New research released by VisitScotland reveals the growing popularity of Scottish traditional music, finding that over a third of Scots (34%) have started listening to it more often in the past year with another 35% going as far as saying they’ve been exposed to more Scottish trad music than ever.
The report, which surveyed 1000 Scottish adults, explores the listening habits of the nation, finding that Scottish trad music is not only surviving, but actively thriving. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed believe the genre is gaining more popularity, and 56% of people stated that they are inclined to listen to more trad music in the future.
And it’s not just about listening—trad music has been making waves in mainstream media too, with 53% of individuals saying they’ve noticed an inclusion of the genre within the media (TV, movies, commercials) and another 37% of Scots saying trad music has influenced their overall musical taste.
To find out the most popular Scottish trad music songs, VisitScotland analysed more than 157,000 tracks featured within Scottish trad music playlists on Spotify, revealing that ‘Ida’s Jig’ by Dàimh is the top-ranking trad music song, followed by ‘Walking On the Waves’ by Skipinnish and ‘Echo’ by Talisk.
See top 10 most popular Scottish trad music songs on Spotify below:
- Ida’s Jig – Dàimh
- Walking On the Waves – Skipinnish
- Echo – Talisk
- Gaol Ise Gaol I (She’s My Love) – Kathleen MacInnes
- Oran na Cloiche – Mànran
- This Is The Life – Amy Macdonald
- The Creelman / The Normaway Inn / The Reconciliation – Saltfishforty
- The Smokey Lum/Maggie’s Pancakes/Dancing Feet/The Mason’s/Apron – The Tannahill Weavers
- Heather On The Hill – Nathan Evans
- Land Below the Waves – Skipinnish
Find a playlist with those songs here:
Blair Teska, member of Scottish trad band Tuath Scot, comments: “Scottish Trad Music has experienced a remarkable resurgence of late, captivating audiences spanning multiple generations. It’s not just a trend, it’s a cultural revival. As more artists embrace and contribute to the genre’s resurgence, the cultural legacy embedded in Scottish Trad Music is being brought back to life for today’s audiences.
The music scene is thriving, evident not only in chart success but also in the rising number of festivals and live music events dedicated to the genre. You can really feel the excitement for it at festivals and live performances, with a growing audience showing a keen interest. There is nothing quite like reaching out to all areas of Scotland with our music and are proud to represent the LGBTQ+ community with the richness and diversity of Scottish Trad Music.
This music acts like a time capsule, connecting our past with our present. Each note and melody serve as a vessel, preserving the stories, traditions, and spirit of Scotland’s musical heritage.”
To explore more about the rich history of Scottish trad music and find live events information, please visit: https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/events/music-festivals/traditional-folk.
Headline image: Tuath Scot
Photo Credit: Tuath Scot / Facebook