Posted: Nov Fri 2008 7:54 AM CST

Go Ahead: Become Billboard’s Next Greatest Songwriter!

By Tilly Cryar | 498 views |

There’s still time, people. If you hurry, you should still be able to get into one of the world’s biggest songwriting contests in the world.

The 16th Billboard World Song Contest (yes, that Billboard) has reset its entry deadline for December 15. The original date was November 15–but now, thanks to the millions of other procrastinators that cover Earth’s surface, the door’s been held open for you a little longer.

Enter by mail or online

The contest can be entered either by mail (Send to: The Billboard Song Contest, P.O. Box 1000, Mounds, OK 74047-1000) or via Sonicbids.com. For the latter, just go to www.sonicbids.com/opportunity and go to contests; this one is near the top.

Sonicbids is offering a free 3-month membership to those entering the contest…in case that was a problem.

You can enter an unlimited number of songs in any of the following categories: 1. Rock/Alternative 2. Pop 3. Jazz 4. R&B/Blues 5. Country 6. Latin 7. Rap/Hip-Hop 8. Contemporary Christian/Gospel 9. Dance 10. World 11. Americana/Folk 12. Electronica/Soundtrack. But there is a $30 fee per song… helpful, for them and you, in keeping your choices selective.

The judging process

Songs will be judged, the website says, based on composition, lyrics (when applicable), melody, and originality.” They can be a capella, without lyrics, or lyrics only. More likely, they can be a very poor-quality recording. “The quality of performance and production will not be a consideration,” says the website. Believe them.

First, second, and third place winners will be chosen in each of the 12 categories by panels of the usual “top industry professionals” and the possibilities for exposure are endless.

You keep the rights to everything sent in, but the contest winners are celebrated in a taped ceremony with some performances from winners, ect. Also, you might end up on the BBSC Contest Winners CD. Prizes are explained as follows on the site:

Prizes

“Twelve (12) Grand Prize Winners will receive the Excellence in Songwriting Award, a Casio WK-3300 keyboard ($400), a one-year subscription to Taxi ($300), Indie Band Manager software ($99), a pair of BluBlocker Sunglasses ($20), a set of D’Addario guitar strings ($10), and song placement on the 16th BBSC Winner’s CD.

“Twelve (12) second place winners will receive placement on the 16th BBSC Contest Winners CD, Excellence in Songwriting Award, a one-year subscription to Taxi ($300), Indie Band Manager software ($99), a pair of BluBlocker Sunglasses ($20), and a set of D’Addario guitar strings ($10).

“Twelve (12) third place winners will receive placement on the 16th BBSC Contest Winners CD, Excellence in Songwriting Award, a one-year subscription to Taxi ($300), Indie Band Manager software ($99), a set of D’Addario guitar strings ($10), and a pair of BluBlocker Sunglasses ($20).

“The winning song titles and winners name of the top three (3) songs in each category will be placed on the official Billboard Song Contest website (www.billboardsongcontest.com).

Honorable mentions

Honorable mentions still get fun consolation prizes; the aforementioned guitar strings, sunglasses, or software.

Check out the website for more information or entry forms, and to see “slammin’ video clips” from last year’s awards show: www.billboardsongcontest.com

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