News from heaven...

Runrig is a Scottish band formed in 1973 and originally composed of Blair Douglas and brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald. Who will be quickly joined by Donnie Munro.

Band that released a first album "Play Gaelic" five years later in 1978, an album that will unfortunately go somewhat unnoticed...

New album "The highland connection" in 1979, an album that will do little better than its predecessor. The same goes for the albums "Recovery" and "Heartland" which will be released respectively in 1981 and 1985.

It is the signing with the Chrysalis label that will change the situation somewhat and especially allow them to produce in 1987 a first major album with "The cutter and the clan".

A rise in power that is confirmed on the two following albums "Searchlight" and "The big wheel", two albums that will be released respectively in 1989 and 1991.

But it is especially the following album "Amazing things" that will allow them to reach in 1993 a semblance of consecration notably thanks to two major Singles that are "Wonderful" and "The greatest flame".

The adventure will continue thereafter with the release of other albums and other Singles but without knowing the same level of success as before.

To discover or rediscover...

Discography (among others...) :

70s Decade :

Sguaban arbhair 1978
Nach neonach neisd A tha E 1978
Mairi 1979
Going home 1979
Dust 1979

80s Decade :

Breaking the chains 1981
The old boys 1981
Loch Lomond 1982
Dance called America 1984
Skye 1984
The work song 1986
Alba 1987
Worker for the wind 1987
Protect and survive 1988
News from heaven 1989
Every river 1989

90s Decade :

Flower of the West 1991
Headlights 1991
An cuibhle mor 1991
Wonderful 1993
The greatest flame 1993
Song of the earth 1993
This time of year 1994
An Ubhal as Àirde 1995
Things that are 1995
Rhythm of my heart 1996
The message 1999
Maymorning 1999
Big sky 1999
This is not a love song 1999

2000s Decade :

Book of golden stories 2001
Wall of China 2001
One thing 2001
Empty glens 2003
Proterra 2003
Gagriel's sword 2003
Clash of the ash 2007
Atoms 2007
Year of the flood 2008

2010s Decade :

And we’ll sing 2013
The story 2015
The years we shared 2016
Onar 2016
Somewhere 2018

Tracks :

1978...the beginnings are very local in color, which will not help to make people talk about them outside their native land. In any case, one has to start somewhere as they say...

1978...this allows them in any case to lay the foundations of the group and to start to make a minimum of talk about themselves. It's always better than nothing...

1979...this new opus is not going to change much in the situation, it is clear. And we should not expect any potential take-off during this decade of the 70s in any case...

1979...they now alternate between titles in English and titles in local language. A desire to open up to the world that can only benefit them, that's clear...

1979...because singing in local color has its charm but considerably limits the power of influence. Something they have now understood well...

1981...the beginning of the 80s which still does not allow them to pass the level on which they have been stumbling since their beginnings. Patience, patience...

1981...there comes a time when all their efforts will finally pay off. That's what they say every day and in principle they are absolutely right...

1982...it took until 1982 but it's now done. A first success that they must now confirm in order to show that it wasn't just a stroke of luck...

1984...unfortunately that's what you might think given the total lack of success on this title. Which shows that they still have some work to do to really stabilize their bases...

1984...they're working on it anyway since this title will allow them to return to the Charts. Certainly at the bottom of the ranking but still...

1986...the relapse will be severe and especially worrying for the group's ability to last. A case to follow closely as they say...

1987...this title will not do any better. They still cannot manage to align 2 successes in a row and this de facto weakens their position at the highest level...

1987...but they believe in their lucky star and they tell themselves that this relapse can only be temporary. Let's hope that the future proves them right...

1988... a future that puts them back in the race the following year, but once again at the back of the pack. They will be satisfied with that at this stage, that's for sure...

1989...an end to the 80s which in any case confirms the good health of the group, which finally manages to line up the hits...

1989...for major successes, we'll still have to wait a little longer, one thing at a time. But we're getting closer to it slowly but surely...

1991...the 70s saw them blossom, the 80s saw them raise their level of play incontestably, but it was the 90s that would finally reward them to the level of their hopes...

1991...some titles will not be officially released but it would have been a shame to hide them as they say. Here they are brought back into the spotlight as they should be, starting with this one...

1991...and then continuing with this one. Titles that will go completely under the radar at the time but which are far from being unworthy...

1993...a career is built over the long term and you always have to hope for a better future. On this occasion, they were damn right to believe in it anyway...

1993...a great year 1993 with 2 big successes one after the other, which can only reassure us that they are now in complete control of their destiny...

1993...certainly this title will demonstrate the opposite with a level of success that is almost non-existent but there is no need to worry about them at this stage...

1994...the group has reached full maturity and the result in the Charts is a perfect reflection of this. Big success again with this title...

1995...surprisingly it is with this very local color title that the group will achieve the biggest success of its entire discography. A semblance of consecration that they fully appreciate in any case !

1995...a year 1995 which will remain as their best Vintage and this in an undeniable way. When it wants, it wants as they say...

1996...the year 1996 will come close and proves de facto that the group has reached its full maturity. It can be seen and above all it can be heard !

1999...but as always, when you have reached the top of the mountain you have to prepare yourself to inevitably come down. Something that the group will learn at its expense from this title...

1999...only this title will allow the group to save the end of the decade and still just barely. Things are getting more and more complicated at first glance...

1999...titles that are officially released but end up unclassified like this one, not necessarily a good omen for the rest of the events, that's for sure...

1999...same for this one. The group will have to ask himself the right questions and quickly, otherwise the exit door risks opening faster than expected...

2001...business is picking up a little at the start of the 2000s. But we're not going to get too excited at this stage...

2001...the proof with this title which will go unnoticed to say the least. It is clear that the best years are now far behind...

2001...this one will not be officially released but it would have deserved to be put a little more in the light. It is now done...

2003...a title that will only work in Germany but it's still better than nothing as they say. Now they have to make do with the bare minimum, for want of anything better...

2003...even if the Singles are really struggling in the Charts, the albums, themselves, continue to sell well which allows the group to keep its head above water a minimum...

2003...this definitely shows that there is still a base of basic fans that is at least substantial. Fortunately, otherwise the group would have disappeared a long time ago...

2007...a return to the forefront of the European scene which is confirmed with this new opus. As such, in music, nothing is ever finished...

2007...you just have to keep believing and never give up. Principles that have allowed the group to survive in any case...

2008...not only to survive but to get back into the race in a way that was unexpected to say the least. And it could be that the future will strengthen them even more in their determination to believe in it until the end...

2013...certainly we will lose sight of them for almost 5 years but here they are again and it could be that the 2010s will be the decade of rebirth, the real one...

2015... a mid-decade that sees them return to a level worthy of their rank, which is not nothing. All thanks to this unwavering will to move forward at all costs...

2016...we're not going to say that the future belongs to them because it's clear that they're not going to be here for decades, but they're going to be here in any case...

2016...who could have imagined when the adventure began in 1978 that they would still be there almost 40 years later, not many people that's for sure...