In Scotland's Hogmanay celebration, what song is traditionally sung at midnight?

The song traditionally sung at midnight during Scotland's Hogmanay celebration is “Auld Lang Syne.”

The lyrics are based on a poem written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788. Burns said he had collected and improved older Scottish material, so the song is not simply a wholly new composition. Its title is an Scots phrase meaning roughly “old long since,” or old times.

The familiar melody became widely established later, especially after music publisher George Thomson paired the words with a tune in the late eighteenth century. The song spread internationally through Scottish communities and public celebrations.

Although strongly linked with New Year's Eve, “Auld Lang Syne” is also used at farewells, reunions, graduations, and memorial occasions. Its wording asks whether old friendships and shared memories should be forgotten, which explains its enduring place in midnight rituals.