The 10 most-read pipes|drums News articles of 2025

Our final list of the 10 most-read pipes|drums News articles of 2025, from what was yet another highly newsworthy year for the piping and drumming world. We brought nearly 350 News articles to our readers over the year.

We categorize News articles as those that aren’t competition Results reports, Features, interviews, or other pieces, which, one might argue, also have a certain amount of “news” to them.

We’re always fascinated by what piques readers’ interest, and factors such as the date and time can affect statistics. Thanks mainly to pipes|drums sources providing tips and insights, and breaking the news is a clear benefit.

According to media analytics, in reverse order, here are the 10 most-read pipes|drums News stories of 2025:

North American-style massed bands to replace traditional march-past at European Championships – Change comes slowly to the piping and drumming world. After a hundred years of military-style march-pasts, the RSPBA tried a “massed bands” style finale at the European Championships on August 9th at Perth, Scotland. Could this really be the end of the quasi-martial “eyes right” ritual and bladder-bursting band members praying to the god of porta-loos for sweet relief?

Police Scotland & Federation to sit out 2025 season; Scotland down to six Grade 1 bands – Another band opts out of competition when they can’t secure a leading-drummer, bringing the total number of actively competing Scottish Grade 1 bands to six. Considering that in 1993 there were 14 competing Grade 1 bands based in Scotland and 19 in the UK and Ireland, this provides context.

What are the cash prizes for all grades at the World Championships? Here are the details – Until pipes|drums bothered to investigate (and more importantly the RSPBA provided the information), no one seemed to know the cash prizes across all grades at the Worlds. We didn’t know which was more newsworthy: the information or that the details were even provided. The transparency times are indeed changing for the better.

Ben Duncan appointed pipe-sergeant of Field Marshal Montgomery – Few established bands on earth experience a change at pipe-major, lead-drummer, mid-section, and pipe-sergeant in a single year; that it was one of the world’s elite groups was extraordinary. Top solo piper Ben Duncan being chosen for the role by new Pipe-Major Matt Wilson garnered the attention of the pipe band world.

Johnstone Grade 1 disbands; UK scene now only seven at the top – The sad disbandment of the Johnstone organization’s top band was nothing less than a shock, especially after Pipe-Major Pipe-Major Donald Mackay’s honest plea for more members. Rather than continually trying to crack a seemingly deadlocked group of prizewinners, the band collectively agreed to move on, leaving only seven actively competing Grade 1 bands in the UK at the time. (Police Scotland & Federation reportedly now plan to compete in 2026.)

207 bands entered for 2025 World Championships as draw revealed – Perhaps simply having one list in one place on one page was the big attraction to this story, but no doubt the continuing obsession with the World Championships was borne out in this news piece.

Closkelt dissolves; UK reduced to seven Grade 1 bands – More shock, as Northern Ireland’s Closkelt elected to shut down. Like Johnstone, only a few years out of Grade 2, Closkelt was continually looking for a break from being seemingly typecast as an also-ran before events even started, even when its pipe section performed with impressive unison and creativity. With few top-tier Grade 1 bands competing in non-major contests, where these breaks often occur, the odds seem stacked against bands promoted from Grade 2. (Be sure to see our three-part panel discussion on making the move to Grade 1.)

RSPBA confirms only four major championships in 2025 – There wasn’t a sponsor to be found for a 2025 British Championships, so the UK season was reduced to only four major championships. The UK Championships in July would mark the latest date for a major in the history of the association. In better news, the 2026 UK season returns to the full complement of five championships.

Ian McLellan, 1937–2025 – The passing of the greatest pipe-major of the 20th century was met with universal sadness. Not only was the legendary Ian McLellan a leader of bands, he was an elite solo piper and a world-class good man, beloved by all who knew him.

And the most-read/viewed pipes|drums News article of 2025 . . . 

Bill Livingstone, 1942-2025 – The sad news of this man of firsts leaving us was received with sadness and shock. Over his nearly 83 years, Livingstone was always, but always, interesting. He was driven to question an eschew the norms of the piping and pipe band world and, with it, brought significant change to the music we play and the way we play it, as well as a constant nose-thumbing at the ritualistic taboos of what could often be an otherwise stagnant and repetitive art. Livingstone brought a rock n roll swagger to pipe band and solo piping performance, which can be heard in the recordings he and his 78th Fraser Highlanders left behind.

Our thanks to every one of the hundreds of pipes|drums followers who provided news tips and insights in 2025. 

Stay tuned for the 2025 pipes|drums New Year’s Honours, coming soon!