Gig Overview
WELCOME TO THE INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION ONLINE ENTRY PROCESS. Enter your songs now. Over $150,000 in cash and prizes including a $25,000 cash prize to the 2008 Overall Grand Prize winner - the largest cash Grand Prize in any songwriting competition! This is an excellent opportunity for artists and bands that are looking to gain exposure in the music industry.
The International Songwriting Competition is excited to introduce a new category this year, Music Video. ISC will accept videos of original songs only. Judging criteria will be based on the songwriting and the video. The International Songwriting Competition makes it very easy to enter: you may upload your video to Sonicbids, or ISC will view the video on any website (i.e. your MySpace page, YouTube, your website, etc.). Just let ISC know the URL of the website where the video is, and they will watch it there.
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has the most prestigious panel of judges of any songwriting contest in the world. Here is your chance to have your music heard by some of the most high-profile and influential figures in the music industry! You may submit as many songs as desired in each category or enter the same song in more than one category.
ISC has the most prestigious panel of judges of any songwriting contest in the world. Judges for 2008 include: Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20); Chaka Khan; Tom Waits; KT Tunstall; Robert Smith (The Cure); Loretta Lynn; Matt Thiessen (Relient K); Neil Finn (Crowded House); Buckcherry; T-Pain; James Cotton; Jerry Lee Lewis; Craig Morgan; Jeremy Camp; Ray Davies (The Kinks); Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); Michael W. Smith; Chris Hillman (The Byrds); John Scofield; Mario; Black Francis (The Pixies); Youssou N'Dour; Natalie Grant; John Mayall; DJ Tiësto; "Weird Al" Yankovic; and Paul Van Dyk
Industry executives judges include: Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Nick Burgess (Head of A&R, Virgin Records UK); Angel Carrasco (Sr. VP of A&R, Latin America Sony BMG and President, Discos 605); Cameron Strang (President, New West Records); Amy Doyle (Sr. VP of Music and Talent, MTV); Kim Buie (VP of A&R, Lost Highway); Jon Pikus (Director of A&R, MySpace Records); Rick Krim (Executive VP of Music & Talent Programming, VH1); Mitchell Cohen (VP of A&R, Verve Music Group); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Dan Storper (President, Putumayo World Music); Peter Strickland (Senior VP, Jack Records/Warner Bros.); Steve Lillywhite (Producer - credits include U2, The Rolling Stones, Morrissey, Peter Gabriel, and more); Douglas C. Cohn (Sr. VP, Music Marketing & Talent, Nickelodeon); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Betty Pino (DJ, WAMR Miami); Paul Majors (CEO/Founder Majors Music); Leib Ostrow (CEO, Music for Little People); and Dr. Demento (Radio Host of The Dr. Demento Show)
ISC categories include: AAA (Adult Album Alternative), Americana, Blues, Children's Music, Comedy/Novelty, Country, Dance/Electronica, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Gospel/Christian, Instrumental, Jazz, Latin Music, Lyrics Only, Music Video, Performance *, Pop/Top 40, R&B/Hip-Hop, Rock, Teen**, and World Music.
*This category is based not only on songwriting but also the overall performance and delivery of the song. All genres of music are accepted in this category.
**All songwriters entering the Teen category must be 18 yrs. old or younger by December 31, 2008. All genres of music are accepted in this category. Entering this category does not exclude you from entering other categories as well.