The Proclaimers: Scotland's Beloved Twin Brothers

The Proclaimers are a Scottish pop and rock music duo composed of twin brothers, Craig and Charlie Reid. The duo is best known for their anthemic sing-alongs such as “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”, which became a worldwide hit in 1988. Over the years, they have released ten studio albums, three live albums, four compilation albums and a box set. They have achieved five UK Top 10 albums and a number of singles in the UK charts.

The Early Years

The Proclaimers were born in Leith, Edinburgh in 1962. They began performing as a duo in 1983, playing at pubs and small clubs in Scotland. Their first release was the 1987 single “Letter from America” which became a hit in several countries. It was followed by the album This Is the Story which was released in 1988.

Breakthrough Success

In 1988, The Proclaimers released the single “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” which became a worldwide hit and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. It also earned them an Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work. In 1989, they released their second album Sunshine on Leith which went on to become one of the best-selling Scottish albums ever.

Later Career

The Proclaimers continued to release records throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 2007, they released their seventh studio album Life with You which featured collaborations with Olivia Newton-John, John Prine and Brian Wilson. Since then they have toured extensively across Europe, Australia and the US. In 2020, they released their tenth studio album Angry Cyclist.