Trad music’s brightest stars honoured at MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2025

The vibrant world of Scottish traditional music celebrated its brightest stars and leading lights at the 23rd annual MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in Aberdeen last night.

The event recognised an outstanding array of artists, projects and organisations for their significant contributions to preserving and advancing Scotland's rich cultural heritage through music.

This year's ceremony showcased the incredible diversity and skill within the trad music scene, with a sell-out audience of trad fans, musicians and industry supporters filling the Granite City's Music Hall.

One week on from Gaelic and Scots being recognised as official languages of Scotland, the night honoured musicians and creatives working to promote Scotland's indigenous music, culture and tongues.

Tens of thousands of votes were cast to decide the 24 winners alongside a panel of judges from the list of more than 100 worthy nominees.

The 2025 winners are:

Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD

araon by Sian

Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association

Ellie Beaton

Club of the Year sponsored by Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd.

North East Accordion and Fiddle Club

Community Project of the Year sponsored by Isle of Barra Distillers

The Royal National Mòd

Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music

Findlay Napier

Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland

BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of Year - 25th Anniversary

Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Sound

Blazin' Fiddles

Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by The Highland Society of London

Kim Carnie

Industry Person of the Year sponsored by Active Events

Donald Shaw

Live Act of the Year sponsored by SHURE

Skerryvore

Musician of the Year sponsored by University of the Highlands and Islands

Siobhan Miller

Music Tutor of the Year Award sponsored by the Scottish Government's Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland

Innes Watson

Original Work of the Year sponsored by Musicians' Union

The Great Herdsman of Etive by RURA

Scottish Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs

The Ceilidh Collective

Scottish Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by the National Piping Centre

Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band

Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Dàna

Venue of the Year sponsored by SHURE

Park Bar, Glasgow

This year's Na Trads see beloved Scottish band Skerryvore take home the Live Act of the Year award sponsored by SHURE for the fourth time, rounding off her 20th anniversary year in style, while Glasgow institution, the Park Bar won the Venue of the Year prize, also sponsored by SHURE, for the first time in its 130-year history.

The world's largest Gaelic festival, the Royal National Mòd, was crowned Community Project of the Year for its incredible work in bringing Gaelic communities across Scotland together in celebration of the language. Celtic Connections' Creative Producer Donald Shaw was also honoured, having been named Industry Person of the Year for his tireless work putting Scottish music on the world stage.

Gaelic vocal trio Sian lifted the coveted Album of the Year title for their sublime 2025 release, araon, fellow all-female Glasgow group Dàna picked up Up and Coming Artist of the Year, having won a prestigious Danny Kyle Award earlier this year, while local star Ellie Beaton picked up her third national award in a row as Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year.

Awards given in recognition of lifetime services to traditional music and culture, selected by an industry panel, include:

Services to Gaelic Award, sponsored by Bòrd na Gàidhlig

Boyd Robertson

The Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award

David Francis

The Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland

Gerda Stevenson

New inductees into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, sponsored by Fèisean nan Gàidheal, this year include former musician-in-residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Iain Macdonald, instrumentalist Andrew Rankine, Scots singer Elspeth Cowie, and many more.

The awards also honoured figures supporting the traditional music community behind the scenes:

Photographer of the Year

Magnus Graham

Recording Studio of the Year

Wee Studio, Stornoway

Record Producer of the Year

Rory Matheson

Trad Music in the Media

BBC Radio Scotland - Take the Floor

Scots Trad Music Awards organiser Simon Thoumire said: "The Scottish trad scene continues to raise its game – the creativity and calibre of talent on display is inspiring. The musicians, composers, singers, and arts workers we celebrate represent the beating heart of Scotland's cultural scene. In the face of AI and streaming, we continue to create. This is who we are – creators with original thoughts, with the power to imagine something from nothing and make it real. 

"With the recent recognition of Gaelic and Scots as official languages of Scotland, we are witnessing a cultural renaissance that shows our traditions are not just surviving but thriving. Together, we celebrate that creativity, resilience and spirit that define us.

"It is always a joy to bring this community together to celebrate the immense contributions made to Scottish cultural life over the last 12 months. We are so grateful to all those who joined us, everyone who voted, our sponsors for believing in the work we do and making it possible, and the city of Aberdeen for welcoming us with open arms."

Margaret Cameron, MG ALBA Director of Content, said: "This year's winners embody everything that makes Scotland's traditional music so powerful. It's always a special moment to celebrate the creativity and artistry shaped by the people and places that keep these traditions thriving. As Gaelic and Scots gain greater visibility and confidence across the country, these artists and organisations are helping that cultural momentum reach even wider audiences. MG ALBA is proud to continue our longstanding sponsorship of the Scots Trad Music Awards and to bring this celebratory night and its outstanding performances to viewers on BBC ALBA."

Jenni Steele, Film and Creative Industries Manager at VisitScotland, said: "It's hugely inspiring to see the calibre and creativity of the talent within our outstanding trad music scene.  

"Scots trad music is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Scotland. It offers visitors an extra layer of authenticity during their stay in Scotland – something we know is important to them - and remains a thriving, exhilarating experience embraced by Scots of all ages.

"Encouraging visitors to engage with our exciting traditional music scene and the languages of the Scots, is an integral part in our work to promote Scotland as a must-visit destination."

Catriona Hawksworth, Traditional Arts Officer at Creative Scotland said: "Na Trads is a bastion of Scotland's traditional music scene and an integral force in the celebration and fostering of our cultural heritage. This year's awards line-up proves the variety and vibrancy of a thriving community, and recognition of the part it plays in Scottish culture. 

"In particular, Innes Watson's award of Music Tutor of the Year is testament to his dedication to his local community of Skye and Lochalsh, and the Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award honours the decades of work Gerda Stevenson has contributed to Scots Leid that has now allowed it to be officially recognised language. These awards and the unwavering commitment of individuals involved across the sector play an important role in these huge milestones for Scotland's cultural heritage."

Hosted by Scottish personalities Mary Ann Kennedy and Alistair Heather, the night also saw live performances from piper Ross Miller and his band, Gaelic singer Mairi MacInnes, the Rory Matheson Dance Band, young musicians from Plockton Music School and Orkney youth project Hadhirgaan, songstress Hannah Rarity, UK folk legends The Poozies, Aberdeenshire singer Ellie Beaton and trad pop band Mec Lir.

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