Lewis Capaldi is the man-of-the-moment. Scotland’s singing sensation who has become a huge star in 2019 producing one of the biggest tunes of the year, Someone You Loved.
As well as being buddies with the likes of Elton John and Ed Sheeran, Lewis, 22, has been chosen to be a National Album Day artist champion for Scotland.
Tomorrow – to celebrate the second NAD -in October, the Sounds of Scotland event will launch at Central Station in Glasgow. Lewis has picked the six albums that have inspired him alongside picks from a Love Music record store and the six biggest selling Scottish albums of the millinum.
National Album Day was created last year to celebrate everything about albums and the exhibition which includes album artwork runs in Glasgow from tomorrow to September 19. After Glasgow there will be an event in Manchester with Elbow representing the North, Birmingham with Mahalia being chosen to represent the Midlands and London where Mark Ronson will represent the English capital and the south.
Lewis’ six picks to be featured in the exhibition are albums from Kanye West, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, The Maccabbees, Kings of Leon and Bill Withers. But he has chosen another four including ones by mentor Paolo Nutini and Oasis despite his summer spat with Noel – which will be used by the event nearer the time. He has given the Record his reasons for choosing all 10.
* National Album Day takes place on October 12.
Here are Lewis’ top 10 albums
The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
The Maccabees are one of my favourite bands, possibly of all time! Definitely my favourite album of theirs as well. Absolutely gutted when I found out they broke up, there goes the dream of my collaboration – hopefully they get back together at some stage for some shows!
Bob Dylan – Bringing it All Back Home
A brilliant album, actually the first album I ever bought was a compilation CD of his music – it was like a red cover with Dylan painted in black which was so f******* cool.
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors
One of my favourite albums. My parents used to always stick that on for long drives when we’d go from Glasgow to the South of France when we’d go caravanning – of course – and yeah they’d always keep playing Fleetwood Mac constantly whenever we were on those drives.
Kanye West – Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
The album that actually got me into hip hop and rap – I’d never listen to it before – I think it was the song Monster which did it for me, I remember thinking that some of the things he was saying were just f***** outrageous!
Bill Withers – As I Am
I love that as well, the first song I heard off that was a song called Harlem, because me and my friend liked techno and we were listening to a Jasper James back to back thing on Soundcloud and they played Harlem at the end of it and I f***** loved it.
Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak
Again one of my favourite bands of all time, absolutely incredible live and this album was the first I heard of theirs. His vocal is flawless throughout and one of the last big international guitar bands. Love the whole story about how it was mixed with one of the old Beatles mixing desks taken from Abbey Road in London.
Paolo Nutini – Caustic Love
He’s been one of favourite artists for as long as I can remember, and when he released this album it was a real game-changer for me in terms of songwriting. It was the first time I realised what soulful pop music could be. He’s been a big inspiration for me and has been really supportive the past year or so since things started getting crazy.
Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory
Another album I’ve listened to what feels like a thousand times, one of those proper coming of age moments when you listen to it back to back. Also some of the best modern songwriting about. So many hits.
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not
Another f****** incredible front man, I love the way they evolve between each of their albums. Alex is effortlessly cool and this is them at their very best – everything about it from the music, to the artwork and the entire visual creative they made around it is class. Another one of my favourite bands I listened to on repeat growing up.
The Beatles – Abbey Road
Tough choice between this and Let it Be but will leave it here. Haha.
To celebrate National Album Day next month The Official Charts Company has unveiled Scotland’s biggest studio albums of the millennium.
1. Our Version of Events by Emeli Sandé (2012)
Combined sales: 2.4 million
Emeli Sandé’s debut album dominated the music landscape in 2012, ranking as UK’s best-selling album that year and the second best-seller of 2013. The album includes six Top 40 hits: Heaven, Daddy, Next To Me, Clown and Read All About It Pt 3, the latter of which Sandé performed at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
2. I Dreamed A Dream by Susan Boyle (2009)
Combined sales: 1.94 million
Blackburn-born Susan Boyle was an overnight star when she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent. She made UK chart history with her debut album. Selling 412,000 copies in its first week, I Dreamed A Dream set a record at the time as the UK’s fastest-selling artist album ever. Britain’s Got Talent that year.
3. Sunny Side Up by Paolo Nutini (2009)
Combined sales: 1.88 million
So popular was the second album by Paisley-born Paolo Nutini that it spent three separate stints at No1 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart between 2009 and 2010. It features the Top 40 singles Candy and Pencil Full of Lead.
4. Eye to the Telescope by KT Tunstall (2004)
Combined sales: 1.69 million
The debut album from Edinburgh-born KT Tunstall was a slow-burner on the Official Albums Chart, making its debut at No73 before eventually peaking at No3 some 35 weeks later. The album includes her biggest songs Black Horse and the Cherry Tree and Suddenly I See.
5. Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand (2004)
Combined sales: 1.29 million
The art rockers’ self-titled debut album peaked at No3 on the Official Albums Chart and spawned No3 hit Take Me Out. The record won the 2004 Mercury Prize and also picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album.
6. The Man Who by Travis (1999)
Combined sales: 1.28 million (since 2000)
The record debuted at No5 on the Official Albums Chart and went on to score nine non-consecutive weeks at No1, boosted by hit singles Driftwood, Turn and Scots anthem Why Does it Always Rain On Me?.
