: "Tunes in the Hoose"
  • Event of the Year Award: BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 20th Anniversary Concert
  • Gaelic Singer of the Year: Fionnag NicChoinnich
  • Musician of the Year: Tim Edey
  • Online Performance of 2020: Duncan Chisholm's Covid Ceilidh
  • Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year: Siobhan Miller
  • Trad Video of the Year: Calum Dan's Transit Van by Peat & Diesel
  • Trad Music in the Media: Anna Massie – Black Isle Correspondent
  • Up & Coming artist of the Year: Rebecca Hill
  • Music Tutor of the Year: Josie Duncan
  • Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award: James Robertson
  • Services to Gaelic Award: John Smith
  • Hamish Henderson Award for Services to Traditional Music: Lisa Whytock

    2019

The awards were staged in Aberdeen.
  • Album of the Year: Frenzy of the Meeting by Breabach
  • The Belhaven Bursary for Innovation in Scottish Music: Kinnaris Quintet
  • Club of the Year: Sutherland Sessions
  • Composer of the Year: Jenna Reid
  • Community Project of the Year: SEALL Festival of Small Halls
  • Event of the Year: Tiree Music Festival
  • Gaelic Singer of the Year: Mary Ann Kennedy
  • Musician of the Year: Jenn Butterworth
  • Live Act of the Year: Peat and Diesel
  • Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year: Steve Byrne
  • Scottish Dance Band of the Year: The Cruickshank Family Band
  • Scottish Folk Band of the Year: Blazin' Fiddles
  • Scottish Pipe Band of the Year: Inveraray & District Pipe Band
  • Trad Video of the Year: Heroes by Tide Lines
  • Music Tutor of the Year: Iain Ruari Finlayson, Skye Schools
  • Up and Coming Artist of the Year: Man of the Minch
  • Venue of the Year Award: An Tobar
  • The Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award: Dr. Peter Cooke
  • Services to Gaelic: Anne Soutar
  • The Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language: Sheena Blackhall

    2018

The awards were staged in Perth and broadcast live on BBC Alba.
  • Belhaven Bursary for Innovation in Scottish Music: Talisk
  • Album of the Year : Sandwood by Duncan Chisholm
  • Club of the Year: Partick Folk Club
  • Composer of the Year: Duncan Chisholm
  • Community Project of the Year: Care for a Ceilidh
  • Event of the Year: Far Far from Ypres
  • Gaelic Singer of the Year: Eilidh Cormack
  • Instrumentalist of the Year: Calum Stewart
  • Live Act of the Year: Elephant Sessions
  • Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year: Iona Fyfe
  • Scottish Dance Band of the Year: Susan MacFadyen
  • Scottish Folk Band of the Year: Dàimh
  • Scottish Pipe Band of the Year: Inveraray & District Pipe Band
  • Trad Music in the Media: Pipeline, BBC Radio Scotland
  • Music Tutor of the Year: Anna Wendy Stevenson
  • Up and Coming Artist of the Year: Assynt
  • Venue of the Year Award: Drygate Brewery, Glasgow
  • Services to Gaelic: Runrig
  • The Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award: Pete Shepheard
  • Services to Scots Language: Janet Paisley