Entering a songwriting competition can be a great way for people of all abilities to gain more exposure, test the water with new material, and in some cases get useful feedback on their work. There are competitions held all over the world, from small scale affairs on community radio, searches for songs on a certain theme or occasion, and general song writing contests, which are covered in more detail below:

General Songwriting Contests

These contests can be found all over the web, and are often open to songwriters all over the UK, Europe, and sometimes the world. Some of the most popular competitions include the UK Songwriting Contest, Unisong, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and the USA Songwriting Competition. Most of these competitions have a similar format/structure, so here are some general pointers:

Entry: Most competitions are part or fully funded by entry fees, it’s almost unavoidable, although there can be discounts for entering multiple songs. It can prove expensive so it’s always best to choose a reputable contest that’s associated with individuals or companies in the industry, to ensure you have the best chance of getting something from entering.

Categories: General songwriting contests will traditionally have a range of categories for entrants to place their songs in. These will include a lyric only category, and a list of music genres, such as Christian, Traditional, Pop, R&B, Rock/Indie, and Soul. It’s normally possible to place your songs in the correct genre category, and have the lyrics judged separately as well.

Judging: Sometimes there are elements of public voting in a songwriting contest, though most will have a judging panel, and several stages of judging to decide the winners. The panels are normally made up of people within the music industry, such as music journalists, songwriters, renowned producers, radio DJ’s, and representatives from places like The Brits School. They will listen to every song entered, match them against their judging criteria, and ultimately decide the winners.

Prizes: Prizes for entering songwriting contests can be many and varied. They could be anything from radio play and studio recording sessions, to free songwriting software, cash, or musical related products. Many contests will also team up with sponsors to offer discounts of their products.

Benefits: To a certain extent a song contest can be what you make it. If you progress through the competition or even win, you are a news story, and it can be left to you to make sure people know about it in the media. Publicising yourself can then lead to radio play, interviews, press coverage, and new fans for your material. A lot of these competitions are used to a certain extent for talent spotting too, so winners, and other entrants that show promise could be contacted by members of the judging panel, or other people in the industry scouting for songs, talent, acts for gigs and so on. There are no guarantees, but there are opportunities there, so entering a songwriting contest may prove to be a rewarding experience. Contests can also help focus your writing, bring forward new inspiration, and help you make new contacts, all of which could help you achieve your songwriting goals. Why not give it a go and see what happens?