The team behind the International Songwriting Competition are running a newly launched competition called Unsigned Artists Only Music designed for solo acts, bands and singers who are not signed to a major record label. The deadline for Unsigned Only is March 5 so applicants need to get in quick.
Unsigned Only is on the hunt to find amazing talent in songwriting and original music. The opportunity will give artists who apply the chance to increase their exposure, win some amazing prizes (with a $5000 grand prize) and perform in front of a panel of high profile music industry experts.
The judging panel is pretty impressive to say the least:
Cyndi Lauper; Kenny Rogers; Angie Stone; 3 Doors Down; Jeremy Camp; Manchester Orchestra; Craig Morgan; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kelly Clarkson; Musiq Soulchild; Aaron Shust; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); G. Love; Matt and Kim; St. Vincent; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine); Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum) and Lorraine Ali (Pop Music Editor, Los Angeles Times).
Panel mentors include:
Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive Vice President/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, RCA Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records) and Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records).
Entries are being accepted now until March 5, 2012. Winners will be announced in July, 2012. Categories include: AAA (Adult Album Alternative), AC (Adult Contemporary), Christian Music, Country, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, R&B/Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop/Top 40, and Vocal Performance.
All entries must be original music except for the Vocal Performance category which accepts original or cover songs. Judging criteria in the Vocal Performance category will be based solely on the quality of the vocals, thereby allowing singers who do not write their own songs the opportunity to enter.
For more information, please contact Candace Avery at 615.251.4441 or cavery@unsignedonly.com.
For entry and general information, please go to http://www.unsignedonly.com