5th Annual CMT/NSAI Song Contest

To submit to the current NSAI/CMT Song Contest, please click here.


The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has announced the launch of the 5th Annual CMT/NSAI Song Contest. This is the only song contest that provides an avenue for emerging songwriters which opens doors to industry contacts, gets their songs pitched to record labels and top publishing executives and offers them the chance to receive a single song contract.



Winning the CMT/NSAI Song Contest isn’t just about the great prizes. Winners of previous years’ competitions have been launched from amateur status to professional, garnering full-time careers as songwriters and artists. “By offering the top six winning songs single-song contracts with a major publisher, we don’t just get an amateur songwriter’s foot in the door—we rip the door off its hinges and create an opportunity for the aspiring songwriter to build relationships with top-notch songwriters, publishers and music industry executives that would normally take years to establish,” says Bart Herbison, executive director of NSAI.



Along with the single-song contract offer, the grand prize winner will also receive entrance into the NSAI Songwriter Protégé program, which includes one full year of mentoring, educational sessions and career path development with members of the NSAI staff; a series of one-on-one mentoring sessions with award-winning professional songwriters, major publishers and teachers; a full course on how a songwriter can generate income; and appointments with music publishers and record label A&R representatives. Industry contacts, single-song contract offers, professional demo production, individual judging reports, and personal service set the CMT/NSAI Song Contest apart from all other song contests. Winners will be announced sometime in March, after which a complete list of winners will be posted on the NSAI website.