The results of the public vote for the inaugural inductees into the Scottish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced, and they reflect a musical tradition that is broader, stranger and more influential than the familiar narrative of Scotland as a nation of indie guitar bands and folk singers.

The inductees span six decades and multiple genres. The Bay City Rollers, whose teen-idol pop in the 1970s was dismissed by critics but adored by millions, enter alongside The Jesus and Mary Chain, whose feedback-drenched noise in the 1980s laid the groundwork for shoegaze and alternative rock. The Cocteau Twins, whose ethereal soundscapes made them one of the most influential bands of their era despite minimal commercial success, are recognised alongside Primal Scream, whose genre-hopping career has encompassed indie, dance, blues and electronic music.

The list also includes artists whose Scottish identity is sometimes overlooked. Annie Lennox, who was born in Aberdeen, is inducted for her work with Eurythmics and as a solo artist. Donovan, the Glasgow-born folk singer whose 1960s hits made him one of the most successful British artists of his generation, enters alongside the Average White Band, the funk group whose instrumental "Pick Up the Pieces" reached number one in the United States.

The Hall of Fame, which will be based in a converted warehouse in Glasgow's East End, is scheduled to open next year. Its founders say it is intended to celebrate Scottish popular music in all its forms, from the chart-topping to the obscure, and to make the case that Scotland's contribution to global popular culture has been disproportionate to its size. On the evidence of this list, the case is strong.

Sources

  1. BBC Entertainment