Celtic music | World Music Central

General News

World Music Central Unveils Top 2025 World Music Albums

World Music Central announces the list of top 20 world music album for 2025, listed in random order. Best of 2025 Gao Hong and Zhou…

The album cover for Wallace Avenue by Brian Conway features an illustration of an older man and woman standing together in front of a brick house. The house has a white gabled porch roof and a visible address number “1862.” The title and artist’s name appear in modern typography — “BRIAN” in large uppercase letters across the top and “CONWAY” vertically along the right side. Below, the album title wallace avenue is written in a smaller, cursive script. T

Album reviews

Back to the Bronx: Brian Conway Honors His Roots on Wallace Avenue

Ryan Emmert December 31, 2025 No Comments Brian Conway Celtic music world music

Brian Conway – Wallace Avenue (self-release, 2025) Irish-American fiddler Brian Conway released his grand third solo album, Wallace Avenue, last summer. Named for the Bronx…

Music videos

Yule Log Polka: Karen Marshalsay’s Festive Harp Tune

World Music Central News Room December 24, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Christmas music harp Karen Marshalsay Scottish music world music

Scottish harp musician and composer Karen Marshalsay has released “Yule Log Polka,” a new tune rooted in winter-season imagery and traditional repertoire. Marshalsay wrote the…

Kathleen MacInnes -Santa Take Me Home cover artwork. A photo of a little girl by a Christmas tree.

Music videos

Kathleen MacInnes Wants A Lift North On New Christmas Single “Santa Take Me Home”

World Music Central News Room December 23, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Christmas music Kathleen MacInnes world music

Scottish Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes has released a new Christmas single, “Santa Take Me Home,” inspired by a travel disruption on Christmas Eve. The song…

Staran Gold From Ruins. The cover presents an abstract landscape with muted beige, gray, and gold tones. Two white rectangular shapes and a small red square sit near the center, while circular forms hover around the edges. A lone, dark human figure stands atop a pale ridge in the upper right. The titles Gold From Ruins and Staran appear in white text.

New CDs

Staran Launch New Album Gold From Ruins

World Music Central News Room December 19, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Scottish music Staran world music

Scottish ensemble Staran return with Gold From Ruins, a new release built around original compositions and reimagined fragments of Gaelic song. The group focuses on…

Owen Casey Easy Enough single artwork. A Compact Disc with images of two palms and song credits.

Music videos Single reviews

Jamaica Meets Irie-Land

Tom Orr December 13, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Owen Casey Reggae

Celtic reggae? Yup. Owen Casey hails from Ireland, and his track “Easy Enough” is a real charmer with traditional touches from his home country. But…

Awards

Trad Triumphs In Aberdeen At MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2025

World Music Central News Room December 7, 2025 No Comments Active Events Andrew Rankine BBC Radio Scotland BBC Radio Scotland - Take the Floor Birnam CD Blazin' Fiddles Bòrd na Gàidhlig Boyd Robertson Celtic Connections Celtic music Creative Scotland Dàna David Francis Donald Shaw Ellie Beaton Elspeth Cowie Fèisean nan Gàidheal Findlay Napier Gerda Stevenson Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band Iain Macdonald Innes Watson Isle of Barra Distillers Kim Carnie Magnus Graham MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards Musicians' Union National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs National Piping Centre North East Accordion and Fiddle Club Park Bar PRS for Music Rory Matheson Rura Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative Scottish music SHURE Sian Siobhan Miller Skerryvore Stornoway The Ceilidh Collective The Highland Society of London The National Lottery The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland The Royal National Mòd Threads of Sound Traditional Music and Song Association University of the Highlands and Islands VisitScotland Wee Studio Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd.world music

The 23rd annual MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards took place at Aberdeen’s Music Hall on December 6. The event honored leading figures in Scottish…

Phoenyx - Keepers of the Flame cover artwork. A Celtic pattern over a black background.

Album reviews

Phoenyx Rekindles the Celtic Rock Fire: Keepers of the Flame Returns

Angel Romero December 7, 2025 1 Comment Celtic music Celtic rock Phoenyx world music

Phoenyx – Keepers of the Flame (Prometheus Music, 2025) Phoenyx was a pioneering Celtic rock band that was well known in the San Francisco Bay…

Events

Celtic Connections Brings Surprise Coffee-Shop Gigs — And A Golden Ticket For Under-26s

World Music Central News Room December 2, 2025 No Comments Celtic Connections Celtic music Fell Line Grayling Katie Gregson-Macleod Mairi Sutherland world music

Celtic Connections turned three Glasgow coffee shops into pop-up gig venues on Saturday morning, aiming to connect young audiences with emerging artists and promote the…

Isla stands outdoors, smiling, before golden autumn foliage, holding a violin at her waist. Her light blouse contrasts with the leaves behind her. The name “Isla Ratcliff” appears in the upper corner, and the handwritten title Autumn Leaves (Autumn I) sits beneath the Polaroid-style frame.

Music videos

Fiddle Meets Vivaldi In Isla Ratcliff’s Playful Autumn Leaves

World Music Central News Room December 2, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Isla Ratcliff Scottish music world music

Scottish fiddle player, singer, and composer Isla Ratcliff has rolled out the piece “Autumn Leaves (Autumn 1),” the first single from her forthcoming album The…