Rules

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I have to live in the Great Lakes region to enter?
A: Not anymore. After 5 years of running regional contests, the sponsors and organizers have decided to remove all the geographic restrictions. The contest is now open to all songwriters.

Q: Can I enter more than one song? Can I win more than one prize?
A: Yes and yes. While there weren't any multiple winners in 2008, in the preceding four years there were multiple winners every time. For example, in 2007 Roger MacNaughton of Grand Rapids won both second and third prizes for two different songs, and was a finalist for a few more songs as well.

Q: Is it better to enter on-line or through the mail?
A: You have an equal chance of winning either way. But we hate dumping all that bubble wrap in the landfill, so we encourage artists to enter electronically. It saves you money on postage as well.

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. 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 quality of 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. We've found that electronic entries are more reliable than the mail. In 2008, out of several hundred electronic entries, there was only one that had a glitch, and that was quickly remedied by Sonicbids.

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 debatable. ) 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 judges' panel changes every year, and your song may resonate more with one set of judges than another.

Q: Who are the judges for 2009?
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 2008.

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