Formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, by twin brothers Charles and Craig Reid (born March 5, 1962), the duo The Proclaimers released their debut album, This Is the Story, in 1987. Celtic-inspired folk rock, a thick Scottish accent, and catchy melodies like those in “Letter from America” (which peaked at No. 3 in the UK) are the band’s hallmarks, earning them both critical acclaim and popular success. The release the following year of their second album, Sunshine on Leith—which peaked at No. 6 and was certified platinum—marked the duo’s peak with the hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” In 1990, the EP King of the Road (No. 9) preceded the third album Hit the Highway (No. 8, 1994), from which three charting singles were released, notably “Let’s Get Married.” At the height of their popularity, the duo mysteriously disappeared for seven years, only to reappear in 2001 with the album *Persevere*, followed by *Born Innocent* (2003), Restless Soul (2005), Life With You (2007), and Notes & Rhymes (2009). In 2012, twenty-five years after their debut album, the two bespectacled musicians released Like Comedy, a new album followed by the compilation The Very Best Of: 25 Years (1987–2012) and a film based on the songs from Sunshine on Leith. In 2015, their tenth studio album, Let’s Hear It for the Dogs, was released, followed by a world tour. Ever productive, the brotherly duo continued with Angry Cyclist and a North American tour. Health restrictions interrupted their tours and complicated Craig and Charlie Reid’s collaborative work in 2020 and 2021, a period that inspired several songs on their twelfth album. In 2022, The Proclaimers reunited with producer Dave Eringa at Rockfield Studios in Wales to record Dentures Out. Preceded by the singles “The World That Was” and “Dentures Out”, the album was released in September on Cooking Vinyl and peaked at number six in Scotland. James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers plays guitar on two tracks from this politically charged album, which addresses topics such as the pandemic, capitalism, the media, and the exploitation of nostalgia. Filmed in June 2023 during one of the first major concerts held in Leith, Dentures Out (Live in Leith) was released online in 2025. That same year, an electronic remix of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by DJ Trance was released. After a hiatus from live performances, The Proclaimers hit the road again in the United Kingdom in 2026 and released their thirteenth album, You May Offend, in September. Recorded once again at Rockfield with Dave Eringa, their touring band, and James Dean Bradfield, the album opens with “You May Offend”, a song dedicated to freedom of expression, followed by “But It Is”.
