Image source, Getty ImagesByCatherine LystBBC Scotland- Published14 July 2026
Some of the biggest names in Scottish music are supporting a bid to take over Glasgow's troubled Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) and revamp it as a Scottish Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame.
The group ScotsRock says it wants to take over the building in Sauchiehall Street and turn it into a hub which celebrates Scotland's contribution to global music.
Midge Ure, whose career spans Ultravox, Band Aid and Live Aid, has agreed to become the inaugural Patron of ScotsRock.
The project has attracted the support of Lulu, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, Travis and Del Amitri.
We asked you to get in touch via BBC Your Voice to tell us who you thought should be included in a Scottish Hall of Fame and were overwhelmed by your responses. Here is a small selection of your suggestions.
Big Country
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Big Country were formed in Dunfermline by lead singer and guitarist Stuart Adamson (formerly of the Skids)
Eighties rockers Big Country were suggested by a few readers.
They were formed in Dunfermline in 1981 by lead singer and guitarist Stuart Adamson (formerly of the Skids).
Their debut album The Crossing (1983) reached number three in the UK and delivered their only US Top 40 hit, "In a Big Country".
Adamson took his own life in Hawaii in December 2001.
Annie Lennox (Eurythmics)
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Annie Lennox was appointed an OBE for her "tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes"
Annie Lennox, from Aberdeen, is a singer songwriter, political activist and philanthropist.
After achieving some success in the 1970s as part of the new wave band The Tourists, she and fellow musician Dave Stewart went on to achieve international success in the 1980s as Eurythmics.
Lennox then went on to have a successful solo career.
In 2011 she was appointed an OBE for her "tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes".
Bay City Rollers
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Bay City Rollers were considered to be hearthrobs in the 70s
The Bay City Rollers are a Scottish pop rock band known for their worldwide teen idol popularity in the 1970s.
They were called the "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and sold an estimated 120–300 million records worldwide, making them one of the best selling musical acts of all time globally.
Famous hits included Bye, Bye, Baby and Shang-a-Lang.
Among those who nominated the band was Gavin Murray, from Kilmacolm, who said Scottish rock music has a global appeal.
He said a hall of fame "would certainly become a strong magnet for tourists... adding a certain boost to the economic vibrancy Sauchiehall Street needs and deserves".
Carolyn Johnston said: "The Bay City Rollers were the biggest band in Scotland in the seventies. They deserve to be in the hall of fame. We had Rollermania."
Skids
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Skids, with lead singer Richard Jobson, were also suggested as contenders for the Hall of Fame
Probably best known for their 1979 hit Into the Valley, Dunfermline-based Skids were a punk and new wave band.
In 2016, the band announced a 40th-anniversary tour of the UK with their original singer Richard Jobson.
After leaving Skids in 1981, Stuart Adamson formed Big Country and was the band's lead singer and guitarist.
Nominated by Jayne Lyle, among others, she said the hall of fame proposal was a "fantastic idea".
"Showcasing it like this could be really aspirational and inspirational," she added. "When can we vote?"
Primal Scream
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Primal Scream became known for their ever-evolving sound
Primal Scream were formed in Glasgow in 1982 but their career did not take off until singer Bobby Gillespie left his role as drummer of The Jesus and Mary Chain.
The band became known for their ever-evolving sound.
Their highest-charting UK single and biggest radio hit is "Rocks" from 1994, which reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.
However, their most famous track is the 1990 acid-house anthem "Loaded".
Fish (Marillion)
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, It was felt Fish from Marillion should have his talents recognised
Edinburgh singer Fish (real name Derek Dick) was the lead singer and lyricist of the neo-progressive rock band Marillion from 1981 until 1988.
He released 11 UK Top 40 singles with the band, including the Top 10 singles "Kayleigh", "Lavender" and "Incommunicado", and five Top 10 albums, including a number one with Misplaced Childhood.
In his solo career, he explored contemporary pop and traditional folk and released a further five Top 40 singles and a Top 10 album.
Our reader Stephen Thom said: "Fish needs to be in the Scottish Music Hall of Fame. Now he's officially retired from music maybe the first recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award?"
Simple Minds
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Simple Minds' Don't You (Forget About Me) became a 1980s anthem
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977.
Singer Jim Kerr is among those offering Midge Ure his support for a Scottish Hall of Fame.
The band have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide and were the most commercially successful Scottish band of the 1980s.
Their notable hit Don't You (Forget About Me), was written for the 1985 film The Breakfast Club and became a 1980s anthem.
It also became their breakthrough hit in the US, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Gerry Rafferty
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gerry Rafferty was formerly the founding member of Stealers Wheel before going solo
Gerry Rafferty was the founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was "Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973.
His solo hits in the late 1970s included "Baker Street", famous for its prominent saxophone solo.
Rafferty was born into a working-class family in Paisley, Renfrewshire.
His mother taught him both Irish and Scottish folk songs when he was a boy and he was later influenced by the music of The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
He joined the folk-pop group The Humblebums (of which Billy Connolly was a member) in 1969.
Rafferty was on a long list of musicians suggested by 69-year-old Frank O Reilly.
"I was fortunate to see all these artists and many more," he said. "I'm still going to gigs, love to see new artists."
Callum Beattie
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Callum Beattie was described as having "the most beautiful soul"
Callum Beattie, who is from Musselburgh, is a singer songwriter who released his first single "We Are Stars" in 2017.
Having dreamed of playing at the Belladrum Festival as a 15-year-old, he will be headlining at the festival's 20th anniversary later this month.
Dinieka Hume, who was among those who nominated him for the Hall of Fame, said: "What he, Dave and the band are achieving is amazing as an independent artist. Lost count how many times I've seen him and he's honestly got the most beautiful soul."
Suzanne McCaffrey said: "Callum Beattie for his musical talent and contribution to charity. He is such a humble person who hasn't let the fame change him as a person and has a great connection with his fans."
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band were known for their theatrical performances
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band were formed in Glasgow in 1972.
Their music was a blend of blues rock and hard rock with elements of cabaret. They were known for their stage costumes and theatrical performances.
Robert Smith of The Cure once said: "People talk about Iggy Pop as the original punk, but certainly in Britain the forerunner of the punk movement was Alex Harvey. His whole stage show with the graffiti-covered brick walls – it was like very aggressive Glaswegian street theatre."
John Portas said: "Any celebration of Scottish rock music would not be complete without honouring Alex Harvey (and the SAHB)."
Lewis Capaldi
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lewis Capaldi took a break from performing after announcing that he had been diagnosed with Tourette's
Lewis Capaldi was born in Glasgow but grew up in Whitburn, West Lothian.
In March 2019, his single "Someone You Loved" (2018) topped the UK Singles Chart where it remained for seven weeks and in November 2019, it reached No 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
It was the bestselling single of 2019 in the UK.
In September 2022, Capaldi revealed that he had been diagnosed with Tourette's.
The following year he announced that he was taking an extended and indefinite break from touring, saying he needed to focus on his mental and physical health.
In June 2025, he returned to Glastonbury with a surprise set, his first public performance since announcing his extended break.
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Jesus and Mary Chain were formed by brothers Jim and William Reid in East Kilbride
The Jesus and Mary Chain cropped up a few times among suggestions for a Scottish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983.
The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid who created the band in response to their distaste of the music at the time.
Bobby Gillespie, Primal Scream's singer, was notably a former drummer with The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Andrew Boyle, who nominated Primal Scream and the Cocteau Twins, described them as "Scotland's two most influential bands".
Emeli Sande
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Emeli Sande wrote her first song at the age of 11 for a school talent show
Emeli Sande was brought up in Alford, Aberdeenshire.
She wrote her first song at the age of 11 for her school's talent show.
She was thrust into the spotlight in 2012 when her debut album, Our Version of Events, spent 10 weeks at number one and broke a chart record set by The Beatles.
She went top of both the UK singles chart and Irish singles chart twice with her guest appearance on Professor Green's single "Read All About It" and her 2012 single "Beneath Your Beautiful" (with Labrinth).
She won two Brit awards in 2013.
Nazareth
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nazareth were described as being a "stalwart of hard rock in the 70s"
Asim Rashid said he would like to see Nazareth in a Scottish Hall of Fame, adding: "They were a stalwart of hard rock in the 70s.
"Their covers of Love Hurts and This Flight Tonight are classics, so much so that Joni Mitchell who first wrote and recorded This Flight Tonight would refer to it as a Nazareth song during her live performances of it."
The band were formed in Dunfermline in 1968 and had a string of hit singles and albums in the UK, Canada, the US and across Europe.
Cocteau Twins
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Cocteau Twins were championed by radio DJ John Peel
Cocteau Twins were formed in Grangemouth and were active from 1979 to 1997.
The John Peel Sessions, from 1982 to 1986, established the band's early career.
The group earned critical praise for their ethereal, effects-laden sound and the soprano vocals of Elizabeth Fraser.
The most commercially successful of their many recordings was Heaven or Las Vegas which reached number seven in the UK Albums Chart immediately after its release in 1990.
The Proclaimers
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Proclaimers are known for singing with Scottish accents
The Proclaimers, famous for singing with Scottish accents, were formed in 1983 by twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid who are from Auchtermuchty in Fife.
They came to attention with their 1987 single "Letter from America", which reached No 3 in the United Kingdom, and their biggest hit I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", which topped the charts in Australia, Iceland and New Zealand.
The song's success has continued for almost 30 years, providing them with their only UK No 1 hit when it was re-recorded for Comic Relief with comedian Peter Kay in 2007.
They have sold more than five million albums worldwide.
AC/DC
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, AC/DC's original line-up featured three Scots
AC/DC were formed in Sydney in 1973 but featured guitarist brothers Angus and Malcolm Young who were originally from Glasgow and singer Bon Scott who spent part of his childhood in Forfar and Kirriemuir.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio in 2003 and have sold over 200 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Seven months after the release of Highway to Hell (1979), Scott died of alcohol poisoning and Geordie singer Brian Johnson was recruited as their new frontman.
Contributor Frank O Reilly said: "The one and only Bon Scott of ACDC, Angus and Malcolm Young - the driving force of the band."
Deacon Blue
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Deacon Blue formed in 1985 and are still performing today
Deacon Blue were formed in Glasgow in 1985 with Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh on vocals. The couple are married.
The band released their debut album, Raintown (1987) to critical and commercial success, with their second album, When the World Knows Your Name (1989), topping the UK Albums Chart for two weeks.
The single "Real Gone Kid" became their first top 10 single in the UK Singles Chart while Dignity is one of their most popular songs.
The band split up in 1994 but reformed and are still performing.
Runrig
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Runrig were described by Billboard as one of the "most celebrated" Gaelic language bands in Scotland
Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973.
The band's line-up included brothers and songwriters Rory MacDonald (bass, vocals) and Calum MacDonald (percussion).
At the height of their success in the 1980s and 1990s, they were described by Billboard as one of the "most celebrated" Gaelic language bands in Scotland.
Aztec Camera (Roddy Frame)
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Aztec Camera were formed in East Kilbride in 1980
Aztec Camera were formed in East Kilbride in 1980 by Roddy Frame and drummer David Mulholland.
Over the group's career, their music has been described as new wave, sophisti-pop, jangle pop, indie pop, and post-punk.
Their most famous hits were Oblivious and Somewhere In My Heart.
Roddy Frame went on to have a successful solo career, releasing four solo albums.
Leslie Rankine
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Leslie Rankine was nominated in the hope of giving her "the recognition she deserves"
Singer Leslie Rankine was put forward by a few people.
Jon Maxwell said: "Maybe Leslie Rankine will finally get the recognition she deserves, having been blatantly ignored by Scottish media for so long.
"One of our country's few true musical innovators over three bands: Silverfish, Pigface and Ruby."
Del Amitri
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Del Amitri reformed in 2013 and are still performing
Del Amitri were formed in Glasgow in 1980 and are probably best known for their 1990 single "Nothing Ever Happens", which reached No. 11 in the UK.
The band's founding member and main songwriter, Justin Currie, explained in 2010 that the band's name "was invented to be meaningless – basically a corruption of the Greek name 'Dimitri'."
After splitting up in 2002, the band reformed in 2013 and are still performing.
Wet Wet Wet
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Wet Wet Wet's Love is All Around was was No 1 in the UK singles charts for 15 weeks
Andrea Miller nominated Wet Wet Wet, who were formed in Clydebank in 1982.
"So overlooked but so accomplished as musicians and songwriters, and with an exceptional frontman in Marti Pellow," she said.
Hits include Wishing I was Lucky and Angel Eyes.
But their best known song is probably a 1994 cover version of the Troggs' single Love is All Around which was No. 1 in the UK singles charts for 15 weeks.
It was probably no coincidence that Wet Wet Wet's version was used on the soundtrack of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral the same year.
It became one of the longest chart reigns of all time in the UK where it sold more than 1.9 million copies.
The band dissolved in 1997 but reformed in 2004.
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