2016 has been another phenomenal year for bands and artists in Scotland.

Arguably Scotland's biggest rock band Biffy Clyro entered the UK charts at the summit with their new album Ellipsis.

Dumfries superstar producer Calvin Harris topped the charts across the world with This Is What You Came For, a collaboration with Rihanna. Hype, his joint effort with Dizzy Rascal, however, bombed in terms of chart success.

Meanwhwile Chaosmosis, Primal Scream's 11th full-length release featured guest appearances from Haim and Sky Ferreira but got a lukewarm reception from the critics.  

Incorporating the recognised, the little known to the downright obscure, here are the most essential 100 tunes to come out of Scotland that became my soundtrack for the year.
It's an eclectic journey through alternative rock, dance, electronica, indie, choral, punk, post-grunge, nu-folk and the truly uncategorizable.  

Part 1 - 100-76

=100  Primal Scream - When The Blackout Meets The Fallout.   Bobby Gillespie and co go hyper on this synth-out cut from new album Chaosmosis.

=100  Call To Mind - Hole In The Heart.  A stunningly beautiful return by Ardersier's nu-folk combo.

99  Diamond Christ - Lizard Squad.  Glasgow producer creates pulsating drummy bassy synthy snarey pop dollop.   

98  The Spook School - Binary.  Edinburgh combo prove their bigger than a Hexadecimal in an indie gem.

97  Smash Williams - After A Time.  Glasgow duo create irresistible synth anthem.

96  Sam Gellaitry - Dntstp (Robax Edit).  Sixteen-year-old Stirling producer cuts a twitchingly captivating house nugget.

95  Rachel Sermanni - Gently II. Highlands folkstress oozes class on this delicate & sweet cut from her Gently album.

94  Sweet Dieter - Part Time. Mysterious Edinburgh combo with a dark slice of compelling cold-wave electro.

93  Be Charlotte - Discover. Impressive debut single from teenage Dundonian singer/songwriter.

92  Biffy Clyro - Animal Style. Rousingly catchy commercial alterno-pop rock from the Kilmarnock-formed band's seventh studio album Ellipsis.

91  Illyus & Barrientos - Touch My MindFabulous Glasgow producer duo house up the disco.

90  Theo Kottis - I Won't Forget. Twenty-four-year-old Edinburgh producer with 7.40m of captivating deep house.

89  Outblinker - Ernest Becker. Glasgow arty post-rockers with greatest ode to a US anthropologist. Probably.

88 False Hopes - Crushed. From the ashes of two defunct bands Citagazi and First Step to Failure come a thrill ride of a post-hardcore Glasgow combo. 

87 Kid Canaveral - First We Take Dumbarton. St Andrews indie combo have realistic ambitions & create a twitchy gem.

86 Fatherson - Always. Glasgow-Killie indie rockers go anthemic.

85 Perpetua - Fight.  Edinburgh metalcore freaks became the Scottish Alternative Music Awards best metal winners and show how to cut the mustard in this growling opus.

84 Chvrches ft. Hayley Williams​ - Bury It.  Glasgow electropop behemoths haul in Paramore front-woman for yet another electro-pop nugget.

83 Frightened Rabbit - I Wish I Was Sober.   Melodic miserablism at its best from Selkirk's finest.  

82  Foggy City Orphan - Turn It On.   Glasgow combo make like LCD Soundsystem handed warped guitars. Magnifico.

81  M^tch - Take Me Or Leave It.   Bonkers and transcendent electro glitch pop from Glasgow. 

80  Kelora - Boy.    If medieval house existed it would have spawned this ugly-beautiful epic from this Glasgow duo. 

79  The Pooches - Another Evening, Another Town​.   Sounds like a Belle and Sebastian return to form from Glasgow's indie quartet. A compliment. 

78  Hudson Mohawke - Play n Go​.   Glasgow producer king with a startling Watch Dogs 2 game electro blast.

77  Faex Optim - The Ocean Congress​​.   Hauntingly downbeat housey dancey electro groove from smart Edinburgh producer.

76  The Bellybuttons - Waiting (Hold On)​​​.   Scuzzy psyched-out lovelorn 'navelgaze' anthem from University of Glasgow-formed four piece.

Part 2: From Jesus and Mary Chain to Ultras

Part 3: From Mairearad Green to Sand

Part 4: From Frightened Rabbit to Stanley Odd