Rules

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I enter more than one song? Can I win more than one prize?
A: Yes and yes. If you look at the "Winners" page, you'll notice that both Jon Troast and Roger MacNaughton won twice in 2007. In our five years of organizing songwriting contests, we've had multiple winners every year.

Q: Do I have to give up any rights to my song if I win?
A: No. We firmly believe that no contest should take any rights from a songwriter as a condition of entering or winning. In the past, we've gotten radio airplay for some of the winners, but we always get written permission from the songwriter before we let anyone broadcast the song.

Q: Should I send a separate CD for each song?
A: One CD for multiple songs is fine. Just make sure you let us know which song is on which track.

Q: Is any one style of music more likely to win?
A: No, we've had winners in all styles of music. Our judges are versed in many styles of music. We're looking for the best songs, whether it's rock, singer-songwriter, R&B, country, bluegrass, jazz, Christian and Gospel, or some new form or novel combination.

Q: Do you take lyrics without music? How about instrumentals?
A: Yes to the instrumentals, but no to the lyrics without music. There are contests that take entries of lyrics only, but we're not one of them.

Q: Should I have my song professionally recorded? Should I hire professional singers and musicians?
A: As long as the recording is good enough for us to hear what you want your song to sound like, that'll do. We've had winners submit songs that they recorded on inexpensive, handheld tape recorders. A professional recording won't hurt your chances, but it's the song itself that our judges are listening for.

Q: What happens if my entry materials are lost or damaged in the mail?
A: We e-mail entrants within two weeks of receiving your materials. If your materials arrive damaged or something's missing, we'll let you know. (Hint: We've yet to have a CD damaged that was shipped in a jewel case. However, some of the CDs shipped in paper sleeves haven't fared as well.) If you don't hear from us within two weeks of when you think we should have received your materials, please e-mail us at michigansongwriters@juno.com.

Q: Do you give us any feedback on our songs?
A: Sorry, we don't. (Some contests do, but how much time and thought goes into their ratings is an open question. ) If our judges have any comments on your entry, we will pass them along to you, but most of the time, they don't, due to the volume of the entries.

Q: Can I re-enter a song that I've entered before?
A: Yes, as long as it wasn't a prizewinner in one of our previous contests. Our judge's panel changes every year, and your song may resonate more with one set of judges than another.

Q: Who are the judges for 2008?
A: We don't release the judges' names until we release the names of the winners. Each year, we assemble a diverse group of music professionals who have roots in the Great Lakes region. Take a look at our "Judges" page to see who we had in 2007.

Still have questions? E-mail us at michigansongwriters@juno.com