One of my all-time favorites, Annie Lennox of Aberdeen, Scotland first gained fame as part of the 80s duo Eurythmics, with hits such as "Sweet Dreams", "Here Comes the Rain" and "Who's That Girl". She then emerged as a successful solo artist in 1990s and 2000s with hits such as "Why," "Little Bird," and "Walking on Broken Glass" (see video below, which also features Hugh Laurie):
KT Tunstall
Franz Ferdinand
This band from Glasgow formed in 2002. They've had several hits including "This Fire," Do You Want To," and "Take Me Out". Here there are performing in Glasgow in 2014.
Simple Minds
Susan Boyle
Perhaps the most unlikeliest pop star of all time, Susan Boyle became a hero to us "regular" folk the world over when she wowed judges and audiences on Britain's Got Talent back in 2009. The Glasgow-native has since sold millions. To see her first appearance, go to the link below. It's well worth it.
The Fratellis
An indie band form Glasgow that released two hit albums in the 2000s (Here We Come and Costello Music). For no they seem to be on permanent hiatus. Below is one of the bigger hits, "Chelsea Dagger."
Bay City Rollers
There was a brief period between 1974 and 1975 when the Bay City Rollers were so popular that the success of the "tartan teens from Edinburgh" was being compared to Beatlemania (and was called appropriately enough Rollermania.) Their two biggest hits were "Saturday Night" and "Bye Bye Baby". (By the way, the person in the center in the above photo is not a Bay City Roller but rather Witchiepoo from HR Puffnstuf)
The Proclaimers
For many in Scotland, "Sunshine on Leith" is a sentimental favorite.
Sheena Easton
Gerry Rafferty
Singer-songwriter Rafferty, a Glasgow-native,
had several hits in the 1970s, first with his band Stealers Wheel
("Stuck in the Middle With You") then had several solo hits, such as "Right
Down the Line," "Days Gone Down," and his biggest hit (#2 in the US),
"Baker Street".
While not as well-known in the US, MacDonald from Bishopbriggs, Scotland is huge throughout Europe (especially in Germany, Denmark and Sweden). Her album, This is the Life has sold 3 million copies.
Donovan
Briefly
considered the UK's answer to Bob Dylan, Donovan (full name: Donovan
Philips Leitch) of Glasgow had several hits in the 1960s, including
"Sunshine Superman," "Wear Your Love Like Heaven," "Atlantis" and the
"Hurdy Gurdy Man" (below), which was used quite effectively in the film Zodiac.
Big Country
Del Amitri
From Glasgow, this band's hit "Roll to Me" was ubiquitous in the 1990s.
Maeve O'Boyle
One of Scotland's newest singer-songwriters, O'Boyle is from Glasgow, where she often performs at local clubs.
Nazareth
The
group was from Dumfermline, Scotland. Their biggest hit was 1976's
"Love Hurts," one of the original "power ballads" this is now a staple of Hollywood soundtracks.
Mark Knopler (of Dire Straits)
Jesus and Mary Chain
Emma's Imagination
The stage name of Edinburgh-native Emma Gillepsie. While not well-known in the US yet, she has had two hit songs in the UK, "Focus" and "This Day" (see below for both). She got her break when she won the Sky-TV talent program Must Be the Music.
Lulu